Early Intervention Strategies for Success

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

 

This is the time of year when I can get in a slump. I’ve always loved my jobs in early intervention, but it’s just about now when I get a little jealous of teachers who work in the school system and their countdown til summer break. When I was in grad school eons ago, that …

I was making a visit late in the afternoon in a neighborhood that had a history of safety issues. It was unusual for me to visit at this time of day so I was a little apprehensive. I parked in front of the home, got out, and went to put my purse in the trunk …

Tyler is 20 months old and instead of playing with his toys or using his spoon to feed himself, he quickly throws them as soon as he picks them up. Tyler’s parents tell you that it’s really hard to manage during playdates or when they go out to eat. Tyler also rarely stays still to …

If we think about the best way to make the biggest difference in a child’s development, it makes sense that we will be most effective by working through the child’s most familiar people. Those familiar people, parents and caregivers, are the key to success. Positively impacting the child’s development is the reason for early intervention …

What do you say when a parent asks if she should bite her child back? That’s an easy one for many early interventionists – no, definitely don’t bite the baby back. Knowing what to DO about toddler biting, however, can be more tricky. Let me tell you a story about my son’s first bite…

When my …

Where are your practices on the traditional vs. participation-based continuum?
Wherever you are on the continuum, take some time to examine the similarities and differences between the two interventions, reflect on your own practices, and plan for how to evolve your work to a more evidence-based approach. This brief provides a summary of research by Campbell …

Dustin has been collaborating with Mandy’s family for about 3 months. He typically visits with Mandy’s grandmother every Tuesday at 10am and they play in the living room. Dustin has been doing well with transitioning from bringing toys to the home to using Mandy’s toys. He’s also worked very hard to include Mandy’s grandmother in …

Visiting all kinds of environments is one of the things that I’ve always loved about early intervention. No two days or two visits are ever the same. Along with this flexibility comes the unpredictable nature of the environments in which we find ourselves. You can easily drive from one home that is pristine to another …

Meet Jesse and his Mother
Jesse is 22 months old and often plays by himself. When his mother tries to play with him, she says that he ignores her or will move to another activity. When you observe their play, you notice that she tries very hard to join in what Jesse’s doing, but in doing …

You’ve been seeing Max and his grandmother for 3 visits now. On each visit, Max completely avoids you. He scoops up his toys and scurries from the room. This grandmother tries very hard to bring him back but he cries each time.  Last week she was able to get him to stay on her lap …

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