The first thing any parenting book or blog will reassure you is that all children grow and develop at their own unique pace.
While age-related milestones can help you get an idea of how your child is developing in relation to their peers, it is not uncommon for children to develop skills months ahead or after their peers do. For example, some children may begin speaking or babbling before their first birthday, whereas others may only start doing so many months after their first birthday has passed.
That being said, this variation means that many parents often find themselves worrying about whether their child has any developmental delays – and if so, what they can do to address this.
The first step is to consult with a trusted paediatrician or GP in Singapore who will be able to assess delays and make recommendations if formal intervention might be required.
One recommendation you might receive is to begin an Early Intervention Programme (EIP) or join an Early Intervention Programme for Infants and Children (EIPIC) as soon as possible. EIPs can be beneficial for children with Global Developmental Delays (GDD), Autism, ADHD, or other specific developmental delays.
What is an Early Intervention Programme?
Early Intervention Programmes (whether EIPs or EIPICs) are specially designed to address and close developmental gaps between your child and their peers. They offer targeted therapies for specific areas your child is struggling with, helping to bridge the differences in the lead up to your child entering primary school.
The short-term benefit of an EIP is that your child and your family are able to learn strategies to cope with or even close developmental gaps; whereas the long-term benefit is that your child feels more confident and prepared for mainstream primary school education in Singapore.
Which brings us to some of the common questions parents ask themselves: Is there a right time to begin an EIP? Is it too early to begin an EIP? How do I know if my child is ready for an EIP?
The answer is that EIPs can be administered between 18 months to 6 years of age, and the earlier and faster you start the intervention, the better.
While some moderate developmental delays might disappear on their own, delaying an EIP when your child needs it means your child is losing on out on valuable developmental progress during the crucial early years and preschool period.
This might mean that by the time your child reaches primary school age (or any age for formal education), they might struggle to keep up with their peers which can lead to long-term impacts on their self-esteem, cognitive abilities, social or emotional skills, or speech and language skills (amongst others).
Seeking Help from MindChamps Allied Care
Here at MindChamps Allied Care, our EIP is based on the comprehensive Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System for Infants and Children (AEPS) framework.
Through the AEPS structure, the EIPs administered through our private early intervention centres in Singapore can:
Identify your child’s strengths and budding skills
Identify functional goals and objectives tailored to your child’s individual needs and capabilities
Provide targeted and guided interventions and therapies
Monitor your child’s progress to adjust the EIP recommendations accordingly
Get in touch to find out more about our early intervention programmes and targeted therapy services from our trained childhood development specialists. Find out more in our FAQs or book a centre visit today.
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