3 Tips to Start Your Early Intervention Journey Right

Are you a parent starting your journey with Early Intervention? Here are 3 things (plus one surprising bonus!) you should do right now.

1. Choose your team with care.

Be discerning about the services you choose and the professionals who provide those services. You will learn as you go; what works for you and your child. You can always ask yourself if you feel good about the provider and the method being used. If you aren’t connected to the support services, your child won’t be either.

2. Prioritizing self care is a non-negotiable.

You are the most important advocate, play partner, teacher, and resource for your child. Take care of your partner, take care of your other children. It can be all consuming; figuring out what a child with specific needs might benefit from and how to get it. If you are doing everything you can to maintain an environment that is calm and connected, you’ve designed the blueprint of an effective interventional plan.

3. Come up with your definition of "better".

If you are working with your partner or family members, spend time coming up with a collaborative definition. This way, when you talk to therapists, teachers, and caregivers, you will have a foundation to rely on. Your “team” members have to be working towards goals that represent your child’s individual needs and your values as a family.

Bonus!

4. Track your progress.

After a session, I’m often asked "how did she do?" The children are perfect. They’re doing exactly what they should be doing. As parents and providers, we have to ask ourselves how we are doing. Are we connecting, following their lead, responding to their cues, and creating a conducive environment for them to learn and grow? Check in on yourself and make adjustments. Trust me, it works.