A child’s development in early life can be important to his overall health and future success, which makes therapy for young children especially important when they aren’t meeting the average developmental milestones.

In Butler County, children have options for free therapy in a number of areas, if a child qualifies.

The Center for Community Resources can coordinate parents with organizations that provide developmental therapies, according to Beth Friedman, the program director for the center’s early intervention program.

One of those providers is Community Care Connections, which has a variety of therapies for children who may have developmental delays, said Becky Werner, director of the infant-toddler therapy services.

Community Care Connections can provide physical, speech, special instruction and occupational therapy, while the Center for Community Resources works with providers that organize vision and hearing therapy as well.

They work with children who range from those with minor speech delays to children with more severe disabilities such as Down syndrome, Friedman said.

In physical therapy, licensed professionals help the child develop better motor skills through increased strength, endurance, coordination and flexibility, Werner said. This can be especially beneficial for children who experience delays in learning how to walk, a milestone that typically occurs at 12 to 18 months of age.

Occupational therapy helps children increase independence with therapeutic activities such as play activities or tasks like using utensils, according to Werner.

Special instruction therapy specifically addresses a child’s social and cognitive development, working on areas like attention span and problem-solving skills.

For children who may have trouble with language-related tasks, speech therapy works to improve a child’s expression and understanding.

Another form of developmental delay is inadequate physical growth and development, which may be due to nutritional needs not being met, Friedman said.

“A lot of delays and syndromes out there have connections to feeding,” she said.

At Community Care Connections, a registered dietitian is able to talk with parents about a child’s nutritional needs with suggestions and recipes, Werner said.

The Center for Community Resources follows a home-based therapy model, meaning therapists work with parents and children in their own homes. Friedman views this as a particular strength for the children and families.

“It helps parents continue to do things with their children that other kids can do,” Friedman said. “It gives you lots of ideas to help your child move forward. It’s helping parents help their children.”

In Friedman’s experience, the home-based therapy model empowers parents and makes the program more accessible, she said.

“The child’s natural learning environment from birth to 3 (years old) is at home,” she said, explaining the need for a program to address childhood development before kindergarten.

In fact, children with delays can often be behind in a variety of areas, and those delays can have compounding effects if not treated early, she said.

At the Center for Community Resources, more than 675 children were treated from July 2014 to June 2015, Friedman said.

That number is continually growing.

“Those numbers have steadily increased over the last eight years,” she said.

Any child from birth to age 3 can be eligible for the free therapy, provided there is a 25 percent delay in development, Werner said.

The Center for Community Resources also provides a free evaluation to see if a child qualifies.

Friedman also stressed that the program is beneficial for any children with a delay, not just those children with severe delays.

To contact the Center for Community Resources’ Early Intervention program, call 724-431-3748.

For children between the ages of 3 and 5, parents must request integrated care programs from the Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV in Grove City at 724-458-6700.