ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities serves 250 children from birth to 3 years old annually with its Early Intervention Program.

The board provides early intervention services to babies and toddlers from birth to age 3. The services are free of charge and provided in the family home.

Early Intervention Director Holly Weatherson said she believes the first few years of a child’s life — especially from birth to age 3 — are full of big changes and important milestones.

“That’s where Early Intervention services through the Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities come in, offering support to help kids grow and thrive,” Weatherson said. “While therapists and professionals play an important role, it’s really the love and dedication of parents that make the biggest difference.”

Early intervention is a statewide system of support for families of children with developmental delays and disabilities and is funded by the Belmont County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Referrals can be made at ohioearlyintervention.org.

“There’s no greater reward in early intervention than to know a child is making positive progress,” Weatherson said. “Our team alone can’t make that happen. But when they’re partnered with parents who are invested in the process, great things can happen for the little ones we serve.”

One family that the program has served is that of April and Alan Boan, whose son Maverick was born at 34 weeks. The premature birth resulted in him being placed in a neonatal intensive care unit for a week. At 4 months old, Maverick was diagnosed with infantile nystagmus, which is a condition that impacts a child’s vision. April and Alan closely monitored Maverick’s development, and when they noticed possible delays such as Maverick not bringing his hands together to clap, they discussed their concerns with their pediatrician, Dr. Matthew Morris, who referred the family to the Early Intervention Program for a developmental evaluation.

April expressed how difficult it can be as a first-time parent navigating so much information and how hard it can be to not compare every little thing Maverick was doing to other children. She said that she understood that because Maverick was born early, there would be a gap; but when he wasn’t meeting milestones, it still brought panic and worry. She recognized that he wasn’t talking or always understanding simple commands.

According to the county board’s speech and language pathologist Meghan Johns, it was evident that April and Alan were providing consistent follow-through with Maverick.

“They are the perfect EI family to work with,” Meghan said. “April jumped right in and immediately tried strategies we shared.”

Weatherson added that the Boans understood that the work can’t just happen during the Early Intervention sessions but that it needed to be part of their everyday routines. She said that the Boan family’s dedication has paid off, and Maverick is beginning to open up and engage with those around him. She said that he has many new words and is now putting those words together.

Alan said he appreciates having access to the team’s vision specialist, both in their home and via video chat.

“She can see so much more about the natural way Maverick is at home versus how he may be when we go to Morgantown to see his doctor,” Alan said.

April added, “In today’s world you are surrounded by social media and so much information, it can feel like too much information, but to know early intervention is available to help, eases your mind. They identified what he was excelling at and where he needed help.”

Research consistently shows that when parents are actively engaged, children experience better outcomes. As Maverick grows, his parents continue to implement the EI strategies during playtime, mealtime and bedtime.

Weatherson said that while many parents in the Early Intervention Program deserve admiration, there are some who go the extra mile at every visit and implement strategies consistently.

She said that she believes April and Alan are always present, engaged and wholeheartedly committed to their child’s progress.

“They are the best example of what makes Early Intervention successful, and Maverick’s EI team is incredibly grateful to work alongside them,” Weatherson said.

She added that families are the key to making the program successful.

“We have a very knowledgeable and talented team of early intervention professionals. But they can’t alone make this happen. The parents need to be invested in the process,” she said.