Written testimonials

Mary has provided an integral role in Eli’s developmental progress. She has been his ITDS since he was 8 months old. She has adhered to goals based on evaluations and coordinates family members and providers to assist in the goals that have been set. She makes learning fun every time she comes to visit, I have been so pleased with her services, and Eli looks forward to seeing her. She is going to be greatly missed! Thank you,

Lisa Patterson

El modelo de enseñanza “Coaching” de early steps ha sido de gran apoyo para mí hijo y para mí como mamá primeriza, ya que han ido de la mano en todo el avance que está alcanzando mi pequeño, todo esto gracias a los consejos y estrategias que nos han brindado, las cuáles he podido ir adaptando y aplicando con muy buenos resultados, gracias a Yanira quién ha sido su guía todos estos meses. Ha sido parte importante de su avance, estamos muy agradecidos con todo el equipo, Gracias 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Aaron

My experience with Early Steps and the coaching model was a true blessing. We had no idea what to do and how to go about trying to help our son Jason with his communication and sensory issues. It’s a parent’s worst fear not knowing how to help your child. But Early Steps and the coaching model helped us and our son, by helping us with goals and how to successfully achieve them. Jason was nonverbal and unable to communicate his wants and needs and also has moderate sensory issues. With Early Steps help, Emma our ITSD demonstrated and guided us how to meet the goals we set for Jason. He is now speaking and communicating his wants and needs. And now his sensory issues are easier for us and him to regulate. They provided us with all the tools and support needed for these steps that were very needed for his developmental growth. Steps that we can take and apply to future growth. And for this we couldn’t recommend or thank them enough for all they have done. Thank you, Emma, our ITDS, you are truly the best

Cluxton Family

When we met Marimil we weren’t sure exactly where to go….or even of the possibilities. She and her team came into our lives and made an immediate investment in our son and our lives. They have become like an extended family. Marimil and her team have brought us ideas and strategies for PT, OT, Speech, Vision, Feeding ideas, movements, massage and stretching and provided assistance to get needed equipment. She has provided a listening ear and encourages us to keep a schedule each day and week, so we don’t get overwhelmed, but also so we can be sure that we are exposing our son to as much as we can. We look forward to seeing her team every week. Thanks to Milly our Early Steps ITDS and her wonderful team for making a huge impact!

Sammys' Family

My experience with early steps has been an amazing journey. My son has been in the early steps program for almost three years now, I started out not knowing much or on how to help my son be the best person he is, and now my son is not only thriving, but is now advanced In some areas. I am more than grateful for everything Early Steps has done for me and my family. Not only did my service provider provide me with many resources and techniques on how to help and understand my child, but she demonstrated them to me also. The coaching model has been very easy to apply and if I had any questions, Yanira was always there to help me with it, no matter how silly my questions can be. I am forever grateful for Early Steps! Thanks Yanira our ITDS!

The Legates

My experience with Early Steps & the coaching model has been incredible. We found Early Steps on own despite our son’s pediatrician & speech therapy knowing about his delays & difficulties. We found Early Steps a few months before my son turned 3 & didn’t think that they would be able to help us with much before he aged out. To our surprise they helped us achieve so much in the 7 or so weeks we had with them. The coaching model allowed me to work with my son while the ITDS gave tips on how to adapt activities to provide the greatest benefit for my son. They took what we were already doing & coached us on how to adapt it in a way he could achieve the goals we had set, like having his teeth brushed, eating more solid food, & minimizing meltdowns as much as possible. Early Steps helped us regulate our son so that he could overcome many of the difficulties he was having. I hate to think where were we would be had we not found Early Steps. My son is having fewer meltdowns now that we were given a way for him to communicate with us. He’s doing better with his tooth brushing because of the coaching we received on how to desensitize & prepare him for the toothbrush. He’s now enjoying foods like scrambled eggs, oatmeal, & blueberries instead of formula & nilla wafers since getting the coaching on how to introduce different textures & flavors. We’ve learned about new activities that he enjoys & how to use them as learning & development tools to achieve our other goals. Our ITDS Emma was so compassionate, empathetic, & a wealth of knowledge. She worked at my son’s pace, showed him that there is someone who is willing to enter his world in a way that is comfortable for him, & gave him a voice. I can’t thank her enough for everything she has done for my son. Emma was the key we needed to unlock our son’s potential & enter his world. More families need to know about Early Steps & the outcomes they provide for the children & families who so desperately need help.

Peterson

My experience with Early Steps and the coaching model has been our ITDS worker Emma has given us great experience as she has taught me and my whole family Sign language so she could communicate help with getting her glasseson and many other things we do with Ellie to help her succeed, and to be able to communicate with us, and not only did they give us ideas and showed us how to do them, but figured out a strategy plan on how to make it, so Ellies can succeed at it, and they have given us the supplies to help her. Emma has also put together plans for when we are on vacation or holidays so that Eli does not lose her focus in the times that we are not able to be with Emma. The begging of are journey with Early Steps Eli was very far behind on a lot of things because of her medical issues but with there with Emma’s help, Ellie is right where she needs to be in in some areas she is a head. Thank you Emma itds worker we just love her.

The Whitten family

The coaching/early intervention model, through early steps, helped me... When Iris first started the program we couldn't get her to really do anything without her getting upset, overwhelmed or unresponsive. We couldn't understand her needs or wants as she is non verbal and didn't point at the time. Mary has been helping for the past year and Iris can now communicate better and tell us what she needs, she can now do more things for herself and she is starting to say a few more words and sign to us. Iris has gotten so much better with her temper and patience. The program has helped my husband and I learn new techniques and gave us ideas on how we can help our Autistic child develop and learn at her pace.

Iris

El modelo de enseñanza “Coaching Model” del programa Early Steps me ha permitido educarme sobre las diferentes áreas que un infante/niño debe desarrollar según su etapa de desarrollo. También me ha ayudado en la creación e implementación de actividades para desarrollar y fortalecer destrezas en mi hijo. Permitiendome así llevar a cabo una práctica basada en evidencia partiendo de sus necesidades especificas. Del sistema educativo del cual vengo muchas personas incluyendo profesionales dan por sentado que al convertirnos en madres/padres contamos con el conocimiento y destrezas para apoyar a nuestros hijos en su desarrollo. Luego de educarme con mi ITDS puedo decir con seguridad que esta generación de padres vine rompiendo con estilos de crianza que entendiamos eran los correctos. El tema del desarrollo y sus etapas es un tema complejo que abarca muchas areas. Para muchas familias como la mia que tenemos niños con necesidades especiales es aún más retante. Adicional a educarnos sobre el tema del desarrollo tenemos que aprender a trabajar y manejar las necesidades de nuestros hijos, partiendo de un diagnostico clínico. Gracias a mi ITDS Glenda Bonilla no solo hemos visto progreso en el desarrollo y conducta de mi hijo sino que también me a motivado a adiestrarme y certificarme como ITDS para ayudar a otras familias.

Franchesca Carrion

Carol was born at 28 weeks and we were told of all the struggles that lay ahead for her. Thru God’s grace and mercy she made it thru. Early on Carol displayed motor, cognitive & language developmental delays At 8 months she began working with Marimil. Marimil embraced her as if she was part of her family and helped guide her thru to overcome her delays. Marimil’s coaching enriched Carol’s development and she showed improvements in short time. Carol looked forward to Marimil’s visits and engaging activities . Our family is very appreciative of our ITDS Marimil, as Carol is now a striving and very active 5 year old who is at the top of her class. She is well above grade level academically, verbally and socially. Thank you Marimil aka Milly.

Carol Cue

My experience with early steps and the coaching model has been phenomenal. Several of my children completed the program and they are thriving. We had the pleasure of working with Marimil, she became a part of the family and helped us on numerous levels. She has a hands-on teaching approach and adapts to each parent and child’s needs. She helped our family emotionally, physically, and mentally. We would not be where we are today without the help from Marimil and her team. Thank you, Milly, our ITDS.

The Cianchetti Family

My husband and I want to thank Early Steps program. They have truly helped our children and me. I am deaf/hoh and my children are hearing. My first language is sign language. I have taught my children how to communicate with me by using sign language since when they were infants. We noticed two of the kids were speech delayed because of my hearing issues. Early Steps has helped my children to develop speech. Marimil Padilla was assigned to our case. She has knowledge to sign language and was fit to our needs. We are truly thankful and blessed to have her help my family to reach our goals. She has taught communication, how to develop social skills, what attention is, and help prepare for beginning school. My son has sensory issues and Mrs. Padilla has shown patience and worked with him for few years. He relies on sign language to speak until Early Steps came through. He has grown so much personality. My daughter also was speech delayed because I couldn't hear and verbal the vowels correctly. I would not know what to do if it was not for Early Steps program and Mrs. Padilla. We also thank Mr. Victor, the director of Early Steps. Most of all, the home visits are a bonus where my children can be comfortable! The kids loved the activities! They have grown up speaking influent and very confident in their social skills! It was a wonderful journey we had.

Harvey and Jenica

To any Parent Looking for Help: Owen was born on September 28th 2017 in Leesburg Florida. Because of an attentive nurse who realized Owen’s oxygen levels were not up to standards he was airlifted to Winnie Palmer Hospital in Orlando Florida four days after his birth. After several tests Owen was diagnosed with Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venus return to the Right Atrium (TAVPR) a congenital heart defect. Because of that Owen was moved over to Arnold Palmer Hospital thirteen days after his birth to undergo his first of four heart surgeries. Owen then acquired Pulmonary Vein Stenosis (PVS) from moving his pulmonary veins. Over the next ten months Owen went through three heart surgeries, five heart catheters, and numerous check-ups. During the last heart catheter that was unsuccessful to open up Owens pulmonary veins we were sent to another hospital for another heart surgery at eleven months old. Unfortunately, the night after the surgery Owen had two massive strokes which basically shut down his right side of his brain. Which left Owen with left sided weakness, speech loss, unable to walk, drink, eat, or even hold his head up. As the night went on we noticed Owen was twitching a lot. Those twitches turned out to be seizures. Owen was discharged from the hospital late September of 2018 and our wonder pediatrician introduced us to Early Steps after Owen’s testing we got to meet Owen’s Guardian Angel Millie with All Steps Count/ Early Intervention. Not only has Millie worked with us since she is also introduced us to her wonderful co-workers when she did not have the answers. Having a child with unique and extensive medical issues is a roller coaster of emotions. But, rain or shine, high or low, Millie provided guidance, someone to cheer with, and insider knowledge on how to attack every day to make sure Owen was getting everything he needed to succeed. She helped us prepare for hospital stays like in December of 2018 when Owen had a pacemaker placed she gave Owen games activities to keep him busy. After that we started out with one hour twice a week sessions with Millie. Mille started with guidance on how to address our home for his new limitations. Then, helped us come up with great exercises to strengthen his left arm and leg. She also helped with his speech. We were having a hard time with communication with Owen and Millie came up with great ideas with pictures to help communicate while also working on his verbal words. She made it known that Owen had a voice whether he was verbal or not and his opinion did matter. From great technology to use or simple games to play it all was for one goal and that was to strengthen Owen. Millie did not stop there as she helped up come up with a plan to get Owen to a regular daycare. She even went to the school to observe Owen and help acclimate him to the classroom. Millie always had ideas or solutions to things we just simply did not know how to address. Her guidance through those first few months was something that looking back on I am not sure we would have gotten through without her guidance. But Owen’s medical complications would once again force a new plan of action. In March of 2020 Owen underwent Hemispherectomy and Corpus Colostomy (diving the brain into two sections, his right brain does not speak to the left), this surgery was successful and Owen is still seizure free and off of all medications. Millie was there for all the emotions from the scared to death praying we were making the right decision to the joy of the victory of Owen not seizing and slowly getting off all of his 7 medications, and watching our boy finally wake up from the 1.5 year nightmare we were living. The surgery did bring a little more weakness to the left side and he also lost his peripheral vision on the left side. Now we had another hurdle to jump with that. Mille and her team were excited for the new journey and they brought there A game. Owen had one goal on his mind and one only, Owen wanted to walk and he was determined to walk. Millie brought so many activities and taught us so much to help Owen fulfill that goal. Millie and my entire family were in tears when on 1-1-2021 Owen started walking best new years gift ever. Then therapy got a lot harder because Owen wanted to play not work, but we worked through the tough times. But I am happy to report that he is not only walking, he is talking, running, jumping and has almost caught up in every aspect in life. Millie has been with our family for every milestone after Owen’s first birthday. We can not thank her and All Steps Count/Early Intervention enough they helped us in so many ways from daily activities like eating, dressing, walking, talking and communications, to helping us as parents understand our child, help get resources for our child, education about his condition and help us come up with questions for his doctors. Sometimes therapy was for us the parents because times get stressful when you have a special needs child. Millie has become much more than a parent advisor. She is a family member. We all hold a special place in our heart for the work she has done with and for Owen. Thank you for reading Owen’s story,

Kim and Matt