Debbie

Set Me Up for Success!

Set Me Up for Success! Families reach EI outcomes by making the most of everyday moments. In early intervention (EI), we focus on how children learn during everyday routines. Caregivers can help children successfully participate by encouraging infants and toddlers

Family Fun

Mindful Parenting

Six-Month Review: An Important Part of the EI Process

A key part of early intervention is monitoring the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), celebrating the progress, and modifying the outcomes, strategies, and supports as a team. The six-month review is an opportunity for families and other team members to

DEC Recommended Practices Help Guide Your Early Intervention Services

The Division for Early Childhood’s (DEC) Recommended Practices provide interventionists and families with information about the practices most likely to improve learning and facilitate the development of children birth to 5 years old. DEC’s 10 recommended family practices let you

Family Engagement

EI Families With Siblings

Involving Siblings in Early Intervention

Involving Siblings in Early Intervention The early intervention program is all about families! Siblings are important members of a child’s family and can contribute significantly to your child’s success in early intervention. By including siblings in your child’s everyday routines

Family Engagement Resource Bundle

Coaching and Reflective Supervision in Early Childhood

Mathematics and Young Children

Toilet Training Children With Special Needs

Body Care Basics

Body Care Basics Infants and toddlers can practice good hygiene and help avoid the spread of germs and infection. Teaching young children the principles of good hygiene at an early age can help them stay healthy throughout their lives. These

Stress and Trauma in Young Children

3 Early Intervention Outcomes, single page handout for families

Outcomes: Measuring the Success of Early Intervention, two page handout for families

Natural Environments: Where All Children Belong

Natural Environments: Where All Children Belong Children learn best in familiar environments and during daily routines. Your EI provider can help you use daily routines to enhance your child’s development. Talk about some places where you spend time with your

Illinois State Systemic Improvement Plan

For questions regarding the Illinois State Systemic Improvement Plan, please contact the Bureau of Early Intervention at 217-782-1981. View additional documents under “Printer-friendly version” on this page.

The EI Clearinghouse is your Information Station

What is Early Intervention?

Who Is on Your Early Intervention Team?

Who Is on Your Early Intervention Team? In early intervention (EI), we work as a team to help your child learn and overcome challenges. The most important member of the team is the child’s family. Every team includes a service

Supporting Language Development at Home

This topical guide on supporting language development at home will introduce you to important books, videos, and information resources available from the EI Clearinghouse.

Child Outcomes

Tara: A Family’s EI Experiences and Wishes

Grace*, mother of Tara*, a 1½-year-old child with Down syndrome provided me with a unique perspective considering she is a trained special educational professional who came to have a young child with a disability after several years of teaching. “Having

Susie: Speech and Hearing Resources are Crucial

Susie’s* mother, Mary*, describes her daughter as a happy 2½-year-old who enjoys dancing, animals, and the outdoors. As an infant, Mary noticed that Susie seemed to always be taking in the world with her eyes. However, she didn’t suspect that

Remembering Christopher’s Early Years

I remember holding Christopher for hours after he came home from 61 days in the NICU. He was just 4 pounds and light as a feather, and I wanted to make up for the lost cuddling during all those days

A Family Conversation about Nicholas

Consuelo: We have three children: a set of twins—a boy and a girl—who are 10 years old and a 5-year-old boy. Nicholas, our older boy, has autism. When the twins were about 3 months old, I knew something was wrong

Melissa: Support for Children who are Medically Fragile

My name is Melissa, and I have been a service coordinator for 2½ years with Child and Family Connections #15. I am the mother of a 5-year-old who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a major heart defect. During

Lubna: Discovering Wonderful New Dreams

My name is Lubna. I am a service coordinator and the mother of a child who has gone through the Early Intervention (EI) Program. Part of my current role with EI is to offer support and hope to parents, and

Kelli: Speech in Progress

My name is Kelli. My 3-year-old son has been receiving speech therapy since he was 27 months old. He was recently diagnosed with a moderate phonological disorder. Although his receptive and expressive language skills are age appropriate, his articulation of

Karen: Early Intervention Works

My name is Karen, and I am the mother of a 3½-year-old little girl who has gone through the Early Intervention Program. She was conceived through in vitro fertilization. Born at 24 weeks and weighing 1 pound 5 ounces at

Early Intervention Dream Team

When my first five children were little, I knew many young moms like myself. Our church and neighborhood were full of them. Several times a week we would call each other and get together to share important news such as

Charlie’s Mother is an Advocate

My name is Natalie, and I have 3-year-old son named Charlie who started early intervention (EI) services in 2010. Charlie is a big mover; he began crawling at 5 months and hasn’t stopped moving since. But one thing we noticed

Benjamin’s Sensory Processing Disorder

At first, my son Benjamin didn’t meet the 30% delay in development required for early intervention. He was born with torticollis. Because his head rested on his shoulder during my pregnancy, his head tilted slightly to the left. To correct

Motor Movements

A Moving Child Is a Learning Child

Infants and toddlers learn as they move around their environment. Some children need a little extra encouragement to develop key motor skills. Here are some ideas to help you encourage more movement in daily activities and routines. Reach, grasp, and

Child Development

Infant/Toddler & Family Rights under IDEA for the Early Intervention System

Fun Sensory Activities

This topical guide on fun sensory activities will introduce you to important books, videos, and information resources available from the EI Clearinghouse.

Family-Centered Practices

This topical guide on family-centered practices was developed in partnership with the Early Intervention Training Program to be used by professionals practicing in the Early Intervention program.

Everyday Interactions

This topical guide on everyday interactions was developed in partnership with the Early Intervention Training Program to be used by professionals practicing in the Early Intervention program.

Just-Right Sensory Play

Young children receive input from their surroundings throughout the day. Their responses to what they see, hear, feel, taste, and smell are influenced by how they process the world around them. Balancing the amount, type, and frequency of activities is

« Previous