relationships Archives - Page 4 of 7 - Early Intervention Strategies for Success

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 …

Maybe you’ve been working in early intervention for many years and you’re great at what you do. Or perhaps, you’re brand new to the field and eager to try out your skills. In either position, it can be a struggle to get out there and find that you need to release your role to someone …

Establishing and maintaining professional boundaries is an ongoing and important process for every early interventionist. Because interventionists work so closely with families, the boundaries between the parent-professional partnership and friendship can become blurred. This can happen for both people in the partnership, but it is ultimately the professional’s responsibility to maintain the boundary.
Consider this real …

Being deployed or separated from family and friends is common for military families, but it’s not simple. It is a trying time, even for families that have experienced numerous deployments. Even for very young babies, as they too can sense the anxious times associated with deployment. Adding to the challenge is the realization that each …

Do you know what the hairy eyeball is?? I do because I’ve been told that I give it without even knowing it. It’s that look that gives away what I’m thinking. It might be a glance or a raised eye brow, or my eyes might open a little more widely. Whatever it looks like, I …

Most practitioners in Early Intervention are going to visit a child at a childcare facility at some point. Admittedly, walking into a childcare center can lack the warm appeal of entering a home. The hug from the child at the door and the parents’ appreciative greeting are often replaced with an impersonal, and perhaps wary …

You’ve been working with Brenda, Emma’s mother, for several weeks now. She is a mother who, from the very first visit, seemed hungry for adult interaction because, as she says, she’s “stuck at home all day with her kids and no one to talk to.” At each visit, you hear about her relationship with her …

The phone rings and Carole answers, expecting the caller to be referring a new child to the early intervention program. She knows she’s correct when she hears the nervous voice of a new mother telling her that her doctor said to call. When the mother asks for information about the program, Carole replies, “We work …

How many of you remember the TV sitcom, “Who’s the Boss?” that aired in the mid-80’s? The basic premise was a role reversal of common stereotypes when a former National League baseball player moves with his daughter to an upscale Connecticut community to become a housekeeper to a high-powered executive and her son. Typical television …

A day in the life of a service coordinator: Jenni arrives at work early to prepare for an initial assessment, making sure the paperwork is ready in case an IFSP is developed too. After the 2-hour assessment and IFSP meeting, she drives 40 minutes to her next visit with a family and their OT. The visits …

Teaching Early Turn-Taking & Engagement Skills – An Example

Letting It Go…Role Release and Why It Can Be Hard

Walking the Parent-Professional Boundary

Military Deployment is Hard, but You Can Help

Beware the Hairy Eyeball…

EI Practitioners + Childcare Workers = Dream Team!

The Focus of the Visit is Not on the Child…What Do You Do?

Starting at the Beginning…How Do You Describe EI to New Families?

Who’s the Boss?

Service Coordination is Both Wonderful & Challenging!

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