Maybe you have a child already receiving early intervention services or a child who already has an IEP? Or maybe they are not yet, but you are worried about a possible developmental delay with your child and are wondering where to go next?
This information is so important for you - no matter where you are on your journey with your child!
According to the CDC “In the United States, about 1 in 6 children aged 3 to 17 years have one or more developmental or behavioral disabilities, such as autism, a learning disorder, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In addition, many children have delays in language or other areas that can affect how well they do in school. However, many children with developmental disabilities are not identified until they are in school, by which time significant delays might have occurred and opportunities for treatment might have been missed.” (https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/childdevelopment/screening.html)
Studies have proven over and over again that early intervention can have a huge impact on our children’s developmental progress!
So how do I know if my child has a developmental delay?
Parenting is a whirlwind of learning and trial and error for all of us every day! There are already some great developmental milestone tracking forms and apps out there, so we won’t recreate the wheel.
The CDC provides a wonderful resource for parents on what typical developmental milestones are and great tips for how you as a parent can promote growth and development at each mile marker! Download this free resource here.
They also have a free milestone tracking app. The app includes milestones for playing, learning and speaking to moving from birth to age 5. It even includes photos and videos! It is another great free resource.
Easter Seals also provides a free, confidential online screening tool that can be used to keep track and monitor your child’s growth and development over their first 5 years of age. You can take the screening throughout the first 5 years and it will alert you if there are any possible concerns with your child’s progress that you may want to discuss with your child’s healthcare provider. Click here for the Easter Seal’s screening tool.
I would caution parents however – remember milestones are just information on the average age that children “typically” perform certain activities. Averages are only Averages! By NO means at all, if your child reaches any of these milestones early or late, does it at all mean that they will have any sort of deficit, future challenge or any type of diagnosis whatsoever! So many children reach milestones at all different ages. Every child grows in their own way and that is what makes every child unique and incredible! Milestones should only be used for guidance. If you notice your child is not meeting a trend of milestones or multiple milestones, especially in a certain area then it provides an opportunity to ask questions to your child’s pediatrician.
What about my child’s pediatrician?
In addition to parents tracking their children’s milestones, a developmental screening is typically done as part of your child’s well visits with their pediatrician. The Academy of American Pediatrics recommends that all children have developmental and behavioral screening at 9 months, 18 months and between 24-30 months.
The screening does not provide any diagnosis, it only identifies if there is a possible delay or concern, that would warrant a further evaluation by a specialist.
Parents who have concerns about their child’s developmental, or feel their child is not meeting their milestones appropriately, should bring up all of their concerns to their pediatrician and discuss their developmental screening, and whether or not further evaluation or referrals may or may not be indicated.
Be sure to be detailed in what you are seeing at home, or not seeing! Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Remember you know your child better than anyone!
I want to drive home one main point. YOU know your child better than anyone else. What your child’s physician observes for those few minutes that they spend with them is not comprehensive. So do NOT be afraid to trust your gut and advocate for your child if you are seeing something that concerns you. It never hurts to get a screening or evaluation by a therapist or other healthcare provider and as a parent you absolutely can request this!
So let’s say you ARE concerned about a developmental delay or something else that you are seeing with your child. It could be a delay in language or comprehension, it could be a physical milestone delay, or a concern with behaviors that are affecting their ability to learn and thrive in their environment… Now what?
What is IDEA: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that says that children with a diagnosed disability should get special education services. IDEA says that children younger than 3 years of age who are at risk of having developmental delays might be eligible for early intervention treatment services even if the child has not received a formal diagnosis. Treatment for particular symptoms, such as speech therapy for language delays, may not require a formal diagnosis.
Each state is mandated by the government to run a Child Find Program. The Child Find Program is a part of the IDEA law. The Child Find mandate, requires public schools in all states to identify children who have disabilities and need services. This includes children from birth to 21, and includes school aged children, whether they are in public school, private school or home schooled. Schools are required to evaluate and identify children that are at a risk for developmental delay, in need of therapeutic or other supportive services, and/or if they require special education services.
The federal government provides grants to every state, through IDEA to provide their own comprehensive Early Intervention and Child Find program.
Child Find programs should be provided free of service to families through the public school system. Early intervention programs vary by state, all evaluations and assessments in every state are free for families; as far as services – they may be completely free for all families, or on a very low cost, sliding fee scale, depending on what state you are in. Early Intervention is also referred to as “Part C.”
OK – That’s a lot to follow and understand!
I get it – it’s a lot.,… So we will help break it down for you.
We feel that it is SOOO important, now more than ever, for parents to understand IDEA and their children’s rights as well as what the state and the school district MUST by law be providing for your child that we want to help…
Drop your email below and we will send you (yes for FREE) the video from our membership vault where we dive into all the details. Let’s face it, it’s much easier to talk through then to read on here! So we will help explain it all for you. In our video we go through:
- Why this is so important
- What the IDEA law really says
- How early intervention works
- How the Child Find Program works
- What is an IFSP?
- What is an IEP?
We help you understand all of these pieces and how they work… and what your next step is (regardless of what state you live in or where you are in the process). Just drop your email below and the video will immediately get sent to your inbox.
- Note
Let’s clarify one more thing – EVEN during this COVID crisis – your child’s rights don’t change. Our kids’ needs haven’t changed and the pandemic does NOT supersede the federal IDEA law. Regardless if your child is under 3, or is over 3 and in pre-school, public school, private school or homeschooled… you still have all of your rights under IDEA and your child must still be provided with the services and support that they need.
Just submit here if you want all the details, and if you have further questions on what to do next or how to advocate for your child… please don’t hesitate to reach out to us! Our children need us now more than ever.
Pingback: Autism 101 - What is Autism Spectrum Disorder and how is it diagnosed? - Warrior Families