Early Childhood Intervention Services

July 16, 2008 - Press Release

Easter Seals Virginia Celebrates 25 years of providing Early Intervention

In 1983, Easter Seals Virginia began providing Early Intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities or special needs. Thousands of young children, and their families, have benefited from the ESV Early Intervention program over the past 25 years.

The mission of the Early Intervention program is to enhance the overall development of the child while building on the strengths of the family. Services are provided within a family-centered philosophy and occur in the child’s natural environment.  Services are provided in accordance with Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.  Easter Seals Virginia, as a contracted provider through Infant and Toddler Connection of the Roanoke Valley, provides early intervention service coordination and home/community-based special instruction (educational sessions).

Service Coordinators act as contact persons and assist families in identifying goals and obtaining services in the Individualized Family Service Plan (similar to IEP’s in the schools system). In partnership with the primary caregiver, Special Instructors provide individualized educational sessions that enhance the development of the child and help the child meet specific developmental goals.  Each session is performed using prepared educational plans and developmentally appropriate play activities are modeled. 

Each year, over 300 infants and toddlers in the Greater Roanoke Valley receive early intervention services. Many of the children served have general developmental delays while others have diagnosed disabilities such as Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and Hearing Impairments.

ESV would like to thank the many families, collaborative agencies and community partners that have made the last 25 years such a wonderful and successful experience.

Early Intervention

The early childhood years are very critical in the development process. Connections are occurring in the brain at a rapid rate.  Every experience creates new connections.  These connections form the foundation for future learning and development. 

When a developmental delay or disability is identified, Early Intervention works in partnership with families to help develop optimal learning environments in which every child can grow and learn.  Early Intervention believes parents and other family members play a very important role in providing early experiences, which lead to healthy development.

Services through Early Intervention are provided by qualified educators who are experienced in working with young children with special needs.  Staff functions as a team by pooling knowledge to insure an integrated, cooperative program.

Our Services

Easter Seals Virginia provides early intervention services to infants and toddlers who have disabilities or developmental delays. Early intervention promotes the development of the child while building on the strengths of the family. Services through Easter Seals Virginia include developmental evaluations; linkage to speech, physical and occupational therapies; home-based educational sessions; advocacy; and parent support services. Easter Seals Virginia also provides educational consultative services for children enrolled in public preschool (special needs) programs as well as parental support and advocacy.  Early intervention services are currently available in Roanoke and surrounding areas. 

Learn more about our Early Childhood Intervention Services by selecting one of the following topics:

• Service Coordination
• Special Instruction Services
• Educational Consulting Services
  

Our Clients

Click on one of our clients below and read their story.

Meet Robert

Meet Laci

Meet Olivia

Olivia is a beautiful, happy little girl born in April of 2006.  One scary night in October, the lives of Olivia and her family changed forever.

Excerpts from Olivia's AVM story:

"I rushed in and tried to arouse her, but she wasn't responding.  Her left pupil was dilated and I immediatley called 911.  The rescue squad came and I rode with her while Daddy drove seperately.  Once in the ER, they did a CT scan and showed us where there was bleeding on the left side of her brain. She still wasn't responding to being stuck for an IV or anything, it was heart-breaking."

"The doctor told us we needed to do emergency surgery to realease the pressure in her brain and remove the blood.  The neurosurgeon on call got there quickly and Olivia went into a 3 hour surgery by 9 am.  LONGEST 3 HOURS OF MY LIFE!  While in surgery, she stopped the bleeding and found the AVM (Arteriovenous Malformation) in Olivia's brain."

Olivia received a developmental evaluation through the Early Intervention system that determined her level of function across 6 different developmental areas.  The early intervention team, including the family, set developmental goals for Olivia and she started receiving early intervention services.

"Olivia has physical therapy now.  She has not been able to grab toys with her right hand, but she is using it more now - moving it out from underneath her when rolling on the floor, etc. and she opens it more that she used to.  Her legs seems to be fine - she loves standing and walking with assistance.  She sits up very well and side-sits, too, now!  She has amazed us with her resilience and determination."

Olivia received service coordination though Easter Seals Virginia and physical therapy through a private therapy agency.  Olivia is making great progress.  In the words of her mother, "She is our miracle baby!"

To read more about Olivia's inspiring story, as well as other Aneurysm and AVM stories click here: http://www.westga.edu/~wmaples/call_kristy.html

Contact us for more information about our Early Childhood Intervention Services.