The Great Space Coaster, Get on Board

Chopped All Stars is a celebrity chef competition where they compete for bragging rights and $50,000 for their chosen charity. Why am I writing this? Well, last night's competition had a chef who was playing for "Space Coast Early Intervention Center". This caught my attention. While the popular charity choice seems to be St. Jude's hospital, my ears always perk up when I hear something I've never heard. Besides it sounding like "Space Coaster" (remember that show/song?), the name caught my attention because it is something near to my heart - detecting developmental issues EARLY.

Throughout my research in this city, most folks don't detect things early. In fact, you can't even be tested for dyslexia until the 2nd grade. Why? Dr. C. shows unbelievable amount of proof that you can thicken some part of the brain to actually stop the dyslexia. Why wouldn't you want to do that as soon as possible? She can also start testing kids for cognitive/neurological delays at 2-3 years old. I couldn't find anyone else in the region who could do this. Why isn't anyone else on board? I am not in need of testing my 3 year old, but I think of the future possibility of adopting a 2-3 year old from the state. I sure would like that child tested to try and help him/her before he/she enters school and starts putting up walls like Jared has. Even catching Jared's "invisible" disability at 5 years old was too old, in my opinion. He already has his coping mechanisms and boundaries.

I didn't really linger on Space Coast's website, but I did briefly read one of the programs I liked:
Handwriting Without Tears: Certified teachers instruct this afterschool program to pre-school and school aged children on learning how to write and enjoying it.

So many parents take this for granted. But, once you see enough backward letters and you're told your child can never learn to read at school, you like the idea of a certified teacher helping your kid write, without tears.

God stretches the northern sky over empty space and hangs the earth on nothing. Job 26:7 (NIV)