engagement Archives - Page 3 of 4 - Early Intervention Strategies for Success

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 …

Imagine that you’re on a visit and you observe this mother and child playing together with their stacking rings. This is a game that they play often and that the child really enjoys. Let’s pretend that this child qualified for EI with global developmental delays. His IFSP outcomes address priorities such as learning to crawl from …

You’re on a first visit with the family of a toddler who is suspected of having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). You greet the mother and try to say “hi” to the child, but he wanders away to continue his circuit around the room. As you watch, he picks up toys and drops them, dances in front …

Rule of thumb…never bring a xylophone to an intervention visit when there are siblings in the mix.

This was one of my biggest rules when I was working in EI and still lugging around a toy bag. Ages ago I had a visit where I brought the xylophone along and the preschool-aged brother of the child …

How many times has this happened to you? You arrive for your EI visit to a family’s home and find that the large screen TV is on and a favorite show is airing. Perhaps it is a beloved cartoon for the child, or maybe it is the mother’s favorite talk show host. Is the father …

I typically start my early intervention sessions by asking the family to “brag” about what is new and exciting in their child’s life. Usually, the family will also bring up what activities are challenging for them. If not, I will ask the family what are their concerns? Admittedly, these concerns are more child-focused and less …

We’ve all had that visit…the one where we knock on the door for the first time and the family is less than pleased to see us arrive. Or the visit where, after we arrive, the parent leaves us in the living room and doesn’t reappear for 10 minutes. Or, the visit where the parent is …

We know from research in early intervention that making the change to using collaborative, family-centered practices during early intervention visits continues to be challenging for EI providers. One of the reasons that this continues to be a challenge is because most of us think we are already doing it!

Each of us needs to take the …

I agree with Mahoney, Robinson and Perales (2004), “….the time has come to stop talking about parent involvement and to commit to learning how such involvement can be accomplished across a range of family constellations, circumstances, and values.” When I first start working with a family I explain that there shouldn’t be a “therapy” hour …

Early interventionists know service coordinators wear several hats. We are advocators, coordinators, problem solvers, and mediators. Service coordinators are leaders in the IFSP process and active listeners to parents and providers. We have to be creative and sometimes think outside the box to help children reach their greatest potential.

Service coordination has many rewards and challenges …

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To Give Homework or Not To Give Homework…

How Many Learning Opportunities Can You Spot?

Get Him Engaged! – 5 Strategies for Engaging Toddlers with ASD

Adding Siblings to the Intervention Mix

Can You Compete with Dr. Phil?

Promoting Family-Centered Practice Through the Use of the Life Participation for Parents (LPP) Questionnaire

Strategies for Rescuing a Shaky First Visit

Traditional vs. Collaborative EI Visits: What’s the Difference?

Embedding Strategies into Family Routines: One PT’s Perspective

Weathering the Storm: How Service Coordinators Manage Difficult Situations

It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later!

Supporting Social and Emotional Development: What ALL Early Interventionists Can Do!

Baskin Robbins: How Do I Decide?

Get the Backstory: Validating and Valuing Family Input

EI Awareness Month in VA – The Power of Family Stories

Resource Alert! – Check Out the New Transition Learning Path

The Unspoken Realities of Child Abuse during a Pandemic

Successfully Engaging Caregivers in the Child Outcomes Summary Process Virtually

Call to Action! Service Coordination and Early Intervention – DEC/ITCA Position Statement