An Early Intervention Program Is Important

early intervention services

If your child is having trouble with physical, cognitive, communicative, social, emotional or adaptive development, then he or she is eligible for an early intervention. Early intervention services for infants, toddlers and pre-school aged children are designed to address the needs of children who have developmental delays or disabilities, while providing additional emotional and education support to their families. By law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) provides a free, early intervention program, which includes treatment, if eligible.

There are three main reasons to consider an early intervention program. First, early intervention services enhance child development. Intervention research suggests that the rate of human learning and development is most rapid in the first five years of life. Early skill development is crucial to laying the groundwork for lifelong education. Secondly, these interventions assist parents and siblings, helping them deal with feelings of stress or helplessness, while learning to maintain a positive attitude.

Families of handicapped children are found to have increased instances of divorce, suicide and domestic abuse, experts say, so an early intercession is critical to managing emotions from the onset. Lastly, early intervention services will increase the child's developmental and educational gains, increasing his or her eligibility for future employment and self-sufficiency.

Some parents wonder, "Can I afford an early intervention? What are the costs associated with care?" In most cases, early intervention programs are state-funded and are provided to parents and children free of charge initially. Some schools also offer special education services free of charge. There are different options to accommodate parents of all income brackets, so don't let cost deter you. In one intervention study, Wood (1981) calculated the total cumulative costs from infancy to age 18 of special education services, starting interventions at different ages: birth, 2 and 6. She found that total costs were lower if treatment began at birth! The total cost spent on intervention services was $37,273 if initiated at birth, compared to $46,816, if begun at age 6. In some cases, children who went through an intervention did not require any more special services at all.

If you're wondering what early intervention professionals can offer you, then check the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities site for more details. Generally, intervention services may include family intervention training/counseling, home visits, special instruction/speech therapy, hearing impairment services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological evaluation/therapy, medical services (if necessary), social work services, assistive living technology, transportation, nutrition services and service coordination.