As babies and toddlers develop, there are certain milestones that the should be hitting with each age. Every child is different, and some children are faster than others, so these milestones are a range. Meaning, between x-months and x-months, children should develop a particular skill. It becomes concerning if they have not attempted it several months past the upper normal limit of normal development.
Although it can be concerning, and potentially even feel shameful or embarrassing to a parent that their child is not meeting appropriate milestones, it’s better to speak up about your child not meeting these milestones earlier, rather than later. Children who get behind can often be caught up, but the longer the delay goes unattended, the further behind that child will fall and the harder it will be to catch them up.
Early intervention is key to helping children who may start to fall behind. Below is an overview of what early intervention is and how it can help you and your family.
What is early intervention?
Early intervention is a system of services that helps babies and toddlers with developmental delays or disabilities. Early intervention focuses on helping babies and toddlers learn basic and new skills in the first three years of life. These skills include physical, cognitive, communication, and social/emotional.
There are a variety and interdisciplinary options for intervention services. Infants and toddlers with developmental delays will likely be eligible for these servis. These are specifically curated to each child’s individual needs. They include:
- Technology
- Auditory or hearing
- Speech and language
- Counseling and training
- Medical services
- Nursing
- Nutrition
- Occupational therapy
- Physical therapy
- Psychological or mental health services
Services are also provided to meet the needs and priorities of the child’s family as well. These services are family-directed and aim to help family members learn the special needs of their child and how to improve their development. Early intervention is available in every state and territory of the US. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires it, so these services are widely available.
Who is eligible?
Any infant or toddler with a developmental delay or disability is eligible. Eligibility is determined after evaluating the child for the presence of a delay or disability and eligible children can receive early intervention services from birth through the third birthday. Parents don’t have to wait for a referral, but if they are concerned about their child’s development, then it is advised to contact the local program directly so the child can be evaluated.
What is a developmental delay?
Developmental delay can be a broad term that encompassess many behaviors, so it can be difficult to determine what exactly developmental delay means. It is a child that exhibits a delay in some area of development that includes cognitive, physical, communication, social or emotional, and adaptive.
Babies and toddlers have a very steep learning and developmental curve. There are many things that they must learn to do in a short amount of time. However, their brains re constantly changing and adapting, that this learning and development is not as overwhelming as it seems. Here is a page of some typical skills that children should attain by certain ages. It’s a general guide, with a large range, so if you are concerned, then it’s best to talk to your pediatrician to see if they have any concerns.
The exact meaning of developmental delay varies state to state, so in order to receive the proper needs, please look up your state’s definition to see if your child meets the requirements. Your pediatrician will know a lot about if your child is considered to have a delay according to the state’s standards.
How children are evaluated and assessed
Once you and your pediatrician have decided that there is a developmental delay and you would like to begin the work to intervene early, you will be connected with your early intervention program and assigned a service coordinator who will explain the early intervention process and help you through the subsequent steps. This coordinator will serve as the sole contact for your family.
The first step in the process is a screening to determine if there is a possibility that your child has a developmental delay. The coordinator will explain what is involved in this process and you must provide written consent before screening and/or evaluation may take place. Evaluation will be made up of different qualified people who have different areas of training and experience. They are experts about where children should be with their speech and language skills, physical abilities, hearing and vision, and other important areas of development. Group members may work with your child individually or as part of a group where they will ask your child to perform actions such as talking, playing, and other activities to observe any potential delays.
There may also be a series of tests that you children or you are given as well as some other components of the assessment.
Timeframe
Within about 45 days of receiving the referral, there are a few critical steps that must be taken. Children need to be screened, initially evaluated, family evaluated and the Individualized Family Service Plan, or IFSP, will need to be completed. This is because children grow and develop so quickly that developmental issues needed to be addressed as quickly as possible.
Payment
The cost of all of these tests and interventions can be a daunting thought for many parents. However, it depends on state policies if you will be responsible for paying for these services. The state’s system of payments is available and should be given to you so there are no surprises. Under the IDEA act, certain services are covered by the state including Child Find service, evaluations and assessments, development and review of IFSP and service coordination.
Services that cost may be on a sliding scale fee, meaning that fees are charged based off of what you earn. Some may be covered by different healthcare services like Medicaid, or Indian Health Services. It is really important, that regardless of your income, you are still able to receive help for your child.
Another service you may utilize is Diverse Health Services. DHS is a home health agency that can assist with children who may not be able to function individually. DHS offers food preparation, household services, transportation and more for those whose caretakers may need a break or who don’t have any caretakers. Please visit our services page for more information.
Resources: https://www.parentcenterhub.org/ei-overview/
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