Developmental Screenings and Therapy


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	Developmental Screenings and Therapy Twins, Ethan and Cole were born five weeks early and had the health issues that many prematurely born children have to contend with. Children's Learning Center was there from the beginning providing special education and therapy. "These were my first babies, I had no experience taking care of a child, let alone knowing about the very special needs that Ethan and Cole would have. It was so valuable to all of us that Children's Learning Center therapists were there. I had someone to teach us and someone to ask questions." TLC Parent Children's Learning Center offers developmental screenings to all young children of Teton and Sublette Counties from birth through five years of age at no charge to the family. Screening is essential to identify and address developmental problems as they arise. It is important to have children screened as early as possible, CDS of Wyoming recommends that children receive at least one screening before five years of age, it is most effective to particpate in a screening by 2 years of age. Children's Learning Center provides therapy services, special education resources to the community, training for childcare providers, speakers for community organizations and participates with other agencies to help families. Children's Learning Center is the only program in the area licensed and funded by the state of Wyoming to perform these screening services, one of 14 identified regions throughout the state. No family in Teton or Sublette County needs to wait until a problem is evident before they know if their child is developing at a normal pace or might need help in certain areas. Children's Learning Center provides developmental screening and therapy for children from ages birth through five at no charge to the family. All children in Teton and Sublette counties, without regard to health or financial situation, are encouraged to take advantage of this in-depth screening. The screenings, conducted by certified therapists, special education teachers and language and speech specialists are available at any time by calling the Special Education department of Children's Learning Center. The screenings can be done at the center or in the child's natural environment and will be done in a child's native language. They include a detailed look at: Cognitive Abilities Social and Emotional Development Speech Language Gross Motor Skills Fine Motor Skills Vision Hearing For most children, the screening will provide useful information for parents but they will not require any additional services. For about 10 percent, a further evaluation is deemed necessary. For children that are identified as having a special need for specific therapy or therapies, Children's Learning Center then creates an age-appropriate plan that will address the individual needs of each child, at no charge to the family. Davey Hough, the Director of the Special Education programs for Children's Learning Center, emphasizes the impact of recognizing and dealing with a disability early in a child's life. "We're usually the first agency to tell (a family) that something might be wrong. It’s a very stressful and tough time. For parents, its one of the hardest realities to deal with. It can be a long road and we go on that road with them." For children from age birth through age two, Children's Learning Center sets out an "Individual Family Service Plan" (IFSP) that coordinates resources and emphasizes the role of the entire family in the child's progress. For older children, from three to five years of age, Children's Learning Center develops an "Individual Evaluation Plan" (IEP) that emphasizes what a child needs to succeed in an educational environment. The therapy prescribed by Children's Learning Center is provided to children at no cost to their families. The care and therapy that Children's Learning Center provides for Teton and Sublette counties has resulted in close to 60 percent of children receiving services no longer need them by the time they enter kindergarten. However, if a child needs continual services, our staff works with the families and the school in advance to ensure a smooth transition. In other words, the "long road" that Hough describes, can sometimes be much shorter when young children get the help they deserve. For more information please visit Child Development Services of Wyoming, a state agency dedicated to helping the children of Wyoming.