Sharing What Works in Supporting Infants & Toddlers and the Families in Early Intervention
“Massaging your baby is a very special way to let them know they are safe, loved and understood. A daily massage lays the foundation for a lifetime of self esteem for your baby and good communication between the two of you.”
-Vilma McClure Founder, The International Association of Infant Massage Instructors.
The first communication a baby receives …
One of the greatest parts about being an early interventionist is the opportunity to touch the lives of so many children and families. Another wonder of this work is the way families touch our lives too. Relationships are developed and mutual respect is established as we get to know families, problem-solve with them about struggles …
Early interventionists, physicians and nurses, child care providers, preschool teachers, home visitors, playgroup leaders, family members – you all have the power to help with early identification of autism spectrum disorder. Earlier identification is associated with earlier, appropriate intervention and better long-term positive outcomes for children. It is not an easy topic to discuss with …
Metacognition? Ever heard of it? Are you wondering if this has anything to do with early intervention and if you should even keep reading this post? 🙂
Well the answer to both questions is YES!
Metacognition is an underlying concept that relates to implementation of effective early intervention strategies and is one that most interventionists probably aren’t …
If you work with infants and toddlers, you know the mesmerizing qualities of bubbles and the unlimited possibilities of a simple ball. Bubbles and balls are staples in many families’ homes so you don’t need to bring them with you to intervention visits; you just ask the parent if they have one or the other …
Think about this for a moment. How many people can truly say that they LOVED getting homework when they were in school? Very few of us (okay, I might be one of those people but still…). Just the word “homework” has stressful emotions attached to it for many people, even though it was an important part …
You’ve started working with a wonderful family. It’s a large, busy family of six. The child’s mother tells you that she has great intentions to play with her toddler, Jordan, but unfortunately she never gets enough time. She feels guilty because Jordan isn’t talking and she knows that playing is so vital to his communication …
Knock, knock…wait…knock again…check your watch…knock again…wait…leave a note because no one’s home. This is the third no-show in a row and you drove 35 minutes to get to the home. Sigh. What do you do?
It’s easy to get frustrated when a family no-shows, especially when you see a pattern of missed visits. It’s also easy …
You knock on the door, enter the family’s home and take off your coat. Maybe you take off your shoes, too. And the mother asks, “Can I get you a cup of tea, or a soda, or anything?”
What is your initial response?
Mine was always, “No, thanks. I’m fine.” Then one day I visited with a …
When you walk in the door to a family’s home, who is the focus of your visit? Who are you there to work with?
These might seem like two very straight-forward questions, but think about them for a moment. The early intervention world revolves around the infant or toddler with the developmental delay or disability, the little person …
