Early intervention speech and language services are provided to children who are under the age of three years and are exhibiting communication delays. Therapy for this age group revolves around teaching language through play interactions with the child. Parents are involved in every session and learn language facilitation techniques to use at home during every day activities. Parents are also taught to recognize communication signals with children who are not yet verbal. These techniques include observe, wait, listen as well as following your child’s lead. Also crucial in the provision of early intervention services is collaboration with your child’s early intervention team. This team may include any or all of the following professionals: Speech-Language Pathologist, Alta Regional Service Coordinator, Infant Development Specialist, Physical Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Music Therapist, Behavior Specialist, and Psychologist.
It’s more than baby talk. Long before your child says his first word you can identify early communication delays. Intervention for children with these delays is crucial to implement before the age of three years.