What is Early Intervention?
Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention (EI) program provides services to children aged 0-5 with developmental delays or disabilities with no cost to families. Your child simply participates in an evaluation and based on those results, could qualify for speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavioral therapy, dietary consultation, educational support, and more!
Why is EI so important? Research has proven that the earlier a child receives early intervention services, the more successful their communication outcomes. This includes early identification of difficulties, as well as, early therapeutic intervention. YOU are the expert on your child. If you have questions or concerns regarding their speech and language development, ask your pediatrician or give us a call. We offer free 15-minute consultations.
So who qualifies for EI in Pennsylvania and how does that happen? Once you contact the EI service provider in your area, they conduct a screening and then may send out an evaluation team. The team will provide assessments and talk with you about your child’s skills and difficulties. Be as open and detailed as possible - information that you mind not find important could be helpful for the team. To qualify for services you child may have: a 25% delay in one or more area of development, a specialist’s determination that there is a delay not shown on testing, or a known disability (autism, specific learning disability, speech impairment, etc.).
If your child qualifies for EI, the team will write an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or Individualized Education Plan (IEP) depending on your child’s age. Remember that all EI services are family centered, which means YOU are an integral part of your child’s team. Ask questions, share more information, provide suggestions.
Want more information on how to prepare for your EI meetings, details about an IFSP, or information about how EI falls under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA)? Check out Pennsylvania’s PA Families website.