Birth to Three Special Needs Brochure
Early Intervention and Early Detection
Georgia's Babies Can't Wait Program
The Babies Can't Wait (BCW) program in the State of Georgia is the service delivery system for children between birth and three years of age who have developmental delays or a disability (GDPH, 2012). Once a child has been referred to the BCW program, either by a family member or physician, the parents are contacted within a few days to schedule an initial interview (GDHR, 2005). During the interview parents are given information about BCW services, are asked to sign consent forms, and if the child is determined to be eligible an evaluation is scheduled. The evaluation is conducted by a team of at least two multidisciplinary professionals with training and experience in early childhood education, early childhood special education, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language pathology, nursing, and/or nutrition (GDHR, 2005).
The Value of Early Intervention
Historically, children between birth and three years of age with developmental delays or disabilities were considered resistant to interventions (Rydz, Shevell, Majnemer, and Oskoui, 2005). Over the past decades, however, this view has changed drastically, so much so that legislation has been passed at the state and federal levels mandating early intervention programs. The new view of developmental 'malleability' extends to an infant's brain and interventions designed to strengthen specific cognitive functions have been shown to make a significant difference in the short- and long-term (Rydz, Shevell, Majnemer, and Oskoui, 2005). The debilitating effects of disabilities, such as deafness or blindness, can likewise be moderated by interventions to help the child realize their full potential academically and socially.
Examples of Services Provided
BCW-eligible services include assistive devices (e.g., hearing aids), nursing care, family counseling, medical diagnostic services, nutrition counseling, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological counseling, and vision services (GDPH, n.d.). A few examples are provided here:
(1) The overall goal is to create a natural environment of inclusion, such that the eligible child becomes integrated into family, school, and neighborhood as much as possible (GDPH, n.d.).. Outreach programs like FACETS and TaCTICS provide training and tools that can help service providers adapt interventions to daily routines and activities.
(2) Pediatric speech-language pathologists can help mothers address feeding difficulties encountered with children born with cleft lip or palate by designing an effective feeding strategy (Miller, 2011).
(3) Occupational therapists approach special needs children from the perspective of life transitions, which the child will experience repeatedly as they develop (Myers, 2008). The roles the child is expected to play between birth and three years of age will change when they transition to pre-school and occupational therapists can help evaluate the transition and make recommendation on how best to prepare the child.
Teaching Strategies
Service providers will utilize a number of different strategies to turn normal, everyday moments into opportunities for interventions (Life Span Institute, n.d.). Open-ended questions with no correct answer can promote dialogue and engagement. Frequent encouragements can help a child of any age develop a greater sense of competence and confidence. Out loud summaries can help a child complete a complex task by listing what has been done and asking what comes next. Pairing a child with a peer can help promote learning through observation and even collaboration.
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