EARLY INTERVENTION

How are Early Intervention Services Provided?

Services are provided in a variety of ways such as: Home Based, Center Based, or a combination of both depending on the individual needs of the child and family.

Home Based Services
These services can occur in natural environment settings such as: the family's home, playgroups, or daycare settings. Services are provided by thy Early Intervention Specialists and include activities that focus on the individual strengths and needs of the child and family. Parent education is an integral part of this type of service.

Center Based Services
Center Based Services, provided in the School of Hope Early Intervention Classroom, are a play based structured service option. The philosophy behind these services is to "Teach the parent to teach the child"., with an intent to giving parents the tools to carry over child development activities in natural environment settings. Parents or caregivers are always present and involved in structured activities provided by Early Intervention Specialists. Physical and Occupational Therapists, or Speech and Language Pathologists are available on a case by case basis.

Children have the opportunity to socialize with peers while receiving developmentally appropriate therapy services.

Child Development

Gross Motor
How your child moves in their environment. These are skills which require the coordination of large muscle groups such as arms, legs, and trunk. Examples of gross motor skills include: crawling, walking, jumping, and throwing a ball

Fine Motor
How your child uses their hands and face. These skills require the coordination of the small muscles of the body. Examples include stacking blocks, stringing beads, tracking objects with their eyes, and smiling.

Cognition
How your child shows an understanding of their environment. This area involves thinking skills, including the ability to receive, process, analyze, and understand information. Pushing buttons to activate a toy or responding to others are examples of cognitive skills.

Communication / Language
How your child speaks. This area of development involves skills which enable people to understand and share information, thoughts, or feelings. Examples would include: waving "bye-bye", using spontaneous word utterances, repeating language heard.

Self Help
How your child cares for their own needs. This area involves skills that show a child's ability to adjust to new situations. Examples would include self feeding, toilet training, and dressing

Social / Emotional
How your child gets along with others. This area of development involves skills which enable the child to function in a group and to interact appropriately with others, such as playing a circle game with other children or comforting a peer who is crying.

What are Early Intervention Supports and Services?

Early Intervention Services and Supports are identified for each individual child and family through the development of an Individualized Family Service Plan with the the Sandusky County Help Me Grow Program. Services and supports can be provided in a variety of settings such as: the child's home or day care, center-based classes, or a combination of both. Services include developmentally appropriate and family supported activities designed to enhance the child's development. These services are provided by Early Intervention Specialists, Occupational and Physical Therapists, and/or Speech and Language Pathologists.

The School of Hope Early Intervention Team works cooperatively with other providers within the Help Me Grow System to meet the unique needs of every child and family.

For more information please contact one of our Early Intervention Specialists at:

Sandusky County Board of Developmental Disabilities 1001 Castalia Street Fremont, Ohio 43420 (419)332-9296 www.scbdd.org
	Bonnie Loparo	Extension: 213	bjloparo@scbdd.org
	Kelly Witte	Extension: 216	kwitte@scbdd.org

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