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 coordinator. The team will look different for each child and family. Other team members bring knowledge and skills from a specific field to help the child and family meet outcomes.
Family
- Knowledge about their family’s culture and everyday routines
- Knowledge about their child and their family’s needs
Developmental Therapist
- Knowledge about child development and learning
- Helps families find ways to promote their child’s development and learning through everyday routines and play
- Helps families understand how the IFSP goals fit together to promote overall child development
Occupational Therapist
- Knowledge of motor, self-help, and sensory development
- Helps family adapt everyday activities based on their child’s needs
- Focuses on fine-motor skills such as feeding and grasping that require small muscles
Service Coordinator
- Knowledge of the EI system
- Organizes the team
- Supports families through the intake, evaluation, and IFSP process as well as the transition out of EI
Physical Therapist
- Knowledge of motor development and movement
- Helps family adapt everyday activities based on their child’s needs
- Focuses on gross-motor skills such as crawling and walking that require large muscles
Speech Language Pathologist
- Knowledge of language, feeding, and swallowing
- Helps family promote their child’s language and communication development
- Helps families adapt feeding routines to promote the child’s nutrition
Each EI team is unique. Other members of the EI team may include child care providers, extended family members, other caregivers, social-emotional specialists, parent liaisons, behavioral specialists, assistive technology specialists, or medical specialists.
Related Resource(s)
- EI Newsletter: Volume 30, Issue 1 (Spring 2017)