Thousands of kids of color from marginalized communities are already behind when they start kindergarten. One cause: Families often don’t know about free help for babies and toddlers with developmental delays. 

In this episode, co-host Marissa Wallace opens up about her biracial son who had language delays as a toddler. Even though Marissa is a teacher, she didn’t know exactly what to do. Luckily, her doctor recommended free early intervention services. To make sure other families don’t miss out, Marissa and co-host Julian Saavedra raise awareness about early childhood intervention services. They also discuss the barriers to access that kids in low-income areas face. And they share tips for how families can seek out early intervention. 

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. 

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at opportunitygap@understood.org. 

Reports mentioned in this episode

• Our Youngest Learners: Increasing Equity in Early Intervention, by The Education Trust
• Early Inequities: How Underfunding Early Intervention Leaves Low-Income Children of Color Behind, by Citizens’ Committee for Children of New York

Related resources

• What is early intervention?
• How to get an early intervention evaluation
• Federal government developmental milestones

Understood is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give