Easter Seals: Early intervention key to success

"It's enormously isolating when you know something is wrong with your child and everyone keeps saying he's fine," shares Mary Susan Murphy of Naperville.

Within just a few days of his birth, Murphy knew something didn't feel quite right about her son, Scott. "He was floppy. He was like jelly. It just seemed as if his muscles were too weak," says Murphy. She says that when she expressed concerns, everyone told her to give him time and that Scott would be fine, including the pediatrician.

It wasn't until Scott was 8 months old that he was sent to physical therapy. At 9 months old he still wasn't able to sit up on his own. Shortly after that he was accepted into the state's Early Intervention program. At 3 years old, Scott started private physical therapy. He was even wearing full body orthotics to hold him up and give him strength. At age 4, his private occupational therapist told Murphy about Easter Seals. She recognized that Scott needed more support and told Murphy that Easter Seals could provide what Scott needed then as well as what he was likely to need in the coming years.

Scott has been with Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley ever since.

Easter Seals knows the importance of early intervention. According to Kathleen Schrock, VP of Clinical Services at Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley, research proves that the earlier delays and disabilities can be identified, the greater the difference that can be made. "The earlier we can work with the child, the sooner we can impact brain function. Early intervention can provide a complete range of therapeutic services for the child as well as support for the entire family," explains Schrock, who was recently appointed by the governor to the chair of the Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention.

Schrock goes on to say that early intervention focuses on the first three years of a child's development. Through the state of Illinois early intervention program, a referral is made from a doctor or therapist for a child with at least a 30 percent or higher developmental delay. In Illinois, there are an estimated 20,000 infants and toddlers who are presently receiving services under these guidelines.

There are also children with a 15-30 percent developmental delay that may not qualify through the state system but who could still benefit from services. Schrock says through Easter Seals, a child's development can be positively impacted and certainly can affect how they see and interact with the world around them. From a developmental perspective, this is key because young children soak up all that surrounds them. Easter Seals services help identify how to make the way in which a child processes the world around them more effective.

Easter Seals boasts a family-centered philosophy. Their core services include occupational, physical and speech-language therapy as well as assistive technology and audiology. They also offer a host of other services from several disciplines. According to Schrock, within the therapy staff they can consult with other therapists in an interdisciplinary way and can consult with a strong network of doctors. Family services are there to provide information, educate and support family members. Easter Seals works with parents to identify what they want and need in order to support their child.

Scott, now 8 years old, was diagnosed with a rare immune disorder, Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID). Scott's body cannot make enough antibodies, which causes him to be susceptible to infections. Over the course of his young life, Scott has lived with severe and persistent infections including frequent bouts of pneumonia and ear infections. He had several rounds of ear tubes inserted and his adenoids removed. In addition to having an immune disorder, Scott has motor coordination disorder. This leaves Scott physically exhausted from even the most typical 8-year-old tasks.

It took years for these diagnoses to be made. Murphy is grateful to the Scott's team of therapists and the people at Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley who helped make the diagnoses. She is also grateful for the team of people who are helping empower both Scott and her to get through everyday life.

"Scott's disabilities are not visible and he's an incredibly bright, engaging boy. If you were on the playground, you would never know Scott wasn't a typical 8-year-old," says Murphy. But once everyone starts to run and play, Scott can't keep up. He may run around for a very short time, but he tires quickly. "When he hits his wall, he has to stop. Most of his friends keep running," continues Murphy.

Though he is moving out of the early intervention age, Scott continues to receive services from Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley. Murphy says that they help Scott learn how to cope with those types of situations and how to know when his body has had enough. They work on building up his strength and how to manage the affects of his condition. Most importantly, they help Scott be successful in managing life as an 8-year-old and continue to be the sweet, bright little boy that he is.

If you are concerned about your child and want to find out if early intervention could help, Easter Seals has a way to help. Their Make the First Five Count initiative offers a convenient, private online screening tool that can help identify markers for developmental delays. Through the Ages & Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), parents can get a professional evaluation. The ASQ is a nationally recognized tool to determine a child's developmental progress. It looks at five key areas including: communication, gross/fine motor skills, problem solving, personal/social skills and overall development.

Simply go to www.eastersealsdfvr.org and take the Ages & Stages Questionnaire. If delays are identified, Easter Seals can help.

Scott is one tough little guy who takes pride in what he can do. Murphy couldn't be prouder. And since coming to Easter Seals DuPage & Fox Valley, she no longer feels isolated.

• Note: Services offered vary by Easter Seals affiliates. To find an affiliate in your area, visit www.easterseals.com.

• Sherry Manschot is the marketing/public relations manager at Western DuPage Special Recreation Association. She leads a parent network of special needs families at WDSRA. Manschot can be contacted at sherrym@wdsra.com. More information about WDSRA can be found at wdsra.com.