Why To Apply for Early Intervention ASAP: Experts Weigh In

Because so many developmental milestones occur during the first three years of life, it’s important to start early intervention therapies as soon as you have concerns. Indeed, research shows that early intervention services can increase cognitive and adaptive skills in children with disabilities by up to 25%. In this article, seven experts weigh in on why to apply for early intervention as soon as possible.

1. You don’t want to miss out on available public benefits

Undivided’s public benefits specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck recommends that parents apply as early as possible in order to take advantage of early intervention services (called Early Start in California) available through Regional Center. “A lot of parents only find out about Regional Center when their kid is close to 3 and miss out on a lot of the services they could have gotten at that time, such as OT, PT, speech, and center-based services,“ she notes. Early intervention services may include everything from speech and occupational therapy to funding for durable medical equipment, and are critically important to help kids gain the tools and support they need to work toward their developmental milestones.

2. Speech therapy can help with delayed language skills

Speech-language pathologist Amy Wilhelm, M.S., CCC-SLP, of Splash for Speech, Inc. underscores the importance of early intervention for speech therapy: “Too many times I have heard from families who are concerned that their child may be behind in their language skills and have been advised by their pediatrician to ‘wait and see.’ Sometimes it’s three months, sometimes six months, sometimes longer. However, when 80% of brain growth occurs during the first three years of life, time is of the essence.”

Wilhelm notes that every state has an early intervention program: “The evaluation is free, and a licensed speech-language pathologist will assess the child to determine if there is the presence of a developmental delay or disorder that requires intervention and treatment.” She notes that by 15 months, a child should be producing six or more words and that a child who hasn’t spoken any words between 15 to 18 months is considered a “late talker.”

3. Physical therapy can help with gross motor delays

When it comes to physical therapy, Dr. Alyssa VanOver recommends, “If there is anything traumatic about a child’s birth, a parent should be looking for any signs of gross motor delay right from the start.” She recommends looking for key milestones in the first year such as whether a baby/child: 1) moves their arms and legs symmetrically when on their back; 2) has enough head control to lift their head when you pull them up to sit by their arms by four months; 3) can support themselves in upright sitting with a straight or vertical spine and some arm propping by seven months; and 4) can stand with their chest or upper extremity supported only at an elevated surface such as a sofa or table by ten months.

4. It’s never too early to start occupational therapy

Occupational therapy is another important offering through early intervention. Leah Hiller, MA, OTR/L, occupational therapist and owner of Hiller Therapy, notes that, “Kids’ brains are malleable sponges just waiting to absorb, change, and grow. With a nudge in the right direction, a child’s entire trajectory changes.”

Kimberly Gardener, OTD, SWC, CAS, agrees: “Ideally, earlier is better when starting interventions. Research has shown that early intervention has the best outcomes for success later in life. Although children can continue to make wonderful progress past the age of three, their nervous systems and brains are much more malleable at younger ages, and can be expected to make the greatest improvements at that time. This is also why certain government programs such as Regional Center often only provide rehabilitative services outside of school for this population.”

Melissa Epstein of Thrive Occupational Therapy notes, “It’s never too early to start therapy. There are NICU occupational therapists working on feeding issues or sensory regulation issues for neonatal preemies. OT starts day one; it doesn’t have to wait until your child is behind for three or four months. Kids do develop at different times, but if they’re a month or two outside that window and you’re still thinking something isn’t right, have it checked out. If your child catches up on their own or even faster, that’s awesome, but no harm has been done.”

5. Behavioral therapy can help with play and other skills

Although it’s less common for children under age 3, behavioral therapy is one aspect of early intervention that can be used to address developmental concerns. Dr. Sarah Pelangka, BCBA-D and owner of KnowIEPs, says: “Children with developmental delays are recommended to initiate behavior therapy as a part of their early intervention program as early as twelve to eighteen months of age.” Dr. Pelangka notes that behaviorists can support families in many different ways, depending on the situation. “A behaviorist can support a parent in developing a successful sleep schedule so the child can be more alert and ready to learn. Behaviorists can also support parents with eating routines — such as strategies for eating with utensils, successful feeding times, or drinking from a cup — development of play skills, and the use of functional communication.”

Though behavior therapy can target multiple areas of development, such as adaptive/self-help skills, communication, social-emotional development, motor development, and more, Dr. Pelangka recommends that when working with young children for early intervention purposes, the behaviorist should work in conjunction with the additional specialists on the child’s team to ensure that a comprehensive wraparound service is provided.

Ready to take the next step? Check out our FREE downloadable early intervention guide!