The local program provides vital resources to infants, young children with special needs

San Diego (KGTV) – While school districts and the San Diego County Office of Education work to support families of students with special needs, some medical conditions and developmental delays are discovered long before a child enters the classroom. The Hope Infant Family Support program helps babies from birth.

ABC 10News reporter Natay Holmes introduces us to 17-month-old Grayson. Like most children his age, he is curious, enjoys playing with his older siblings, and is intrigued by learning new things. But there is something unique about Grayson.

“Grayson was born and didn’t pass the newborn hearing screening on his first day in the hospital,” said his mother, Madison McFarland. Shortly after birth, the family learned that Grayson was deaf.

“Once you get that diagnosis, I would say the first few months are full of meetings, appointments, phone calls and paperwork — things we weren’t prepared for.”

But then came the Hope Infant Family Support Program, which is part of the County Office of Education. The program provides resources, including specialists who visit families at home to work with the child.

“Given that Grayson has a diagnosis of deafness, they recommended Ms. Ingrid,” McFarland said. “They asked me if I was interested in incorporating sign language into his journey. I said absolutely.”

Ingrid Swenson was there for almost all of Grayson’s milestones.

“He got his first set of hearing aids at three months … He had cochlear implants at six and a half months,” McFarland said.

“I would share strategies with the family about how to talk to him in ways that would build his listening skills, how to sign with him,” Swenson said. “It’s been really interesting to see his progress.”

For children with developmental delays or medical conditions that can lead to delays, early intervention is vital, said Hope Michel of the San Diego Office of Education.

“We know that 80 percent of the brain is wired by age 3,” Michel said.

She said the Department of Early Education’s children’s program currently serves 350 children with a strong focus on cognitive, social and emotional skills.

“Our goal is to support families as they interact with their children,” Michel said. “As we do this, we improve the child’s development in their daily activities and routines.”

This includes working with everyone in the family, including siblings.

“I would say, even though it’s overwhelming, use the resources,” McFarland said. “The more people you have in your corner, the better, the easier it is to deal with your situation and the more confident you can become in your decisions.”

Anyone interested in resources or with concerns about a child’s development can make a referral to the HOPE Infant Family Support Program at (619) 594-7416.