Help for Babies and Toddlers
When a baby is born with Down syndrome, his or her parents should know that there’s a lot of help available—and immediately. Shortly after the diagnosis of Down syndrome is confirmed, parents will want to get in touch with the early intervention system in their community.Early intervention is a system of services designed to help infants and toddlers with disabilities (before their 3rd birthday) and their families. It’s mandated by federal law—the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the nation’s special education law. Staff work with the child’s family to develop what is known as an Individualized Family Services Plan, or IFSP. The IFSP will describe the child’s unique needs as well as the services he or she will receive to address those needs. The IFSP will also emphasize the unique needs of the family, so that parents and other family members will know how to help their young child with Down syndrome. Early intervention services may be provided on a sliding-fee basis, meaning that the costs to the family will depend upon their income.
To Help Babies and Toddlers:
Accessing the Early Intervention System in Your State
To access early intervention services for a child up to his or her 3rd birthday, consult NICHCY’s State Resource Sheet for your state. It’s available online at: http://www.nichcy.org/state-organization-search-by-state
There, you’ll find a listing for early intervention under the first
section, State Agencies. The agency listed will be able to put you in
contact with the early intervention program in your community.
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