Education Law

Every child develops at his or her own individual rate.  Some crawl early and some crawl late.  Some start chattering at a year old and others prefer to wait until closer to 2.  That is all ok and does not, in and of itself, mean that your child has a disability and needs treatment. 

However, if your child is failing to meet more than one milestone by a significant amount of time, or if your child has a diagnosed disability, then you might want to have the child evaluated for Early Intervention (also known as Birth to Three) services. 

In most cases, Early Intervention providers will come to your home or request that you meet them at a center and they will evaluate your child.  If your child is qualifies for services they will work with you to develop an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). The IFSP is designed so that the whole family can work to help the child progress in the areas of delay or disability.  Most services are provided in the child’s natural environment (i.e. home or place where the child lives).

Some children qualify for Early Intervention services and the, at age 3, do not qualify for special education services.  Others will continue to qualify for services.

Research shows that in many cases the earlier services are provided to a child, the easier it is for the child to progress quickly.  So, if you have concerns about your child’s development then do not hesitate to request an evaluation.