Early Intervention : A Child 's Development

In the video ‘Early Intervention: The Missing Link’ a presumably deaf woman explains how confident deaf people are, how they are not disabled, and how doctors should be more sensitive with families of deaf children. However, I think this is not only a presumptuous point of view, but also a fine example of how political correctness is slowly taking over society.

A child’s mother who provides consistent responsive care and nurturing is most often the first adult whom a child becomes attached to. This adult may also include the child’s father, grandparents, siblings or others who have regular contact with the child (Kostelnik et al. 2015, p.30). The relationship established between the child and their primary caregiver is one of the child's very first child-adult relationships. This relationship provides the child with a safe and secure context for their learning and development. Children need consistent, secure emotional relationships with their primary caregivers and other adults to feel safe, protected, and nurtured, as they grow and develop. When establishing a positive adult-child relationship caregivers must keep five essential elements in mind: warmth, acceptance, genuineness, empathy and respect (Kostelnik et al. 2015, p.28). It is through these and other practices, that adults are able to aid children in developing positive social relationships. By forming such early relationships and strong connections with others, children build a sense of self-competence in knowing where they fit into the

Sensory integration is a condition that can be found in young children. This condition is defined as the difficulty of developing motor and cognitive skills at a typical rate(book). If the parent of a child with this condition is fully aware, most likely they will take the steps they need to better their child’s life. With that being said, the child will need an occupational therapist. The researcher has gathered information on the steps and guidelines of what an occupational therapist needs to follow for early intervention, the benefits it has for the child in need, and also the roles of an occupational therapist that will be further discussed. One of the most important role that an occupational therapist can do for a child with sensory integration is early intervention. The earlier you acknowledge the condition, the better outcome the child has at improving his/her physical and mental capabilities. Early intervention helps these children strive towards a path that improves their abilities and skills that are developed during these crucial years.

Early intervention is a process which involves stepping into a child’s life as soon as possible to tackle problems. ‘Early’ does not necessarily mean at an early age but in this case it refers more to the stage in the development of a child’s problems. Early intervention is important as the earlier a problem is identified; the more likely it is that the problem can be corrected before serious consequences arise, sometimes resulting in a child’s death (Mahoney 2007, p-3).

In the article “Why Early Intervention Matters”, the author Douglas Jacobs gives a statistical analysis of the amount of mental illness and substance use disorders there are in America and introduces a type of recovery called Screening. He gives an interesting insight on the amount of people that deal with these struggles, and properly explains how they can effect one’s life. He explains the extremity of certain disorders and makes the reader aware of the importance of recovery. Mental health screening has recently been created to help people recognize and treat substance abuse and mental illness’s. It has been proven that screening, when timed properly, can prevent the development of substance use disorders.

While there are varying levels of stress in any type of relationship, studies have found that the parents of children with autism can often have elevated stress due to their child’s disability. A study done by Patricia A. Rao of the Kennedy Krieger Institute, and Deborah C. Beidel of the University of Central Florida, shows results of these parents having higher levels of stress that is linked to their child. The study was performed using surveys and questionnaires given to families, 15 as a control group and 15 that had children with autism. The researchers studied answers about many different parts of these families’ lives. With the level of parent stress this end was reached, “On the Parenting Stress Index, there was a significant between group difference in total parenting stress, with the [autism] group scoring significantly higher than the parents of normal controls” (Biedel, Rao 443). These different parents identified things such as demandingness, hyperactivity, need for a

Sadness, openness, concern, desperation, happiness, admiration—these are the feelings I experienced while reading the stories of different families and their perspectives as parents of children with disabilities. Each reading offered a different aspects through the eyes of mothers, fathers, and, most importantly, the person with the disability. Through the experiences of each individual, I was able to gather more insight into the feelings of my own family members and friends that have dealt with the same inner struggles, and in turn, realize my own short comings with understanding and the importance of person first language.

Hauser-Cram P, Warfield ME, Shonkoff JP, Krauss MW, Sayer A, Upshur CC. Children with disabilities: A longitudinal study of child development and parent well-being. Monogr Soc Res Child Dev. 2001;66:i–viii.

These parents have trouble coping with just the diagnosis let alone the journey ahead. They are that child’s support system in every aspect. The challenges of raising a special needs child, specifically these children with an ASD are vast. “Parents need to advocate for their child within the school setting, medical setting, social setting, and also plan for their future” (American Psychological Association, pp. 328-337). The worry and stress are real, this disability is not going to just disappear. The term “stress proliferation” has been used numerous times to describe the impact ASD has on families. (Benson 2006). Stress on anything a downhill spiral, like a domino effect. It can cause one conflict after another. These parents struggle daily with their ASD child and end up feeling isolated. Parents are called out of work daily due to behavioral issues at schools, doctor appointments, therapies, more appointments, insurance issues, phone conferences.. the list goes on and on. It is a balancing act if there are siblings present. (American Psychological Association, pp. 232-252). The rollercoaster ride with siblings adds more stress on parents. How do both parents work when one parent really needs to be with the child. Many work different shifts, weekends,

There are many feelings that a parent will experience in handling a diagnosis of developmental delayed child. After dealing, with their personal feelings about the many issues that will have to be addressed. The parents have to develop a plan of action for their child that should involve early intervention, understanding educational programs/ services offered in their community, and transitional programs that will help prepare the child for life. Not to mention, “Parents acquired more information, their concerns decreased, their satisfaction increased, and they demonstrated an ability to transfer their learning to new situations.”(Reio & Fornes, p.54 2011). Parents will have to cultivate a train of thought for their child success in school and life.

Having a child with disabilities dramatically impacts the parent 's role in their life. Disabled children require more attention because they face daily challenges

Since the 1900s the health care system provided services to young children with delays. These services were provided in the hospitals and health departments. If we look at the education system, they did not provide any early intervention services to preschool children until the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142) was legislated in 1975. When that happened the government encouraged schools to serve children under the age of 6. In 1985 there were eight states that provided services to children from birth through age 2 (Hanft, 1988, pg. 725). The Center for Parent Information and Resources (2014) says “Early intervention services are designed to

Children with disabilities tend to grow slower than most children, making additional difficulties like being less likely to be social and higher stress levels. This can lead to a negative affect on the mother-child attachment process (Malekpour, 2007). Being a parent to a child with disabilities can take on many challenges, causing stress, fear, and anger. However, there are some strategies for parents to develop their early on attachment patterns with their children. Showing emotions, using your general motor skills like touching, and being alert are other strategies to build attachment with their disabled child (Malekpour, 2007).

Parenting skills are typically developed on the job. Although most caregivers learn what works through trial and error, there may be times when more explicit instruction is needed. Fettig, Schultz, and Sreckovic (2015) suggests that understanding these social dynamics that occur between caregivers and children with challenging behaviors is the starting point for finding the appropriate interventions. This may be especially true for the caregivers of children with disabilities who exhibit these challenges. Lecavalier, Leone, and Wiltz (2006) suggest that families of children with challenging behaviors experience a myriad of trials which may result in financial, social and emotional issues that are associated with increased levels of caregiver

Family members may be heavily impacted by an individual 's behavior with ASD. Many studies have shown that while stress from parenting a child on the spectrum impacts both parents, it often has a greater impact on mothers than fathers. The main cause of stress for mothers was the challenging behavior of the child. ASD children have more outbursts than other developmentally delayed children, according to mothers. The extra stress could be attributed to stress of extra care of these children leaving less time for fun activities. (Johnson & Simpson, 2013). “Parents, primarily mothers, of individuals with ASD reported significantly more stress and lower levels of well-being than both parents of children without