How We Help
For children from birth to five years old we can provide services that maximize his or her potential to grow and learn. Our licensed professionals have dedicated their careers to helping families with the unexpected emotions of parenting a child who may have little or no eyesight as well as other developmental disabilities.
Your family may begin receiving our services by Making an Appointment, or by having your pediatric ophthalmologist or Help Me Grow service coordinator call us on your behalf. Our Case Manager will discuss your child’s needs and do whatever is required to expedite service. We will request an Eye Report from your ophthalmologist so we can review clinical information we need to respond to your child’s specific diagnosis. If you need assistance with this form, or have any questions, please call Lorie Marsalis at (216) 658-8768.
Early Intervention
For a child between birth and three years old, we provide services in your home or at the Cleveland Sight Center at University Circle - you choose the location which best accommodates you and your child. In your home, our teacher will visit once or twice a month, working with you and your child directly, but also coordinating the services of other agencies recommended by the Individual and Family Service Plan prepared by Help Me Grow, the statewide program that supports families who receive services from approved agencies like the Cleveland Sight Center.
If you come to our Center, your child’s early intervention specialist, assisted by occupational and physical therapists and a speech/language pathologist, will work with you and your child in two-hour group sessions once a week. Parents and caregivers will also meet privately with our family support specialist and can gain valuable advice and empathy from other families who share many of the same questions.
Preschool
Our preschool is approved by the Ohio Department of Education.
We work closely with your home school district. They will develop an Individualized Education Plan that can then be implemented at a preschool like ours. The choice of our preschool is a joint decision made by you and the school district.
For children three to five years old, we offer specialized instruction. We enrich the standard preschool curriculum with instruction that addresses the needs of children with impaired vision or blindness or children who have a secondary disability of vision impairment. Your child will benefit from a developmentally appropriate curriculum and begin to acquire skills that include orientation and mobility, pre-Braille and Braille use, self-help, and the use of technological devices designed specifically to help persons with vision loss. Classroom instruction is enhanced with field trips and adventures.
Our preschool operates from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Our summer day camp will run from June 18 to July 19, with half-day sessions Monday through Thursday. Additional summer activities held at our own
Highbrook Lodge Camp.
Case Management
Because coordinating the many excellent resources available to help you and your child can be an intimidating process, we will assign you a Case Manager, who’s an experienced problem-solver. She can secure an
Eye Report from your child’s ophthalmologist, help you register with the local board for developmental disabilities, and support and supplement the Individual Education Plan your school district prepares for your child.
Please call 216-791-8118 and ask for Sharon Bowen. She will have more information and can answer any questions you may have.