What is Early Intervention and Who Benefits From it?
• Early intervention applies to children of school age or younger who are discovered to have or be at risk of developing a handicapping condition or other special need that may affect their development. • Early intervention consists in the provision of services such children and their families for the purpose of lessening the effects of the condition. • Early intervention can be remedial or preventive in nature–remediating existing developmental problems or preventing their occurrence. • Early intervention may focus on the child alone or on the child and the family together. • Early intervention programs may be center-based, home-based, hospital-based, or a combination. Services range from identification–that is, hospital or school screening and referral services–to diagnostic and direct intervention programs. • Early intervention may begin at any time between birth and school age; however, there are many reasons for it to begin as early as possible. *Source: U.S.
