Help Starts Here at Siskin Children’s Institute: A Parent’s Guide to Developmental Support
March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month—do you know the early signs your child may need support? Read more about how Siskin Children’s Institute helps families set their children up for success.
Help Starts Here
A Parent’s Guide to Developmental Support
Early childhood is marked by firsts: a child’s first words; the first time they sit up on their own; take their first steps. Those milestones are celebratory moments—the first of a person’s life.
Early Signs
They can also be a signal that a child is not developing in line with their peers. If they aren’t increasing gestures and vocalizations in the first year, growing vocabulary and social engagement in the toddler years, and expanding play and learning skills as they approach preschool age, their caregivers should take note.
“Early intervention matters because early childhood is a period of rapid brain development, and children learn best through everyday experiences and relationships,” explains Dr. Lorena Ferreira, a Developmental Behavioral Pediatrician with Siskin Children’s Institute (SCI). “Starting support early helps children build communication, social, motor, and self-help skills sooner, and it also helps caregivers learn strategies that make daily routines smoother.”
In the United States, about 1 in 6 children have a developmental disability, and with greater awareness and better screening, that number is growing. Examples of developmental disabilities include autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, global developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and language or motor disorders.
Get the Support You Need
Support for those with developmental disabilities is also growing. From speech pathologists and physical therapists to early-intervention specialists and family-support service providers, Siskin Children’s Institute offers all the necessary resources for local families navigating a developmental-disability diagnosis.
“One of the most meaningful ways Siskin supports families is through a family-centered, team-based approach that honors families as the experts on their child,” says Lisa Spurlock, SCI’s Family Support Services Manager. “Our work is guided by each family’s priorities and focuses on practical goals that support success in everyday life—at home, in the community, and at school.”
Family Support
Siskin also offers wraparound aid through its dedicated Family Support Services team, which helps families navigate systems, access community resources, and coordinate care across providers. The team works to connect families with early-intervention services, school-based resources, and community programs, helping to relieve the burden while also ensuring that services are aligned and coordinated for the best possible outcome.
“Our goal is to ensure families feel informed, respected, and supported every step of the way,” Spurlock says.
For those worried about their child’s developmental progression, Dr. Ferreira recommends talking with the child’s primary care clinician about what you’re seeing, when it started, and how it affects daily life. “Your clinician can do developmental screening and make referrals for therapies and, when appropriate, for a specialist evaluation,” she notes.
At the same time, families can start early support right away while they wait for a visit with a specialist. In Tennessee, children under age 3 can be referred to Tennessee Early Intervention System (TEIS), and families can self-refer through the online referral form or by phone. For children age 3 and older, families can request an evaluation through their local public school system to determine eligibility for preschool or school resources.
“Families do not need to wait for a final diagnosis to begin helping a child build skills,” Dr. Ferreira stresses. “If you’re concerned with your child’s development at any age, it’s reasonable to seek evaluation and support right away.”
