As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I have seen firsthand how Early Intervention (EI) can and does impact a child’s ability to communicate. EI is defined as “The process of providing services and supports to infants, toddlers, and their families when a child has, or is at risk for, a developmental delay, disability, or health condition that may affect typical development and learning.” (ASHA, 2019). Researchers of leading institutions agree that early intervention for challenges related to speech and language is of the utmost importance to a child’s development.
It is important to note the difference between early identification (recognizing key traits and symptoms that might suggest a speech-language disorder) and early intervention (seeking the assistance of a certified speech-language pathologist). Decades of research in neurosciences, speech-language pathology, and early childhood special education show that strategic early intervention programs have the ability to improve functional communication outcomes even years after therapy has ended.
You may wonder if early intervention services are a good fit for you and your family, and how EI services differ from services your child may receive later in life such as speech therapy in the school systems. EI is specific to the age group of infants to toddlers, specifically birth to 3 years of age. This group is at a critical point in development, and is a special area of speech and language pathology. There have been countless studies documenting the benefits of early intervention. One study in particular has suggested that early enrollment in intervention programs is linked to higher language scores. This study concluded that children enrolled before 11 months of age showed better vocabulary and verbal reasoning scores at 5 years of age compared with those enrolled later. This indicates services provided before 3 years of age may have benefits lasting years later in life for your child. Children that were enrolled at a later age may experience delays that can interfere with academic development and comprehension in the classroom.
One of the main goals of early intervention is prevention. SLPs work to lessen the occurrence of a communication disorder or developmental delay by providing Early Intervention services to at-risk children and their families before an official diagnosis of a communication disorder is made.
So what can early intervention do for you and your family?
● Provide resources, support and information. Early intervention provides parents with resources, support, and information to enhance their child’s communication skills. Working together with a provider trained in early childhood intervention enables parents to feel confident and supported while working together to facilitate their child’s communication development.
● Improve relationships. When communication and language are delayed, understanding and interacting with other children may also be delayed. Through early intervention services, children learn how to use language to convey messages, to express feelings and to interact with their friends.
● Improve behavior. Children with delayed communication development may become frustrated and exhibit challenging behaviors to compensate for their delays. It is difficult to express wants and needs when communication is delayed, so often a physical response such as biting or hitting takes its place. Intervention will provide supports and strategies to facilitate your child’s communication needs.
● Promote future success in school. Communication development sets the stage for literacy and influences later success in school. There is evidence suggesting that having a good command of language goes hand-in-hand with the ability to imagine and to create new ideas and, eventually, to read and write.
● Make learning fun. Early intervention services will help families add supports into everyday activities that they do with their child. This provides lots of opportunities for children to learn not only when playing but also while getting dressed, brushing teeth, eating, bathing, getting ready for bed, and many of other activities. Intervention also brings the family a greater understanding of their child’s needs and how to break learning down into small steps for their child. When children know what they are expected to do and can be successful, they will begin to have fun during the learning process. They may begin to show interest in learning new tasks and increasing their skills in a variety of areas.
As Speech-Language Pathologists contracting with the Kentucky First Steps program and also with experience working in the school systems, and outpatient setting, the service providers at Interactive Therapy Services, PLLC. specialize in EI services. If you have any concerns about your child’s speech and language development or are interested in learning more about what we can provide for you feel free to contact us here.
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