Early Intervention
Early intervention provides developmental support to infants and toddlers with disabilities or developmental delays. When done well, it can help children develop skills and support families—but it should always center the child’s wellbeing and respect disabled people’s perspectives.
This page is informed by disabled adults’ expertise on what helps young disabled children thrive.
What Is Early Intervention?
Section titled “What Is Early Intervention?”Definition
Section titled “Definition”Early intervention (EI) refers to services and supports for:
- Infants and toddlers (typically birth to age 3)
- Who have developmental delays or disabilities
- And their families
Services are designed to help children develop skills in areas like:
- Physical development (movement, motor skills)
- Cognitive development (thinking, learning, problem-solving)
- Communication (language, speech, nonverbal communication)
- Social-emotional development (relationships, emotions, behavior)
- Adaptive/self-help skills (feeding, dressing, etc.)
Philosophy Matters
Section titled “Philosophy Matters”Early intervention approaches vary. Some key considerations from disability community perspectives:
Support development, don’t try to “fix”: Children develop at their own pace. EI should support development, not force normalization.
Respect neurodiversity: For neurodivergent children, interventions should build on strengths, not try to make children “look normal.”
Center the child: What helps the child communicate, learn, and thrive—not just what’s convenient for adults?
Family support matters: Families need support too, but not at the expense of the child’s wellbeing.
Listen to disabled adults: Autistic adults, Deaf adults, and other disabled people have important perspectives on what helps disabled children.
Early Intervention by Country
Section titled “Early Intervention by Country”United States
Section titled “United States”IDEA Part C: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C requires states to provide early intervention services to eligible infants and toddlers.
Eligibility:
- Children birth to age 3
- With developmental delays OR
- With diagnosed conditions likely to result in delays
- Criteria vary by state
Services may include:
- Speech-language therapy
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Special instruction
- Family training and counseling
- Assistive technology
- Service coordination
The Process:
- Referral: Anyone can refer a child (parents, doctors, childcare providers)
- Evaluation: Free evaluation to determine eligibility
- Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP): Plan for services with family input
- Services: Provided in “natural environments” (home, childcare)
- Transition: At age 3, transition to preschool services (IDEA Part B) if still eligible
Cost: Early intervention under Part C is free to families in most states; some states have sliding scale fees.
How to access: Contact your state’s early intervention program or ask your pediatrician.
Canada
Section titled “Canada”Early intervention is provincially administered:
Ontario: Infant and Child Development Programs through Ontario Health (Ontario Autism Program for autism-specific services)
British Columbia: Early Years programs through health authorities; autism funding through MCFD
Alberta: Family Support for Children with Disabilities; early intervention programs through health regions
Other provinces: Similar programs; contact provincial health or child development services
United Kingdom
Section titled “United Kingdom”England: Early Help services through local authorities; Health Visitors identify developmental concerns; Early Years Special Educational Needs support
Scotland: Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) framework; early years support
Wales and Northern Ireland: Similar frameworks through health and education services
Key services:
- Developmental checks through Health Visitors
- Speech and language therapy through NHS
- Portage (home-based early education)
- Early years special educational needs support
Australia
Section titled “Australia”NDIS Early Childhood Approach: For children under 7 with developmental delay or disability
How it works:
- Early Childhood Partners help families
- May receive NDIS funding for therapies and supports
- Or receive short-term support without full NDIS plan
State programs: Some early intervention programs remain state-funded
Types of Early Intervention Services
Section titled “Types of Early Intervention Services”Developmental Therapies
Section titled “Developmental Therapies”Speech-language therapy: Communication skills, feeding/swallowing if needed, alternative communication methods
Occupational therapy: Fine motor skills, sensory processing, daily living skills
Physical therapy: Gross motor skills, movement, mobility
Special instruction: Developmental teaching, play-based learning
Family Support
Section titled “Family Support”Service coordination: Help navigating services
Family training: Teaching families strategies to support development
Counseling and support groups: Emotional support for families
Respite: Relief for caregivers
Assistive Technology
Section titled “Assistive Technology”Early introduction of:
- Communication devices (AAC)
- Mobility equipment
- Adaptive equipment for daily activities
Concerns and Considerations
Section titled “Concerns and Considerations”From Disabled Adults
Section titled “From Disabled Adults”Many disabled adults who went through early intervention have concerns:
Normalization pressure: Too much focus on making children “look normal” rather than supporting their authentic development
Harmful therapies: Some therapies cause harm—especially when they prioritize compliance over wellbeing
ABA concerns: Applied Behavior Analysis for autistic children is controversial. Many autistic adults describe it as harmful, focusing on suppressing natural behaviors rather than supporting communication and wellbeing.
Ignoring child’s communication: Children communicate in many ways. Interventions should support communication, not just speech.
Not listening to disabled adults: Professionals often dismiss disabled adults’ perspectives on what children need.
Red Flags in Early Intervention
Section titled “Red Flags in Early Intervention”Be cautious about approaches that:
- Promise to “cure” or “recover” children from disability
- Focus heavily on compliance and appearing “normal”
- Use punishment or withhold comfort
- Recommend intensive hours that exhaust children
- Dismiss the child’s distress
- Ignore perspectives of disabled adults
What Works Better
Section titled “What Works Better”Look for approaches that:
- Build on children’s strengths and interests
- Support communication in whatever form works
- Respect the child’s sensory and emotional needs
- Include disabled adults’ perspectives
- Support families without blaming them
- Set realistic, child-centered goals
- See disability as part of diversity, not just a problem
For Families
Section titled “For Families”When You First Get a Diagnosis
Section titled “When You First Get a Diagnosis”- It’s okay to have feelings—this is a lot to process
- Your child is still your child
- Connect with other families
- Seek out perspectives from disabled adults
- You don’t have to do everything at once
Navigating the System
Section titled “Navigating the System”- Request evaluations in writing
- Understand your rights in the IFSP/IEP process
- Ask questions about proposed services
- You can accept some services and decline others
- Get support from parent advocates or organizations
Questions to Ask About Services
Section titled “Questions to Ask About Services”- What is the evidence for this approach?
- What do disabled adults say about this therapy?
- How will you measure progress?
- What does a typical session look like?
- How do you handle the child’s distress?
- How do you involve parents?
Taking Care of Yourself
Section titled “Taking Care of Yourself”- Connect with other parents
- Seek support for yourself
- Set boundaries on therapy schedules
- Remember that your child is a child first
- Don’t let therapy consume your child’s childhood
Specific Considerations
Section titled “Specific Considerations”Autism
Section titled “Autism”Concerns about common approaches: Many autistic adults describe ABA and similar therapies as harmful, teaching compliance at the expense of wellbeing.
Better approaches: Developmental approaches (DIR/Floortime, developmental speech therapy), supporting communication (including AAC), understanding sensory needs, respecting stimming, listening to autistic adults.
Resources: Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), Neuroclastic, autistic-led organizations
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Section titled “Deaf and Hard of Hearing”Language access is critical: Early exposure to language (spoken and/or signed) is essential for development
Perspectives vary: Deaf community often emphasizes sign language access; some families choose listening and spoken language approaches; many use both
Key considerations: Ensure language access in whatever modality; connect with Deaf community; don’t delay language exposure
Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Section titled “Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities”Presume competence: Don’t underestimate what children can learn and do
Communication support: Many children benefit from AAC even if they develop speech
Focus on functional skills: Skills that help children participate in daily life
Transitioning Out of Early Intervention
Section titled “Transitioning Out of Early Intervention”In the US (Part C to Part B)
Section titled “In the US (Part C to Part B)”At age 3, children may transition to:
- Preschool special education (Part B of IDEA)
- Other community services
- Or no services if no longer eligible
What to know:
- Transition planning should start months before 3rd birthday
- You’ll develop an IEP instead of IFSP
- Services move from home-based to school-based (typically)
- Evaluation will determine eligibility under Part B categories
Other Countries
Section titled “Other Countries”Transition processes vary. Generally:
- Start planning early
- Understand what services are available after early intervention
- Advocate for continuity of support
Resources
Section titled “Resources”United States
Section titled “United States”- CDC Early Intervention Information: cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly
- IDEA Part C Information: Parentcenterhub.org
- Find your state’s EI program: Contact your state health department
- Parent Training and Information Centers: parentcenterhub.org
Disability Community Resources
Section titled “Disability Community Resources”- Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN): autisticadvocacy.org (perspectives on autism interventions)
- National Association of the Deaf: nad.org (early intervention for deaf children)
- Disability community blogs and resources: Search for disabled adults’ perspectives
For Families
Section titled “For Families”- Parent to Parent programs: Peer support from other parents
- Family Voices: familyvoices.org
- Local parent support groups
Contribute to This Page
Section titled “Contribute to This Page”Are you a disabled adult who went through early intervention? A parent navigating the system? A provider with disability-informed perspectives?
Share your knowledge: Contribution Form
We especially welcome:
- Disabled adults’ experiences and recommendations
- Family experiences navigating early intervention
- Country-specific information
- Specific disability perspectives
This page is informed by disabled adults’ expertise on what helps disabled children. Early intervention should support children’s development while respecting their dignity and identity.