Cooper P - Family Connection of South Carolina

Cooper P, age 17 months

Photograph by Lyndsey Livingston (2023)

Cooper has a wonderful smile and outgoing demeanor. He gives hugs that will melt your heart and put a smile on your face. He is a happy, curious boy who loves being outdoors and watching other children. He especially enjoys throwing sticks into the pond on his family’s street.

Cooper started receiving early intervention services at seven months old due to gross motor, speech, and developmental delays. His family is thankful they advocated for services early on, starting physical therapy services immediately and speech therapy at 15 months.

“We were overjoyed when Cooper started rolling over independently” says his mom, Ashley. “He was so proud of himself. It was also an amazing moment when he finally started saying ‘mommy’.” Currently Cooper continues working on his communication skills to let others know what he wants and needs, and how he feels.

Ashley recognizes that Cooper changed her as a parent and as a speech language pathologist. As she says, “Early intervention makes such a difference, and I would love for other families to know our story and to understand there are resources and support in the community for their child.”

Family Connection of South Carolina provides services and resources to families who have a child with a disability or specialized healthcare need. Since 1990 we have served more than 100,000 families and today our services are needed more than ever. We focus on parent-to-parent support, guidance with navigating the complex healthcare system, and assistance with school meetings and special education plans.