“I think we have been blessed by all of these wonderful women helping our daughter and helping us help our daughter,” said Mandy, mother of Elizabeth. “It is wonderful to have people who feel like allies.”
Almost every week Elizabeth sees four staff members from the Community Based Education and Training Services (CBETS) department at Rainbows. She works with an early childhood special education teacher, a physical therapist, a speech language pathologist and a speech/language assistant. Elizabeth is three years old and has Down syndrome. Her family understands the importance of early intervention.
Elizabeth’s mom, Mandy homeschools her four children, which keeps her very busy and on a tight schedule. Finding time for four different early childhood professionals to visit has been a big adjustment for her. However, she finds it is much more convenient that they travel right to her home for every visit. Before she received services from Rainbows, Mandy had to take her daughter to two separate appointments every week. “I think it is really working out. Keeps me on my toes,” said Mandy. She explains that having many short sessions throughout the week helps her stay focused on helping Elizabeth reach developmental milestones and practice skills.
Elizabeth’s family appreciates the enthusiasm they see from the early childhood professionals who work with Elizabeth. “Laura is super encouraging,” said Mandy. “And Theresa, I have never seen someone love their job as much as she does. She is always smiling and laughing.” Right now Elizabeth is working on communication and strengthening her arms and legs. Last year she started walking and has recently accomplished feeding herself with a spoon. She is also learning how to jump right now, which her mom thinks is very cute.
Elizabeth’s family is so thankful to have her as their daughter. She is an amazing kid who is snuggly, cheerful and brave. Her favorite activities are looking at books and playing outside with her older brothers.
