Jennifer*, a part-time preschool teacher in a church-affiliated center in Columbus, OH, had a concern about one of the children in her care. Michael, age two years, just wasn't talking like the other kids. He also seemed more sensitive to noise and chaos. While many of the toddlers in the classroom had trouble with transitions, Michael's reaction seemed beyond the range of what Jennifer expected developmentally. He would start to wail and lash out at the other kids. biting, scratching and kicking. When the teachers tried to intervene, he seemed unable to see or hear them. The only thing that helped was having one of the teachers take him by himself and hug him tight, rocking him in the quiet corner by the bookshelves. Even so, class was often disrupted when Michael went keening out of control.

Jennifer called a friend of hers who used to work with the Early Intervention program before deciding to stay at home with her own children. The friend came in to observe the classroom and said, "Jennifer, I think you need to talk to his parents about getting some services with the EI program."

How EI works
Early intervention, an idea that's been in implementation for 21 years, is a federal program funding state services to children 0 to 3 years with disabilities. The goal behind early intervention is to catch kids up sooner, when success rates are higher and services are less expensive, than later. In other words, it's much easier - and less resource-intensive - to treat a 2-and-a-half year old with a speech delay than it is to start when she is entering kindergarten.

The system works like this:

1. Referral. Any child suspected of having a developmental delay or disability may seek a referral to the Early Intervention program.
2. First Contact. The family will be given an Initial Services Coordinator, someone who can help guide the family through the EI system, helping figuring out payment options if services aren't free, and helping them find someone to evaluate the child.
3. Evaluation. EI evaluators will do a thorough check of the child. EI evaluations are much more detailed than most pediatricians and family care doctors are able to give in-office. Using specialized toys and equipment, an EI evaluator can tell a parent a great deal about how their child is doing even if he or she is not delayed.
4. Creation of an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). If the child qualifies for EI, the family will work with the evaluator to come up with a comprehensive plan for that child.
5. Delivery of Services. Services might include individual or group therapy, special preschool or care programs, home visits, specialized equipment, etc.

At no time is the family required to take the services offered and the family can reevaluate the program's necessity as they go.

Early intervention covers a myriad of issues. These include (but are not limited to):
• Developmental delays
• Speech delays
• Learning disabilities
• Hearing problems
• Vision problems
• Orthopedic issues
• Autism

Early intervention is available for children 0 to 3 years, but whether that includes children who have turned three or just covers kids who are two years old depends on the state.

How Early Childhood Educators Can Help
When an early intervention assessor evaluated Michael, it was determined that he had sensory integration issues. His IFSP included home visits to help his parents learn how to handle his outbursts, special equipment they could use in their daily routines and sessions with a therapist with special expertise dealing with sensory issues.

His mother was able to come in to the preschool program and show his teachers new ways to deal with his problems. She also brought in some of the equipment she was using to help him get through his day. Slowly his ability to focus and be successful in the classroom improved and things got a lot easier for everyone. Michael, his classmates as well as Jennifer!

For Michael, the attention and care of his preschool teacher was vital to his future academic and social success. Previously his mother had gone to her son's doctor to ask about his out-of-control reactions to loud noises but Michael was calm in the doctor's office. His pediatrician assured her that outsized reactions she was describing were common for toddlers. It was his teacher's ability to appraise his differences that confirmed his mother's worries and also gave her a place to go to get help. It wasn't a surprise to Michael's mother that something was not quite right but it was a relief to find out that she could do something about it.

Early childhood educators are well versed in child development and, like Jennifer, often know when a child seems "off" compared to the other kids even if they can't quite put a finger on the problem.  Teachers can approach their director to talk to the parents or meet with the parents themselves to talk about what they've seen and to explain more about early intervention.

Directors might also bring an early intervention expert in to speak to teachers about spotting delays in the classroom, how the system works in their state, and how to approach parents about getting help.

Another option is to bring developmental evaluations into the daycare center or preschool to do evaluations. There may be a non-profit agency that will bring early intervention evaluators to your center and parents can sign up for the screenings right on-site. This is a great way to normalize screenings, allowing otherwise reluctant parents to explore the possibility of securing services for their children. Making it an annual event will further cement the non-threatening nature of having evaluations on-site as well as making it far more convenient to get services to the kids in your care.

Learning more
While state policies vary, most early intervention programs are free, allowing parents without financial resources to avail themselves of vital services for their kids. However, some programs do charge fees and it's important you find out what is available in your community before you share information with parents.

You can look to the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities http://www.nichcy.org/states.htm for help learning about what your state offers. Another excellent resource can be found at the National Association of Special Education Teachers http://www.naset.org/earlyintervention2.0.html. It explains more about the early intervention program, what it mandates states must do, and how to get more information.

All names have been changed to protect the child's privacy
Dawn Friedman, a former preschool teacher, lives in Columbus OH. Her work has appeared in Parenting, Yoga Journal and Salon.