Early Intervention Strategies for Success

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

 

Are you working with a very young child who has multiple disabilities? If you are looking for resources, check out our new Multiple Disabilities topic page on the VA EIPD Center site! You’ll find free articles, fact sheets, a resource landing pad (PDF, New Window), a video of a mother telling her early intervention story …

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 …

I met Sam when he was about 16 months old. He had been enrolled in early intervention since before his 1st birthday due to global developmental delays. He was making slow progress developmentally so I was asked to consult with this OT and his mother. After spending time watching Sam play and talking with his …

One of the interesting ideas that’s percolating around in my brain following the DEC conference is about using videotaping during and between early intervention visits. Here are a few ways I’ve either heard about or read about for using videotaping in early intervention to help families bridge the gap between visits and everyday life:
Using a …

In my previous post I discussed five tips that will help early interventionists in collaborating with families to embed therapeutic strategies into their daily routines.  To review, the tips are: start with a routine based interview, incorporate family goals into strategies, set up the environment, follow the family’s and child’s lead, and be creative.  In …

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 …

Let’s face it …as Early Interventionists most of us can establish rapport with anyone under 3 feet tall in about 2 seconds. Sometimes, however, establishing rapport and building a relationship with parents is not that easy! In my experience, the interventionist/parent relationship is critical to the success of the intervention…it is one of the primary …

In the early 80’s we used the term “family involvement.” There was an implied sense that early childhood professionals were bringing families into their inner sanctum. The alphabet soup of special education jargon was revealed; parents became members on various boards and family members began to “negotiate the special education maze.” (Anderson, Chitwood, & Hayden …

We know that, in early intervention, collaboration between the parent and the service provider is critical for successful intervention. For years, early intervention practitioners have espoused a use of family-centered practices, which means that we partner with families, respect and encourage their decision-making, support their active participation, and focus on the child’s development within the …

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