The Early Intervention Program supports children with developmental delays and disabilities in developing social and cognitive skills, while providing comprehensive family support and rehabilitation services.
Beneficiaries of Early Intervention Services
Children with Developmental Delays
These are children who experience delays in growth in one or more of the following areas:
- Cognitive development
- Motor development
- Language development
- Social-emotional development
- Self-care skills
Children with Physical or Intellectual Disabilities
These include children affected by:
- Genetic disorders
- Neurological disorders
- Infectious diseases
- Congenital anomalies
- Metabolic disorders
- Excessive attachment to the mother
- Poisoning cases
- Sensory disorders
Children at Risk
These are children who have been exposed to at least three risk factors:
Environmental factors, such as:
maternal age at childbirth (e.g., Down syndrome), low income, family instability, parental disability, or the use of hazardous drugs
Biological factors, such as:
prematurity and cerebral hemorrhage
Areas Targeted by Early Intervention
Early intervention focuses on developing:
- Social skills
- Children’s play skills
- Independence, cognitive, and communication skills
- Environmental organization and adaptation
The Role of the Early Intervention Specialist
The specialist is responsible for:
- Guiding the child’s family and working with them continuously
- Developing individualized plans and goals for each child
- Modifying teaching methods and educational tools to suit each child’s needs
- Conducting a comprehensive assessment of the child
What Distinguishes Early Intervention at Ehtwaa Medical Center
- Providing training and guidance programs for families
- Referring children identified through screening as having sensory, educational, cognitive, or communication skill difficulties
- Offering early intervention services that are preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative
- Training and actively involving families in rehabilitation and generalizing training within the child’s natural environment
- Delivering services through a multidisciplinary team
- Offering supportive programs for rehabilitation and early intervention
- Using a wide range of tools and standardized measures to meet beneficiaries’ needs
