Early Intervention Strategies for Success

Sharing What Works in Supporting Infants & Toddlers and the Families in Early Intervention

 

It is hard to believe but it is almost May!  The final Talk of the two-part series, entitled “Ditch the Animal Sounds: Writing Appropriate Outcomes that Lead to Effective Implementation,” will be presented live on May 5th!  In anticipation of the upcoming webinar, I am excited to share with you just a few of the …

Joey is 25 months old.  He was referred to his local early intervention intake coordinator by his parents secondary to their concerns about his intelligibility and inability to effectively communicate his needs or wants.  They reported that he uses approximately 15 words but “talks in such a garbled manner” that both parents and Joey’s older …

Lynn meets Devon and his mother, Janae, at the grocery store for their visit this week. When she arrives, she finds them trying to walk into the store. They are struggling because Devon is having a tantrum and Janae is trying to carry him while he kicks and screams. Lynn goes up to them and asks if …

On March 3, 2015, I was honored to present a Talk on Tuesday (ToT) webinar entitled, It’s Almost Never Apraxia: Understanding Appropriate Diagnoses of Speech in Early Intervention, that addressed appropriate diagnoses of speech sound disorders in infants and toddlers.  The participants had some great questions and we wanted to ensure that the conversation continues…so here I am!  My …

You arrive at the family’s home and knock on the door. After several minutes, the door slowly opens and you look down to see a preschooler’s face. You ask her, “Is your mommy here?”

She answers, “She’s asleep.” You ask, “Is there another grown-up here with you?” and she shakes her head “no.” You look past …

On Reagan’s first visit with Cole’s family, she feels like she is “under the microscope.” Cole’s grandmother, Celia, seems wary of Reagan, and of early intervention. Cole’s physician recommended the referral due to delays with Cole’s communication, but his grandmother is not concerned. She has raised three children, all of whom, she says, “talked when they …

Think about it. How did you learn to drive? Sure, you read the driving manual, went to a driver’s ed class, and you probably talked about driving a lot. Before getting behind the wheel, you’d observed people driving for years. Was reading, talking about the new skill, and observing someone doing it enough to prepare …

With 3 minutes left to the visit, Mikaela’s mother, Delia, asks “Can you stay a few extra minutes today?” She says she really needs your advice. Yesterday, the child care center director called because Mikaela bit another child. They threatened to expel Mikaela and Delia isn’t sure what to do. You pause because you know that your next …

Why do we always sit on the floor?
You know, when you think about it, it’s a really good question. Adults plopping on the floor in strangers’ homes is not normal. However, sitting on the floor to play with young children is pretty normal for folks who specialize in early childhood. Being on the floor allows us …

This really happened to me: Before heading out the door, I received a call from a mother whom I’d be seeing in about an hour. She asked if I could stop by the grocery store to pick up milk and diapers. She had no transportation and lived deep in the woods in a very rural …

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