The Value of Early Intervention

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“Early intervention” is a concept of some contention in the therapy profession. The reason for this contention is that early intervention status is a discrete certification that some therapy organizations have and others lack. This elevates it to the status of controversy because people disagree about its value in political or business-oriented terms. However, if you’re seeking individual therapy services as a parent, whether it’s eating therapy or all in 1 SPOT with Theratalk, the following is what you need to know about early intervention.

Early intervention is valuable because of how brains work. This is true of the human brain in general, as well as the brain of a child that is still developing. In general terms, human brains become entrenched in certain behaviors over time. Most of these are positive behaviors, like speech and general reasoning. This is, in fact, how we learn. However, some behaviors are maladaptive and not beneficial to the person engaging in them. These require treatment to be gradually steered away from, and therapy is the best option for that thus far. As such, the earlier this therapy begins, the better the ultimate outcome. It’s possible to begin therapy at any stage in life, but younger brains have an easier time learning and un-learning behaviors as necessary.

Following that, it’s important to catch and resolve issues as early in a child’s development as possible. This is true for issues with sensory integration as well as eating habits and other basic foundational elements. It’s important to catch these issues early as they can stunt other areas of development as the child grows. Sensory issues can lead to difficulty developing basic mathematical and reading skills, for instance. Eating issues can cause malnutrition, which can be quite dangerous for a child currently growing. All of these are best to deal with as early as possible, so early intervention is a great option for parents to take when they can find it offered in a facility.

Early intervention isn’t the be-all, end-all. Don’t panic if it isn’t offered in your area. However, if you have a very young child who is showing signs of issues like these, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the professionals to inquire. With all forms of therapy, earlier is ultimately better, so take every step you can and strike while the iron is hot to get your child the help he or she needs.