Make The Most of Your Early Intervention Experience

1. Personal recommendations are always best.

Find like minded peers. Find out what these other parents learned from their providers; what did their providers work towards and how did they get there. What about their approaches worked for you? Did they communicate well? If your peer’s answers resonate, these providers and the people in their networks are the ones to pursue.

2. Ask questions.

Make sure you understand the goals and outcomes your providers are working towards. How did he come up with this goal? Which assessment was it based on? Why was this goal chosen? What is the method that will be used to get there? How is progress measured? Does this method encourage generalization to other skills? If you have questions or suggestions, bring them up. This process is intended to be collaborative, to empower, and to educate.

3. Do your best to look at the whole picture.

Sessions which cause stress on you or your child are going to be ineffective. If anyone is regularly unhappy or uncomfortable, it’s time for a change. We have to make sure the children are calm, happy, and alert when spending time with their providers. Remember to assess whether a certain type of session or a certain provider is working for you and your family. You might have found a provider with impressive skills with a disposition that just doesn’t mesh. Another wonderful therapist might only be available during nap time. The time spent together will not be beneficial with these variables in the way. The timing, chemistry, and even the distractions of other family members could affect therapy sessions. Keep this in mind and be ready to adjust!