If it takes a village to help a child, then the village is available at the Hand in Hand Family & Child Development Center for children with special needs in Encino, California.
A recent tour of an open house at Hand in Hand revealed leaders who truly care about early intervention. In fact, some of those specialists have learned through personal experience.
Pam Tannenbaum serves children and families as a Hand in Hand Specialist of Partners in Play. Her 4-year-old son, Max, participated in the program during those important early years of development.
"My son was diagnosed with autism and PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified). We started at the center when he was a year and a half old and he stopped coming to the center when he turned three," Tannenbaum says, "and he's doing great. I believe he was given to me for a reason and he's had an amazing impact on my life. Our goal is for him to mainstream into a typical elementary school. Hand in Hand is a great facility and it made a difference in my son's life. It's a multi-team effort; it's not one thing that's targeted, it's everything. I became a floortime specialist because I want to give back what was given to me. Floortime is play based, but child directed meaning that we take their lead. We support them in making it appropriate play and build on that. By working with different therapists targeting different areas, one piece helps the other."
For parents who fear accepting a new diagnosis for their child, Tannenbaum encourages them to accept it.
"Embrace it and have it work with your family and work with all of the fabulous support that's out there. It's called early intervention for a reason under the age of three, because when they turn three, they don't need it anymore. It makes a huge difference as there's so much opportunity to change and develop at such a young age," Tannenbaum explains.
Pamela Jacobson, Hand in Hand's Founder and Executive Director, says the non-profit center empowers children who are facing developmental challenges by providing a wide variety of therapy services.
"We service 400 families a year and the number is growing. We are here to strengthen families and help children. More children are being diagnosed with special needs. More children are surviving premature births and those kids often have developmental challenges. We also have a steady stream of kids with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, and developmental challenges," Jacobson says, "and families are attracted to Hand in Hand because of our unique team approach; we stress family involvement. We work with every aspect of development under one roof and we incorporate the parents and family members in every aspect."
Early intervention remains critical.
"Our goal is to work with kids at a young age and these kids under the age of three. That's the best opportunity for the greatest growth and development. When we get these kids in early, we work with the kids for two to three hours at a time and the parents are getting training at the same time. If we do our job right - the chance of this child having success in school is pretty high and the chance of this child facing the challenges that come, are great," Jacobson details, "Our goal is to minimize the need for therapy after the age of three because once the child turns three, things change. The goal is success in life, that includes social situations and in school. We also want to kids thrive with at birthday parties, at family gatherings and out in the community and really have a rich, full life."
Director of Early Intervention Services, Dyan Reilly, evaluates children at the beginning of the process to assess interactions, communication, and relationships between siblings.
"At Hand in Hand, our play-based model 'Partners in Play' includes working with the entire family so everyone is on the same page. We encourage families to spend time together engaging in normal day to day activities. Trips to the grocery store or helping with the laundry create reciprocity and utilize self-regulation skills in natural settings. Parents know their children best. We focus on providing parents with tools to empower both themselves and their children. Building relationships is critical. I've seen remarkable improvements over the years. All children have different personalities, different sensory systems and different needs. Our goal is to structure a program for the child and the parents that fits into the family's life," Reilly explains. "Every family dynamic is different. We serve families made up of single moms, grandparents or families that have nannies for seven or eight hours a day. We offer a nanny/caregiver training program in Spanish. Our next nanny training is coming up in June. We also facilitate this program with Hebrew translation."
Patricia Petersen, Occupational Therapy Supervisor, helps children with a variety of different issues, especially sensory motor problems.
"We integrate their senses with what's happening with their muscles, moving their bodies and help them be able to plan their activities. It depends on the child, but we might be working in the gym learning how to swing or how to climb, how to throw or kick a ball, or we work in the fine motor room stringing beads, handwriting, building with blocks, or learning how to draw with color. Really, we work from head to toe," Petersen details, "Sometimes they're sensitive to touch or sensitive to smell or taste and having problems with their motor skills so we try to integrate those activities into something that's functional by using normal daily activities to help kids progress in a problem area. With kids, occupational therapy can be instrumental in terms of helping them with developing motor skills, developing speech and language, and helping them with social skills and behavior. Sometimes it unlocks the doors to different kinds of things that are going on with them."
"My biggest reward is when I can connect with a kid and see them learning something new," Petersen adds, "For me, that's the magic, that's the excitement of being in occupational therapy. When I really feel there's a little bit of magic in the air and you see the spark light up and the child has learned something new. I have one little kid, he's so cute, when he learns something new, and he lights up and says, 'Yes!' It's just adorable. That isn't what got me started in the first place, but that's what keeps me in the game."
Hand in Hand provides In-Home Parent Training Sessions, Partners in Play, Counseling Services, Special Presentations, and a 2008 Speaker Series.
For more information on the Hand in Hand Family & child Development Center visit www.handinhandonline.org or call the center in Encino at (818) 986-7776.
A recent tour of an open house at Hand in Hand revealed leaders who truly care about early intervention. In fact, some of those specialists have learned through personal experience.
Pam Tannenbaum serves children and families as a Hand in Hand Specialist of Partners in Play. Her 4-year-old son, Max, participated in the program during those important early years of development.
"My son was diagnosed with autism and PDD-NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified). We started at the center when he was a year and a half old and he stopped coming to the center when he turned three," Tannenbaum says, "and he's doing great. I believe he was given to me for a reason and he's had an amazing impact on my life. Our goal is for him to mainstream into a typical elementary school. Hand in Hand is a great facility and it made a difference in my son's life. It's a multi-team effort; it's not one thing that's targeted, it's everything. I became a floortime specialist because I want to give back what was given to me. Floortime is play based, but child directed meaning that we take their lead. We support them in making it appropriate play and build on that. By working with different therapists targeting different areas, one piece helps the other."
For parents who fear accepting a new diagnosis for their child, Tannenbaum encourages them to accept it.
"Embrace it and have it work with your family and work with all of the fabulous support that's out there. It's called early intervention for a reason under the age of three, because when they turn three, they don't need it anymore. It makes a huge difference as there's so much opportunity to change and develop at such a young age," Tannenbaum explains.
Pamela Jacobson, Hand in Hand's Founder and Executive Director, says the non-profit center empowers children who are facing developmental challenges by providing a wide variety of therapy services.
"We service 400 families a year and the number is growing. We are here to strengthen families and help children. More children are being diagnosed with special needs. More children are surviving premature births and those kids often have developmental challenges. We also have a steady stream of kids with Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, and developmental challenges," Jacobson says, "and families are attracted to Hand in Hand because of our unique team approach; we stress family involvement. We work with every aspect of development under one roof and we incorporate the parents and family members in every aspect."
Early intervention remains critical.
"Our goal is to work with kids at a young age and these kids under the age of three. That's the best opportunity for the greatest growth and development. When we get these kids in early, we work with the kids for two to three hours at a time and the parents are getting training at the same time. If we do our job right - the chance of this child having success in school is pretty high and the chance of this child facing the challenges that come, are great," Jacobson details, "Our goal is to minimize the need for therapy after the age of three because once the child turns three, things change. The goal is success in life, that includes social situations and in school. We also want to kids thrive with at birthday parties, at family gatherings and out in the community and really have a rich, full life."
Director of Early Intervention Services, Dyan Reilly, evaluates children at the beginning of the process to assess interactions, communication, and relationships between siblings.
"At Hand in Hand, our play-based model 'Partners in Play' includes working with the entire family so everyone is on the same page. We encourage families to spend time together engaging in normal day to day activities. Trips to the grocery store or helping with the laundry create reciprocity and utilize self-regulation skills in natural settings. Parents know their children best. We focus on providing parents with tools to empower both themselves and their children. Building relationships is critical. I've seen remarkable improvements over the years. All children have different personalities, different sensory systems and different needs. Our goal is to structure a program for the child and the parents that fits into the family's life," Reilly explains. "Every family dynamic is different. We serve families made up of single moms, grandparents or families that have nannies for seven or eight hours a day. We offer a nanny/caregiver training program in Spanish. Our next nanny training is coming up in June. We also facilitate this program with Hebrew translation."
Patricia Petersen, Occupational Therapy Supervisor, helps children with a variety of different issues, especially sensory motor problems.
"We integrate their senses with what's happening with their muscles, moving their bodies and help them be able to plan their activities. It depends on the child, but we might be working in the gym learning how to swing or how to climb, how to throw or kick a ball, or we work in the fine motor room stringing beads, handwriting, building with blocks, or learning how to draw with color. Really, we work from head to toe," Petersen details, "Sometimes they're sensitive to touch or sensitive to smell or taste and having problems with their motor skills so we try to integrate those activities into something that's functional by using normal daily activities to help kids progress in a problem area. With kids, occupational therapy can be instrumental in terms of helping them with developing motor skills, developing speech and language, and helping them with social skills and behavior. Sometimes it unlocks the doors to different kinds of things that are going on with them."
"My biggest reward is when I can connect with a kid and see them learning something new," Petersen adds, "For me, that's the magic, that's the excitement of being in occupational therapy. When I really feel there's a little bit of magic in the air and you see the spark light up and the child has learned something new. I have one little kid, he's so cute, when he learns something new, and he lights up and says, 'Yes!' It's just adorable. That isn't what got me started in the first place, but that's what keeps me in the game."
Hand in Hand provides In-Home Parent Training Sessions, Partners in Play, Counseling Services, Special Presentations, and a 2008 Speaker Series.
For more information on the Hand in Hand Family & child Development Center visit www.handinhandonline.org or call the center in Encino at (818) 986-7776.
