Deeper Dive: Clinical Care Over the Lifespan and During Transitions

Dr. Laura Sorg, MD

Many families who suspect their child has a developmental delay are told to “wait and see.” However, decades of research demonstrate the danger of this approach. It is critical to identify as early as possible those infants and toddlers in need of services to ensure that intervention is provided when the developing brain is most capable of change. Services to young children who have or are at risk for developmental delays have been shown to positively impact outcomes across developmental domains, including health, language and communication, cognitive and social/emotional development.

Learning Objectives

After completing this training, attendees will:

• Describe how intervening early can change a child’s developmental trajectory.
• Discuss how intervening early can improve outcomes for children, families, and communities.
• Identify barriers families experience in referral and follow up.
• Demonstrate knowledge of validated screening tools and timelines for screening.
• Describe the importance of parent-completed tools.
• Compare and contrast available screening tools and the limitations and strengths of these tools.
• Summarize providers federal obligations related to Early Intervention under the Individual with Disabilities Act, Part C (IDEA, Part C).
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to make a referral to Ohio Early Intervention.
• Identify ways to improve the likelihood of follow up.

Presentation