Amy Bertinshaw and Stirling. © West Australian Newspapers Limited
Amy Bertinshaw had a choice between ‘wait and see’ or seek help when she noticed her son Stirling was slower to meet developmental milestones at age 12 months.
“Our main concerns were that he had two words and difficulties making sounds,” Mrs Bertinshaw, a speech therapist, said.
“I decided I didn’t want to wait and see any longer – I wanted to bridge any gaps with therapy, as early support is critical.
“It felt right to seek assistance from professionals because a trained therapist is a wonderful addition to your toolkit as a parent.”
Consequently, Mrs Bertinshaw enrolled Stirling in the iBASIS-VIPP program, a parenting program that supports the social development of babies, at The Kids Research Institute Australia’s CliniKids in Subiaco.
For iBASIS-VIPP, parents are videoed interacting with their baby in everyday situations such as feeding and playing. A trained therapist then provides guidance to the parent about how their baby is communicating with them so they can have back-and-forth conversations.
Mrs Bertinshaw said she enjoyed taking part in the iBASIS-VIPP program, although she did find the video reviews a little daunting at first.
“I’m not sure how many people are comfortable watching themselves on video, but it got much easier over time,” she said.
It was great to get feedback that we were doing all the right things to assist Stirling’s development. This gave me peace of mind and encouragement to keep on going.
Amy Bertinshaw
Mrs Bertinshaw said Stirling, now three, had gone from having significant communication difficulties to relatively minor ones – something she largely credited to iBASIS-VIPP.
“The program helped both my husband and myself understand our little boy and his communication needs,” she said.
“It makes you sensitive to the small attempts babies make to communicate each day and how to reward and encourage those attempts so they happen more frequently.
“It fills your heart with joy seeing your child learn new skills regardless of how big or small the skills are. Communication is a key component of who we are as individuals and I enjoy each and every interaction I have with Stirling.”