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 [1]
More Early Intervention
- Early Intervention: First Steps in the Right Direction [2]
- Are You on the Fence About Early Intervention: A Therapist’s Perspective [3]
- Take Note: A New Hybrid Early Intervention Program Opens [4]
- Take Your First Steps With Early Steps [5]
- Where Do I Go for Evaluations [6]
- Miracle Babies What You Need to Know [7]
- Autism and Early Intervention [8]
- Early Intervention Games [9]
You May Also like
- 8 Ways to be a Great Advocate For Your Family Member With Special Needs [10]
- Advocating: What You Need to Know to Become a Better Advocate [11]
- Basic Blue Print for Advocating for Your Child with Special Needs [12]
- The Politics of Special Education: The Information You Need Right Now [13]
- “Instruction Manual” for Your Child With Special Needs [14]
- Financial Planning: For Those Who Are at the Starting Line [15]
- IEP … I Do’s Building a Viable Home-School Relationship -It’s like a Marriage [16]
- Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue? Here Are Ways to Combat It… [17]
- Raising a Child With Special Needs: Want to Know What Is Predictable? [18]
- Multitasking the Right Way: How You Can Make the Most of Your Time [19]
- Developing Your Own Network [20]
- A PATH to the Future [21]
This post originally appeared on our March/April 2023 Magazine [22]