Early Intervention refers to educational and various therapy services provided to help children with special needs with an array of developmental skills. Among the Early Intervention Services available are
- Physical skills (reaching, crawling, walking, drawing, building)
- Cognitive skills (thinking, learning, solving problems)
- Communication skills (talking, listening, understanding others)
- Self-help or adaptive skills (eating, dressing)
- Social or emotional skills (playing, interacting with others)
- Sensory processing skills (handling textures, tastes, sounds, smells)
(Source: https://www.understood.org)
At the Cerebral Palsy (Spastic) Children’s Association of Penang we incorporate the concept of Conductive Education which too emphasizes daily practical experiences such as walking, toileting, hand-functional skills, grooming, task series (physical movement), and cognitive skills. All programs are done in rhythmical intention learning method by which the children use language and sing with action to encourage them to participate actively. All the tasks learned are analyzed and broken down into a series of smaller steps. These small steps are continuously practiced and then incorporated into entire tasks. Tasks are viewed as a teaching tool, not a set of exercises. It is the most effective way to achieve the goals. Parents and caregivers are encouraged to carry out the activities at home after observing and participating in the sessions during the classes.