What is Early Intervention and How Can it Help Your Child?

As an Early Intervention Specialist, I provide play therapy to delayed or disabled children ages birth to three in their homes. It's been shown that the earlier you intervene, the better the outcome. This is what early intervention is all about. A child's delay can be in any one or more of six different developmental areas. The areas are as follows:

Fine motor skills (using the smaller muscles of the hands in conjunction with the eyes to track and manipulate objects).

Gross motor skills (the larger muscles of the body).

Cognition (thought processes and problem solving skills).

Language, broken up into Receptive Language (understanding of spoken words) and Expressive Language (how a child communicates, whether it be through gestures or actual sounds and words).

Social emotional skills (how a child interacts with their environment and the people in it).

Self care skills (feeding, dressing, toileting).

If a person in a child's life has a concern for their development, whether it be a pediatrician, or a parent, a referral is made to their local early intervention center. Each state and each area has one. Here in Massachusetts, you do not need a referral from a pediatrician to call early intervention. If you have a concern for your child but the pediatrician would rather hold off for a while, please call us. I would assume that many states are like Massachusetts in this regard, not needing a pediatrician's referral. Once the referral has been made, an initial screening visit is done in your home. A representative from the early intervention center will visit you and ask you questions about your pregnancy, your child's birth, and of course, about your concerns for your child. After this visit has been made, an actual evaluation will be done. Here, a team of two, maybe three therapists will come to your home with a standardized evaluation to administer to your child. It's play-based, so many children tend to enjoy themselves. Once the evaluation is completed, the results are reviewed with you. Each state has their own eligibility criteria. Here in Massachusetts, a child has to have a 25% delay in any one of the six tested areas to be eligible for our program. If a child does not meet this criteria, but the assessment team feels that this child would benefit from services, we are able to make a child eligible based on clinical judgment for six months' time. If your child meets the criteria for eligibility, they are welcome to be in our program for either a year, or until their third birthday comes. If a year has passed and your child is not yet three years of age, then another eligibility evaluation is done. If a child turns three and is in need of continued services, the local elementary school's special education department takes over.

When a therapist begins to service your child, they normally do so in your home. This is a natural environment for your child, a place where they are comfortable. Services are play-based, using toys. We sit on the floor with your child to get down to their own level. Because therapy is play-based, children tend to have a great time. Yet, during this play, there are "tricks of the trade," if you will, that we incorporate into the session to help your child reach their optimal level of development. Therapy is typically once a week for an hour. Not only are we working with your child, we are also working with you as the parent or primary caregiver, demonstrating what it is we are doing with your child and making recommendations for home carry-over.

If your child is eligible for services, our program is voluntary. You do not have to participate. However, if you choose to have services for your child, in Massachusetts, almost all of the payment for early intervention services is taken care of by insurance companies, and the amount the family is required to pay depends on the family's annual income. The amount you would pay for from your pocket will depend upon which state you live in.

I've described what we do here in Massachusetts. Each early intervention center will do things a bit differently, but it's all basically the same idea. We provide play-based therapy to delayed or disabled children in their homes striving to help the child reach their optimal level of development.

If ever you have a concern for you child's development, absolutely speak to their pediatrician. Each pediatrician's office will have the number to their local early intervention center and will be able to help you make a referral for your child. Please remember that the earlier you intervene, the better the outcome. I have seen first-hand the wonders that early intervention can do for children.