Does early diagnosis of SMS help?
Knowing the cause of your child’s developmental delays can facilitate a family’s access to critical early childhood intervention services such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy (OT) and/or physical therapy (PT). Early intervention has proven to be effective in many disabilities including SMS. In addition, early intervention may help program staff identify areas of specific need or risk. For example, some SMS families have benefited from using sign language with their child before his or her speech developed. Additionally, a diagnosis of SMS opens the doors to a network of information and support from professionals and other families dealing with the syndrome.