Families & Stories
Families and Stories: Navigating early childhood delays and disabilities
In these short videos, parents of young children share what has worked for them, what they’ve learned, and what advice they would give to other families.
Supporting young children with developmental delays and disabilities
Are you worried about your young child’s development? Here’s everything you need to know, from getting an evaluation to starting preschool.
Are you worried about your young child’s development?
Maybe your child seems different from other kids their age. Maybe they can’t – or don’t – do things other kids their age do. Maybe you’ve already identified a disability and are figuring out how to navigate this.
You’re a parent. You’re worried. Whether this is your 1st child or your 5th, trust your gut.
We’ll address how you can find out if something is wrong, what it means if your child has a developmental delay or a disability, and how you can support them through the process. And then we’ll give you a timeline to walk you through the steps to get connected to school services at age 3-5.
Step-By-Step Guides
Parenting babies and toddlers is a non-stop job. If your child has a delay or a disability, there are some extra steps - but there are services for children with disabilities.
Whether you’ve just noticed your baby isn’t babbling yet or your child just graduated from Early Intervention, we have you covered. We’ll walk you through everything from what to do if you’re concerned about your child not meeting milestones to how to get them ready to start kindergarten.
We’ll let you know how to assess your child’s development, and describe the systems and health care providers that can support your child and your family.
Is my child different?
Early Intervention Steps
Early Childhood Transition Timeline
Early Intervention transition to pre-school
If your child has a disability or delay, and they are between 2 and 3 (even if they are not in Early Intervention), it’s time to think about the transition to school or school-based services. Our step-by-step timeline will lay out what to do and when so you and your child will be ready.
O-5+ Years & Beyond
Act as soon as you have a concern! You can connect to disability support services no matter how old your child is. Here’s how to get started.
2 years, 2 months
Connect with the school district. The most important step at this age is to connect with your school district and start exploring special education services. Here’s what you need to know.
2 years, 9 months
Get an evaluation from your school district to see if your child qualifies for special education services. Here’s what to expect.
3 years
Switch to school-based services. The public school system is required to support children with disabilities starting at age 3. Here’s how to make the switch.
3-5 years
Check progress. When your child is between 3 and 5, you should monitor their services and check progress against their IEP goals. Here’s what to watch for.
5 years
Start kindergarten! When your child turns 5, it’s time to start kindergarten. Here’s what to watch for.
More perspectives on early child development stages
Our blogs, videos, and podcasts offer more perspectives on the joys, challenges, and work of helping our young children move from learning to eat to learning to read and write. We talk about everything from helping your preschooler manage anxiety to navigating the Early Intervention age-out.
What happens when my child is too old for early intervention?
If your child has a delay or disability, they may qualify for school-based special education services or therapy when they turn 3. In this episode we’ll talk about how and when to start getting your child (and yourself!) ready for this transition. Narrated by Christina Kozik; Written by Julie McKinney
4 Steps for Transitioning Out of Early Intervention
Early Intervention (EI) is a program through which children who qualify can receive services until their third birthday. Once your child turns three, the local school system will become your child’s service provider if they still qualify. The process of moving from EI to the school system is often called transition. The earlier you…
Frequently Asked Questions about
Child Development Milestones
Navigating fears about your child's development, whether they are hitting milestones, and how to help can be confusing. Here are answers to some of the questions families ask us the most.
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