All children, including those adopted domestically and internationally, are eligible.

Whether you have adopted domestically or internationally, many infants and toddlers - in particular those who have been in foster homes or institutional placements - are in need of assessment for developmental issues. For children adopted domestically at or near birth, poor prenatal care, history of drug use by birthmother, genetics, and premature birth are a few factors that could put your child at risk for developmental delays.

Why Do I Need Early Intervention?

It's difficult to determine on your own if a child's physical, emotional, and social progress are compatible with the chronology of child development tasks for ages birth through three years. Babies develop at their own pace and according to their own individual temperament, so there is a broad range of skill competency within the spectrum of development norms. That is why a professional assessment is invaluable.

Most adopted children can catch up in a timely fashion with intervention if an evaluation recommends services. This is also a way to learn more about how your child plays, observes, interacts, interprets his/her new environment - to identify his/her strengths and weaknesses.

Through Early Intervention (EI), all children are eligible for a free multi-disciplinary evaluation up to the age of three years if the parent has concerns about the child's development.

The National Early Intervention Program is a federal entitlement for all children under the age of three under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. Each state has the freedom to define "developmental delay" and establish its own eligibility criteria for service. In some states services are free, in others there are co-payments for services.
Early intervention records are not passed on to the school system even if your child receives services.

How Does the Process Work?

When you contact a provider agency, you will be assigned an Initial Service Coordinator (ISC) who will guide you through the process to obtain a free, multi-disciplinary evaluation and help to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

* Once the referral has been made, an evaluation must be completed within 45 days.

* The evaluator should discuss the findings with you immediately after the evaluation.

* You will be sent a written report with recommendations.

Note: It is important that you understand their assessment so you can present what your child needs in a clear and firm manner to the Early Intervention Official at the IFSP meeting.

* After the evaluation, a meeting including you, a representative of the evaluating agency, and a representative of Early Intervention will be held to create your Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). At this meeting the type and frequency of services for your child will be agreed upon.

* With the IFSP in hand, you will be referred to one or several specialists who will work as a team to provide your child with services in such areas as speech instruction, physical and occupational therapy, nutrition education, family counseling, etc. The level of comprehensive services may vary from state to state depending on the depth of funding and the eligibility requirements.

* Your Service Coordinator is your point person; his or her responsibility is to coordinate communication between all the therapists, the family, and the municipality's EI office.

Try not to let navigating the system deter you from advocating for your child and securing necessary services. For your child, this experience can provide a wonderful sense of accomplishment and mastery of new skills that fortifies his self-esteem in preparation for the school years to come.

© 2003