This month’s story comes from a Connecticut mother who wishes to share her 211 experience in her own words. Names have been changed to protect the family’s privacy.
Alba is a beautiful, joyful girl, but when she was younger, I noticed she would become frustrated when she tried to talk and could not express herself. I also noticed frustration when I tried to have her repeat numbers or letters.
I spoke with a friend who was going through something similar with her premature twins, and she recommended that I call 211. At the time, I had recently moved from New York, and I was nervous. I had many fears. I feared being denied services, I wondered if Alba might be on the autism spectrum and I thought the process would take a long time.
But my experience was nothing like my fears.
I called 211 when Alba was two years old. I was transferred to 211 Child Development. They took all my information, and shortly after, Birth-to-Three contacted me to schedule an in-person meeting.
They were very flexible because they knew I was a working parent, but I also wanted to make sure my child received the help she needed. They went to our babysitter’s home and provided the needed sessions there. They also made sure to sit with me periodically to review Alba’s progress and explain how I could help her at home.
I saw the progress. I saw less frustration. Little by little, Alba was able to say her first word: “Mami” in Spanish and “Mom” in English. I cried.
Then it was time for her to be around more children, and that became another challenge. I needed to find a daycare that suited her needs, one that was not a large classroom and could support the recommendations from Birth-to-Three. Again, 211 was there to help me. I called, they listened and they gave me a list of daycare options.
When I finally found the right one, Alba was evaluated, and the teacher was aware of her needs. The teacher worked with her, made sure she was included in activities without being overwhelmed and helped her learn how to interact with other children. It was always so amazing to see how expressive she became with other children in her small class.
Her teachers would mention how wonderful it was that Birth-to-Three was able to provide that early support and give her the foundation she needed.
Alba still has an IEP, but I truly believe that getting help early made such a difference. As a parent, I was afraid, but 211 Child Development helped me take that first step and gave me a sense of security. Birth-to-Three was there, and the system was there to help us.
Alba is now thriving with continued support. Now we say, ‘Alba, you do not stop talking!’
Thank you to 211 Child Development for helping my family during a time when we needed guidance, support and hope.