1. Exceptional Lives
  2. Louisiana Guides
  3. What to Do When You Think Your Child May Be Different
  4. Getting ready

Know about the 3 systems that can help your child

Why is it important to identify a problem with your child's development? 

  • Because there are things you can do, and it's best to start right away.

  • Once you suspect there is a problem, you can start connecting to support systems.

  • It's ok if you don't have a diagnosis yet, but it will help later when you apply for services.

When your child has some kind of disability, there are 3 important systems you should connect with:

An image of a pipeline that represents metaphoric pipelines that your child will travel through in their life. The three pipelines are medical, educational, and government benefits.

You could think of these as pipelines:

  • You go in at the beginning, and travel through each one as your child goes through life.

  • Each one offers important services and supports to help your child cope with their struggles and improve their skills.

  • The earlier you go into each pipeline, the more help you can get! Early support is more likely to help your child catch up and not have long-lasting problems.

  • We'll tell you more about each one!