The Importance of Early Intervention
If you have concerns about your child’s development, and if you voice those concerns to people in your life, you’re likely to get all kinds of different advice. Most of that advice will be helpful — but some advice, like being told to “wait and see,” can actually be harmful.
All too often, well-meaning friends (and even doctors!) will tell families to “give it time” when developmental concerns arise. This can be problematic for a few reasons:
As the parent, you know your child best. If you have concerns, they could very well be justified.
If there is a reason why your child isn’t reaching developmental milestones, we know that early intervention is the most effective way to support them.
There may be circumstances where giving it time is the right course of action, but more often than not, it’s best to have a screening or an assessment completed by a specialist as soon as possible.
Early intervention (plus a little proactive support at home) goes so far. It’s often free, always low-cost, and it can help your child so much. It’s something that all parents deserve to know about. In fact, one of the main reasons we started our Wee Talkers IG account was to teach families about proactive support and early intervention, and to encourage them not to “wait and see” when it comes to their child’s development!
What Is Early Intervention?
“Early intervention” refers to the specialized, publicly-funded services that are available to young children who need support in their development. It exists to help children who have (or are at risk of having) developmental delays, disabilities, or health conditions that affect development and learning improve their abilities and develop new skills.
Early intervention services vary depending on where you live, but often include:
Speech therapy
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Counseling and psychological services
Medical services
Nutritional services
...and more!
The main goal of early intervention, according to the American Speech and Hearing Association, is to “lessen the effects of a disability or delay by addressing the identified needs of young children as soon as possible.”
Who is Early Intervention For?
Early intervention is meant specifically for children, and families of children, under the age of 3 who show a delay in meeting either cognitive or physical developmental milestones.
Early intervention programs are available in every state and province, and because they’re publicly funded, the included services will either be free or available at a reduced cost for eligible families.
(If your child is over 3, don’t worry, the same supports are still available. You’ll just access them through your child’s school instead of going through the early intervention route.)
The Benefits of Early Intervention
Early intervention can make a huge impact on children’s skills and abilities. An individualized plan is created to help the child and family.
No Such Thing As Too Early (or too late!)
Early intervention is a powerful tool. If your child needs support, it’s very likely going to help them — and you! — make improvements and feel better and more supported.
In our experience, families never regret getting support early in a child’s life when there are developmental concerns. But sadly, we often hear from families who tell me they wish they would have sought out support earlier. Always remember that you know your child best. If you have concerns about their development, trust your instincts, and seek out support as soon as you can.
What To Do If You’re Concerned
If you’re worried or have concerns about your child’s development, discuss your concerns with your pediatrician. It’s okay to ask for a developmental screening or for a referral to a specialist.
For children in the US:
Under 3: Locate early intervention services in your state by visiting the CDC website.
Over 3: Contact your local school district and ask for an assessment.
Related: 3 Things to Know Before your Toddler Starts Speech Therapy
Be Proactive About Development
Toddler Talking Milestones
Whether you’re concerned about your child’s development or you just want to stay on top of it all, download our free milestones guide. It’ll help you understand and track your child’s new, developing, and upcoming skills!
Learn from us
If you’re looking for more support, we are here to help.
TalkToddler is our online, self-paced course that will teach you how to help your toddler talk and communicate more. We don’t want you to be feeling worried or unsupported when it comes to your child’s communication development. We’ve worked with families of toddlers for a combined 20+ years and we’d love to help support your family, too!
References
Guralnick, M. J. (2011). Why early intervention works: A systems perspective. Infants & Young Children, 24, 6–28.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/states.html
https://www.asha.org/practice-portal/professional-issues/early-intervention/