Addressing Child Development Concerns

Navigating delays in a child’s development can be tough, not to mention scary for parents and caregivers! It’s difficult to know where to start for many families. Here are some resources for parents/caregivers to use if there are any concerns regarding your child’s development. These services are available in every state and if your child is eligible, there is minimal to no cost. If your child is experiencing any developmental delays, early intervention is crucial.

Ages 0-3:

Check out Early Intervention Services : No referral is needed to access this service. This team of specialists can provide hearing & vision tests, developmental screenings, speech & language services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological services, family training, service coordination and several more services.

Ages 3+

Check out your local school district’s special education department : Even if your child does not attend school yet, you can still access these services. This team provides similar testing and services that the Early Intervention team does (see above) and can help families create an IEP or 504 plan for the child in school, if needed.

While these resources are an excellent place to start, you may want to consider having your child assessed by a child psychiatrist, developmental pediatrician or child neurologist as well.