This commentary was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.

Kelly Keck

Special to CalMatters

Opinion

When my daughter’s development stalled and then regressed, her bright personality dimmed. Doctors said to wait.

But as a clinician I suspected she needed urgent help — the kind that Early Start, California’s early intervention program, provides. What I feared most was losing the spark that made her unique.

Early Start met us right at our breaking point, offering a lifeline and hope. The program transformed fragility into possibility and gave my child a voice.

For me, it offered a circle of support that reminded me I wasn’t facing this journey alone. It introduced me to other parents facing the isolating darkness of uncertainty about their child’s future. Th

See Full Page