Early intervention services
Early
intervention services are structured
and coordinated to facilitate the achievement of optimal development through
the provision of prevention, assessment, education, development, and/or
therapeutic services to infants and toddlers with disabilities or who are at
risk of developmental delay and their families. Early intervention focuses on
helping infants and toddlers learn the basic and brand-new skills that
typically develop during the first years of life. Broadly speaking,
developmental delay means a child is delayed in some area of development. There
are five areas in which development may be affected:
- Cognitive development.
- Physical development.
- Communication development.
- Social or emotional development.
- Adaptive development.
Assessment is conducted to determine each child’s unique
needs and the early intervention services appropriate to address those needs.
Families are the primary decision makers in the planning of early intervention
services along with personnel relevant to the services being provided.
Family-directed services also help family members understand the specific needs
of their child and how to enhance the child’s development.