HEALTH

Health care professionals want to see babies and toddlers quickly when a

ou're worried because
your baby or grand-
child seems to be
developing more slowly than
other children the same age.
He still walks unsteadily, or,
while every child in the
playgroup talks in sentences,
he speaks only a few words.
Should you sit back and
wait for him to "catch up," or
is there something you can do
now?
According to pediatric ex-
perts, it's important to get
prompt help for children with
developmental delays or other
medical problems — the
sooner, the better.
Dr. Martin Levinson, chair-
man of the Department of
Pediatrics at Sinai Hospital of
Detroit and a pediatrician in
private practice in Birm-
ingham, is a firm believer in
early intervention.
"Some parents tell me that
their two-year-old isn't talk-
ing because his older brothers
or sisters talk for him," said
Levinson. "If a two-year-old
doesn't talk, that's not nor-
mal. It's an indication that
something is wrong, usually
in the part of the brain which
controls expressive language,
and these kids experience a
lot of frustration."
Sometimes just a short
course of treatment by a
speech pathologist can help
stimulate the child's
language development and
relieve the frustration.
Levinson speaks as a
parent, as well as a doctor,
having gone through the ear-
ly intervention process with
one of his own children. "As
a parent, you never want to be
in a position of looking back
and wishing you had done
something earlier," he said.
What can a parent do? The
first step is to confirm that a
problem exists and to deter-
mine the cause as specifical-
ly as possible. Levinson
stresses the importance of
routine examinations, which
provide an ideal opportunity
for parents to get feedback
and share information.
"I believe what a mother
tells me," said Levinson. "If
she's concerned, I pay atten-
tion."
Individual developmental
milestones, he says, such as
sitting up or walking, are not
as important as the overall
picture, which is obtained
through ongoing communica-
tion between parent and
pediatrician.
If a problem is diagnosed, it

y

50

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 1990

EARLY
Lir

is important to begin in-
tervention as soon as possible,
even if a cause cannot be im-
mediately found. A variety of
resources exist for children
and families who need help.
One of the best free
resources is the public educa-
tion system. By law, Michigan
public schools provide a wide

children attend classes and
therapy sessions in the
schools.
Most schools are staffed by
special education teachers,
physical, occupational and
speech therapists, social
workers and psychologists.
These multidisciplinary
teams work together to help

Parents or other concerned
adults can request that an
evaluation for special services
be made by calling their local
school district, or Michigan
Project Child Find, a
statewide information and
referral service at
1-800-252-0052.
Sinai Hospital of Detroit
has a Developmental Assess-
ment Clinic to help babies
who are born at Sinai with
factors that put them at risk
for developmental delays.
These factors can include
prematurity, genetic condi-
tions such as Down Syn-
drome, illness, or other
medical problems.
Many of thse babies start
life in Sinai's Neonatal Inten-
sive Care Unit (NICU), and
are followed by the Develop-
mental Assessment Clinic
from birth through age 4. A
variety of services is provided.
The clinic staff includes a
neonatalogist, a developmen-

"If a two-year-old
doesn't talk, that's
not normal. It's an
indication that
something is
wrong."
Dr. Martin
Levinson

Two-year-old Eli Weiner is examined by Dr. Martin Levinson.

range of free therapeutic ser-
vices for children with a
variety of handicaps and
developmental delays, star-
ting as early as birth.
These services can take
several forms, depending on
the child's needs. Infants and
young toddlers often receive
home visits, while older

the children and their
families, since having a han-
dicapped child can cause
stress throughout the
household.
Most public school pro-
grams have parent and even
sibling support groups, where
members can share common
problems and experiences.

by RONELLE ROSENTHAL GRIER
sw •ini tO 17w.h.wish

tal psychologist, therapists
from various disciplines, a
social worker and a
nutritionist.
Parental education and sup-
port are large components of
the program, according to
Nancy VanDerworp, nurse
coordinator of Sinai's
Developmental Assessment
Clinic.
"When a baby is in the
NICU, it can be devastating,"
she said. "Many parents are
wondering if their babies will
even live."
A social worker from the
clinic meets with each fami-
ly, referring those who need
help to agencies and com-
munity resources that can
assist them with financial
needs, supplies and medical
insurance.
In addition, hospital staff
members run support groups
where parents can share
mutual concerns and learn to
deal with their situations in
positive ways. Guest speakers
talk about such topics as
nutrition, navigating the
public special education
system, and how to monitor

