Kelsey Baker
Kelsey Baker, AEA 267 School Psychologist, is the author of the newly published, “Our Special Family,” a book written to help and encourage families who have a child with special needs. Kelsey’s oldest son, Brody, was diagnosed with biotin (vitamin B7) deficiency after a newborn screening at one week old. The book is told from Brody’s younger brother, Eli’s perspective.
In her position at AEA 267, Kelsey sees many families facing similar circumstances. “…one of the children has a disability or deficiency, and the other sibling does not, which creates unique family dynamics. Children may not understand why a sibling may require more time, treatment and attention. This can be troublesome for children. Therefore, I was inspired to use literacy addressing family issues from a child’s perspective.”
Kelsey also hopes to make parents aware of the importance of newborn screening. More than 50 conditions can be detected by using only a few drops of blood collected from the newborn. Early detection and intervention can prevent problems before they can cause a child serious and permanent harm.
“Our Special Family” will be available for area educators and parents through the AEA 267 Lending Library and Family Educator Connection resource library in the near future.