If you are concerned that your child may have developmental delays or learning and attention difficulties, you may want to know about early intervention services. Early intervention can help babies and very young children make great progress. This summary explains what are the first steps to take to help your child.

According to the study, creating a very early strategy of exercises designed specifically to treat the condition could help in the development of mental, communication, behavioral and social patterns that would make the gait affected by the condition perform more normally. in society.

What is early intervention?

Early intervention efforts consist of multiple sessions of interprofessional therapies with the active participation of families, where the walk is stimulated to improve their behavior and to be able to use appropriate patterns.

This must occur at least 3 hours a day. Lin is clarifying that within the treatment, speech and language therapy, psychological therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy are practiced using practical strategies such as gardening and handicrafts.

In addition to traditional therapy, the ESP professor also notes that adapted sports can be practiced as a complement to therapy to develop the sensory, motor and emotional areas of the brain. Among the alternatives is adapted surfing, adapted use of skateboards, psychomotor circuits and chores of the home as intervention activities.

These exercises activate motor planning, thinking to solve problems, and social communication; they improve the connections between the visual zones and the motor, emotional and auditory areas of the brain of these little ones. In addition, it is achieved that the walk relates to other people when carrying out the activity.

What are early intervention services?

Early intervention services are a set of services designed to help young children who have developmental delays or specific health problems. Different types of specialists work with children. Providing services at an early age will help children to level with children of their age and increase their opportunities to succeed in school and in life in general.

“Providing services at an early age will help children to level with children their age and increase their opportunities to succeed in school and in life in general.”

Early intervention services are included in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, for its acronym in English). Through grants from the federal government to each state, qualifying children will receive free or very low-cost services.

All the states of the United States and their territories provide these services through their own program. There are also services that support families that care for children who are receiving early intervention services. Find out more about who pays for early intervention services.

Who is eligible for early intervention services?

Early intervention is for children from birth to the age of 3 years. To be eligible, your child must have any of these characteristics:

A delay in development, being delayed in relation to other children of the same age.

A specific health condition that is likely to cause a delay, this includes genetic disorders, birth defects, and hearing loss, but typically does not include learning and attention difficulties such as dyslexia and ADHD.

Although all states provide early intervention, each state does it differently. The states define the delay in development in different ways and provide services for different health conditions.

Each state has its own rules for deciding which children are eligible. In some states, your child may get services if he is at risk for a developmental delay due to factors such as low birth weight, drug exposure, and other environmental factors.

In other states, a doctor or a clinical specialist may recommend early intervention (for a summary of some of these regulations, read this table from the government-funded center, Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center ).

If you have concerns about your baby or your young child, you will need to review the rules of your state of residence. Start by talking with your child’s pediatrician. Doctors should know about early intervention services. You can also contact the early intervention programs of your state and request an evaluation. This evaluation will determine if your child qualifies for services.

If your state says your child is eligible for early intervention services, your family will get an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). A team from your state’s early intervention program will work with you to develop the IFSP. This plan defines the objectives and types of services that will help you and your child. If your child does not qualify for services, there are still things you can do.

What kind of early intervention services are available?

Babies and young children may receive services at home or in the community to help with development in the following areas:

• Physical skills (reach, crawl, walk, draw, build)
• Cognitive skills (think, learn, solve problems)
• Communication skills (speaking, listening, understanding others)
• Self-help or adaptation skills (eating, dressing)
• Social or emotional skills (play, interact with others)
• Sensory processing skills (process textures, tastes, sounds, and smells)

A child who qualifies for an early intervention program may receive one or more of the following services:

• Detection and evaluation
• Speech and language therapy
• Occupational or physical therapy
• Psychological services
• Home visits
• Medical, nutrition or nursing services
• Hearing (audiology) or vision services
• Social work services
• Transport

A service coordinator of the early intervention program will help you establish and organize the services.

How long do the early intervention services last?

Early intervention services usually last until your child turns 3 years old. However, this does not mean that you will suddenly stop receiving help when your child turns 3 years old. Many states extend early intervention services beyond their child’s third birthday if necessary.

In addition, children older than 3 years may be eligible to receive special education services under IDEA. These services begin when the early intervention services are terminated.

A few months before your child turns 3, you and the early intervention team will discuss the transition. The service coordinator will organize a meeting to plan it. This will help you know how to prepare your child for what goes on. If he is eligible to receive special education in preschool, a member of the local school district will also work with you.

What happens if my child is 3 years old?

If your child is already 3 years old, you can still get help. As with a smaller child, the first step is to get an evaluation. This will determine if your child needs special education or related services.

If your child is eligible, you will meet with school professionals to develop an Individualized Education Program ( IEP ) for your preschool. In addition to special education to meet your child’s needs, you could get related services similar to those provided to infants and toddlers.

A lot happens during these first years. If your child is not where he or she would need to be in their development, early intervention can make a big difference. For more information, learn about specialists who work with infants and young children, and read about the common myths of early intervention.