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What To Expect When Starting Early Intervention For Your Child
Coming to terms with the reality that your child might require early intervention may be a bitter pill to swallow- so bitter that many parents tend to wait too long with the hope that somehow things will take a turn for the better.
The truth is that not all developmental delays necessitate early intervention treatment. Some infants naturally hit their milestones slower than their counterparts. That is why an early intervention assessment is done, to determine who is eligible for therapy.
Usually, this process is carried out by a team of therapists each specializing in different life skill areas that your child ought to grow or have grown into. Such skills include social and emotional skills, motor skills, speech-language, self-help, and a couple more. Upon evaluation, it can be deduced whether or not your child qualifies for intervention.
As soon as all logistics are ironed out, candidates can begin immediate treatment. For first time parents, here is what you should expect throughout the therapy course.
A Primary Service Provider
Also known as a personal coach, this is a key player assigned by the state office to work with your family and maximize your child’s functional ability in their daily life.
By the time early intervention starts, important details such as medical history, your child’s current developmental levels as well as developmental goals typically have been exchanged. With such a background context, your service provider can structure a work plan that will get your family to the desired results.
1. Sequential Home Visits
Therapy sessions occur where your child feels most at ease and in their best element. Homes effortlessly fit into that description, but other environments such as daycare are not limited either. The sessions could be scheduled weekly or occasionally depending on the needs of your child.
2. Learning Through Play
For infants and toddlers, play is all they know. This being the case, a lot of the learning methods will constructively apply this approach. The idea is to try new, fun things together which in turn should help your child improve their skill set. Also, in special cases, assistive technology might be used as well.
3. Follow up Meetings
These are for progress evaluation. Your service provider will want to know how your child is taking to the therapy, if there be any concerns, what strategies are working, what doesn’t seem to be as fruitful, and so on.
How to Prepare for Early Intervention
- Build a support system– while on this journey, your child needs all the love and support you can give. To be involved as much, do not hold back on letting them know how proud you are of their achievements-it goes a long way! That means you might need to rearrange your work schedule to be available during the sessions. Plan for this.
- Put away all distractions – your child is the focus here, and at that age, all sorts of things can steal their attention. Have their toys in a separate room, switch off the television, if need be have the pets somewhere other than the training space, basically create a conducive environment for both your coach and kid to work effectively.
Are you in search of a hands-on program that will cater to your child’s special needs? Here at About Play, we not only care to see holistic development but also delight in creating safe, fun environments that your child will love. Early Intervention is never a dull moment with us!
But first, you will need to get approval from SC state programs. These are set up by the state of Carolina, to help you with services and funding – regardless of your income. The program you will begin with depends on the age of your child.
If they are 3 years old or younger https://www.scdhhs.gov/resource/babynet will help you get all the information you need on how to apply for approval. You may also call 1-866-512-8881 for assistance.
If they are 4 years or older, go directly to the SC Department of Disabilities & Special Needs (SCDDSN) or call DDSN Eligibility Directly = 1-800-289-7012
Immediately you get approval, we shall be at your service, anytime! Visit us today at Referral Process for more information.
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