Tiny Steps, Big Futures

​

At 18 months old, a little girl was not yet walking or talking. With her early development occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic, there were questions about whether limited interaction and other pandemic-related factors might be contributing to her developmental delays.

Her mother continued to have concerns, and together with her child’s healthcare providers, the family pursued additional evaluations. Those evaluations eventually led to diagnoses of autism and cerebral palsy—and opened the door to services that could help her move forward.

The family was connected with Imprints Cares’ Pediatric Parenting Connections program, where we work alongside families, healthcare providers, and community partners to help children receive the support they need as early as possible.

“When we first met the family, they were still trying to understand what the diagnoses meant and what their daughter might need,” said Amber Shields, an Imprints Cares family educator.

Together, we helped the family navigate resources and connect with therapies while supporting the parents as they learned ways to build their daughter’s skills at home. With encouragement from her parents, Shields, physical therapists, and other professionals, she began working on word recognition and pronunciation, pulling herself up to stand, and eventually taking steps.

Over the following months, her progress was remarkable. She went from being largely nonverbal, to babbling, to saying words—and eventually responding in conversation.

“We help families navigate these challenges so we can keep the focus on the child and what they need to reach their potential,” Amber said.

Her journey continues, and her future may look different than her family once imagined. But with a team surrounding her and parents equipped to support her development, she continues to build skills, gain independence, and exceed early expectations.

“She has already accomplished more than we initially thought might be possible,” Amber said.