Joseph: Our Family Experience with Early Intervention Services in Illinois

Our son, Joseph, was born with three heart defects. He had open-heart surgery at seven weeks to correct two of the problems. His first year was filled with medical procedures to deal with the resulting medical complications. Joseph also had chronic ear infections and resulting speech delays. His emotional development was also affected by all the trauma. Joseph was a silent baby who stared hard at everything around him. He put all of his energy into predicting what would happen to him next. He only felt safe with Mom and would not accept handling from anyone else.

Joe was evaluated and recommended for EI services on parent referral. His speech therapist was also his service coordinator. She was highly competent and procured massage therapy and developmental aquatic therapies in two neighboring counties (due to lack of services in our own county at the time.) She also had a physical therapist meet with us and make recommendations for home activities, as Joe was borderline on this evaluation. We also had a psychologist come to the home several times and teach us home interventions to help Joe learn to trust his environment. (Joseph had many autistic like behaviors.) After two years of intervention, Joe was ready to participate in a small playgroup. After another year he was able to attend an early childhood preschool for two years. After the first year (and four years of intervention), he would speak aloud in class. Joseph attended kindergarten in a regular class at the normal age with no services. The only service he has needed since then is with reading literacy.

He has had three years of gymnastics, joined a basketball team, takes piano lessons, where he performed in a recital, and is considered a medical miracle. He also has a lot of friends, many social invitations, and enjoys a life that would not have been possible without intervention. Joseph is African-American, adopted at birth because his birth father was arrested and received a 20-year sentence three weeks before Joseph was born. We talk about closing the gap in this country. Our son would be at the bottom of that gap if it were not for the interventions available to him and the consistent conscientious efforts of everyone who worked with him. We appreciate with all our "hearts" (quite literally) the difference it has made for Joseph.