Early Childhood Interventions - Essay Example

To alleviate the difficulty practitioners and family members face when attempting to navigate through the EI/ECE literature, several researchers have recently compiled areas of agreement and recommended practice across EI/ECE programs (Hurth et al., 1999; National Research Council, 2001). Through an extensive literature review and surveys from representatives of nationally recognized programs (those with evidence of effectiveness in peer-reviewed journals), Hurth et al. identified six elements of effective EI programs, including specific strategies, settings, and curricular areas: (a) earliest possible start to intervention, (b) individualization of services for children and families, (c) systematic and planned teaching, (d) specialized curriculum, (e) intensity of engagement, and (f) family involvement. Recommended practices around family involvement were described as regular parent participation in training, support groups, consultation, and goal development (Hurth et al., 1999).

Vital curricular areas, as well as setting suggestions, were also identified by the National Research Council (NRC, 2001). The NRC reviewed and systematically assessed research across curricular areas and developed recommendations based on the empirical findings. Objectives related to skills in the social, communication, motor, and cognitive domains were identified, as well as a focus on appropriate behavior and independence. Settings should include ongoing interactions with typically developing peers (NRC, 2001). The NRC also included recommendations related to service delivery, such as low student/teacher ratio (2:1), 25 hrs of educational engagement per week, and mechanisms for ongoing assessment of progress as characteristics of effective interventions.

To gauge the number, type, and perception of supplemental interventions, Smith and Antolovich (2000) surveyed 121 families of children receiving consultations from the Multisite Young Autism Project. Families most frequently used speech and language therapy; biomedical treatments, such as diet and vitamin therapy; and sensory integration therapy. Classroom interventions, however, were not included in the questionnaire, and many of the recommended practices and curricular areas were not addressed in the instrument. Parents ranked the interventions only as helpful, harmful, or neither, and little discussion was made of the impact of specific interventions on various areas of development.

To identify the EI/ECE services in Pennsylvania, as well as the frequency in use, Kohler (1999) conducted a study of services received by 25 families. He found that families received a mean of 6.44 services during 6 months and an average of 36.72 hrs of intervention per week. The families, who had children with ASD ages 2 to 9 years, reported receiving combinations of speech therapy, occupational therapy, school- and home-based services, parent courses, and behavioral consultation. This study is valuable as a beginning measure to track intervention usage in a particular geographic region; however, several noted limitations exist. The sample size (n = 25) and limited sample area (1 county) may limit the generalization of the findings, and no detailed information about the specific type of service or service delivery was reported (only school, home, parent course, therapy, or respite was noted). It is not clear in this study what EI/ECE best practices were used, and Kohler did not describe curricular areas, treatment models, or frequencies of each intervention.

Recent research conducted by Stahmer, Collings, and Palinkas (2005) provided initial data on early intervention practices, as reported by 22 professionals in California. Through focus groups, special education teachers described their classroom practices and their understanding of evidence-based techniques. Similar to previously described studies, interventions related to speech therapy (such as the Picture Exchange Communication System) and occupational therapy/sensory integration were used most frequently. The study provided an important analysis of usage practices, professional knowledge of research recommendations, and initial findings of how treatment decisions were made. However, the authors recommended the use of surveys in the future to gain a broader understanding of methods and strategies used in EI/ECE settings.