Today, Holly Ridge Center helps 300 children a year. Holly Ridge Center’s Infant Toddler Program is one of 14 neurodevelopmental clinics in the state of Washington that offers specialized and integrated services for children birth to 3. Clinical sites are located in Bremerton, Poulsbo and Port Orchard.

Clinics provide family-centered, early intervention services for children at risk, developmentally delayed and/or disabled. Services are also provided in natural environments, including homes and childcare facilities.

“Early intervention is particularly challenging and rewarding, because it involves working with children and families,” said Roxanne Stevens, executive director of Holly Ridge Center. “When infants and toddlers have complex health, medical and developmental needs, families require increasing levels of specialized training and support services.”

“The children and their families touch me the most,” said Dr. Nuhad Dinno, developmental pediatrician for the Center of Human Development and Disability at the University of Washington. “Over the years, I’ve learned so much from families. I’ve shared their concerns, discussed diagnoses and planned how their children will reach a better quality of life. It’s a humbling experience. As a professional, you need to be extremely sensitive to their needs and voices. You must listen to them.”

Dr. Dinno is a medical consultant for the Infant Toddler Program. She helps to identify the causes of developmental delay. She discusses findings and assessments with families, care providers and Holly Ridge Center professionals.

“Our role is to help families understand developmental delays, deal with diagnoses and go from there,” Dinno said. “We also refer families to other specialty clinics. The greatest lesson that I have learned is not to be judgmental — to be extremely sensitive to families&Mac226; emotions, strengths and coping abilities.”

Specialized approaches to early intervention

• Neurodevelopmental Program: A program that provides services for significant health, medical and developmental needs. Services include nursing care, nutritional counseling, social work, adaptive equipment, special education and therapies. The Infant Toddler Program is one of three clinical programs in the state of Washington that offers feeding therapy.

“When children won’t eat, you have a life-threatening situation,” said Kathrin Fortner, director of the Infant Toddler Program. “Our feeding team meets monthly to evaluate children who have been identified with specific feeding difficulties and nutritional concerns and needs.”

Some children have physical limitations that affect their oral-motor development and ability to handle food textures or liquids. Some have difficulty in feeding themselves. Others, due to medical conditions, have relied on stomach feeding tubes and are learning to eat.

Some families prefer that their children receive feeding therapy in their homes. Others want their children to participate in feeding groups at Holly Ridge Center.
“Socialization is so important for children,” said Rosemary Smeland, R.N. for Acute Care, Silverdale, who observed a feeding group at Holly Ridge Center. “They need to be with their peers, who have the same problems. They feel safe when they’re here.”

“Caregivers need a support group, too,” said Dee Riley of Bremerton, looking through a one-way window, watching her twin granddaughter eat. “We gab, share and compare notes.” Riley’s granddaughter began feeding therapy at 1 year, weighing 11 pounds.

Now, petite and dark-haired, she sat in a toddler-sized chair at a toddler-sized table. She looked in a mirror, watching herself chew, mouth opening and closing in an exaggerated fashion. Rick McKinnon, speech and language pathologist, gave her a stick of raw zucchini. The incentive was a sweet dip, into which Rick dipped his own zucchini.

No way, she indicated, as her outstretched hand held the zucchini as far away from her mouth as possible. Then she set the zucchini on the table, away from her plate. Next time, Rick may encourage her to smell the zucchini, an initial step leading towards the final step — swallowing the zucchini.
• Educational Services: Services that provide individualized preschool programs that are focused on the development of the whole child. Children engage in the practice of play, by exploring objects with their senses, building communication skills and practicing motor skills.

Typical toddlers, as well as toddlers with developmental delays, attend fun activities at The Growing Place, an inclusive, structured preschool group. Preschool groups are currently located in Poulsbo and Port Orchard. The Growing Place is designed to provide a developmentally appropriate environment for toddlers, 1 to 3.

Toddlers develop understanding, empathy and mutual respect for one another’s differing abilities through play.
• Developmental Center: A center that provides early-intervention through playgroups. Playtime is combined with individual sessions of physical, speech and occupational therapy, when needed. Therapists teach parents how to hold, dress, diaper, feed and play with their children in therapeutic ways, strengthening range and motion. Therapists give parents ideas and solutions to help their children progress.

The Baby Steps group offers developmental therapy and skills to children under 1. Developmental services are also offered in the home and at childcare sites.
Family-support is a major focus. Services include individual counseling, parental support groups, parental education and a lending library.

In January, 2001, a new children’s wing will be completed on the Bremerton campus. The wing will house a hydrotherapy pool, expanding Holly Ridge Center’s accommodations.

Anyone may refer children to Holly Ridge Center, including parents, physicians, therapists, social workers, community health nurses, community workers and school personnel.

(Editor’s Note: The Infant Toddler Program at Holly Ridge Center offers Family resource coordination, Developmental diagnosis, Evaluations and assessments, Individual motor/communication/feeding therapies, Preschool classes, Individualized educational services, Family support services, Feeding team evaluations and Individualized family service plans. Located at 5112 NW Taylor Road in Bremerton, Holly Ridge may be reached at (360) 373-2536 or itp@telebyte.com.).