Early Development Network

‘ITTAKESA TRIBE’

EarlyDevelopmentNetworkisasupportsystem during,afterautismdiagnosis

AUTUMNDILLON SPECIALFOR EARLY DEVELOPMENTNETWORK

We’re theDillonfamily!We have3 wonderfulchildren:Jackson,10; Nova,3;andRiley, 2.

Joeand I have been married since2017, afteralmosttwoyearsoftryingtogrowour family, wewere blessed with Nova.

Nova issosweetandalwayshasbeen. FromthedayNova wasborn,shehasmade myhusband giggle. Hestillcannothelp butlook atherandgiggle. WhenI askwhy, hesays,“she’s socute,soinnocent, I just can’t help it.” Shedoes that toeveryperson shemeets,youcannothelp butfall inlove with hersweetsmile.Ouryoungest,Riley, isspunky. She’s hersister’s biggest fanand future advocate.

Ithadbeen almost a year sinceI’dseen Nova with childrenheragein a daycare setting. I will neverforgetwalking into daycare that first day, itwas 2 months before Nova’s secondbirthday. Shewas soglaringlydifferentfromherpeers,but washerquiet,sweetself,happysitting in thecorner away fromthechaosof aroomof15two-yearolds.

Athertwo-yearcheck-up, I addressed myconcernswith herpediatricianandwe were introducedtotheEarlyDevelopment Network. We started servicesinApril 2021 andsobeganourjourney. Nova was diagnosedwith level 2 autismonDec. 1, 2021.

Atthat momentnothing hadchanged, however everything felt different.I started towonderwhen peoplelookedatus,could they tell? I felt alone.Even thougheveryone I talkedtowaskind andsupportive; I felt no onecouldunderstand first-handallthebig feelings I washaving. Myhusband felt much differentlyanddidn’t feel that isolationas I did. Hefeltrelieved bythediagnosis, aswe finallyhadtheanswers weneededtoget Nova thehelp she requires.

Fast forward to2022,wemetwith the EarlyDevelopmentNetwork everytwo weekstocreatea plan forourfamilyand Nova’s success.They providedsupport through anIndividual FamilyService Plan (ISFP)that allowed ourfamilytoshare our strugglesandcreatea strategy. Oneday, I woke upand realized how“not alone” I was. There wasanamazing groupofpeople becoming a part ofourjourneywith autism, each oneofthem connectedtousthrough Nova andherlittlecharismaticpersonality.

We were creatingourowncommunity anditwasonly appropriate tocall it“Nova’sTribe”sinceshewasthe centerofitall. I share updates fromallofher differentappointmentswith Nova’s Tribe.Theemailchainconsistsof ourservice coordinator, doctors, therapists,family, friends and more.IfNova accomplishes a milestone, weallgettocelebrate ittogether. Mostrecently she didartforthefirst time.Ifwerun into bumpsinthe road, wecan strategize together. Herteam is there tocelebratehersuccessesat everyturn.Being a parentto a child with autismisnotmeanttobedone alone,ittakes a village, a community, and a tribeofpeopletohelp your childgrow.

Rightnow, there is a motheroutthere feeling exactly how I didatthebeginning — alone.There is a tribeofpeopleout there waiting tofindyou. There are other special needsmoms outthere,like me, rootingyouon.Connect with your school districtorEarlyDevelopmentNetwork. They were myfirst connection and support systemas I navigatedautism. ThankyouKristin,Julieand Teresafor your special part inourjourney, youare forever members ofNova’sTribe.

It’s nevertooearlytoaskquestions aboutyour child’s development. Take advantageoffreeearlyintervention servicesthrough your schooldistrict. Call 402-597-4936orvisitourwebsite at omahaedn.esu3.org.

DILLON F AMILY PHOTOS

Novawasdiagnosedwithlevel2autisminDecember2021. TheDillonfamily:Nova, Autumn, Jackson,JoeandRiley .