EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAMME OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
Do you feel that your child is delayed or significantly behind his age group for important milestones or ceases to progress in capacity? This may be a symptom of a serious health issue that could require intervention. Read on to learn how to know when to see a medical practitioner for delayed milestones.

What is a Developmental Delay?
A developmental delay occurs when your child has the delayed achievement of one or more of his milestones. This may affect your child’s speech and language, his fine and gross motor skills, and/or his personal and social skills. Some signs that your infant may not be meeting his normal motor milestones include not being able to bring his hands together by 4 months, not rolling over by 6 months, having head lag when pulled to a sitting position after 6 months, not sitting by himself without support by 8 months, not crawling by 12 months, and not walking by 15 months. When a child’s physical, cognitive, behavioural, emotional or social development falls behind the normal ranges for his age or his peers, it is considered to be a developmental delay. For some children it may be delayed in one area of development; others may have a global delay, which means they lag behind in all areas.
Will my child just grow out of it? Is the usual question of many concern parents? Early intervention is the key.
If the child is not developing properly there are things you can do that may help. Like the brain is programmed to develop at certain times, giving children help to do & learn
the activity say, for instance, sit up. When the brain is ready to learn this activity it is best to help the child through proper handling and stimulation as early as possible. With appropriate intervention, children with developmental delays can learn the missing skills and continue toward normal development.

What is early identification & intervention Program?
This includes a careful evaluation and treatment provided to families and their children under 3 years old who are at risk of having a delay or a disability in motor function, speech and language, hearing and vision.
Who May Participate in Early Intervention? Infants and toddlers from birth to 36 months may be eligible for and benefit from early Intervention services in one of the areas:
•    cognitive development, e.g. limited interest in environment, limited interest in play and learning
•    physical and motor development
•    communication development, e.g. limited sound repertoire, limited responses to communication to others
•    emotional-social development, e.g. unusual responses to interactions, impaired attachment, self-injurious behavior
•    adaptive development, e.g. feeding difficulties
Early intervention program of the Ministry of health provides a range of educational & therapeutic options to families and their children with and/or those with high risk for developmental delay and developmental disability. This program targets children between the ages 0-3 years. The objective of early intervention program is to educate & assist parents as well as society in managing and coping with the daily challenges at home and in the community.

In order to improve the identification of children with developmental delays so that early intervention can be provided in a timely manner, a significant emphasis has been placed on the routine use of developmental screening and surveillance.

The sooner it is discovered, the better the chance of getting help.

It is important to keep in mind that all children develop differently and at their own pace however if your child’s development concern persists HELP IS WITHIN REACH… call these numbers:
Georgetown Rehab Services: 225-3294; Ptolemy Reid Rehab 225-6551; National Commission on Disability  226-4566/227-8032; or contact your regional hospital (Rehab Services Department).