Envisioning the Future Together
Home Visitor (HV), Alison Roman, has been working with a couple and their 2 year old daughter. This little
girl that has a medical condition called septo-optic dysplasia that has caused her to be born with limited to
no vision. Around 4 months old the vision impairment started to become more obvious. Through screen-
ings that Alison completed, Early Intervention services through Neighborhood Alliance was recommended
to assist with developmental delays. Mom followed through with the services and has a team of providers
that continually support this family. Over the past two years, Mom and Alison have been working together
to get her interested in reading and literacy. During this time, mom was provided with sensory books that
have different textures as well as brail to introduce her to reading. Alison was recently at a visit when the
daughter said, “Mommy book.” Her mom asked, “Do you want to read a book with me?” She replied, “Yes.”
Her mother immediately found an animal book with different textures and read the book with her, feeling the
texture of each animal and making the animal sounds. After they finished the book, her mom told Alison that
that was the first time she requested to read a book and was engaged throughout the entire time they were
reading it. In more recent visits, their daughter reads with them and the parents have reported that it has
become a part of their routine. Her parents are looking forward to her beginning preschool in the winter of
2017!