ORLANDO, Fla. — A Central Florida organization helped a mother diagnose her daughter and get the care she needed to develop.

Two years ago, Vivian Osorio gave birth to her first child, Bianca.

 “It was joy,” she said. “I’m like ‘wow, I can’t believe it. This is what we created with my husband.’”

When her daughter was 18 months old, Osorio said she realized Bianca had not reached a milestone many infants her age do — talk.

Osorio and her mother took Bianca for an assessment at Help Me Grow, a Heart of Florida United Way program which helps connect families with community-based developmental and behavioral services. She said that was when she found out her daughter had delayed speech.

“It helped me to understand the process that is new for me,” Osorio said. “Only because I’m in the medical field does not mean I know all this stuff.” Osorio is a pre and post-surgery nurse.

After months of speech therapy, Osorio can see and hear the differences it made for Bianca.

“She used to be like one or two words," Osorio said. "She now says four words, complete sentences, makes sense and understands more.”

Bianca also uses hand motions to indicate what she wants.

Help Me Grow will hold a free screening event for children up to five years old on May 4 at the Orlando Public Library. There will be screening for communication, problem solving, social skills, and motor skills. Find more information on the Heart of Florida United Way website.