Here at Imagine Pediatrics, we are passionate proponents of Early Intervention or EI. We have seen how EI can work marvels, helping child function to reach their full potential. Many parents, however, have questions as to why EI might be needed, what it means and why it works. They may hesitate to reach out, assuming that their child will “grow out of it” or “it’s really not that important.” We’re here to offer seven facts about EI and answer your questions.
FACT The Centers for Disease Control estimates that about 1 in 6 children in the United States have some form of developmental delay. Developmental delays can occur in cognitive, social, speech, motor abilities and more. They may occur in just one area or in several. Delays may present very early or may instead appear over time. For a considerable population of children, developmental concerns appear and warrant EI well before the age of 3.
FACT Experts recommend monitoring your child’s development and sharing any missed milestones with your pediatrician. A missed milestone does not mean your child has a delay, only that you should bring it to the attention of your child’s doctor. Have a conversation with the pediatrician if you notice your baby has, for instance, difficulties rolling over, sitting up, crawling or walking, delayed or limited fine motor skills. Delays in language use, which include making sounds, understanding language, talking and socializing, are also critical to bring to your pediatrician’s attention.
HELPFUL HINT Bookmark the CDC Developmental Milestones for a handy reference before each of your child’s pediatric health appointments.
FACT Missed milestones may lead to the need for evaluation. Your child’s healthcare team and Imagine Pediatrics will assess your child’s development and determine if early intervention is necessary. In Illinois, the Department of Human Service’s offers a clearinghouse of EI resources and oversees the state’s Early Intervention Program. That program approaches developmental delays in many of the same ways that experts approach developmental delays in the classroom. In both cases, a team intervention approach that centers the child and their unique needs is used. Parents, families and caregivers serve on the team alongside therapists and other professionals uniquely suited to help the child adapt and develop.
FACT Some children may require occupational, speech or physical therapy – and some may need a combination of therapies. Some children and families may benefit from a social worker, nutritionist, or mental health professional – or, again, a combination of therapies. The nature of the delay and the needs of the child will inform what services your Early Intervention program will include.
FACT Early intervention is so effective because the human brain is highly adaptable when young. When we intervene as early as possible, bad habits have less time to become ingrained and more time is available for children to develop new neural pathways to improve development.
FACT Studies show that early intervention significantly impacts a child’s ability to learn and increases successful outcomes throughout the child’s schooling and life. If fact, 95% of children show improvement in cognitive abilities with early intervention. This enormous improvement percentage also holds for motor skills and daily living skills.
FACT Addressing a delay early prevents it from snowballing into bigger challenges. We might think that a missed milestone isn’t a concern if a child has made strides in other areas. Let’s consider one common developmental delay: the scooting child. The scooter doesn’t learn to crawl, because they scoot everywhere on their bottom. They hold their head up, explore the world and grab at things. Language development is on track. However, if the scooter doesn’t crawl, they won’t develop the muscles necessary for the next milestones, standing and walking. This will then delay mastering other skills, such as kicking a ball, walking up stairs unassisted, jumping and running.
At Imagine Pediatrics, we are all in on Early Intervention. We know how your child will positively respond and how successful it typically is. When you and your pediatrician are concerned about missing or delaying milestones, schedule an evaluation with Imagine Pediatrics. We are here to help your child reach their full potential.
