Early Intervention
What is Early Intervention?
Early Interventionist are trained individuals that provide support to children ranging in age from birth to three years of age with developmental delays and disabilities. Their role is to provide a teaching model to the family that involves showing them strategies that will help promote success in the individual areas of the child’s needs within their daily routines. Research shows that the first three years of life are the most important for learning and services are aimed at minimizing the impact of disabilities on your child’s development. Intervention can focus on multiple areas including adaptive, social-emotional, communication, motor, and cognitive skills.
Signs That Your Child May Benefit from Early Intervention
Adaptive concerns which may include difficulty accepting new textured foods, feeding themselves, or assisting with dressing
Personal Social concerns which may include lack of responding to his/her name, not engaging in simple social routines/games, engaging more with objects than people, or behavioral challenges
Communication concerns which may include lack of vocabulary or use of word combinations, being unable to consistently follow direction or associating words with objects, and not pointing to picture when named
Motor concerns which may include your child not rolling over, crawling, pulling to stand, walking, or exploring his or her environment. Lack of manipulating objects in different ways, not using a pincer grasp or being able to hold a crayon to scribble, unable to stack several blocks or turn the pages in a book may be other signs to indicate that your child may need help.
Cognitive concerns which may include decreased problem-solving skills such as not being able to complete simple puzzles, not searching for a hidden object, showing lack of interest in looking at pictures in a book, and demonstrating appropriate use of everyday items.
How Can an Early Interventionist
Help your Child?
Early Interventionists empower the family! Their job is to provide support to the family in helping them incorporate learning throughout everyday routines in the specific areas of need that have been identified for their child. They follow the recommendations of the Individualized Family Support Plan that are developed during the eligibility evaluation with the family’s specific concerns and goals in mind. They provide strategies to help the family teach the child to learn new skills and overcome challenges.
Early Intervention
Services Include:
Evaluations
An initial eligibility evaluation of your child’s skills and abilities to determine if he/she meets the requirement for services.
Support Plan
Development of an Individualized Family Support Plan if your child is eligible for services
Explore Free or Reduced Costs
Early Intervention services are available in every state and are publicly funded programs that provide services for free or at reduced cost for any child who is determined to be eligible.
Services in Natural Environment
Determined services to be carried out in the child’s natural environment that may include home, day care, or other community settings.