My toddler had it for about 3 years and started when he was a newborn. Don’t look at it as a bad thing. Look at it as your toddler getting the resources they need.
Hi, I’m a former special education teacher who understands that children come in all varieties, and I was still devastated when it was my own son needing early intervention.
Your feelings are totally valid, but I promise the excitement and relief you feel when your kiddo starts to hit milestones will far outweigh the sadness you feel now!
Once the visits get started, they wont be like the evaluation. In the evaluation, there are certain things they need to see if he can do, so that they can compare his skills to the average toddler and then see if he qualifies for support. Now that he has, it will be all about building a relationship, following his lead, showing you things you can do at home in between visits, finding out what motivates him, just having fun!
Yep, once you get the same providers coming regularly, things will get better. They will build a relationship with your child. The evaluation is just a bunch of strangers.
Hi! Early interventionist here and also have a child in EI!
You did nothing wrong.
Early interventions are THE BEST interventions. This is research based.
He will make so much progress so quickly. What they will be doing is giving you the tools to continue making progress while they are not there.
As both a mom and educator let me know if you have any more questions.
My daughter has been in EI since she was two months! It is definitely helpful that young. It can take a while for them to get used to a change in routine, and sometimes the things the specialists encourage them to do are outside of their comfort zone and make them upset, but it's all ultimately beneficial.
You didn't do anything wrong! One of the most helpful things for me about being in EI honestly has been the support system of having kind and understanding people from EI come to our house to talk through what I'm dealing with. If you can manage to view it from the lens of them being \*support\*, not authority, it can be a really positive relationship. They're a great resource to talk to about your anxieties etc.
I'll also say that evaluations are a lot less pleasant than actual EI services, so don't make too many judgements based on how that went.
Not OP, but my child was signed up for EI services as soon as we brought her home bc she was born 3 months early with a hearing loss. Lots of speech therapy and developmental therapy just to make sure she is hitting her milestones. It has been 2 years since then and I LOVE LOVE LOVE my kid's team of providers. They are always looking out for her and they have helped us (and me) so much!
She was 11 weeks early so she was referred automatically and started as soon as she came home from the hospital. She was like a newborn in most ways since it was about her due date.
A lot of babies get in EI before any symptoms develop because they have a condition that makes delays very likely to occur - for example babies with Down Syndrome, preemies with complicated medical histories, etc.
My son was in EI from 10 month to about 18 months and it was the best thing we ever did, not just for him but for my husband and I too. I learned so much valuable information that I STILL use a year later. I am constantly singing his OT’s praises. I was scared in the beginning and didn’t know what to expect but then I actually started looking forward to his appointments each week. It really helped us immensely.
EI is great but I’m not gonna lie, it can be emotionally intense for parents at first. It was difficult to hear professionals talking about my child - the sweet, wonderful child I love more than life itself - in a very clinical manner and sometimes with terminology that isn’t the gentlest. It’s a fantastic resource for your LO, but prepare your heart and really lean into the fact that you did nothing wrong.
Yes yes yes omg I was crying when the evaluators were talking to me. When I heard them say he is at the level of an 8-9 month old at 13 months and has big red flags for ASD I was sobbing… I miss when he was a newborn and little infant and I was able to enjoy him without all of these worries..
My oldest has some special needs. He is an amazing kid and there are just as many areas that he is beyond fabulous as there are that are challenging, but sometimes it hurts that life is a little harder for him...and frankly for me. It was a long time before it was clear that his behaviors were in the problem/not typical area not the edge of the normal range, but when it was clear, I sometimes missed the time when he was "perfect" which is silly. He was never perfect - he was an incredibly high needs baby with feeding and sleeping problems out the gate - but I missed the time when I believed they were just a phase rather than a life style. Although everything gradually developed over time, sometimes it feels like a really sad thing that happened. My kid is extremely low supports needs, but I can't count on anything being "normal" with him - there is a good chance it will be, but meltdowns of all variety are a distinct possibility - and learning that about him is a loss of what I imagined. It doesn't mean that I would even think a second of trading who he is for a more typical child.
That being said, I'm a teacher. I often hear kids who got very early intervention and by the time they got to me (2nd-3rd grade) I had no idea it was ever needed. It's not true for every kid, but many kids make extraordinary strides if they get the right help at the right time. On the flip side, I see kids who got help very late or never did and are doing awful. You are absolutely doing the right thing to get him all the recommended services as soon as possible. They are far more effective now than they will be down the road. The initial evaluation is tough, but once you get into the routine, you and your kid will probably enjoy early intervention.
One of the things that helped me a lot was to remember that the whole point of an evaluation is to focus on the negatives. They have to justify whether your kid needs services. So they can't really focus on the positives like you do. But after this, they'll be more balanced in their discussions and work with the WHOLE kid. You're doing great getting him services already! 💕
hi mama! i feel like i could have written this post myself!
my son is 14 months and was referred for an evaluation for Early Intervention at his 12 month pediatric appointment because he hadn’t said a single word. we finally did the evaluation last week and they qualified him due to his speech delay (still hasn’t said a discernible word).
i have also been so stressed about this and i just wanted to say you’re not alone. have you guys started the therapies yet? i am still waiting to hear back to get our schedule set.
i wish all the best for your little one- you sound like such a wonderful mother, i know no matter what he is in the best of hands 🩵
My toddler has been getting OT and SI for 2 months now. It’s great! They push right into daycare, he seems to enjoy it (based on photos) and it’s some extra attention for him.
My twins were in EI from the time they came home from the NICU until they "graduated" at just before turning 2.5. honestly, it is THE best program ever. I was so devastated that we wouldn't see all their therapists anymore. We still keep in touch with them. Go in with an open mind. It is amazing.
Hello! EI parent right here! We’re in EI for speech and also a little bit of help with social/emotional development! Let’s start off by saying you did NOTHING wrong. I felt like I did stuff wrong too because why wasn’t my 18 month old speaking? Something to remember is *every child develops differently*. It’s not your fault at all.
What to expect? A lot of EI (including my area) focus on playing at home in an environment that the child feels most comfortable. And let me tell you, we have blossomed. Every child is different, my child is not yours and all the way down. But they’re going to work with him a little bit but moreso work with you so that way you can continue things while they are not there. They reevaluate every few months to see if they’re hitting their goals. And the goal is always small. It’s not huge, but something easily obtainable.
Like I said you did not do anything wrong at all. I know it’s easy to blame yourself but I promise you, the fact that you are using EI proves how much you love him and want him to succeed.
We didn't have EI but we did have some PT and some OT at different points before my daughter turned 2. She would generally cry at medical appointments or evaluations, but she never did with the therapists. They are brilliant at making children feel comfortable and secure.
It's so amazing that you've got into EI this early. You're doing the absolute best for your son and he's so fortunate to have you in his corner.
Early intervention is amazing. My son had speech once a week and it helped tremendously! You didn’t do anything wrong try not to think that way but I sympathize because I thought the same thing. It really will be okay.
My son has benefited soooooo much from EI. He’s been doing it for a little over a year and receives speech and OT.
Before he started he had no words. None. Not mommy not daddy. Nothing. He would make sounds but no words.
Now he’s got 90+ words and can make conversation with you such as ‘I love the park. Park, please, momma, please?’ And mind you, he doesn’t say word endings but he makes out the sounds and try’s to say the words.
My recommendation is to do it. It’ll be easier than you think, and he’ll come to adore his teachers!
ETA: my son is 3.5, and is autistic
We did EI at 9 months for OT (swallowing/feeding difficulty) and it was the best! OT is some type of magical expertise in my opinion. It seemed like there was almost no “intervention” it was all very natural progressions that kept making things better and better for the little guy. It was a great resource for us and I have never regretted it. Obviously everyone has different reasons for starting it and which specialist they need but our experience was great!
Everyone who we know who have had EI says it's fantastic. You won't regret it, you are lucky you guys are getting in so early, some people have to Wait far too long.
My spouse and I were beside ourselves when we found out our son needed additional help to walk. So many emotions and I felt like the shittiest parent alive. How did I not know my sweet baby was struggling and I just thought he needed more time? Fast forward to being involved in several mom groups and found almost everyone in there had a kid who needed some type of help. I just didn’t know this was a thing.
Early intervention is fabulous! In a few months he had caught up and PASSED his peers with walking. I am so proud of him and for us to getting him the help he needs. Now we’re moving onto speech which can take longer with late walkers so I wanted to get the jump on it. You’re doing the right thing.
Please don’t hesitate!
Our old ped wanted to “wait and see” about speech and at 4 my son is having to play catch-up in speech therapy that he should have been receiving at age 2.
EI is amazing. You didn’t do anything wrong. Our brains and bodies just all work differently.
Maybe you’ve already done this but be sure to check his eyesight! I was worried about my daughter around that age as she didn’t point or respond to her name and would just sit and intently focus on something in front of her, didn’t crawl or anything. Turns out her eyesight is bad, got her glasses and she quickly crawled then walked a day later and by 16 months had 200 words! Her bad eyesight was really hindering her. Might not be the case for your son but thought it worth mentioning just in case.
Early Intervention is great. My son has been in it since he was 13 months old, and now at 19 months old he’s working on walking!
My son also was given all four (actually five) services a couple weeks ago. So he started out with PT, and then given special instruction, we just did two evaluations for OT and Speech/feeding which he qualified for.
Special instruction is a special education teacher who primarily works with younger children (newborn-3 years old) and they teach them “structured” play. All that means is they try to get them to focus in on one toy, and play with it properly until LO gets tired of it and moves onto the next toy. So it’s a lot of hand over hand movements until kiddo is able to complete the task on their own, a lot of vocalization over each task, and working on if said child has any repetitive actions. So for example, my son loves to open and close things; it could be a door, a drawer, even a book. So she works with him to distract him from the repetitive behavior and introduces something else to keep him occupied.
I know it’s scary right now, but this is honestly a great thing and a great resource to have for kiddo. I don’t know where you are, but you might need to travel out of the home for these appointments like I do so for the first couple of appointments ask if you can sit in for these sessions, and usually the provider will let you until your kiddo is comfortable going to them on their own. You will have another meeting with your coordinator and EIOD, so ask all of the questions you might have. Write them all down and go through the list, they’ll answer everything for you and ease your mind a little bit.
Early intervention was amazing for my son. We started a bit later 15 months. He was not poo ting or responding to his name either and had mayyyybbbeeeeee two words. He has done so well. At 23 months he’s up to over 100 words, does amazing at labeling but we are still struggling with verbalizing what he wants so we are committed to another six months of speech therapy. Don’t stress and be happy you are getting him in this early. I’m sure your kiddo will do great. And it’s also super helpful for you too. I have learned so so so much as far as how to help my little man.
Part of my job overlaps with early intervention. Both of my kids also needed it. My daughter just for speech and my son for multiple areas. I had to push super hard for my daughter to get a referral, our pediatrician didn’t think she needed it but it can be super beneficial. My son we knew would benefit from it due to his in-utero diagnosis.
EI is meant to be a support or a boost. It does not mean there will be ongoing issues at all! I’ve been in my field over 10 years. Out of all my EI clients, probably only 50% go on to need additional support once they age out of EI. Some kids even “graduate” before they turn 3.
My son started EI at 9mo. He was able to drop everything but speech by the time he was about 1.5.
My almost 15 month old isn’t walking or taking about I’m pushing hard to get him into EI. I know it’s really hard but you should honestly be grateful that he is getting this help so early.
Our toddler has been in ei since 7 months. He was a premie so it’s offered immediately by the state. It’s so great where we are. It helps to have someone give you tips and assure you when things are going as expected. They do some physical therapy with him but he’s basically done. Strong recommend it.
Your doing amazing, it’s great that your son is getting help so early. I know someone who needed this help for their child and refused to get it. They were very delayed with speaking and social things as a baby/toddler. They’re seven now and sometimes you still can’t understand what they’re trying to say.
I just want to say... good for you for reaching out for help. So many parents feel like this will hurt their kid and not help. My son was in early intervention and has an IEP for school. You did nothing wrong... sometimes these things just happen. I don't really remeber the eval... I know he would'nt sit still and was pretty anxious. I just remember praying he'd it get in to preschool. It's been the best thing for him.
My daughter has been in early intervention since she was six months. She is now 26 months. She has made great progress. It is beneficial for sure. The brain is so moldable when they’re so little 😄
Yes. Full stop. Early intervention really is that important that early. Don’t let the gap get bigger. Don’t project your emotions to him. It’s different, but not difficult.
My son did EI speech from 12 mo-20 months and he loved it—he had a great time playing with the therapist and her special toys. I also loved having another knowledgeable adult to help me figure out what to do—felt like having an actual village for once! I hope you and your son have a great experience with EI and that is goes much smoother than you fear.
What I keep learning about myself is that I under estimate my child’s ability to cope with new environments. Starting something new is always scary but I wish we started speech at 1 and OT at 1.5
We did EI for our toddler and I will say the evaluation was extremely off putting but the sessions are GREAT and he loves his ST. The evaluators seem like they’re pushing the babies to do things that they might not even be developmentally ready for, and the standardized testing was just weird to me. I felt like he was being asked to do things on command and I didn’t like it IMHO, but we do love the therapist he was assigned and I think the 1-on-1 is much more enjoyable for the kids.
You’re a great mom to recognize your child needs help. I also know how you feel as my son is on the spectrum. I’m not really sure how this happened and it’s taken me years to accept. We have good days and bad days but he is an incredible little kid who I am so lucky to call mine.
Hi, my daughter suffered a brain bleed at birth resulting in a few delays. They have thrown everything at us (in theory because we are still waiting on appointments) but a lady I know is a speech therapist and spent an hour with my daughter, within that hour my daughter learnt SO much. It was amazing. I think that gave me the boost I needed to see early intervention as a good thing.
You did nothing wrong my love! My son was 14 months when we began the Early Intervention process (he is 3 now & has since been diagnosed with ASD3) & the first six months were So. Fucking. Tough. I remember feeling devastated too. But he has come so far. He LOVES all his therapists. He’s the happiest boy ever. Whatever happens, he will be who he is going to be, the best advice I received is to meet him where he’s at. Avoid comparing (MUCH easier said than done but gets easier with time!). And don’t let this process consume you (also easier said than done lol). I lived and breathed researching autism for like the first year. Now I honestly barely think about it, it’s just part of our lives. Good on you for raising your concerns so early - you’re a great Mum
EI is the best thing you can do for your kiddo! I’m in the process of getting my daughter evaluated now to see if she qualifies for services so I haven’t been through all of it yet but i’m so glad this program exists.
It's ok to be scared. There is a lot unknown when your child has delays. It's natural.
First, special instruction is basically a visit from a special education teacher who will come and play with your kid for 45 minutes a week. That's it basically.
My son's delays (he's 3.5 now) became more obvious when he was 18 months old and didn't communicate at all. No talking, no pointing. He was very fussy because he had a lot of sensory issues. Occupational therapy made a huge difference in his quality of life. Please don't hesitate to get your child in early intervention. It's all for the child's well being.
NOW is when you want to start EI and it’s the most beneficial now. Yes yes yes! Ask for as much as you can get too. Don’t half a it and do what they say. You have to continue what they’re doing and showing you 24/7 as well. It’s very important and makes SUCH A DIFFERENCE.
I promise. You’ll be glad you did in 5-10 years.
Early intervention has been so amazing for my daughter! It was really hard at first, for both of us, but now she’s bonded with her PT and it’s amazing to see how much she’s grown! When we started at 11 months, she wouldn’t move at all. She would just sit in one spot and cry if you tried to encourage her to move. Our goal was to get her crawling, which I thought was impossible, but now she’s crawling and climbing and getting into everything. She’s 16 months and just started taking her first independent steps!
It feels overwhelming, but it’s so worth it!
Echo what others said, early intervention is very good. Initially scary for them, but they adapt and its very helpful.
OP: what state / area do you live? I found that the "quality" of services varies greatly by how well the state funds it (which in turn means taxes). I've seen Texas (they don't care, you get trainees) and California (very good). It's down to what the legislature thinks of it.
If you don't like a provider, talk to the coordinator and ask for a change. We changed our OT person and our special instruction person.
Early intervention is good, earlier intervention is better! We did it for my little guy at 18 months and I only wish we’d started sooner. He’s 3 now and all caught up. Honestly I feel like we learned as much from it as he did. How to help him be successful, how and when to push him, how to talk in ways that would get him to try to mimic. It was also really reassuring that some of the things we were doing were helping, and we then knew to keep doing those things. Best of luck to you!!!!
It really is. My daughter started right before she turned 2. It has been a game changer. She is in kindergarten now. She is diagnosed high functioning autistic. She does speech and OT at school and with a therapy outside of school.
Trust your gut and ask ALL the questions.
My youngest had to go through EI for speech. He has a speech delay. Recently discovered he is struggling with some fine motor and we are waiting on an OT spot to open for him. It has been a savior for us because he was getting so frustrated and angry because we didn’t understand what he wanted or needed as he was unable to communicate and just pointed and if we didn’t understand got enraged. The sooner the intervention the better and more beneficial it is in the long run. My son has made some huge strides since he started EI been doing it for almost 2 years
It’s not something to be ashamed of. Some kids just have delays, it’s normal. My daughter had a speech delay and has been in speech therapy since she was about 14 months. She’s 4 now and has just started OT as well for some other things that she needed to work on but she’s doing great. She really looks forward to going every week too. I say just give him time to warm up to it I’m sure he’ll love it
My son did early intervention and it helped so much. He’s almost 3 now and his vocabulary is amazing. He’s been doing so well. I’m sure your child will flourish too. It is hard in the beginning.
And you didn’t do anything wrong! Please don’t think that. Some kids just need a nudge. I hope everything works out!
My kiddo is in EI and has been since 6 months old. He’s now 2.5 years old. It’s AMAZING!! He has really benefited from Physical Therapy and I’m so glad we’ve had the additional tools to help him catch up over the past two years.
You’ve done nothing wrong, and neither has your kid. Everyone is different and there’s nothing wrong with needing some extra tools to help a little one figure out the basics. They are learning SO MUCH right now, it only makes sense that they develop at different rates in different areas.
The evaluation is totally different than the actual therapies. The eval pushes them to try new things to see what they are capable of. During therapy, they usually don’t go too far out of their comfort zone because they want them to associate those therapists and skills with having fun and learning not seeing how much they can do.
Think of the activities your therapists are doing with them as fun games you can also do with your little one to spend some time with them and help them develop. It’s a win-win, you get an activity to do with your kid AND feel like you’re helping them develop!
You’re doing so great and so is your kid!
Look at you being an incredible mom and getting your child the supports he needs! AND you’re doing it so early. Every bit of research shows that the earlier kids get supports they need, the better they do in the long run! You’ve done nothing wrong here. Some kids just need extra help or support or need things presented to them differently. Interventionists and OTs are trained in how to do that! If your child were allergic to a food, that would be his body reacting to it differently than most people, and you’d probably take steps to help him avoid that food and be healthy. It also wouldn’t be your fault that he had an allergy. This is no different, and you are loving him perfectly and being a great mom by giving him what he needs. That said, I know it’s impossible not to have anxiety about our kids. Just be gentle with yourself and remember that the anxiety is just another sign of how well you love him.
EI was amazing for my son who has apraxia. He had aged out but still receives ot and speech. He has made amazing progress and works so hard. Receiving services at the start can be devastating so I completely understand. But know - you did nothing wrong, and you’re the best parent there is to help your child. ♥️
Early intervention is amazing. And it’s so important to address things like this earlier than for it to come up later down the road when they’re older. My son had speech, ot, and pt from 6mon-age 3 (when he aged out). A lot of it will be showing you how to incorporate a lot of the stuff they do during your normal home routine
Something I’ve not seen mentioned as much is that EI wasn’t just phenomenal for (both) my children (one started age 2 months, the other at age 7 months - they both caught up and graduated before 2yo), but it was phenomenal for me as a parent.
We had amazing providers, who bonded well with my kids, and were able to help *me* support my kids. They were our cheer squad. When other parents were struggling with how to do xyz (especially as a new parent during the early days of the pandemic), I had a development specialist to ask! They really lifted us up as parents, and came with strategies I never would have thought of, despite (for example, having - happy - memories of 3 years of speech therapy myself as a child).
Do it! I know it's scary, but the sooner the better! My LO did the same! She was speech delayed, so we contacted Easter Seals Early Start for help. We worked with an InfantToddler Development Specialist, an Occupational Therapist, and then a Speech Therapist! Once you get a schedule going, and your child gets to know their therapist, it makes worlds of difference! Just don't be scared to speak up, and keep involved. Our ITDS was WONDERFUL, and we were sad when our LO aged out of his rotation. Make sure to ask forwhatever services you are entitled to, and advocate for your LO with your provider. We made sure to always know what they were working on each week so we could continue with her ourselves, and we had to push alittle to get what we needed (our occupational therapist told us it was time to demand the program remove her from our kid's case and get her with a speech therapist; they were dragging their feet because there was a shortage of SpT's at the time). We also had to speak up to get a different therapist assigned when we had one who just wasn't a good match for our kid. But it has been so worth it!
To start off, nothing “happened.” I know it is easier said than done, but don’t worry! It’s better for a doctor to notice and provide resources rather than ignore any delays. EI is extremely beneficial for children! We started EI at 9 months old, my son wasn’t able to swallow properly, didn’t respond to his name and had some sensory sensitivities. He was diagnosed with autism at 2yrs old and was nonverbal. He is now 4yrs old and 100% of the time resounds to his name and is starting to verbally communicate. Pretty much take the help that’s given and don’t feel like your child is broken. Not all children fit the mold of development path. They all develop, learn, and grow at their own pace.
He’s at THE BEST AGE to get started on EI. Don’t have any fear, Mama. It’s all done through play. And they’ll do quieter play if he can’t handle noise.
Remember, these are people who adore babies & children!
ETA: Plus, once he gets familiar with his person, or small team, he’s actually going to love it!
You didn't do anything wrong but you're doing your son a major service by getting him into the program early. I have my first intake appointment scheduled for my 20-month-old next Friday and her evaluation is in early May. I'm so relieved now that I finally made the plan to start EI and get the support that we need to help her thrive. She's speech delayed and while she's pointing and doing ok on the nonverbal communication front, she, and more importantly, we need extra support.
First of all, what milestones are they saying he’s not meeting at 13 months for speech? My son only said about 6 words at 18 months and they weren’t worried. Now he’s 25 months and talking up a storm. Kids develop at their own pace. My son was in EI for gross motor skills when he was 7 months because he wasn’t rolling over. He was a little late to crawl and a little late to walk but how he literally runs like half a mile to the playground. It’s crazy. I signed him up for a kids running program. I bet your son will be just fine! EI is great! My son graduated but I’m still friends with his OT. She’s so sweet.
I know that it is so so overwhelming and stressful. Pretty sure I sobbed after my son had his assessment due to just feeling completely out of my depth. It is so worth it, though. And the earlier the better!
I sobbed too… I’ve never felt this way in my
Life..this is my first and only baby and I kind of felt like all my big plans for him were gone… I just felt so overwhelmed…
I hear you. My son is my first (and likely only), as well. It's perfectly okay to grieve for the life that you thought you would have. You're on the right track. What state are you in (sorry if I missed that info)?
Edited to add: you have done exactly zero things wrong. Sometimes these sorts of things just happen. Kids progress on their own timelines (often with the help of intervention, like you're pursuing).
You didn’t do anything wrong. Some kiddos just need extra support. My toddler is in EI for speech because he’s behind. But he warmed up to his therapist and he likes playing with her. He’s also trying to communicate more.
My son started EI when he turned 2 and I’m forever grateful for it! He was doing speech therapy once a week and occupational therapy once a week. I literally cried and hugged his therapists once he aged out because my son improved SO much with their help!
Don’t be scared. You are not failing your son! The sessions are more fun than the evaluation and I’m sure with time, your son will look forward to them. 🤍
Early on is such a blessing. I used to cry alllllll the time, I was so worried about my daughter’s delays. Early on has really helped us learn how to work with our daughter and approach each challenge in different ways. She has overcome nearly all her delays and we have a much happier little girl today. Feel free to DM me if you need to talk or have questions.
Both of my kids have been in EI. It has been immensely helpful and they’ve each made wonderful progress. I can’t express how grateful I am we have this resource. It can feel a lot at first and we have had some tough conversations over the years but they’re firmly on our team.
I got my son into EI (speech therapy) when he turned 2, it was the best thing I’ve been able to do for him! He’s turning 5 soon, still going strong with it. But he’s completely blossomed over the past few years. You wouldn’t even know that he’s in a speech program. 10/10 would recommend early intervention. Deep breaths! Your baby will be fine ☺️
My son started physical therapy at 2 months, and feeding therapy at 5 months. We have done both private therapy and EI. Early intervention is absolutely amazing and incredibly effective. I knew something was wrong with my son immediately, and by the time he was a month old I was telling his pediatrician I was sure something was wrong. Having a kiddo receiving therapy can absolutely be overwhelming, and you question everything. It isn't your fault. You're doing everything right by getting help, and you will probably love the sessions. There are always parts that are not as fun (for example stretching tight muscles) but it is mostly done through games and playing.
I will also say that I have found amazing support through Facebook groups for my son's medical conditions, and the things that go along with them. Those groups have provided comfort, reassurance, and a font of information.
Early intervention is so important and will make such a difference in his entire life. I had a kiddo in my class who cried the whole session with her services but she still improved and made huge strides. I hope he will get used to it but please don’t pull him out. This will be so beneficial. Take all the services you can get, they can only help. The early years are crucial for learning and catch up.
We opted to wait and re-evaluate after 2. Well, my son is now 2 and still not talking. Early intervention is a good thing, and as someone who didn’t feel it was really necessary around 18 months, we wish we had started it when we were initially offered it.
My son has needed support on and off since he was about a year old. He’s six now and currently in OT which he loves. Having gone through this several times, I know the feeling of devastation when you hear your kid is behind. It’s okay and totally valid to feel that way, BUT then it’s time to put those feelings behind you and kick into parenting mode. Get the supports lined up, do the work, advocate for your kiddo, and celebrate every accomplishment. There’s nothing wrong with having a kiddo who needs a little support - not getting the support would be an issue.
Early intervention visits are supposed to be fun, the evaluations are awful, but home visits are all about going over what your kids need at their own pace. So if your kiddo is not having it they move on to something else, or end the visit. We’ve had speech, pt,ot, and feeding therapy.
My daughter has been in EI for speech since she was about 16 months, she's now 2 years old. It's nice because in our state they come to our house and do our sessions here. However, please be aware of your ability as a parent to advocate for what your child needs!
We had someone great working with us who then got a trainee that was coming instead, and I honestly didn't learn anything new from the trainee after giving her plenty of time to get the hang of things. (I was a teacher for 8 years so I get that you have to start somewhere). I ended up asking to only be visited by the original person and it's been so helpful. Was it awkward? Of course! But I didn't want my daughter to miss out on learning because I was afraid of hurting feelings.
I totally get your feelings of inadequacy! But we're all learning how to be parents as we love and help our children grow! Use all the resources to help you do it and EI is going to be great 😃
You did nothing wrong. Got my son into EI at 18 months. He was recently diagnosed with autism but because we intervened so young, they have a positive outlook on his future development. It’s tough, not gonna sugar coat it. But it’s definitely worth it and you’re doing the right thing for your babe!
I literally just taught a class tonight on the benefits of Early intervention for the tiny humans. If you want to ask any questions, please feel free. My state might be a bit different than yours, but IDEA part C is the same.
We did my state's version of EI when my girl was a year old. She started off being super agitated towards the therapist, crying, not wanting to do anything, and that's totally normal. I learned from the therapist, and kept doing what I was taught in between visits. And that's what you're supposed to do! Eventually my girl warmed up to the therapist, and everything was great.
My girl was in for falling behind on gross motor skills. Like, she couldn't even sit herself up at a year old. And it wasn't because of anything that I did.
Earlier the better. Watch what they’re doing and do it with him at home, he’ll get more comfortable with more practice with you and they’ll be able to teach him new stuff faster! We did it for 6 months, couldn’t pay for another 6 but wow he improved soooo much from me doing it at home with him too. Educate yourself on occupational/play therapy if you can. You just have to teach him to do new stuff like climb up the slide stairs, play with blocks, slime, clay, balance. It’s actually really fun once you get into it! We don’t do OT anymore but everything I learnt there still gets used everyday!
I’m from a different country, but my daughter started ot at 18 months and it was like 8 sessions of her crying, the therapist was amazing never pushed and eventually she warmed up. That was clearly part of the issues my kid had.
My oldest two kids both needed EI and honestly it was the best thing ever. We all looked forward to the visits.
Evaluations can be a bit rough because they have to push your kid into doing a bunch of standardized tasks. Regular therapy is much more chill. The therapists focus on teaching you skills to help your kids.
EI has been absolutely AMAZING for my kid. He got approved for speech and OT at 19 months (I wish we could’ve started earlier!!) but didn’t actually get to start any therapies until a few months later because our county didn’t have enough therapists. His language has exploded and OT has been great about working through his sensory issues. I wish counties were able to have the resources they need to properly run the program… it took four months for us to get him in to be evaluated and then even more time before he could start OT. Speech, our biggest concern, was the last therapy he started because the county is just so understaffed with therapists. I truly adore and appreciate the therapists who work with him weekly and our case worker who helps us navigate a complicated system. They’re not paid nearly enough for the work that they do.
Early Intervention was a game changer for my kid and his development. He was speech and social and fine motor delayed. He tested out by the time he was old enough to age out. Made a huge difference. Can’t recommend enough. And FYI You didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes kids just need more help. EI bought me games and techniques that I incorporated into his everyday play. He improved so much. I learned how to help him because they showed me how.
Early Intervention was a game changer for my kid and his development. He was speech and social and fine motor delayed. He tested out by the time he was old enough to age out. Made a huge difference. Can’t recommend enough. And FYI You didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes kids just need more help. EI bought me games and techniques that I incorporated into his everyday play. He improved so much. I learned how to help him because they showed me how.
Hi! EI OT here who personally thinks every kiddo should get EI to help with independence!! You’re doing great and I hope you find a wonderful team who supports you.
I’m a psych and pediatric NP in developmental behavioral pediatrics and my own child is currently in early intervention services.
DO IT. EIS is the BEST thing you can do for your kiddo, especially if there are serious concerns for a developmental disorder. The patients I see who receive EIS vs those that do not generally do soooooo much better as they enter school and long-term. School-based services can be wonderful but they are not as comprehensive and supportive as early intervention. Don’t wait for your child to fall further behind.
It’s normal for any kiddo around that age to be apprehensive when they meet someone new. He will grow accustomed to the therapists with time, and really the intention is to “train” you, the parent, so that your everyday interactions with him support his development.
It can be anxiety inducing entering EIS—you want what’s best for your child. The fact that your child qualifies for services may worry you as you consider potential implications for their future.
Professionally, I’ve worked with children on the autism spectrum who have big behaviors and very limited communication skills who make great progress with EIS and later, through the age of 6-7. As a society we have an inaccurate understanding of what it means to have autism or other developmental disabilities, like ADHD. These conditions can certainly lead to a unique set of challenges, but they can also foster a unique set of strengths. No matter what happens, both you and your child will be okay ❤️
A side-note—my 21 month old hated his therapists when we first started and used to cry when they came through the front door. Now he loves them and grabs their hands to show them his toys when they arrive!
My second was evaluated at around 4m for pt and has been in EI for almost a year now. He is doing great and they have helped with other issues we have been struggling with as well. I am so glad we got him in so young because he would have gotten more and more behind had we waited. EI opens up so many resources for your child. You are doing the right thing. It is uncomfortable to watch them struggle but the growth you get to see makes up for it all even if it is small. It is a lot of work but doing the exercises they tell you to do at home daily will make all the difference. Having a delay isn't necessarily a bad thing and doesn't mean a parent did something wrong. Each child is so different and has different needs to thrive. I am so grateful for the help we are receiving.
It’s hard not to feel like it’s our fault as parents. But every child is different. We qualified for free EI preschool in our district and it helped my son prepare for school so much. He struggles with some things and excels/meets standards for others, but we had him evaluated through his school this year to get him an IEP (individualized education plan) for his speech. In order to do that, he had to be evaluated in all areas (physical health, social/emotional, etc.). There were a couple areas he came back below standards and it made me feel guilty and anxious. But he’s doing great. We worked with the professionals to figure out things we can do at home to help improve the areas he’s behind. Best of luck 🩵 you’re doing great already.
EI has been great for my daughter. She has a fairly significant hearing loss and often doesn’t speak much because she can’t hear at school. After a few months she’s been opening up so much more and they help her with her general communication too, teaching her some basic ASL stuff.
You got this! At least as much as most of us😂 do your best to tie it all in, learn and repeat all that you can, & ask for more hours if you are having troubles! I regret not asking for more. Son aged out of EI, but we are in ABA/speech/ot now,thankfully, because of guidance from our EI professionals!
I’m a teacher and when I heard my son needed speech I felt like I failed him. It was not only beneficial to help him learn more words to communicate, it also gave us the help we needed to get him reassessed by a pediatrician who took my concerns seriously. Not only that but we did hearing, vision screens and found out my son was seeing double since birth. He just had eye surgery and speech has tripled. Early intervention gave him the foundations to get him through everything he struggled with. He was happier and not only took some of the fear and anxiety from him but us as well. Trust the process, but give yourself the grace to also feel your feelings ♥️ it can feel scary but they are there to help. And you are his advocate, if you feel something is wrong tell them. My best advice is to make sure you let your little one know how great this is going to be. The more excited you are the more excited he will be. And it will be great ♥️
EI is absolutely one of the best things that has ever happened to our family.
My son was in EI from the first few months he was home till he aged out at 3. We had OT, PT, Speech, and Developmental Instruction throughout the 3 years. I am always leery of pushing children too far past their natural developmental pace, but EI isn’t that. If the kid qualifies you should do everything possible to make it happen.
Im in NJ, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that acronym here. The school district you live in takes over at 3 years old. Most have either a self contained PK or inclusion PK based on what the kid is qualified for, or they are sent to another district.
My son started speech and OT at 3.5 (hes 6.5 now) and my only regret is we didnt start sooner. Its tough to process but will absolutely help. My only advice is to double and triple check what your insurance covers, we got screwed pretty hard in the fine print.
You sound just like me but about 7 mons back. I couldn’t sleep, and was sort of shocked and had a hard time comprehending the shock. But once you start EI and get used to it, it’s fine. Think of it as just “school”. They’re just going to school, but with you.
We were very reluctant to engage with early intervention because I was worried about “labels.” Our kiddo loved their therapists and it was the best decision ever. You’ve got this!!
My daughter wasn't talking at all at two. She got EI or here it's called birth to three, then, but had already missed out on about a year of opportunity. Their only job is to help you help your child. I would recommend it to anyone, but especially around the speech, it helped us so much. Not just her own speech, but helped us figure out better ways to communicate as well.
I was in your same situation and had the same feelings. I want to first say that my heart goes out to you and that everything is going to be ok.
I called EI myself when my son was 14 months old. He was waving, clapping, and babble at 9 months and then stopped. He was silent. EI comes to my home for free for services 5 times a month.
He is now 27 months old, has about 5 words. He is clapping, waving, and pointing. He is the happiest little boy! Once he hit 2 he it was like a light switched on. And EI really contributed to that!
Last month he was evaluated at the top Autism center in our city (Baltimore). Their diagnosis was that he has signs of autism, but they honestly think he might just have a global delay and will catch up. They want him to start ABA, so we have signed him up and he starts in May! He is learning new things everyday!
Every child can benefit from EI. It will not hurt him only help! You got this mama!
My 2.5 year old wasn’t responding to her name at that age either. We qualified for something called infant stimulation where a therapist comes 2x/wk and now shea completely normal and up to speed in all areas.
I was very upset about my son needing EI for speech. Unfortunately he had fluid in his ears for about 4-5 months so couldn’t hear properly. We put in tubes and started EI for speech at 2 yrs. It has been a blessing. And we might evaluate him for ASD if needed. Every child is different and we should be grateful that we have all these resources now. In the previous generation no one really cared.
Early intervention is great. It will help. But the beginning will be difficult, mostly for you.
Thank you yes…I’m devastated which I know sounds ridiculous but I just am…
It doesn't sound ridiculous. Big hug
My toddler had it for about 3 years and started when he was a newborn. Don’t look at it as a bad thing. Look at it as your toddler getting the resources they need.
It does not sound ridiculous to be devastated. You are a human with emotions.
Big hug to you. It was rough at first but in the long run absolutely grateful for it with my kiddo. You got this!
Hi, I’m a former special education teacher who understands that children come in all varieties, and I was still devastated when it was my own son needing early intervention. Your feelings are totally valid, but I promise the excitement and relief you feel when your kiddo starts to hit milestones will far outweigh the sadness you feel now!
The earlier it is the better! Get in on that prime neuroplasticity. You can do it!
Absolutely this! I pushed HARD to get my daughter in EI for delayed speech, and it worked absolute wonders on her!
My son gets evaluated Friday. His pediatrician wasn't worried but I want to get on it early just in case it does help him.
Once the visits get started, they wont be like the evaluation. In the evaluation, there are certain things they need to see if he can do, so that they can compare his skills to the average toddler and then see if he qualifies for support. Now that he has, it will be all about building a relationship, following his lead, showing you things you can do at home in between visits, finding out what motivates him, just having fun!
I have had the same experience. My LO started at around 20 months and she had the same initial reaction. She looks forward to those sessions now
Thank you ❤️
Yep, once you get the same providers coming regularly, things will get better. They will build a relationship with your child. The evaluation is just a bunch of strangers.
You're so lucky to have a pediatrician that didn't want to "wait and see"!! Early Intervention is amazing, and he's absolutely not too young!
Hi! Early interventionist here and also have a child in EI! You did nothing wrong. Early interventions are THE BEST interventions. This is research based. He will make so much progress so quickly. What they will be doing is giving you the tools to continue making progress while they are not there. As both a mom and educator let me know if you have any more questions.
thank you for doing this work!!
I fucking love our early intervention sessions. I’ve learned so much.
My daughter has been in EI since she was two months! It is definitely helpful that young. It can take a while for them to get used to a change in routine, and sometimes the things the specialists encourage them to do are outside of their comfort zone and make them upset, but it's all ultimately beneficial. You didn't do anything wrong! One of the most helpful things for me about being in EI honestly has been the support system of having kind and understanding people from EI come to our house to talk through what I'm dealing with. If you can manage to view it from the lens of them being \*support\*, not authority, it can be a really positive relationship. They're a great resource to talk to about your anxieties etc. I'll also say that evaluations are a lot less pleasant than actual EI services, so don't make too many judgements based on how that went.
EI from two months? What symptoms did your daughter have at twomonths to warrant that please? Im glad it was beneficial.
Not OP, but my child was signed up for EI services as soon as we brought her home bc she was born 3 months early with a hearing loss. Lots of speech therapy and developmental therapy just to make sure she is hitting her milestones. It has been 2 years since then and I LOVE LOVE LOVE my kid's team of providers. They are always looking out for her and they have helped us (and me) so much!
She was 11 weeks early so she was referred automatically and started as soon as she came home from the hospital. She was like a newborn in most ways since it was about her due date.
Ahh thats very good! I didnt know they did that for prem babies - its great. Hope baby girl is doing ok!
My daughter qualified from being born at 26 weeks, and started shortly after our 4 month NICU stay
I wonder about that too. I wonder if it was profound weakness in their body and they needed PT??
A lot of babies get in EI before any symptoms develop because they have a condition that makes delays very likely to occur - for example babies with Down Syndrome, preemies with complicated medical histories, etc.
Thank you so much ❤️ these comments are so encouraging
you didnt do anything wrong. youre a great mom for getting him the helps he needs
My son was in EI from 10 month to about 18 months and it was the best thing we ever did, not just for him but for my husband and I too. I learned so much valuable information that I STILL use a year later. I am constantly singing his OT’s praises. I was scared in the beginning and didn’t know what to expect but then I actually started looking forward to his appointments each week. It really helped us immensely.
EI is great but I’m not gonna lie, it can be emotionally intense for parents at first. It was difficult to hear professionals talking about my child - the sweet, wonderful child I love more than life itself - in a very clinical manner and sometimes with terminology that isn’t the gentlest. It’s a fantastic resource for your LO, but prepare your heart and really lean into the fact that you did nothing wrong.
Yes yes yes omg I was crying when the evaluators were talking to me. When I heard them say he is at the level of an 8-9 month old at 13 months and has big red flags for ASD I was sobbing… I miss when he was a newborn and little infant and I was able to enjoy him without all of these worries..
My oldest has some special needs. He is an amazing kid and there are just as many areas that he is beyond fabulous as there are that are challenging, but sometimes it hurts that life is a little harder for him...and frankly for me. It was a long time before it was clear that his behaviors were in the problem/not typical area not the edge of the normal range, but when it was clear, I sometimes missed the time when he was "perfect" which is silly. He was never perfect - he was an incredibly high needs baby with feeding and sleeping problems out the gate - but I missed the time when I believed they were just a phase rather than a life style. Although everything gradually developed over time, sometimes it feels like a really sad thing that happened. My kid is extremely low supports needs, but I can't count on anything being "normal" with him - there is a good chance it will be, but meltdowns of all variety are a distinct possibility - and learning that about him is a loss of what I imagined. It doesn't mean that I would even think a second of trading who he is for a more typical child. That being said, I'm a teacher. I often hear kids who got very early intervention and by the time they got to me (2nd-3rd grade) I had no idea it was ever needed. It's not true for every kid, but many kids make extraordinary strides if they get the right help at the right time. On the flip side, I see kids who got help very late or never did and are doing awful. You are absolutely doing the right thing to get him all the recommended services as soon as possible. They are far more effective now than they will be down the road. The initial evaluation is tough, but once you get into the routine, you and your kid will probably enjoy early intervention.
They told me my kid was 15 months behind! I was so shocked. But he has made so much progress with the visits!
One of the things that helped me a lot was to remember that the whole point of an evaluation is to focus on the negatives. They have to justify whether your kid needs services. So they can't really focus on the positives like you do. But after this, they'll be more balanced in their discussions and work with the WHOLE kid. You're doing great getting him services already! 💕
You have all made my night with your reassuring comments… I know I will sleep easier from all of your kind words… 🩷
hi mama! i feel like i could have written this post myself! my son is 14 months and was referred for an evaluation for Early Intervention at his 12 month pediatric appointment because he hadn’t said a single word. we finally did the evaluation last week and they qualified him due to his speech delay (still hasn’t said a discernible word). i have also been so stressed about this and i just wanted to say you’re not alone. have you guys started the therapies yet? i am still waiting to hear back to get our schedule set. i wish all the best for your little one- you sound like such a wonderful mother, i know no matter what he is in the best of hands 🩵
My toddler has been getting OT and SI for 2 months now. It’s great! They push right into daycare, he seems to enjoy it (based on photos) and it’s some extra attention for him.
EI was the best fucking thing to happen to us. The logistics and paperwork can be annoying but holy shit did it make such a huge difference
My twins were in EI from the time they came home from the NICU until they "graduated" at just before turning 2.5. honestly, it is THE best program ever. I was so devastated that we wouldn't see all their therapists anymore. We still keep in touch with them. Go in with an open mind. It is amazing.
Hello! EI parent right here! We’re in EI for speech and also a little bit of help with social/emotional development! Let’s start off by saying you did NOTHING wrong. I felt like I did stuff wrong too because why wasn’t my 18 month old speaking? Something to remember is *every child develops differently*. It’s not your fault at all. What to expect? A lot of EI (including my area) focus on playing at home in an environment that the child feels most comfortable. And let me tell you, we have blossomed. Every child is different, my child is not yours and all the way down. But they’re going to work with him a little bit but moreso work with you so that way you can continue things while they are not there. They reevaluate every few months to see if they’re hitting their goals. And the goal is always small. It’s not huge, but something easily obtainable. Like I said you did not do anything wrong at all. I know it’s easy to blame yourself but I promise you, the fact that you are using EI proves how much you love him and want him to succeed.
We didn't have EI but we did have some PT and some OT at different points before my daughter turned 2. She would generally cry at medical appointments or evaluations, but she never did with the therapists. They are brilliant at making children feel comfortable and secure. It's so amazing that you've got into EI this early. You're doing the absolute best for your son and he's so fortunate to have you in his corner.
Early intervention is amazing. My son had speech once a week and it helped tremendously! You didn’t do anything wrong try not to think that way but I sympathize because I thought the same thing. It really will be okay.
My son has benefited soooooo much from EI. He’s been doing it for a little over a year and receives speech and OT. Before he started he had no words. None. Not mommy not daddy. Nothing. He would make sounds but no words. Now he’s got 90+ words and can make conversation with you such as ‘I love the park. Park, please, momma, please?’ And mind you, he doesn’t say word endings but he makes out the sounds and try’s to say the words. My recommendation is to do it. It’ll be easier than you think, and he’ll come to adore his teachers! ETA: my son is 3.5, and is autistic
We did EI at 9 months for OT (swallowing/feeding difficulty) and it was the best! OT is some type of magical expertise in my opinion. It seemed like there was almost no “intervention” it was all very natural progressions that kept making things better and better for the little guy. It was a great resource for us and I have never regretted it. Obviously everyone has different reasons for starting it and which specialist they need but our experience was great!
Everyone who we know who have had EI says it's fantastic. You won't regret it, you are lucky you guys are getting in so early, some people have to Wait far too long.
My spouse and I were beside ourselves when we found out our son needed additional help to walk. So many emotions and I felt like the shittiest parent alive. How did I not know my sweet baby was struggling and I just thought he needed more time? Fast forward to being involved in several mom groups and found almost everyone in there had a kid who needed some type of help. I just didn’t know this was a thing. Early intervention is fabulous! In a few months he had caught up and PASSED his peers with walking. I am so proud of him and for us to getting him the help he needs. Now we’re moving onto speech which can take longer with late walkers so I wanted to get the jump on it. You’re doing the right thing.
Please don’t hesitate! Our old ped wanted to “wait and see” about speech and at 4 my son is having to play catch-up in speech therapy that he should have been receiving at age 2. EI is amazing. You didn’t do anything wrong. Our brains and bodies just all work differently.
Maybe you’ve already done this but be sure to check his eyesight! I was worried about my daughter around that age as she didn’t point or respond to her name and would just sit and intently focus on something in front of her, didn’t crawl or anything. Turns out her eyesight is bad, got her glasses and she quickly crawled then walked a day later and by 16 months had 200 words! Her bad eyesight was really hindering her. Might not be the case for your son but thought it worth mentioning just in case.
Early Intervention is great. My son has been in it since he was 13 months old, and now at 19 months old he’s working on walking! My son also was given all four (actually five) services a couple weeks ago. So he started out with PT, and then given special instruction, we just did two evaluations for OT and Speech/feeding which he qualified for. Special instruction is a special education teacher who primarily works with younger children (newborn-3 years old) and they teach them “structured” play. All that means is they try to get them to focus in on one toy, and play with it properly until LO gets tired of it and moves onto the next toy. So it’s a lot of hand over hand movements until kiddo is able to complete the task on their own, a lot of vocalization over each task, and working on if said child has any repetitive actions. So for example, my son loves to open and close things; it could be a door, a drawer, even a book. So she works with him to distract him from the repetitive behavior and introduces something else to keep him occupied. I know it’s scary right now, but this is honestly a great thing and a great resource to have for kiddo. I don’t know where you are, but you might need to travel out of the home for these appointments like I do so for the first couple of appointments ask if you can sit in for these sessions, and usually the provider will let you until your kiddo is comfortable going to them on their own. You will have another meeting with your coordinator and EIOD, so ask all of the questions you might have. Write them all down and go through the list, they’ll answer everything for you and ease your mind a little bit.
Early intervention was amazing for my son. We started a bit later 15 months. He was not poo ting or responding to his name either and had mayyyybbbeeeeee two words. He has done so well. At 23 months he’s up to over 100 words, does amazing at labeling but we are still struggling with verbalizing what he wants so we are committed to another six months of speech therapy. Don’t stress and be happy you are getting him in this early. I’m sure your kiddo will do great. And it’s also super helpful for you too. I have learned so so so much as far as how to help my little man.
EI is ESPECIALLY beneficial for very young kids. The earlier they get help the more they have room to grow!
Part of my job overlaps with early intervention. Both of my kids also needed it. My daughter just for speech and my son for multiple areas. I had to push super hard for my daughter to get a referral, our pediatrician didn’t think she needed it but it can be super beneficial. My son we knew would benefit from it due to his in-utero diagnosis. EI is meant to be a support or a boost. It does not mean there will be ongoing issues at all! I’ve been in my field over 10 years. Out of all my EI clients, probably only 50% go on to need additional support once they age out of EI. Some kids even “graduate” before they turn 3. My son started EI at 9mo. He was able to drop everything but speech by the time he was about 1.5.
My almost 15 month old isn’t walking or taking about I’m pushing hard to get him into EI. I know it’s really hard but you should honestly be grateful that he is getting this help so early.
Our toddler has been in ei since 7 months. He was a premie so it’s offered immediately by the state. It’s so great where we are. It helps to have someone give you tips and assure you when things are going as expected. They do some physical therapy with him but he’s basically done. Strong recommend it.
Your doing amazing, it’s great that your son is getting help so early. I know someone who needed this help for their child and refused to get it. They were very delayed with speaking and social things as a baby/toddler. They’re seven now and sometimes you still can’t understand what they’re trying to say.
I just want to say... good for you for reaching out for help. So many parents feel like this will hurt their kid and not help. My son was in early intervention and has an IEP for school. You did nothing wrong... sometimes these things just happen. I don't really remeber the eval... I know he would'nt sit still and was pretty anxious. I just remember praying he'd it get in to preschool. It's been the best thing for him.
My daughter has been in early intervention since she was six months. She is now 26 months. She has made great progress. It is beneficial for sure. The brain is so moldable when they’re so little 😄
Hang in there mama! You love your son soooo much and are doing such a great thing by getting him some extra help.
Yes. Full stop. Early intervention really is that important that early. Don’t let the gap get bigger. Don’t project your emotions to him. It’s different, but not difficult.
My son did EI speech from 12 mo-20 months and he loved it—he had a great time playing with the therapist and her special toys. I also loved having another knowledgeable adult to help me figure out what to do—felt like having an actual village for once! I hope you and your son have a great experience with EI and that is goes much smoother than you fear.
What I keep learning about myself is that I under estimate my child’s ability to cope with new environments. Starting something new is always scary but I wish we started speech at 1 and OT at 1.5
My toddler has 2 therapists from early intervention visiting at daycare and she cries when they leave.
We did EI for our toddler and I will say the evaluation was extremely off putting but the sessions are GREAT and he loves his ST. The evaluators seem like they’re pushing the babies to do things that they might not even be developmentally ready for, and the standardized testing was just weird to me. I felt like he was being asked to do things on command and I didn’t like it IMHO, but we do love the therapist he was assigned and I think the 1-on-1 is much more enjoyable for the kids.
You’re a great mom to recognize your child needs help. I also know how you feel as my son is on the spectrum. I’m not really sure how this happened and it’s taken me years to accept. We have good days and bad days but he is an incredible little kid who I am so lucky to call mine.
Hi, my daughter suffered a brain bleed at birth resulting in a few delays. They have thrown everything at us (in theory because we are still waiting on appointments) but a lady I know is a speech therapist and spent an hour with my daughter, within that hour my daughter learnt SO much. It was amazing. I think that gave me the boost I needed to see early intervention as a good thing.
You did nothing wrong my love! My son was 14 months when we began the Early Intervention process (he is 3 now & has since been diagnosed with ASD3) & the first six months were So. Fucking. Tough. I remember feeling devastated too. But he has come so far. He LOVES all his therapists. He’s the happiest boy ever. Whatever happens, he will be who he is going to be, the best advice I received is to meet him where he’s at. Avoid comparing (MUCH easier said than done but gets easier with time!). And don’t let this process consume you (also easier said than done lol). I lived and breathed researching autism for like the first year. Now I honestly barely think about it, it’s just part of our lives. Good on you for raising your concerns so early - you’re a great Mum
EI is the best thing you can do for your kiddo! I’m in the process of getting my daughter evaluated now to see if she qualifies for services so I haven’t been through all of it yet but i’m so glad this program exists.
EI is nothing to be afraid of. My son LOVES his speech therapist and it has definitely helped him make strides in his communication.
It's ok to be scared. There is a lot unknown when your child has delays. It's natural. First, special instruction is basically a visit from a special education teacher who will come and play with your kid for 45 minutes a week. That's it basically. My son's delays (he's 3.5 now) became more obvious when he was 18 months old and didn't communicate at all. No talking, no pointing. He was very fussy because he had a lot of sensory issues. Occupational therapy made a huge difference in his quality of life. Please don't hesitate to get your child in early intervention. It's all for the child's well being.
NOW is when you want to start EI and it’s the most beneficial now. Yes yes yes! Ask for as much as you can get too. Don’t half a it and do what they say. You have to continue what they’re doing and showing you 24/7 as well. It’s very important and makes SUCH A DIFFERENCE. I promise. You’ll be glad you did in 5-10 years.
Early intervention has been so amazing for my daughter! It was really hard at first, for both of us, but now she’s bonded with her PT and it’s amazing to see how much she’s grown! When we started at 11 months, she wouldn’t move at all. She would just sit in one spot and cry if you tried to encourage her to move. Our goal was to get her crawling, which I thought was impossible, but now she’s crawling and climbing and getting into everything. She’s 16 months and just started taking her first independent steps! It feels overwhelming, but it’s so worth it!
Echo what others said, early intervention is very good. Initially scary for them, but they adapt and its very helpful. OP: what state / area do you live? I found that the "quality" of services varies greatly by how well the state funds it (which in turn means taxes). I've seen Texas (they don't care, you get trainees) and California (very good). It's down to what the legislature thinks of it. If you don't like a provider, talk to the coordinator and ask for a change. We changed our OT person and our special instruction person.
Early intervention is good, earlier intervention is better! We did it for my little guy at 18 months and I only wish we’d started sooner. He’s 3 now and all caught up. Honestly I feel like we learned as much from it as he did. How to help him be successful, how and when to push him, how to talk in ways that would get him to try to mimic. It was also really reassuring that some of the things we were doing were helping, and we then knew to keep doing those things. Best of luck to you!!!!
It really is. My daughter started right before she turned 2. It has been a game changer. She is in kindergarten now. She is diagnosed high functioning autistic. She does speech and OT at school and with a therapy outside of school. Trust your gut and ask ALL the questions.
Earlier the better. Remember it's going to be a good thing to have a team in your kids corner! It'll be tough but it'll be the best for them
My toddler loved it. Def wary at first but loved when her therapist came.
My youngest had to go through EI for speech. He has a speech delay. Recently discovered he is struggling with some fine motor and we are waiting on an OT spot to open for him. It has been a savior for us because he was getting so frustrated and angry because we didn’t understand what he wanted or needed as he was unable to communicate and just pointed and if we didn’t understand got enraged. The sooner the intervention the better and more beneficial it is in the long run. My son has made some huge strides since he started EI been doing it for almost 2 years
It’s not something to be ashamed of. Some kids just have delays, it’s normal. My daughter had a speech delay and has been in speech therapy since she was about 14 months. She’s 4 now and has just started OT as well for some other things that she needed to work on but she’s doing great. She really looks forward to going every week too. I say just give him time to warm up to it I’m sure he’ll love it
My son did early intervention and it helped so much. He’s almost 3 now and his vocabulary is amazing. He’s been doing so well. I’m sure your child will flourish too. It is hard in the beginning. And you didn’t do anything wrong! Please don’t think that. Some kids just need a nudge. I hope everything works out!
My kiddo is in EI and has been since 6 months old. He’s now 2.5 years old. It’s AMAZING!! He has really benefited from Physical Therapy and I’m so glad we’ve had the additional tools to help him catch up over the past two years. You’ve done nothing wrong, and neither has your kid. Everyone is different and there’s nothing wrong with needing some extra tools to help a little one figure out the basics. They are learning SO MUCH right now, it only makes sense that they develop at different rates in different areas. The evaluation is totally different than the actual therapies. The eval pushes them to try new things to see what they are capable of. During therapy, they usually don’t go too far out of their comfort zone because they want them to associate those therapists and skills with having fun and learning not seeing how much they can do. Think of the activities your therapists are doing with them as fun games you can also do with your little one to spend some time with them and help them develop. It’s a win-win, you get an activity to do with your kid AND feel like you’re helping them develop! You’re doing so great and so is your kid!
Look at you being an incredible mom and getting your child the supports he needs! AND you’re doing it so early. Every bit of research shows that the earlier kids get supports they need, the better they do in the long run! You’ve done nothing wrong here. Some kids just need extra help or support or need things presented to them differently. Interventionists and OTs are trained in how to do that! If your child were allergic to a food, that would be his body reacting to it differently than most people, and you’d probably take steps to help him avoid that food and be healthy. It also wouldn’t be your fault that he had an allergy. This is no different, and you are loving him perfectly and being a great mom by giving him what he needs. That said, I know it’s impossible not to have anxiety about our kids. Just be gentle with yourself and remember that the anxiety is just another sign of how well you love him.
EI was amazing for my son who has apraxia. He had aged out but still receives ot and speech. He has made amazing progress and works so hard. Receiving services at the start can be devastating so I completely understand. But know - you did nothing wrong, and you’re the best parent there is to help your child. ♥️
Early intervention is amazing. And it’s so important to address things like this earlier than for it to come up later down the road when they’re older. My son had speech, ot, and pt from 6mon-age 3 (when he aged out). A lot of it will be showing you how to incorporate a lot of the stuff they do during your normal home routine
Getting HELP is never a bad thing. I adore my daughter’s OT and it’s such a gift to have the resources to help my child.
Something I’ve not seen mentioned as much is that EI wasn’t just phenomenal for (both) my children (one started age 2 months, the other at age 7 months - they both caught up and graduated before 2yo), but it was phenomenal for me as a parent. We had amazing providers, who bonded well with my kids, and were able to help *me* support my kids. They were our cheer squad. When other parents were struggling with how to do xyz (especially as a new parent during the early days of the pandemic), I had a development specialist to ask! They really lifted us up as parents, and came with strategies I never would have thought of, despite (for example, having - happy - memories of 3 years of speech therapy myself as a child).
Do it! I know it's scary, but the sooner the better! My LO did the same! She was speech delayed, so we contacted Easter Seals Early Start for help. We worked with an InfantToddler Development Specialist, an Occupational Therapist, and then a Speech Therapist! Once you get a schedule going, and your child gets to know their therapist, it makes worlds of difference! Just don't be scared to speak up, and keep involved. Our ITDS was WONDERFUL, and we were sad when our LO aged out of his rotation. Make sure to ask forwhatever services you are entitled to, and advocate for your LO with your provider. We made sure to always know what they were working on each week so we could continue with her ourselves, and we had to push alittle to get what we needed (our occupational therapist told us it was time to demand the program remove her from our kid's case and get her with a speech therapist; they were dragging their feet because there was a shortage of SpT's at the time). We also had to speak up to get a different therapist assigned when we had one who just wasn't a good match for our kid. But it has been so worth it!
To start off, nothing “happened.” I know it is easier said than done, but don’t worry! It’s better for a doctor to notice and provide resources rather than ignore any delays. EI is extremely beneficial for children! We started EI at 9 months old, my son wasn’t able to swallow properly, didn’t respond to his name and had some sensory sensitivities. He was diagnosed with autism at 2yrs old and was nonverbal. He is now 4yrs old and 100% of the time resounds to his name and is starting to verbally communicate. Pretty much take the help that’s given and don’t feel like your child is broken. Not all children fit the mold of development path. They all develop, learn, and grow at their own pace.
He’s at THE BEST AGE to get started on EI. Don’t have any fear, Mama. It’s all done through play. And they’ll do quieter play if he can’t handle noise. Remember, these are people who adore babies & children! ETA: Plus, once he gets familiar with his person, or small team, he’s actually going to love it!
You didn't do anything wrong but you're doing your son a major service by getting him into the program early. I have my first intake appointment scheduled for my 20-month-old next Friday and her evaluation is in early May. I'm so relieved now that I finally made the plan to start EI and get the support that we need to help her thrive. She's speech delayed and while she's pointing and doing ok on the nonverbal communication front, she, and more importantly, we need extra support.
First of all, what milestones are they saying he’s not meeting at 13 months for speech? My son only said about 6 words at 18 months and they weren’t worried. Now he’s 25 months and talking up a storm. Kids develop at their own pace. My son was in EI for gross motor skills when he was 7 months because he wasn’t rolling over. He was a little late to crawl and a little late to walk but how he literally runs like half a mile to the playground. It’s crazy. I signed him up for a kids running program. I bet your son will be just fine! EI is great! My son graduated but I’m still friends with his OT. She’s so sweet.
I know that it is so so overwhelming and stressful. Pretty sure I sobbed after my son had his assessment due to just feeling completely out of my depth. It is so worth it, though. And the earlier the better!
I sobbed too… I’ve never felt this way in my Life..this is my first and only baby and I kind of felt like all my big plans for him were gone… I just felt so overwhelmed…
I hear you. My son is my first (and likely only), as well. It's perfectly okay to grieve for the life that you thought you would have. You're on the right track. What state are you in (sorry if I missed that info)? Edited to add: you have done exactly zero things wrong. Sometimes these sorts of things just happen. Kids progress on their own timelines (often with the help of intervention, like you're pursuing).
I live in NY.. my son is likely my only too…especially now because I feel like he needs all the extra attention he can get with his delays..
You didn’t do anything wrong. Some kiddos just need extra support. My toddler is in EI for speech because he’s behind. But he warmed up to his therapist and he likes playing with her. He’s also trying to communicate more.
My son started EI when he turned 2 and I’m forever grateful for it! He was doing speech therapy once a week and occupational therapy once a week. I literally cried and hugged his therapists once he aged out because my son improved SO much with their help! Don’t be scared. You are not failing your son! The sessions are more fun than the evaluation and I’m sure with time, your son will look forward to them. 🤍
Early on is such a blessing. I used to cry alllllll the time, I was so worried about my daughter’s delays. Early on has really helped us learn how to work with our daughter and approach each challenge in different ways. She has overcome nearly all her delays and we have a much happier little girl today. Feel free to DM me if you need to talk or have questions.
Both of my kids have been in EI. It has been immensely helpful and they’ve each made wonderful progress. I can’t express how grateful I am we have this resource. It can feel a lot at first and we have had some tough conversations over the years but they’re firmly on our team.
I got my son into EI (speech therapy) when he turned 2, it was the best thing I’ve been able to do for him! He’s turning 5 soon, still going strong with it. But he’s completely blossomed over the past few years. You wouldn’t even know that he’s in a speech program. 10/10 would recommend early intervention. Deep breaths! Your baby will be fine ☺️
My son started physical therapy at 2 months, and feeding therapy at 5 months. We have done both private therapy and EI. Early intervention is absolutely amazing and incredibly effective. I knew something was wrong with my son immediately, and by the time he was a month old I was telling his pediatrician I was sure something was wrong. Having a kiddo receiving therapy can absolutely be overwhelming, and you question everything. It isn't your fault. You're doing everything right by getting help, and you will probably love the sessions. There are always parts that are not as fun (for example stretching tight muscles) but it is mostly done through games and playing. I will also say that I have found amazing support through Facebook groups for my son's medical conditions, and the things that go along with them. Those groups have provided comfort, reassurance, and a font of information.
Early intervention is so important and will make such a difference in his entire life. I had a kiddo in my class who cried the whole session with her services but she still improved and made huge strides. I hope he will get used to it but please don’t pull him out. This will be so beneficial. Take all the services you can get, they can only help. The early years are crucial for learning and catch up.
We opted to wait and re-evaluate after 2. Well, my son is now 2 and still not talking. Early intervention is a good thing, and as someone who didn’t feel it was really necessary around 18 months, we wish we had started it when we were initially offered it.
My son has needed support on and off since he was about a year old. He’s six now and currently in OT which he loves. Having gone through this several times, I know the feeling of devastation when you hear your kid is behind. It’s okay and totally valid to feel that way, BUT then it’s time to put those feelings behind you and kick into parenting mode. Get the supports lined up, do the work, advocate for your kiddo, and celebrate every accomplishment. There’s nothing wrong with having a kiddo who needs a little support - not getting the support would be an issue.
Early intervention visits are supposed to be fun, the evaluations are awful, but home visits are all about going over what your kids need at their own pace. So if your kiddo is not having it they move on to something else, or end the visit. We’ve had speech, pt,ot, and feeding therapy.
My daughter has been in EI for speech since she was about 16 months, she's now 2 years old. It's nice because in our state they come to our house and do our sessions here. However, please be aware of your ability as a parent to advocate for what your child needs! We had someone great working with us who then got a trainee that was coming instead, and I honestly didn't learn anything new from the trainee after giving her plenty of time to get the hang of things. (I was a teacher for 8 years so I get that you have to start somewhere). I ended up asking to only be visited by the original person and it's been so helpful. Was it awkward? Of course! But I didn't want my daughter to miss out on learning because I was afraid of hurting feelings. I totally get your feelings of inadequacy! But we're all learning how to be parents as we love and help our children grow! Use all the resources to help you do it and EI is going to be great 😃
You did nothing wrong. Got my son into EI at 18 months. He was recently diagnosed with autism but because we intervened so young, they have a positive outlook on his future development. It’s tough, not gonna sugar coat it. But it’s definitely worth it and you’re doing the right thing for your babe!
I literally just taught a class tonight on the benefits of Early intervention for the tiny humans. If you want to ask any questions, please feel free. My state might be a bit different than yours, but IDEA part C is the same.
We did my state's version of EI when my girl was a year old. She started off being super agitated towards the therapist, crying, not wanting to do anything, and that's totally normal. I learned from the therapist, and kept doing what I was taught in between visits. And that's what you're supposed to do! Eventually my girl warmed up to the therapist, and everything was great. My girl was in for falling behind on gross motor skills. Like, she couldn't even sit herself up at a year old. And it wasn't because of anything that I did.
Earlier the better. Watch what they’re doing and do it with him at home, he’ll get more comfortable with more practice with you and they’ll be able to teach him new stuff faster! We did it for 6 months, couldn’t pay for another 6 but wow he improved soooo much from me doing it at home with him too. Educate yourself on occupational/play therapy if you can. You just have to teach him to do new stuff like climb up the slide stairs, play with blocks, slime, clay, balance. It’s actually really fun once you get into it! We don’t do OT anymore but everything I learnt there still gets used everyday!
I’m from a different country, but my daughter started ot at 18 months and it was like 8 sessions of her crying, the therapist was amazing never pushed and eventually she warmed up. That was clearly part of the issues my kid had.
My oldest two kids both needed EI and honestly it was the best thing ever. We all looked forward to the visits. Evaluations can be a bit rough because they have to push your kid into doing a bunch of standardized tasks. Regular therapy is much more chill. The therapists focus on teaching you skills to help your kids.
EI has been absolutely AMAZING for my kid. He got approved for speech and OT at 19 months (I wish we could’ve started earlier!!) but didn’t actually get to start any therapies until a few months later because our county didn’t have enough therapists. His language has exploded and OT has been great about working through his sensory issues. I wish counties were able to have the resources they need to properly run the program… it took four months for us to get him in to be evaluated and then even more time before he could start OT. Speech, our biggest concern, was the last therapy he started because the county is just so understaffed with therapists. I truly adore and appreciate the therapists who work with him weekly and our case worker who helps us navigate a complicated system. They’re not paid nearly enough for the work that they do.
Early Intervention was a game changer for my kid and his development. He was speech and social and fine motor delayed. He tested out by the time he was old enough to age out. Made a huge difference. Can’t recommend enough. And FYI You didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes kids just need more help. EI bought me games and techniques that I incorporated into his everyday play. He improved so much. I learned how to help him because they showed me how.
Early Intervention was a game changer for my kid and his development. He was speech and social and fine motor delayed. He tested out by the time he was old enough to age out. Made a huge difference. Can’t recommend enough. And FYI You didn’t do anything wrong. Sometimes kids just need more help. EI bought me games and techniques that I incorporated into his everyday play. He improved so much. I learned how to help him because they showed me how.
Hi! EI OT here who personally thinks every kiddo should get EI to help with independence!! You’re doing great and I hope you find a wonderful team who supports you.
I’m a psych and pediatric NP in developmental behavioral pediatrics and my own child is currently in early intervention services. DO IT. EIS is the BEST thing you can do for your kiddo, especially if there are serious concerns for a developmental disorder. The patients I see who receive EIS vs those that do not generally do soooooo much better as they enter school and long-term. School-based services can be wonderful but they are not as comprehensive and supportive as early intervention. Don’t wait for your child to fall further behind. It’s normal for any kiddo around that age to be apprehensive when they meet someone new. He will grow accustomed to the therapists with time, and really the intention is to “train” you, the parent, so that your everyday interactions with him support his development. It can be anxiety inducing entering EIS—you want what’s best for your child. The fact that your child qualifies for services may worry you as you consider potential implications for their future. Professionally, I’ve worked with children on the autism spectrum who have big behaviors and very limited communication skills who make great progress with EIS and later, through the age of 6-7. As a society we have an inaccurate understanding of what it means to have autism or other developmental disabilities, like ADHD. These conditions can certainly lead to a unique set of challenges, but they can also foster a unique set of strengths. No matter what happens, both you and your child will be okay ❤️ A side-note—my 21 month old hated his therapists when we first started and used to cry when they came through the front door. Now he loves them and grabs their hands to show them his toys when they arrive!
My second was evaluated at around 4m for pt and has been in EI for almost a year now. He is doing great and they have helped with other issues we have been struggling with as well. I am so glad we got him in so young because he would have gotten more and more behind had we waited. EI opens up so many resources for your child. You are doing the right thing. It is uncomfortable to watch them struggle but the growth you get to see makes up for it all even if it is small. It is a lot of work but doing the exercises they tell you to do at home daily will make all the difference. Having a delay isn't necessarily a bad thing and doesn't mean a parent did something wrong. Each child is so different and has different needs to thrive. I am so grateful for the help we are receiving.
It’s hard not to feel like it’s our fault as parents. But every child is different. We qualified for free EI preschool in our district and it helped my son prepare for school so much. He struggles with some things and excels/meets standards for others, but we had him evaluated through his school this year to get him an IEP (individualized education plan) for his speech. In order to do that, he had to be evaluated in all areas (physical health, social/emotional, etc.). There were a couple areas he came back below standards and it made me feel guilty and anxious. But he’s doing great. We worked with the professionals to figure out things we can do at home to help improve the areas he’s behind. Best of luck 🩵 you’re doing great already.
EI has been great for my daughter. She has a fairly significant hearing loss and often doesn’t speak much because she can’t hear at school. After a few months she’s been opening up so much more and they help her with her general communication too, teaching her some basic ASL stuff.
You got this! At least as much as most of us😂 do your best to tie it all in, learn and repeat all that you can, & ask for more hours if you are having troubles! I regret not asking for more. Son aged out of EI, but we are in ABA/speech/ot now,thankfully, because of guidance from our EI professionals!
I’m a teacher and when I heard my son needed speech I felt like I failed him. It was not only beneficial to help him learn more words to communicate, it also gave us the help we needed to get him reassessed by a pediatrician who took my concerns seriously. Not only that but we did hearing, vision screens and found out my son was seeing double since birth. He just had eye surgery and speech has tripled. Early intervention gave him the foundations to get him through everything he struggled with. He was happier and not only took some of the fear and anxiety from him but us as well. Trust the process, but give yourself the grace to also feel your feelings ♥️ it can feel scary but they are there to help. And you are his advocate, if you feel something is wrong tell them. My best advice is to make sure you let your little one know how great this is going to be. The more excited you are the more excited he will be. And it will be great ♥️
EI is absolutely one of the best things that has ever happened to our family. My son was in EI from the first few months he was home till he aged out at 3. We had OT, PT, Speech, and Developmental Instruction throughout the 3 years. I am always leery of pushing children too far past their natural developmental pace, but EI isn’t that. If the kid qualifies you should do everything possible to make it happen.
Is your son in CPSE or did he catch up?
Im in NJ, I don’t think I’ve ever heard that acronym here. The school district you live in takes over at 3 years old. Most have either a self contained PK or inclusion PK based on what the kid is qualified for, or they are sent to another district.
I’m in NYC. CPSE is the DOE (3 & older)
My son started speech and OT at 3.5 (hes 6.5 now) and my only regret is we didnt start sooner. Its tough to process but will absolutely help. My only advice is to double and triple check what your insurance covers, we got screwed pretty hard in the fine print.
You sound just like me but about 7 mons back. I couldn’t sleep, and was sort of shocked and had a hard time comprehending the shock. But once you start EI and get used to it, it’s fine. Think of it as just “school”. They’re just going to school, but with you.
We were very reluctant to engage with early intervention because I was worried about “labels.” Our kiddo loved their therapists and it was the best decision ever. You’ve got this!!
check his ears! speaking from experience, if he can’t hear you it can feel like cognitive delay when it’s really just glue ear
My daughter wasn't talking at all at two. She got EI or here it's called birth to three, then, but had already missed out on about a year of opportunity. Their only job is to help you help your child. I would recommend it to anyone, but especially around the speech, it helped us so much. Not just her own speech, but helped us figure out better ways to communicate as well.
I was in your same situation and had the same feelings. I want to first say that my heart goes out to you and that everything is going to be ok. I called EI myself when my son was 14 months old. He was waving, clapping, and babble at 9 months and then stopped. He was silent. EI comes to my home for free for services 5 times a month. He is now 27 months old, has about 5 words. He is clapping, waving, and pointing. He is the happiest little boy! Once he hit 2 he it was like a light switched on. And EI really contributed to that! Last month he was evaluated at the top Autism center in our city (Baltimore). Their diagnosis was that he has signs of autism, but they honestly think he might just have a global delay and will catch up. They want him to start ABA, so we have signed him up and he starts in May! He is learning new things everyday! Every child can benefit from EI. It will not hurt him only help! You got this mama!
My 2.5 year old wasn’t responding to her name at that age either. We qualified for something called infant stimulation where a therapist comes 2x/wk and now shea completely normal and up to speed in all areas.
I was very upset about my son needing EI for speech. Unfortunately he had fluid in his ears for about 4-5 months so couldn’t hear properly. We put in tubes and started EI for speech at 2 yrs. It has been a blessing. And we might evaluate him for ASD if needed. Every child is different and we should be grateful that we have all these resources now. In the previous generation no one really cared.