A Family’s Journey with the Family, Infant and Toddler (FIT) Program

Brittany Gutierrez has a striking presence. Proudly identifying as “Mother/Survivor/Protector,” she has Mexican American and Native American roots (Cherokee and Sioux). She stopped by Dungarvin’s Gallup, New Mexico office recently to share her story and that of her son, Gabriel.

In 2020, Brittany was seven months pregnant with her first child when her water broke. On doctors’ orders, she was immediately put on bed rest. But little Gabriel Bejarano was ready to join the world. Weighing only three pounds five ounces, her son was born in the Neonatal Intensive Care (NIC) Unit at the University of New Mexico hospital in Albuquerque.

“He was so tiny, from head to toe, he was only as big as my forearm. I never thought we would be able to leave the NIC-U.” But, eventually, they did, and then reality set in. “There were still so many issues… What was I going to do on my own?”

Due to his premature birth, Gabriel was significantly delayed in his development. “He wasn’t able to suck or swallow, so he couldn’t feed properly,” remembers Brittany. “That was the first of many difficulties. All of the things people think come naturally did not for my baby. I know lots of mothers go through this and think they are alone, but thankfully there is support.”

The Family, Infant and Toddler (FIT) program provides home-based services and supports to families with young children who are at risk of developmental delays. Gabriel was determined eligible for the FIT program due to his prematurity at birth.

Brittany was assessed for an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), designed to guide desired outcomes for a child until the age of three, identifying early intervention services and supports to help meet those outcomes. In the hospital, she learned about a program at Dungarvin, providing home-based services to families with children in need of early intervention services.

Initially, Dungarvin’s Development Specialist as well as a Family Service Coordinator visited Brittany at home two to three times per month. Other specialists, like the Physical Therapists (PT) came early in Gabriel’s growth when their services were most critical. The Occupational Therapist (OT) was needed throughout to continue development of Gabriel’s fine motor skills like coordination, balance, strength – so he could eventually crawl and, one day, turn pages in a book. Together, the team came up with a program plan for Gabriel. Brittany could safely ask questions about her son’s development and how she and her fiancé, David, could help him further develop.

Visits always began with ‘How are you?’ or ‘How is your son doing?,’ reviewing suggestions from the last meeting. The specialists provided feedback and helpful tips about ways to stimulate Gabriel’s growth – from rolling over to crawling, even learning how to speak. It was often up to Brittany and David to implement those suggestions into a regular practice.

“Dungarvin always met us where we were at as a family,” relates Brittany. “I would never have thought to change how I did certain things, or even that it mattered, without the Dungarvin team. They gave me the confidence that I needed, while holding me accountable for our family’s goals.”

“These wonderful individuals aren’t miracle workers,” clarifies Brittany. “It was a team effort to help my son. I had to learn to let go and trust in the people who were there to help me. Together, we built skills as a family.”

At the end of these services – when Gabriel was three years old – he had an evaluation by Gallup McKinley County Schools and, happily, did not qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which would be the next step if he needed continued support or special services in a school setting.

With support of intervention services provided by Dungarvin, Gabriel’s development now meets that of his peer age group. “I am forever grateful to the whole FIT Program team; they became an extension of our family. We experienced so many intimate moments with them. When I didn’t know how to help my son, or if I was doing things right, Elizabeth (Kleeberger) was always there to support and teach me and then the OT, PT and Speech Therapists came along, each were a vital part of Gabriel’s success story.”

Gabriel Bejarano is living proof that Early Intervention services are effective. To learn more about Dungarvin’s FIT program, contact Elfreda Unkestine, Family Service Coordinator, at 505-297-0101.