At the beginning of the year, I started to have concerns about the development of my toddler son. At the time, he was just shy of 2 years old. He had no issues to this point and had had a healthy pregnancy and delivery. He just seemed to be stalled in growth specifically in understanding language. I watched and waited for a few months. Then, I took him to the pediatrician. Looking back, I wish I had gone in sooner.
The pediatrician recommended that I call Arizona Early Intervention Program (AzEIP–pronounced a-zip). This state government program came and did a free assessment of my child. They let me know that my concerns were right on but that he was also struggling in other areas that I hadn’t realized. They let me know what types of therapists our son needed. One of the organizations that are contracted with the state now provides services in my home. The organization bills our insurance first and then there is a sliding scale for payment. This is an amazing service that gets great services to struggling kids for low cost to the families.
If you have concerns about your child, it can feel intimating to reach out for help. Time is of the essence for very small children, though, and getting help if they need it is invaluable. Taking that first step was hard, but now I feel like I have a whole team of people that care about my son and are fighting for him to be the best he can be.