Ben is a charming, sweet, 19 month old and recently graduated from our Early Intervention program. Ben loves swimming, playing with his older brother, and reading books. At two months old, Ben’s parents were referred by their doctor to DCBDD to receive services through Early Intervention. “When you hear developmental disability, your brain immediately goes to the dark side,” shared Ben’s mom, Maura. As scary and overwhelming as this news was, Ben’s family was immediately surrounded by support.

When Maura met Ben’s DCBDD Service Coordinator she said she immediately felt like family. She walked them through the process of navigating the system and accessing the support Ben needed. We asked Maura what advice she would give other parents and she said, “You’re building your toolkit. Put your trust in the team, they know what is best.”

Supporting Ben in his goal to learn to walk was a true team effort. Ben’s older brother Patrick enjoyed helping Ben with his strength exercises. Patrick would places stickers on Ben’s toes to encourage him to reach his toes. Now, Ben is so mobile it is hard to keep up with him!

Maura and her husband felt very supported by their Early Intervention team. “They helped us find tools and solutions,” said Maura. “They helped us find a helmet for Ben and really expanded our knowledge base of available resources.” Maura felt like the tools they received were practical and easy to work into their everyday routine.

“He has more independence. We are grateful for all the possibilities out there for him now,” shared Maura.

We are so proud of you, Ben! Keep up the great work!