How to Identify Special Needs in Early Childhood?

The earliest years of life are full of rapid changes and transitions. Young children are all precious, especially to their parents, regardless of challenges to health, learning, and/or development that are common before they enter school. Parents and early childhood teachers are usually the first to notice when infants, toddlers, and preschoolers are not developing and learning as expected. There is not always a clear difference, however, between the usual ups and downs of the early childhood years and developmental problems that can indicate a need for special services.

Infants and toddlers generally acquire developmental milestones in a typical sequence, but no two develop at the same rate or follow the same patterns. Parents often wonder how to tell the difference between a child’s unique timetable and a developmental problem. For example, most infants crawl before they walk, but some do not. A few take their first steps at 8 months and others not until 15 months. Many infants begin to use words around their first birthday, but others begin talking much later.

At what point does an individual difference in the rate, sequence, or pattern of early development indicate a problem? When do the common problems of early childhood become serious enough to require special services? All young children are growing and learning new things each and every day.

Infancy 

Newborn infants have small repertoires of simple behaviors such as looking, sucking, turning eyes and heads, waving arms and legs, cooing, and crying. Serious disabilities are often identified at birth or during first-year well-baby checks. Infants should be referred for evaluation if, by their first birthdays, they do not:

• Develop consistent sleep/wake patterns and routines.
• Hold the baby up to a mirror so he can look at himself.
• Provide age – appropriate toys, such as small stuffed animals, rattles, mobiles , a baby swing
• Remain calm when familiar caregivers hold, cuddle and talk soothingly.
• Use sounds and gestures to communicate; combine consonant and vowel sounds to make words.
• Introduce the child to paper and big crayons.

Toddler Years

By the time children are 3 years old, they typically have learned the basic skills necessary for independent movement, communication, and social interaction. Special needs identified during this period involve conditions that interfere with talking, walking, relating to peers, and using hands. Referrals for special services may be appropriate for 3-year-olds who do not:

• Use motor skills in play (running, climbing, jumping).
• Furnish the child with toys and books.
• Consider enrolling your child in a preschool.
• Continue to increase vocabulary and combine words into increasingly longer sentences.
• Have your child help cleanup after self and dress self.
• Use names for things, such as spoon , ball, cup.
• Allow the child to experience some frustration gently encourage the child to keep trying, with words such as you are making progress and good.

Childhood

During the preschool years, children combine and coordinate several fundamental skills to become adept at communicating, moving about, socializing, and learning new information. Referrals may be for 6-year-olds who do not:

• Participate in groups; attend to adult leading groups of children
• Attention paid to age- appropriate and developmentally appropriate play activities.
• Encouragement of indoor and outdoor play each day.
• Use balanced and coordinated motor skills in physical play.
• Being giving the child names for colours – for example, “ The ball is blue.”
• Demonstrate beginning knowledge of letters and numbers
• Self care awareness.

How to Identify Special Needs in Early Childhood?

Research suggests that earlier initiation of services is associated with improved outcomes. Parents and early childhood teachers often worry that the needs of young children with special needs can only be met by special therapeutic, medical, and educational professionals.

A psychological assessment helps in understanding the child and their abilities. Along with the tests, the psychologist also spends time understanding more about the child’s family background, structure and history, information about the child’s birth, developmental milestones, medical history, previous assessments administered and previous therapies, such as speech or occupational therapy. All these factors have an impact on a child’s personality.

A psychologist can also help in determining a child’s potential for achievement and to find their strengths and weaknesses. Based on these assessments, various remedial or supportive actions or programs can be recommended. Parents and other caregivers of children with suspected or identified disabilities may find confidence in the following guidelines:

• Make referrals when you have a persistent concern about children in your care. Early identification of disabilities is strongly associated with positive outcomes.
• Parent & Caregivers  guided activities that allow children to experiment with numerical concept with blocks, counting aids, sorting and shapes games.
• Keep in mind that a disability diagnosis does not change the child in any fundamental way, but it may change how you think about the child. Remember, the child is still the same.
• Curricular guidelines and activities determined by a certified instructor or educational professional
• Work with special services personnel to embed IEP and IFSP goals, objectives, and outcomes into ongoing routines and activities at home and in preschool classrooms. Individual goals, objectives, and outcomes are most meaningful when children can use the skills at home, school, and community activities.
• Staff that recognizes and attends to signs of stress in children, such as thumb sucking, crying, regression or avoidance of activities and instruction.
• Both individualized and group instruction from the Psychologist and Therapist.
• Realize that referral, assessment, eligibility evaluation, and diagnosis can be a very emotional process for parents. Early educators provide an invaluable service to parents by listening, being involved in the process, and offering personal support when parents need it.