Brooke Arevalo, is an Early Intervention Advocate raising 5 beautiful children in sunny San Diego. Her children range from ages 1-9, with her oldest being the only girl. Three of her children were premature, and 4 of them have gone (or are going through) the Early Intervention program. Her family relocated from New York City to San Diego during covid, so she has gone through this process in both states. She is currently a Director of Finance for a tech startup, and in her free time she loves to surf and cycle!
Quick Call Outs from the Episode:
- In the beginning after the NICU, it was surprising to see the amount of time that was focussed on feeding. It required a lot of planning ahead of time especially when coordinating outings.
- As a NICU Alumni family, you may already know to expect some differences in your child’s developmental trajectory.
- Watch them and consider if something may be an "actual red flag", or may just be a matter of waiting to see if they will "get there on their own time”.
- It's a balance, and you can always discuss concerns over what you're observing.
- Advocate for your child - share your concerns, and know that you can push back and appeal a decision if your child is determined ineligible for Early Intervention services.
- During Early Intervention, your child will receive progress reports which at times can be hard to read through.
- Over time, as you compare them to themselves and to where they started, you will see the progress, and that hopefully, they are growing, learning, and thriving.
- A resource that was helpful to Brooke
- It can be hard, but it is worth it.
- Celebrate along the way!
- Getting support early is key.
Let's keep in touch!
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A special thanks to the Prolacta Bioscience Foundation for supporting the NICU Alumni podcast!
You can also support our mission and help create brighter futures for babies that have graduated from the NICU (who we affectionately refer to as NICU Alumni) and their families by donating here.
The purpose of this podcast is for entertainment only and should not be viewed as medical advice.