Tag Archives: early intervention

Delaying Pre-School

When I was in second and third grades I was in a program called Mentally Gifted Minors or MGM. It was a great program. The program met on a different campus on certain days. Those students in the program rode the bus to the other school on those days. MGM was self-led study. It was very enjoyable and I learned a lot. My sister’s children all went to a Montessori school for pre-school and some for kindergarten as well. They all had very good experiences and did well in school. I was interested in Montessori for Jessie. Jessie is going … Continue reading →

Toddler and the Dentist

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I don’t remember the exact date I went to the dentist for the first time. However, my first dentist memory is forever branded in my mind because I needed two fillings. I freaked out. I remember crying and protesting. The dentist grabbed my face and told me to calm down, so he wouldn’t injure me with the Novocain needle. I’m pretty sure I was in elementary school already when this happened. Texas Health Steps, which oversees how often children in state custody are seen by medical professionals, sets the first dental visit at six months old. I took the last … Continue reading →

“Is Something Wrong with My Child?” Expert Advice from Dr. Ellenmorris Tiegerman

Readers: The following is an interview with Dr. Ellenmorris Tiegerman, Founder and Executive Director of the School for Language and Communication Development. She is an expert in the field of early childhood development, and her insight and wisdom is tremendously valuable. Hello, Dr. Tiegerman. Introduce yourself, and tell us a little about the school you founded. Hi, everyone. I am the Founder and Executive Director of the School for Language and Communication Development (SLCD) which provides educational services for children 18 months to 21 years with language and autism spectrum disorders. I started this program in 1985 when I was … Continue reading →

Is Your Baby Mentally Stable?

Given that there is a growing body of research focused solely on the early development of the brain, more and more experts are starting to say that health care workers should begin focusing on their youngest patients for mental health services. Whereas it was once thought that baby’s development was on cue with his/her speech, we now know that babies are capable of being significantly influenced by events in the early weeks, months and years of life. (Think about the big “to do” of Tomcat’s “silent birth”.) Long before they can speak, their little minds are at work assimilating information … Continue reading →

Get Busy Living! How Occupational Therapy Can Help Your Child

The job of “living” can be complicated. We have a lot of things to accomplish on our to-do lists each day. But imagine if even the simplest tasks were causing us trouble. What if we struggled with manipulating a toothbrush, buttoning a shirt, zipping a zipper, tying a shoelace, dialing numbers on a phone, writing with a pencil, or pouring juice into a glass? We take these simple tasks for granted, but a child who becomes disabled or is born with a developmental delay must struggle to master them. These kids want to “get busy living,” just like the rest … Continue reading →

How Early Intervention Helped our Family

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Soon after our first son was placed in our home, I noticed some strange behaviors. He would become easily frustrated with his toys screaming or throwing them when they didn’t work how he wanted them to. He was 16 months when I sought early intervention (EI) services for him. At that time, the special education teacher didn’t feel he needed regular visits but agreed to keep a file open on him should other behaviors arise. When he was three, his tantrums and sensory functions didn’t seem normal. He was entered into the Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) program for 3-5 … Continue reading →

Early Intervention: Give Your Child a Head Start!

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What is early intervention and why is it so important? I like to use analogies, so imagine that you are about to enter a bicycle race. At the starting line, you discover that your bike has a few problems. Some of the gears aren’t functioning properly, and one of your wheels isn’t correctly aligned. You can’t get a new bike, so you are given permission to start the race early. Along the way, you’ll be able to stop at various checkpoints where mechanics will assess how your bike is holding up. This is the principle of early intervention for children … Continue reading →