What is Early Intervention?
Early Intervention is therapy that is specifically geared for babies and children ages birth to three years old. Early intervention aims to help children with developmental delays and disorders. It follows the ideology that the earlier you get help for your child, the more progress they can make; this is the opposite mindset of “wait and see”. Early intervention services can include:
- Speech Therapy
- Feeding Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapy
- Developmental Therapy
- Psychological Therapy
- Audiological and/or Vision Therapy
- Medical, Nutrition, or Nursing Therapy
I think my child is delayed, should I wait and see?
At MollyBSLP, we feel that the wait and see method is outdated. Years ago, concerned parents were encouraged to believe children will grow out of it. Nowadays, however, we know that your child’s brain is developing and learning at an extremely quick rate and children’s brains and more flexible and receptive to learning now than ever.
Looking at language, specifically, children learn language by watching, listening, and eventually imitating during back-and-forth play and interactions. Our babies who are delayed and have a harder time communicating than their peers may miss out in those important turn-taking moments and ultimately fall further behind. Early intervention can help our little ones learn the power and value of communication.
How do I get into Early Intervention?
Early Intervention is a program that is most often organized by your state legislature. If you have concerns for your baby’s development, it is recommended to first speak with your doctor and then to call your state’s early intervention program and request an evaluation to assess if your child is eligible for services.
You will then be put into contact with a service coordinator to gather information about your child and set a plan in motion for evaluations. Following an evaluation, if your child is deemed eligible for services, you and your team of therapists will work together for form an Individualized Family Service Plan with functional goals to work towards.
What if my child didn’t qualify for early intervention, but I am still concerned?
It is important to note that not all children qualify for services through early intervention following full evaluations. If you are still concerned about your child’s development and skills, consider private speech therapy either through a provider that is in-network with your private health insurance or an out-of-network provider, like us at MollyBSLP.
What does early intervention look like?
Early intervention typically follows a parent-coaching approach. This approach considers the fact that you, the parent or caretaker, are with your child for almost all of their waking hours… however therapists are only with him approximately 30-60 minutes a week. Thus, best practice is for therapists to coach all caregivers to use different strategies with your child outside of therapy.
Early Intervention therapists want to use your toys, your routines, and your activities in therapy and help brainstorm ideas of different strategies and adjustments to make to help your child grow and develop even more.
How do I find a speech therapist near me?
Here at MollyBSLP, we specialize in therapy for babies and toddlers that fall into the Early Intervention age. We provide virtual early intervention in New York and Virginia.
Looking for more information on if your child may need speech therapy?
References
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (2021). Early intervention. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from asha.org/public/speech/early-intervention/
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, December 9). What is “Early intervention”? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved December 14, 2021, from cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/states.html
- The Hanen Center. (2021). Starting early: Why it’s so important. Language Delay – Why Starting Early is so Important. (n.d.). Retrieved December 14, 2021, from hanen.org/Helpful-Info/When-You-Are-Concerned/Starting-Early.aspx