Ask The Sherwood Team: Why Is Early Intervention Important?

Every day our team of skilled therapists, educators, and family resource coordinators wake up, pour their coffee, and get ready to see their Sherwood families. We are a team of passionate individuals who truly believe in the Sherwood statement: Believing in Abilities. So why do they do what they do? I asked a few and here is what I heard…

Sherwood speech therapist, Laura, reads a book with early intervention toddler

“As a former kindergarten teacher, I saw the need for strong early intervention programs. I wanted to be part of a larger mission to help prepare children for kindergarten, that’s why I chose to leave the classroom and join Sherwood’s Early Intervention B-3 program. I knew if we could reach children at a young age they’d be better prepared all around for the demands of a kindergarten classroom. Early intervention is so important for developing minds and it’s helpful for the families we work with. The thing I love best about our program and our different services is, as providers, we come together as a team to wrap support around your child and family the best way possible. We all want the same outcome. “ – Shannon, Sherwood Educator and Family Resource Coordinator (FRC)

“As a parent of a little one with challenges, is it distressing, depressing, and ultimately can even become heart-breaking when everyone you consult with for help focuses on all that your child can NOT do. It is absolutely, critically necessary that parents ALSO hear from those voices who can focus on the possibilities, on their child’s potential, and on all that their child CAN do!

Parents need to hear that from the start, to build their hope in, and their heart for, doing everything that their child needs them to do. Parents also need to know that they are not alone while they strive to do just that. Parents need to know that there are others willing to walk alongside them who will ABSOLUTELY believe with them in striving for their child’s potential. They need those others who will work with them to figure out what they, and their child, need next in order to take those INCREDIBLY important next baby steps toward all that is possible for them – believing in abilities with every step they take!

Others did that for us and changed the path of our child’s future. It is my turn, and my honor, to have the chance to do that with our Sherwood families. I LOVE to get our Early Intervention team of therapists into homes and WATCH perspectives shift as families actually start to look up, to hope, and to BELIEVE again in all that just might be possible for their children after all.” -Bonnie, Sherwood Family Resource Coordinator (FRC)

“I believe early intervention is important because it’s accessible to everyone that has concerns with their child’s development. It’s a fairly easy process, you learn from professionals on what kids should be doing at certain time , what milestones they need to be doing and how to help them if they are not there yet. It’s always easier to work on kids' delays when they are smaller. Early Intervention can be fun and you can incorporate in daily life activities. I personally know because 2 of my kids when through [an early intervention] program, I know and saw the progress my kids made while in Early Intervention services.

We all deserve to live our best life and to the fullest. No matter what. 😊” -Sugley, Sherwood Family Resource Coordinator (FRC)

As for me? “I have always wanted to work directly and interactively with parents because I knew parent involvement was so important for speech development. Since early intervention uses a parent coaching model, we truly are working together as a team of experts. Parents being the expert on their child, our therapists are experts in various areas of development (speech, physical, feeding, etc.), and our family resource coordinators are experts in the early intervention process and resources for young children in the area. When a kid finally says their first words during a session or successfully asks for more using baby sign, it’s all because of the hard work of their parents! I love helping families reach those exciting goals!” – Kimberly, Sherwood Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)

In case you didn’t know, Sherwood was started in 1957 by eight families of children with disabilities who were excluded from a public education. Today, 60+ years later, our staff continues to serve the Snohomish County community because we truly stand by our mission statement: Believing in Abilities.

If you have concerns about your child’s development, don’t hesitate to start the early intervention process today.

#believinginabilities #earlyintervention