LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – March marks Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, but for many families, the concerns and uncertainties don\u2019t follow a calendar.<\/p>\n
Bryan Sessom, director of Lubbock Early Childhood Intervention, says the first three years of a child\u2019s life can determine outcomes that last far beyond those early milestones.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we miss these early years, they\u2019re delayed everywhere else so we have to get in there hopefully from birth,\u201d Sessom said.<\/p>\n
How a child learns to speak, move, play and interact with others begins long before kindergarten. For families facing a diagnosis, the questions can feel endless.<\/p>\n
\u201cAny child that faces a diagnosis you wonder will my child have a normal life, will there be a certain obstacles that I cant help them with, what will they do if I pass away?\u201d Sessom said.<\/p>\n
Early Childhood Intervention, known as ECI, works with children under age 3 who have developmental delays, medical conditions, or vision and hearing impairments. The program provides families with guidance during a time that can feel isolating.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s very comforting to families it can be devastating when they receive a down syndrome diagnosis or genetic diagnosis. Having somebody that\u2019s there who has dealt with this before, who you can refer to and ask, call, email. I think it\u2019s very comforting for families,\u201d Sessom said.<\/p>\n
Specialists including therapists, nurses and case managers work directly with parents, helping them recognize developmental signs and integrate support into daily routines.<\/p>\n
That early intervention matters because unaddressed delays don\u2019t disappear, they follow children into the classroom and affect learning in ways that become harder to address over time.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose delays that never got taken care of are going to play them for the rest of their school years. These delays now can cause delays in math, reading, science. Those things schools already struggle with if these services weren\u2019t here it would really be tough for teachers,\u201d Sessom said.<\/p>\n
ECI offers evaluations, therapy and family-centered care tailored to each child\u2019s needs. Services are available at no cost for families who qualify, giving children a stronger foundation before they enter school.<\/p>\n
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