Interruptions or Stumbling Blocks

I am frequently asked, even as recent as this morning, "When is it time to seek help or intervention" for my child who is struggling in a particular way.

Here is my rule of thumb.

As parents we often use the terms, "It's just a phase," or "He's getting better," or "It's just part of her quirky personality."  These phrases can be true.....but when the particular behavior or concerns become so pervasive that they hinder or impair the daily routine of life, it is time.

CHILD DEVELPMENT TRUTH #1:  Early intervention is key--in any illness, disorder, learning impairment, or developmental delay.

Years of research tells us in the Child Development world that when a child's needs are identified early--and early depends on the particular disorder or delay and when it is manifested--when intervention and treatment happens early, many gaps can be filled.

Picture a ladder which is missing rungs and the child can not climb any hire than the lowest missing rung.  The child becomes "stuck" in his development.  If through intervention with the right doctor, therapist, or other specialist the missing rung can be taught or developed or enabled through medication, the child can continue on his development path, sometimes without even a hint of what the initial concern was.  Or sometimes the development continues until he hits the next missing rung and the work to intervene continues.

The brain is amazingly adaptable.  We now know through speech, physical, occupation or emotional therapies the brain can be re-trained.  The body can even develop new nerve pathways to communicate properly.

The concern with ignoring or putting off intervention is that unhealthly coping strategies WILL develop just to help the child function throught the daily routine of the day.  So, instead of the child's struggle being an interruption in life it can become a huge stumbling block.

I have witnessed many, many children, who with early intervention, successfully continue climbing their ladder of development.  I have also witnessed children who have not recieved this intervention and developed negative, unhealthly coping strategies just to try to navigate and survive their daily routine.

As parents we must have the courage to seek the necessary early intervention turning out child's struggles into mere interruptions rather than life altering stumbling blocks.