Tuesday, October 3, 2017

The Five Therapies and Early Intervention


An invaluable service for us has been the New Jersey Early Intervention (EI) program.  It was introduced to us by another couple whose daughter had also dealt with Infantile Spasms.  It was described to us as a service that would allow for Rhythm to receive the kind of therapy she needs to help re-teach her brain all of those things that were set behind as a result of her type of Epilepsy and associated developmental delays.


As we met with the coordinators of the EI program and learned what they would be able to do, I felt confident that Rhythm would have a great support structure going forward.  It wasn't just physical therapy to help her learn how to use her limbs and eventually crawl and walk.  It was everything else that a child does that we take for granted, like playing and eating.


Rhythm has qualified for Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Vision Therapy, Speech Therapy and Feeding Therapy.  It's overwhelming, especially for Rhythm, but every day, kind and caring people are helping our daughter learn and meet milestones for development that still lay in front of her.  She has at least one therapy session a day.


Rhythm has now been nearly three months seizure free.  This has really allowed us to focus on her therapy, on teaching her things and watch as she slowly learns things on her own.  Our speech therapist has described the many sounds that Rhythm makes (raspberries, etc) as her own language.  If we notice trends and when she uses these sounds, we may begin to understand sometimes what she wants until she learns to form words.

With a lively, but non-verbal child, I often find myself wondering: What's going on inside that little head of yours, Rhythm?  It's a world I think she is trying to share with us.  We just have to be patient.


Each state has an Early Intervention Program.  If you have a child under 3 years of age, and have not heard of Early Intervention or had a chance to reach out to them yet, below is the contact information for each state in the US, along with US Territories, and a link to a website that summarizes the program.


State Coordinators for Early Intervention


List as of 9/14/2017

Alabama


Alaska


American Samoa

  • Ruth Te'o, Acting Part C Coordinator
  • Department of Health
  • Helping Hands Early Intervention Program
  • Early Hearing Detection and Intervention
  • PO Box 7477
  • Pago Pago, AS 96799
  • Phone: (684) 699-4987
  • Fax: (684) 699-4985
  • Email: rteo@doh.as
  • Website: http://www.helpinghands-as.org/index.html

Arizona


Arkansas


Bureau of Indian Education

  • Sue Bement, Acting Supervisory Ed Specialist, Early Childhood
  • Division of Performance and Accountability
  • Bureau of Indian Education/Albuquerque Service Center
  • 1011 Indian School Road, NW, Suite 332
  • Albuquerque, NM 87104
  • Phone: (505) 563-5274
  • Fax: (505) 563-5281
  • Email: sue.bement@bie.edu
  • Website: http://www.bie.edu/
  • ReferPhone: See regional phone numbers at the Referral Website
  • ReferWebsite: http://www.ectacenter.org/topics/bie/biecontacts.asp

California


Colorado


Connecticut


Delaware


Department of Defense


District of Columbia


Florida


Georgia


Guam


Hawaii

  • Charlene Robles, EIS Supervisor/Part C Coordinator
  • Department of Health
  • Early Intervention Section
  • 1350 South King Street, Suite 200
  • Honolulu, HI 96814
  • Phone: (808) 594-0007
  • Fax: (808) 594-0015
  • Email: charlene.robles@doh.hawaii.gov
  • Website: http://health.hawaii.gov/eis/
  • ReferPhone: (808) 594-0066 (for Oahu or 1-800-235-5477 for Neighbor Islands)

Idaho

  • Christy Cronheim, Program Manager
  • Children's Developmental Services
  • State Department of Health and Welfare
  • 450 West State Street, 5th Floor
  • PO Box 83720
  • Boise, ID 83720-0036
  • Phone: (208) 334-5590
  • AltPhone1: (800) 926-2588
  • AltPhone2: (208) 332-7205 (TTY)
  • Fax: (208) 332-7330
  • Email: cronheic@dhw.idaho.gov
  • Website: http://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/default.aspx?TabId=78
  • ReferPhone: (208) 334-6530

Illinois


Indiana


Iowa


Kansas


Kentucky


Louisiana


Maine


Maryland


Massachusetts


Michigan


Minnesota


Mississippi


Missouri


Montana


Nebraska

  • Julie Docter, Part C Co-Coordinator
  • School Based Services/Early Development Network
  • DHHS - Medicaid & Long-Term Care
  • 301 Centennial Mall South, 5
  • P.O. Box 95026
  • Lincoln, NE 68509-5026
  • Phone: (402) 471-1733
  • Fax: (402) 471-9092
  • Email: Julie.Docter@nebraska.gov
  • Website: http://edn.ne.gov/cms/

Nevada


New Hampshire


New Jersey


New Mexico


New York


North Carolina


North Dakota


Northern Mariana Islands


Ohio


Oklahoma


Oregon


Pennsylvania


Puerto Rico


Rhode Island


South Carolina


South Dakota


Tennessee


Texas


Utah


Vermont


Virgin Islands


Virginia


Washington


West Virginia


Wisconsin


Wyoming