Childhood developmental delay and disability early intervention

What is early childhood intervention?#

In healthcare, an intervention means taking action or using a treatment to try to improve a condition or problem. Early childhood intervention refers to support services that help babies and young children with developmental delays or disabilities.

Many different types of intervention exist, so you and your healthcare professionals can try one approach or a combination of approaches to best suit you and your child’s needs.

The overall aim is to improve your child’s development and wellbeing during their early pre-school years, which is important to their ongoing learning. Types of support include developmental and behavioral interventions, medication, and support for your family.

What intervention services can help with#

Early childhood intervention can offer:

• Education programs
• Family support
• Kindergarten inclusion
• Links to support services
• Parenting support
• Therapy for behavior and development
• Help with the transition to kindergarten or school

Early childhood therapies#

Healthcare professionals working in early childhood intervention cover a broad range of areas, including:

• Early special education
• Occupational therapy — helps with motor skills, play and self-help skills such as dressing and toileting
• Speech therapy — helps with speech, language, and eating and drinking skills
• Physiotherapy — helps with motor skills such as balance, sitting, crawling and walking
• Psychology

For children with a disability, these professionals can help improve skills in areas such as speech and language, movement (motor skills), play, and daily living tasks like dressing, toileting, eating and drinking.

Behavioral support for your child#

If you are concerned about your child’s emotions or behavior, a good place to start is to keep a diary of the situations and responses that concern you. Include where and when they occur. You can then discuss your concerns with specialist healthcare professionals.

For children with autism spectrum disorder, research shows that education and behavioral interventions starting as early as possible achieve the best results for most children. Research also suggests that intensive techniques applied over time are critical to success.

Behavior-based approaches focus on teaching children new behaviors and skills using structured techniques such as rewards and repetition. Examples include:

• Applied behavior analysis (ABA) — a set of principles that break skills or behaviors into steps and teach them with clear instructions
• Lovaas program — teaches self-help, language, communication, play, and early academic and socialization skills, based on ABA
• Discrete trial training — teaches skills for learning, develops new skills, and focuses on decreasing difficult behavior
• Incidental teaching — teaches skills for language use, interpersonal interaction and learning readiness
• Positive behavioral support — addresses social, communication, academic and daily living skills, as well as difficult behavior
• Pivotal response training — teaches social, communication and play skills

Most research on effectiveness has focused on these and similar behavior-based therapies. Be cautious of any therapy that claims to “cure” your child.

Accessing early childhood intervention services#

There are many pathways into early childhood intervention for your child and family. Depending on your needs, you may be able to access support through:

• Community health services
• Non-government organizations
• Private therapists
• Your local education or disability support authorities

Early childhood intervention services can provide information and support, planning and service coordination, as well as individual and group therapy and education. Your doctor or another healthcare professional can help you understand which services are available in your area and how to apply.

Where to get help#