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Early Intervention in South Carolina is a collection of professional services that support families when their child is experiencing common developmental delays. The goal of early intervention is to help a child with learning new skills, overcoming challenges, and increasing his or her success in school and throughout life.
Our services might be available for you at no cost through a South Carolina state funding program called BabyNet or through DDSN, but you must first be screened as eligible and approved. You can talk to your child’s pediatrician or contact us and we can help walk you through the steps you need to take if you want to get help for your child.
The E.I. professional you get matched with will work with you to identify your child’s developmental needs. They’ll visit your home to provide teaching and training to help your child develop through play and everyday routines. They’ll also connect you with other valuable resources in SC. To work with us, just tell your initial screener at BabyNet or DDSN, “I want to work with About Play.”
Services are available based on the specific needs of your child. You may not be eligible for all of the services listed below, but the following provides a general overview.
An early interventionist will meet with your child, assess their development, and create an action plan. These early intervention evaluations are free of cost.
One-on-one home visits from a professional Early Interventionist who will work to equip your family with the skills that help your child reach their maximum potential.
Infant massage can keep your child relaxed and healthy while providing benefits including reduced stress, improved sleep, stimulated growth, improved gastrointestinal functioning, and relieved teething pain.
If your child is eligible for early intervention, you’ll be matched with a service coordinator that will manage your child’s case and create an IEP that focuses on their specific needs and goals.
We do not provide the following services directly, but if you, your child, or family are eligible, we can help coordinate them for you.
Speech therapy can help determine the root cause of a delay or disability and provide a plan of action.
Physical therapy helps children improve their small and fine motor skills. Treatments focus on flexibility, strength, posture, gait, sensory processing, balance, and coordination.
Occupational therapy (OT) involves the therapeutic use of everyday activities, or occupations, to treat the physical, mental, developmental, and emotional ailments that impact a person’s ability to perform day-to-day tasks. In occupational therapy for children, therapists will help families with children with developmental delays improve motor, social, sensory processing, play, and cognitive skills.
Therapists will work to discover the root cause of hearing and vision delays and provide appropriate adaptive equipment and services.
Nurses can help families learn how to properly care for their children if they need special care, such as tube feeding, bandage cleaning, and more.
Nutrition services can help underweight children who need to adhere to special diets.
Support groups provide support and coping outlets for family members and loved ones.
If you’re new to early intervention, you’re probably wondering what the best benefits are and how they will affect your child. While each child is unique and will have their own journey with EI, these are the top five benefits of early intervention:
Here is an overview of some developmental skills you should see with your child. If you feel that your child may be struggling to achieve these milestones, talk to your pediatrician about Early Intervention or contact us for information about our services.
From birth to 6 months:
From 7 to 12 months:
From 12 to 18 months:
From 18 to 24 months:
From 2 to 3 years old:
If you’re new to early intervention, you’re probably wondering what the best benefits are and how they will affect your child. While each child is unique and will have their own journey with EI, these are the top five benefits of early intervention:
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