By Declan's Parents | Parents
By all appearances, Declan was the best baby any parent could ask for. He loved to snuggle, was generous with his gummy smiles, slept well, and was a veracious eater. Still, I had the nagging feeling that he was too easy of a baby. He was not trying to roll over and when we would attempt tummy time he would just lay with his face smashed into the floor until someone turned him over, never uttering a complaint. I quickly realized that Declan would not cry to have his needs met, and that’s when I recognized that something was wrong with our baby.
Regional Center led us to testing at ICEC, where the therapists patiently let me unload all of my concerns on them. I left feeling a sense of relief that my baby had professionals treating him so I could concern myself with just being his mom. Declan was found to be developmentally delayed in multiple areas, so we started a regimen of infant stimulation and physical therapy. It was during these sessions that Declan learned to cry. I cannot tell you how relieved we were to see that he could be challenged, made to do something he didn’t like and he eventually, would complain. At times we were concerned it was too much for him, but the therapists were there to reassure us that this was a positive reaction.
Declan learned how to roll over, crawl, and take his first steps. Declan was non-verbal at the age of 2, and after only 6 months of speech therapy he is now quite the chatter bug. Occupational therapy has taught us how to deal with Declan’s social anxieties, and how to talk to our family and friends about his specific needs. Our lives have forever been changed by the support and therapy given to us at ICEC. No words can truly capture the sentiment of our gratefulness that the therapists at ICEC have given us the greatest gifts of listening to our son talk, watching him run, and hearing him laugh and play.
By Amelia's Parents | Amelia's Parents
By Micah's Parents | ICEC
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