Early Intervention Strategies for Success

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

 

Oliver’s mother calls you and tells you, with a shaky voice, that he’s been “kicked out” of his third child care center. The center director told her that his behavior has become “more than we can handle” and “a safety concern for the other children.” You’ve been working with this family for several months now on …

I have a confession…I don’t actually think we should spend so much time talking with families about their concerns. I think we should ask once, so that we have it for Section II of the IFSP, then leave it alone. Instead, I think we should focus much more on the family’s priority for their child’s …

After earning a masters degree in education at the University of Kansas, I moved to North Carolina and accepted my first professional position as an Infant-Toddler Specialist providing home based services to infants and toddlers with identified developmental differences or those at risk for future delays.  This opportunity put me directly in the trenches with …

Twenty years ago, I was living in rural Vermont as a single parent of two daughters who had disabilities.  The oldest daughter was diagnosed with medical issues….asthma and allergies, trauma, emotional behavioral challenges and developmental delays at age 4 years of age. The youngest daughter at age 8 struggled with depression, learning disability and being …

Both of Isabel’s parents are present for the visit, which offers you a golden opportunity to talk with them. When you ask how things are going with Isabel’s signing, her mother replies, “Well, she’d be learning if her father didn’t just do everything for her. Isabel doesn’t even have to sign at all.” These two sentences set …

Have you ever taken a yoga or dance class? If you haven’t, let me tell you about my experiences. In either class, I’ve always found myself in a big room in front of wall-sized mirrors facing an instructor. While soft music played, the teacher would call out the names of poses I was supposed to …

As a guest in Amelia’s family’s home, you do your best to be polite and respectful. You enjoy working with her grandparents, and feel that they are doing their best to encourage Amelia’s development. The only challenge you have is the fact that they smoke during the visit. You’re concerned about the fact that you leave …

If you haven’t read it yet, be sure to check out the first blog post in this 2-part series, Milestone or Modern Convenience?  – Part I: Overuse of the Sippy Cup and Pacifier, to learn important information about an infant’s need for sucking and the risks involved with overuse of the pacifier and sippy, cup!

Now that …

Although shocking to many, the sippy cup is NOT a developmental milestone.  Nor is sucking on a pacifier, for that matter.  But why do we (therapists, parents and caregivers) celebrate these acquired “skills” as developmentally appropriate achievements?  Why do we allow these “skills” to happen for much longer than they should?  Is it just easier …

Abby has significant motor delays. Her mother asks you some version of this question during every visit: “Is it my fault that Abby isn’t walking yet?” or “What did I do to cause this?” The question itself makes you uncomfortable, because you can’t really answer it well and because you feel like you’ve tried to answer …

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