What Is an Early Intervention Program?
If your child has been diagnosed with autism, the health team assessing your child’s development and providing treatment might include: • a developmental pediatrician (a doctor who specializes in child development) • a pediatric psychologist • a speech/language pathologist (who specializes in human communication, its development, and its disorders) • an occupational therapist (who addresses psychological, social, and environmental factors that may hinder an individual’s functioning) • special education teacher or early childhood educator Finding a good early intervention program is very important. These programs provide educational and therapeutic services for young children who have been diagnosed with a physical or cognitive disability. Often, these programs are geared toward “breaking through” whatever barriers a child has to social interaction and can help the child learn to communicate with others through speech and other tools, like pointing, pictures, and sign language. These pr
