Decades After Early Intervention
Category: Client Story
November 1, 2023
Update on Early Intervention, 27 Years Later
Katrina was a young, single mother when her daughter Natalie was diagnosed with torticollis, a condition that causes the head to tilt to one side. That was 27 years ago! We ran into Katrina at a recent Mom’s Brain Cooler event by the Austin Area Urban League. She agreed to share her story, reflecting on the impact Any Baby Can's early intervention has had on her life.
“At our two-month check-up I said something to the doctor. She was still floppy and unstable. So they examined her again and referred us to a neurosurgeon for torticollis. You hear neurosurgeon and some term you don’t know… it was scary!” recalls Katrina.
After MRIs and specialists ruled out anything more serious, Katrina was connected to Any Baby Can’s Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) program to address her daughter’s low muscle tone with physical therapy and occupational therapy.
An Approach That Works for Families
Any Baby Can provided Katrina with convenient in-home therapies for Natalie, as well as support services for the family. The therapists worked with Katrina and taught her how to work with her daughter between visits. Katrina was grateful for the help she received from Any Baby Can, and she credits the organization with helping her family through a difficult time.
“I finally felt that I had someone to help me and guide us through this from the get-go. They helped me with anything we needed for my daughter, diapers, formula… But also bus vouchers to get to appointments, help enrolling my son in daycare, even electricity,” says Katrina.
Katrina particularly appreciated the personalized approach that Any Baby Can took to her family's needs. She felt that the staff at Any Baby Can treated her family like people, not numbers, getting creative and finding solutions that worked for her.
“At other places I felt like they looked down on me: a teenager with three kids and one in therapy. Any Baby Can knew me and cared about my family. They empowered me. Even today when I look back, nearly three decades later, I’m grateful for the role they played in my life,” reflects Katrina.
A Full Life, Just Beginning
Katrina's experience with Any Baby Can inspired her to pursue a career in the medical field. She is now a medical assistant and often recommends Any Baby Can to other families in need.
“Any Baby Can planted that seed. They made me feel like I can accomplish so much. And just because I have four kids at a young age doesn’t mean my life is over... it’s really just beginning,” says Katrina.
Nearly three decades later, Katrina's daughter Natalie is a grown woman with two children of her own. Katrina referred Natalie to Any Baby Can reminding her of the help she received when she was a baby. Natalie reached out to Any Baby Can and her family also received help and guidance from Any Baby Can. Three generations are now thriving, in part thanks to a community of support!
Katrina is grateful for the support that Any Baby Can has provided to her family over the years. She believes that the organization has made a positive impact on her family's life.
“We didn’t have a lot of support from our family. So Any Baby Can was like that for us: They were our family. They listened to us and gave us positive feedback; and motivated me to keep going,” says Katrina.
Any Baby Can helps families and communities thrive by embedding in the lives of the people that we serve. With a reliable support network, parents can overcome any challenge they face. If your baby could benefit from additional support to help them grow and develop, Early Childhood Intervention may be a good place to start!
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