Could Your Child Need Early

Intervention Services?
Trust Your Instincts.
Throughout the process of deciding whether you would like to utilize early intervention
services to support your child and family, it is important to never lose sight of the fact
that you know your child best. If you feel as though something could be a cause of
concern or that something needs to be looked into further, do not hesitate to utilize the
services available to you, at no cost. Numerous studies have shown that early
intervention can improve a child and family’s quality of life, increase later academic
success, reduce the impacts of a developmental delay, and even eliminate future
problems (preventing or reducing the impact of a disability).

What does “typical” development look like, anyway?

While development does not follow a set timeline, there are milestones that a child
should reach depending on their age. For example, a child is typically able to babble by
three to months, roll onto their back and front by seven months, walk independently
around twelve months, and use simple gestures to communicate around the age of
fifteen months.

Every child is different.

The milestones and ages given above can vary wildly from child to child. In the United
States, the milestone of walking by twelve months is the average age that a child learns
to walk. The range of ages considered normal for walking is walking anywhere between
nine and eighteen months. This wide range of ages demonstrates the variability that is
seen in regards to many different skills. There is no “normal” when it comes to a child’s
development. Every child is different.
 What May Be A Cause For Concern?
● Missing several developmental milestones
● Not sitting, talking, crawling, walking, etc at, or close to, the same age as peers
● Repetitive behavior
● Extreme or more frequent tantrums
● Strong reactions to certain sensory input (smells, lights, colors, sounds, tastes, textures)
● Extreme separation anxiety
● Poor, or no, eye contact
● Lack of imaginative play
● Lack of interest in peers
● Extremely rigid (tense) or floppy muscles
● Poor fine motor control (compared to peers)
● Not responding to name
● Not visually tracking objects

While it is true that every child develops differently if you find that your child is missing
several milestones or showing other concerning behaviors (listed above) it is important to
follow up with your child’s pediatrician. They can determine whether your child is on target
developmentally or if further evaluation is needed. Oftentimes, it is the determination that
further evaluation is needed that leads to a referral to early intervention services.