Melissa Sherrer is a developmental specialist and part of the Early Intervention team at Fairfield DD. She has dedicated 26 years to Early Intervention, spending her career supporting young children and their families.
In her role, Melissa works with families who have children under age three with developmental delays. She goes into their homes to help families build ideas and strategies they can use within their everyday routines to support their child’s growth. Together with each family, she develops a plan based on what they would like their child to be doing in six months. These outcomes are connected to real life routines like sleep, communication, and mealtimes, so families can see progress in the moments that matter most.
Melissa spends her days traveling from home to home, working directly with families in their natural environments. Visits can take place in the home or out in the community at places like parks, libraries, and even community pools. A big focus of her work is using what families already have, so strategies are practical, realistic, and can be reinforced between visits. She often collaborates with other team members, including Physical Therapist Judy, who helps problem-solve movement and positioning using everyday items in the home. She also works with Occupational Therapist Sarah, who supports families with feeding and helps them understand how oral motor skills connect to daily routines. Speech support from Karen also helps model communication strategies so parents feel confident using them at home.
One of the most meaningful parts of Melissa’s work is when a parent begins to really understand a strategy and confidently uses it with their child. She describes getting chills in those moments, especially when a family sees progress, such as a child saying their first word or a parent realizing they already have the tools they need to support their child’s development.
Melissa also really values learning from the families she visits, including the opportunity to experience and understand diverse cultures in home and community settings.
At the center of her work is Fairfield DD’s mission of supporting people with developmental disabilities to live, learn, work, and participate in their communities. Melissa lives out this mission by helping families feel confident, supported, and capable as they guide their child’s development. She sees her role as coaching and empowering families so they can build lasting skills that fit naturally into their daily routines and continue well beyond each visit.
