Noah Garcia
When you meet Noah Garcia, one of the children in our FIT program, you meet a bright-eyed, loving little boy. But the sweet and playful child that you see today wasn’t always the way Noah was.

As an infant, Noah hit all his milestones and his parents, Claudia and Orlando, were thrilled, but at 15 months of age Noah started to regress. According to Orlando, “at 15 months he wasn’t doing normal baby stuff.” The change in Noah’s development immediately concerned his parents. Shortly thereafter Claudia and Orlando had Noah evaluated and various testing indicated that Noah was in fact, only functioning at a nine month old level. “He wasn’t walking or talking” Orlando said. The thought that something might be wrong was heartbreaking for both Claudia and Orlando. Noah was already almost a year-and-a-half old and his parents still hadn’t heard the words that almost every parent longs for—mama and daddy.

Doctors couldn’t conclude exactly what was wrong with Noah, but some doctors did allude to the idea that Noah may be Autistic. Desperate for answers Claudia and Orlando searched the internet and continued to see various doctors and specialists. They wanted to help Noah so badly but didn’t know how. They recall the uncertainty of the entire situation being very difficult for them.  

Fortunately, Claudia and Orlando never gave up hope and never settled for inconclusive answers. In September of 2007 Noah was referred to MECA Therapies for his speech delays. After his comprehensive evaluation with MECA Therapies, it was determined that he would benefit from not only speech therapy but also from physical therapy, developmental instruction and motor development. Immediately the team of professionals at MECA Therapies started to work with Noah and within months Noah was walking and talking—something his parents didn’t know if he’d ever do.

When we asked Claudia what she feels now that she sees Noah laughing and playing, her eyes fill with tears and she says with great joy, “I’m happy—very, very happy.” Orlando says now that he sees Noah playing with kids his own age it makes him value and appreciate every minute. When I asked Claudia and Orlando what they would like other parents to take away from their story they said, “We hope to encourage other parents not to wait, not to be afraid of the unknown—there is help out there.”                    

These services were provided to Noah and his family completely free of charge. Infants and young children up to three years of age who have developmental delays or who are at risk for developing delays can qualify for services through the Department of Health's Family Infant Toddler (FIT) Program. If you have concerns about your child’s development, please do not wait—help is available. Even if you feel something may be wrong but are uncertain if your child’s development is or isn’t normal, it never hurts to check. Early intervention can lead to a success story like Noah’s. No referral is needed. Schedule a free screening today. Call 575.522.9500 for more information.