Early intervention screening has new options for this year
Auglaize County Early Intervention is offering more opportunities and options for developmental screenings.
“We are trying a new approach since we are in a pandemic,” said Joy Miller, early intervention director.
She said they used to have people stop in during a two-hour time frame at a school. Now they are scheduling throughout a full day, which is segmented into 30-minute appointments with developmental specialists at early intervention offices in New Knoxville and Wapakoneta. The specialists check a child’s motor skill development, speech, and language skills, as well as feeding, sleeping and
sensory concerns.
“That way they aren’t waiting. In the past we would have had a large group of people waiting together,” Miller said.
The screenings will be held April 26 and 27 and May 3 and 4.
“We attract families that have never heard of us, or maybe thought that it cost money, or that they wouldn’t qualify,” Miller said. “This is a nice entry level way to introduce early intervention to them.”
If specialists find an area of concern they can schedule a follow up appointment or referral.
“We didn’t have one in the fall because we couldn’t,” Miller said.
They did manage to hold a screening before institutions shut down or went remote last spring.
She said with more outreach through physicians offices they are still seeing a rise in clientele locally.
“Families are already calling to register. If it goes well we will do more,” Miller said of the screenings.
Appointments can also be made on Zoom.
“We will meet with families any way that they are comfortable,” Miller said, acknowledging it was more difficult to conduct a screening over Zoom but they have figured out a method. “There’s been situations where that’s our only option.
She hopes they will be able to meet more families in person, especially outside in the warmer weather.
“The bigger part of this, is we are still here and available to help them,” Miller said.