PITTSBURGH — Sitting in a play yard, surrounded by puzzles, blocks and sensory toys is where 2-year-old Zuri Hill has made some of her biggest progress.
“To see her now, compared to a year ago, May 2020, it’s really mind-blowing,” Zuri’s mom, Ashley Hill said.
Zuri’s parents, Ashley and Andre Hill, can’t get over how far Zuri has come since she was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old.
“We taught her how to give kisses, and that’s all she wants to do!” Ashley added.
But, it hasn’t always been like this. The day Zuri was diagnosed with autism, Ashley didn’t know where to turn.
“I cried. I cried immediately sitting here. They stepped out, I called [my husband] on the phone, and I just sat there crying. He was like, ‘it’s OK. She’s still Zu. Don’t worry about it,” Ashley said.
Her worries slowly faded with the help of adding multiple therapy sessions a week.
In fact, before her diagnosis, Zuri was already working with therapists from Early Intervention Specialists. It’s a state-funded program that works with families of infants and toddlers who have developmental delays.
“We incorporate the same type of therapy in what you do every day at home. So ... every diaper change, every meal, every bedtime routine, going outside into the community — we are coaching the parent,” Jenni Galbraith, CEO of Early Intervention Specialists told Channel 11.
She says starting at a young age is key.
“That is a crucial developmental time in a person’s growth. So many patterns are formed, so many things are learned in that time,” Galbraith said.
Plus, she says therapists can identify an issue that a parent wouldn’t normally notice.
“We don’t diagnose, but what we can do is say ‘we are seeing some things that are concerning. Let’s talk to your pediatrician or the child development unit at Children’s Hospital,” she added.
Because early intervention therapy is funded by the state, that means the family doesn’t have to pay anything to get their child the help he or she may need.
Dr. Pamela Schoemer, UPMC’s Children Community Pediatrics Medical Director of Quality and Safety advocates for these therapies. She says they offer help for a variety of issues young children may be dealing with.
“Sometimes it’s as simple as a child having difficulty moving their neck and they have a misshapen head, all the way to speech delays, eating disorders, or general developmental issues,” Dr. Schoemer said.
As for the Hill family, they say taking that first step to get Zuri the help she needed was the best thing they could have done for their daughter.
“Don’t think that there’s a stigma just because your child needs extra support. There is not a stigma. That’s your child. You do what’s best for them,” Ashley told Channel 11.