When you first found out that your baby or small child was developmentally delayed or disabled in some way, you might have been very upset by the news. Naturally, the first thing that you might have started thinking about was probably how you could provide your child with the best possible care, despite their delays or disabilities. When doing your research about it or when talking to your child's doctor, you might have become aware of something known as early intervention. If this is your first experience with a child who has developmental delays and disabilities, then you might be looking to learn as much as you can about early intervention. As a parent in this situation, you're sure to find the following information to be very useful.
It Involves Making Use of Resources for Your Child
Early intervention basically refers to making use of helpful resources for your child from a young age. Early intervention might involve seeking therapy and care for your child before they ever enter school, for example. After all, the sooner that you get started with making use of these resources, the more you can help your child succeed. If your child's caseworker or doctor has not already discussed early intervention with you, you should ask them now if there might be options, even if your child is still very young.
It's Done in Different Ways
Early intervention is done in different ways, based off of a child's specific needs. Speech therapy is often an option for those who struggle with learning how to talk or who might have a speech impediment, but this is just one example. Your child might receive multiple types of therapy for a well-rounded approach, and as they get older, new types of therapy might be added, too.
It's Often Affordable or Free
Because your child is developmentally delayed or disabled, you might have a lot of medical bills to worry about. You might not be able to work full-time because you might need to provide care for your child, or you might have to pay someone to provide care. Having any child can be expensive, and if your child has special needs, then your family's budget might have been seriously impacted because of it. You'll probably be happy to find out that these programs are often offered for free or are covered by health insurance. Even paid options are often affordable, so it should be achievable for your family to provide early intervention for your special needs child.
