Steven

When Nancy’s 18 month old son, Steven, was diagnosed with autism, she was devastated. She had noticed changes in her little boy, things that just didn’t seem quite right, but never thought she would hear the word “autism” from the pediatrician. As a single mother, she didn’t have the support of a partner and felt overwhelmed at the idea of finding help. But upon receiving the diagnosis, the doctor also told Nancy about a source of help: the Any Baby Can Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECI.)

ECI staff connected with Nancy, and a service coordinator helped her build a plan of action. A team of staff worked with Nancy to review child development milestones, Steven’s triggers and challenges and appropriate coping and learning techniques. A speech therapist also began working with the little boy to address language delays. Not only was Steven’s condition being addressed, his mother was gaining the tools she needed to support her son. As with most Any Baby Can services, ECI staff worked with Nancy in her home, so they could see Steven in his natural environment and talk to Nancy in a place where she felt safe and open to having discussions and trying new techniques. Week in and week out, staff guided the youngster, continued evaluations and therapies and gave Nancy “homework” to practice in between sessions.

On Steven’s third birthday, he graduated from ECI. He is now in school, excelling at classes and Nancy couldn’t be more relieved or optimistic. In looking back on their time with the agency, Nancy says that, “Any Baby Can truly understood the needs of my child and my family. They not only gave me the tools I needed to care for my son, they gave me peace of mind in knowing that Steven received the best care possible.”