What is Early Intervention?
The first three years of life are extremely important for a child’s development.
Early intervention assures families that infants and toddlers, birth to 36 months, with diagnosed disabilities, developmental delays or substantial risks to significant delays receive resources and supports that assist them in maximizing their child’s development. Early intervention services are family-centered and are based on strengths, concerns and priorities that are identified by the family. Early intervention measures a child’s progress in terms of development milestones of how children grow and learn. Families can assess how their child is progressing and developing by how a child plays, learns, speaks and acts.
Early intervention addresses five developmental domains that are individualized to each child that specifically focus on:
- Cognitive development – For example, problem-solving, critical thinking skills, learning.
- Physical development – For example, reaching, rolling, crawling, and walking.
- Language, and Speech and Communication – For example, listening, understanding and talking.
- Social-Emotional Development – For example, identifying emotions and feelings.
- Adaptive/Self-Help Skills Development – For example, eating and dressing skills.
Why is Early Intervention Important?
Early intervention is important for children and families because these services help children learn and reach developmental milestones through play. Opportunities for play with parents/caregivers or early intervention specialists can facilitate the development of skills needed for problem solving, communicating, socializing, and adaptive skills. Early intervention empowers families in order to help children reach their full potential, as parents are their child’s primary teachers. Early intervention services will provide families with the tools necessary to help their children through meeting their developmental milestones.
What to expect in Early Intervention?
If a child has a disability or a developmental delay in one or more of the developmental domains, that child will likely be eligible to receive early intervention services. Early intervention services may include speech therapy, physical therapy, and other types of services based on the needs of the child and family. Early intervention services will address the needs and priorities of the child’s family.
ABA Enhancement will partner with families and early intervention professionals in order to help your child succeed and reach their full potential within the early intervention program.
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Concerned About Your Child’s Development? U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/concerned.html/#childthree
