Maria worried when her son Logan wasn’t babbling or making noises at 15 months. By 18 months, with no vocabulary, she was fearful. She was desperate to communicate with her toddler.
Logan wasn’t pointing or gesturing for things. The only sound he made was “mama.” But everything was “mama.” That’s all Maria heard all day, and it was heartbreaking to know that joyous word had absolutely no meaning for Logan.
The developmental delay troubled Logan’s pediatrician and he referred them to Early Steps at CDTC for help. Maria was relieved when occupational and speech therapy started after their evaluation. Even more so, when she saw the changes in her son.
It wasn’t long before his therapists and family realized that Logan’s issues were not just speech driven. He had an issue with motor planning – the process that helps us learn motor actions.
Typically, toddlers try something until they get it right. Logan needed help learning when he tried new things.
His therapists taught the family playtime is a great way to learn motor skills. Play routines became important for the entire household, even big sister Emily could practice with her brother.
Through it all, Logan’s Service Coordinator Cyndia became a lifeline for mom.
Maria describes herself as anything but passive. She knows she asked enough questions to try anyone’s patience. She also shared differing opinions from relatives and all the scary information she found online. But, Cyndia always took the time to listen. The Service Coordinator’s experience, reassurance, and advice were a welcome relief.
As Logan approached age three, he had already made significant progress. He graduated from hand gestures to flashcards for vocabulary. As he associated gestures with what those around him were saying, sounds became words. Now age three, he is working on completing sentences.
Cyndia recently helped the family transition from Early Steps to the Broward County School program when he turned three. She walked them through the paperwork and appointments. Maria knew what to expect and how to move forward.
Maria is no longer fearful. Instead she’s hopeful – she has hope that Logan will be ready to begin kindergarten in a regular class. Every day she is proud to see just how determined Logan is to learn and succeed – and thankful for the support they all found at Early Steps at CDTC.
Nominated by Cyndia Montero
Service Coordinator, Early Steps at CDTC
Sponsored By
About our Hero of the Month
Each month, CDTC staff nominate one of our children as our Hero of the Month. These special boys and girls are heroes in our eyes. They show strength, perseverance, determination and a positive outlook while facing great challenges.
Their stories are powerful and heartwarming and reflect the impact CDTC and you, our community, has on their daily lives.
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