Discovering Early Childhood Intervention Services (EIC)

Discovering Early Childhood

Early childhood intervention (ECI) provides support and education for children from birth to three years of age with special needs who fall under the following categories:

• Developmental delays
• Disabilities
• Auditory or visual impairment

ECI ensures that families with young children have access to resources and support to maximize their child’s cognitive, physical, and social/emotional development when a medical diagnosis or developmental delay inhibits the child from meeting developmental milestones.

Services can vary from state to state and across different agencies but typically include the following:

• Behavioral intervention
• Case management or service coordination
• Cognitive development
• Communication development
• Family training
• Nutrition services
• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy
• Psychological services
• Skills training
• Social or emotional development
• Speech therapy

In many cases, services are provided in a child’s natural environment, including home, daycare, park, library, playground, or other familiar settings, depending on the provider and service being performed.

The assessment determines eligibility, and income is not a factor. Most states have funding available to bridge the gap when insurance does not cover a specific service.

Every state differs in the programs available to families. A complete list of states with program links and phone numbers can be found below:

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/state-text.html

More Early Intervention

• Early Intervention: First Steps in the Right Direction
• Are You on the Fence About Early Intervention: A Therapist’s Perspective
• Take Note: A New Hybrid Early Intervention Program Opens
• Take Your First Steps With Early Steps
• Where Do I Go for Evaluations
• Miracle Babies What You Need to Know
• Autism and Early Intervention
• Early Intervention Games

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This post originally appeared on our March/April 2023 Magazine