Team Mildenhall offers 'Child Find,' spring fun Published April 19, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Dillon Johnston 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs RAF MILDENHALL, England -- The Spring Fest and Child Find event, hosted by Team Mildenhall, is April 20, 2013, at Heritage Park on RAF Mildenhall, England. "Educational and Developmental Intervention Services Child Find is a concept of using various outreach events and techniques to identify children with developmental delays that would benefit from our services. We provide services for children from birth to age 3 through our early intervention program and for school age children through our related services program," said Capt. Amy Quinlisk, 48th Medical Operations Squadron EDIS early intervention element leader. With spring weather finally rolling in, Team Mildenhall children and parents have an opportunity to get out and have some fun. With Child Find included, it offers parents a chance to get some developmental questions answered in a relaxed environment. "When we combine a Child Find with a basewide kind of event, it takes the limelight off of those families that might want to ask questions, but don't want the world to know they're asking questions," said Elisabeth Leath, 100th Force Support Squadron Exceptional Family Member Program family support specialist. During the festivities, EDIS has a station set up for concerned parents to casually stop in and get a professional opinion without the awkwardness of having to go to a medical facility. EDIS gives free bubbles out and has two tables dedicated to look for various developmental skills and milestones. The bubbles show parents how their children are developing fine-finger dexterity skills, by popping and blowing bubbles and their motor development as they run and chase the bubbles in the wind. The two tables have water and sand, which will be used to explore how a child interacts with the different substances while playing with them, showing similar developmental milestones. The event, geared toward reaching out and allowing anyone to come by and voice their concerns while having fun, hopes to draw attention to the fact that there are ways to get the help parents need. "The biggest thing is parents knowing that there are resources available and there is a support network of individuals here at RAF Mildenhall and combined with the medical center (at RAF Lakenheath) available to help them if they are having concerns," Leath said. The Spring Fest is 1 to 3 p.m. with games and activities for children including a bouncy house, ring toss and a dunk tank. Each event completed by a child will win them a raffle ticket. At the end of the event there is a raffle with prizes in three age groups. With fun and games for all ages, the Spring Fest is the place for families to relax and enjoy the spring weather.