Understanding Aliyah's Disability: A Mother's Journey

At around 18 months old, Ashley Martinez noticed that her daughter Aliyah was different from other children. This realization came when Aliyah started going for playdates and Mommy and Me classes, showing developmental delays compared to her peers.

The suspicion of Aliyah's disability arose from comparisons with other children her age and with her sibling. Watching family videos, Ashley observed that Aliyah was not speaking words or following directions like her sibling did at the same age.

The biggest frustration for Ashley and her family was the inability to communicate effectively with Aliyah. This led to frequent tantrums from Aliyah due to her frustration and a sense of helplessness from the family's side.

Ashley's husband felt upset and believed they were not doing enough to help Aliyah. Ashley's mother hesitated to spend time alone with Aliyah as she struggled to understand her needs and control her behavior. While Aliyah played well with her brother, he too would get frustrated at times.

Aliyah's disability affected her ability to maintain friendships, as she struggled to interact with other children. Despite her desire to play with others, she often didn't know how to engage with them, leading to social challenges.

Currently, Ashley feels that Aliyah is not receiving adequate services and wants a reevaluation. The constant change of therapists adds to the frustration, as Aliyah has to adjust to new people frequently.

Aliyah can pick up small and big objects with her hands, use her index fingers for small buttons, and complete a shape sorter in a specific order. However, she struggles with placing pieces in openings, matching colors and shapes, and speaking.

Aliyah prefers to play alone but will attempt to engage with others briefly. She observes what other children are doing but does not actively seek their company. Additionally, she does not play with her brother.

Aliyah enjoys baths, allows herself to be diapered, and likes getting dressed and undressed with assistance. She is picky with food but can grab and eat certain items like eggs and waffles. However, she struggles with verbal communication and vocabulary.

Aliyah's primary communication methods involve gestures, with only two words in her vocabulary. She uses gestures and takes her mother's hand to indicate her needs, becoming frustrated when not understood and resorting to tantrums and crying when watching TV.

Leah uses her index fingers to push small buttons but struggles with using the whole hand for larger objects. She can put a penny in a piggy bank but not a straw in a can or bottle.

Leah is a healthy child, fully vaccinated, and has no health issues.

Leah throws tantrums when frustrated or when she cannot communicate effectively. Distracting her with things she likes such as TV, cartoons, or candy can help prevent tantrums.

There are specialized schools that help children like Aliya by providing transportation and services on-site. However, a certain diagnosis is needed to qualify for these schools.

Leah is not potty-trained, and it is believed she won't be ready for it for a while.

Despite being open and communicative during sessions, Leah has shown no progress. Her parents feel she needs more time with a professional to help her improve.

After aging out of the early intervention program at 3, Leah's parents are considering either keeping her in daycare with services or exploring special schools depending on evaluation results.

Leah's parents feel they are not fully informed about their rights and the roles of professionals working with Aliya. They are seeking re-evaluation to potentially receive more services.