Finding His Voice: How Early Intervention Helped Ben Communicate with Confidence
As a parent, you know your child better than anyone. Sometimes, that instinct tells you when something isn’t quite right.
For Andrea, that moment came when her son Ben was around 10 months old.
“Ben was babbling and making progress toward talking,” Andrea recalls. “Then he suddenly stopped.”
As his ability to communicate stalled, Ben became increasingly frustrated. Like many parents, Andrea began searching for answers. She talked with friends, including members of her Moms of Multiples group, and shared her concerns with Ben’s pediatrician. Together, they decided it was time to seek additional support.
That’s when Via’s Early Intervention team stepped in.
Building Communication One Sound at a Time
Speech-Language Pathologist Heidi Beck began working with Ben to develop the foundational skills necessary for speech and language development.
Together, they focused on the building blocks of communication: recognizing letters, forming sounds, connecting syllables, and creating words. Through consistency, repetition, and play-based learning, Ben began making steady progress.
Today, at just 2½ years old, Ben is sounding out words, spelling words, and speaking with growing confidence. He’s even working on more complex, multi-syllable words.
For Andrea, the transformation has been remarkable.
Technology Opens New Doors
Alongside traditional speech therapy, Heidi introduced an assistive communication device that has become an important tool in Ben’s development.
Using a tablet-based communication system, Ben can select words and phrases to express what he wants to say. But the device does much more than provide a voice in the moment.
“He isn’t limited by the words he already knows,” Heidi explains. “We can continuously introduce new vocabulary and new ways to communicate.”
Andrea has noticed another benefit as well.
“Since he got the tablet, he’s actually talking more,” she says. “He’ll press a word repeatedly and practice saying it himself.”
The technology helps reduce frustration while encouraging speech development at the same time, giving Ben new opportunities to communicate, learn, and practice every day.
Andrea recalled a recent opportunity where Ben was able to play “I Spy” with his grandfather using his tablet to help – both were so engaged, they spent a half hour, laughing, talking and bonding.
Learning Through Play
A typical visit with Heidi doesn’t feel like therapy.
Instead, it looks a lot like play.
Flash cards, sight words, books, games, and interactive activities are woven into each session to keep learning engaging and fun. Ben’s twin sister eagerly participates too, turning many lessons into family activities.
Over time, Heidi has become more than a therapist. She’s become a familiar and trusted presence in the home.
The connection between therapist, children, and family is one of the many strengths of Early Intervention services. By meeting children where they are, in the environment where they’re most comfortable, therapists can build meaningful relationships that support learning and growth.
Supporting the Whole Family
Early Intervention isn’t only about helping a child during scheduled visits.
A key part of the process is empowering parents and caregivers with strategies they can use every day.
Throughout her visits, Heidi works directly with Andrea, sharing techniques and activities that can be incorporated into daily routines. These simple, practical tools help reinforce progress between sessions and create additional opportunities for learning.
Early Support Makes a Lasting Difference
Speech therapy is just one of many Early Intervention services available to infants and toddlers with developmental delays or concerns.
Depending on a child’s needs, services may include:
- Speech-language therapy
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Developmental services
- Family education and support
The goal is always the same: helping children develop essential skills early so they’re better prepared for preschool, kindergarten, and future learning opportunities.
For families, that early support can make all the difference.
Trust Your Instincts
Andrea considers herself fortunate to have had a strong support network through her Moms of Multiples group. Their encouragement, combined with guidance from her pediatrician, helped her take action when she noticed something had changed.
Not every family has that kind of network.
That’s one reason stories like Ben’s matter.
When parents know what signs to watch for and understand that help is available, they are more likely to seek support sooner.
Via’s Early Intervention services are available for children from birth to age three, helping families access the resources, therapies, and guidance they need during some of the most important years of development.
Today, Ben is finding his voice, one word at a time. And with every new sound, syllable, and sentence, he’s building a stronger foundation for the future.
