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Enrichment vs. Early Intervention & Remediation: What you may not know

It is a commonly held misconception that children require a diagnosis of autism, Attention Deficit (Hyperactive) Disorder or a medical diagnosis of cerebral palsy to require or benefit from early intervention. All that is required is that a child is struggling functionally in the areas of social emotional development, sensory-motor development, language and communication development, or foundational learning skills/academic development.

We were all children once, and we can all remember the moments when we knew something was hard for us, and we truly struggled. We can also remember the moment that a teacher, coach, doctor, or parent acknowledged the struggle and helped us to learn and grow.

Early intervention is often confused with enrichment programs such as KUMON, Sylvan Learning Centers, and reading programs for four and five year olds. Programs like these are excellent sources of support to help enrich a childĖs learning by teaching mastery of academic skills like reading comprehension, math proficiency, and independent learning skills. For children that show an interest and a joy to learn, providing an enriched learning experience at any age is beneficial.

However, therapy is necessary when underlying foundational development and processing skills are challenged. If the child is struggling and/or the parent feels the child needs more exposure to learning, it is important to teach at the Ījust right levelĶ safeguarding the emotional well-being of the child and providing successful learning experiences.

If the preschool or elementary school classroom is moving at a fast pace, and a child is processing information at a slower pace, early intervention can be a useful tool to identify the reasons behind this Īout of syncĶ phenomenon and close the gap.

Early identification and intervention provides therapeutic services to children who struggle with development and learning skills. Early intervention can either remediate existing developmental problems or prevent their progression.

Just because a child is receiving intervention does not mean there is something wrong, it just means the child could benefit from additional support to make learning and life easier, more accessible, and to safeguard self-esteem.

It is also important to remember that no singular skill on its own warrants intervention and therapy. In the words of Joan Martin, Director at Crossroads Elementary in Santa Monica,

ĪWe all know that learning issues aren't often expressed singularly÷ The model of "the learning tree" enables students, parents and teachers to understand the interconnections amongst the necessary components for effective learning.Ķ

This whole child approach and an understanding of the interconnections between processing skills, motor skills, language development, and learning is what therapists working as a team offer. When the brain has trouble processing information, struggles/deficits materialize in motor, social and language skills. Occupational, speech and language, and educational therapists understand the importance of approaching a childĖs learning and development from a holistic perspective.

Teamwork- Early Detection

Who Can Help & How?

Our community is blessed with many highly trained professionals in the areas of neuropsychology, psycho-educational assessment, educational therapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and pediatric medicine.

Educational Therapy Testing-Educational therapy provides educational and therapeutic approaches that help students progress successfully through the learning process. ET develops foundational skills required for reading, math, executive function, and attention. The ET assessment process includes a functional academic and learning skills assessment and /or record review, parent/client consultation, report and recommendations, and program set-up if necessary.

Speech and Language Testing- Speech and language testing includes an evaluation of the childĖs speech (articulation), expressive language, language comprehension, voice, fluency, and oral motor skills through informal observation, as well as through administration of standardized language tests if necessary.

Occupational Therapy Testing- Occupational therapy testing will evaluate the childĖs attention and play/social development, gross (large) and fine (small) motor skills, sensory processing, and pre-writing skills through informal observation, as well as through administration of various standardized assessments if necessary. The evaluation process may also include functional developmental (sensory-motor, visual perceptual, sensory processing) and learning skills assessment and /or record review, parent/client consultation, report and recommendations, followed by program set- up if deemed beneficial.

Neuropsychological Testing- pediatric neuropsychology involves an understanding of normal and abnormal child development and learning, developmental motor skills, and language disorders associated with children. Pediatric or child neuropsychologists commonly assess children for attention problems such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning disorders such as dyslexia or math difficulties, and disorders of language and/or coordination difficulties. Pediatric and child neuropsychologists often assess memory and learning. Information from such evaluations is helpful in determining how a child or adolescent learns best.

Neuropsychological testing also involves memory assessment and examines verbal and nonverbal memory, learning rates, retention rates and tests for retrieval difficulties. Thorough assessment will examine working memory, rote memory, and memory for material that is provided in context. Neuropsychological testing can help determine learning difficulties and develop methods to overcome learning struggles.

**A neuropsychologist has specialized training in neuropsychology beyond the work of school and clinical psychology. The test battery is more extensive and time consuming to conduct. Whereas, a neurologist studies the structural, physical and metabolic conditions of the brain through history, CT, MRI, EEG and PET scans, the neuropsychologist evaluates brain function, that is, performance, through scientifically validated objective tests administered to the child.

This is the most involved testing and not all children need this level of assessment. That being said, children who have begun working with an occupational, speech, or educational therapist may benefit from this level of assessment for school placement and case management.

Psycho-educational Testing-A psycho-educational evaluation is a set of assessment procedures administered and interpreted to obtain information about a childĖs development, learning, memory, academics, behavior and mental health. It is composed of several tests and assessment methods that vary from child to child including tests of intelligence, achievement, personality, cognitive processing, and/or social and emotional development, and review of medical and developmental history. Tests are used to diagnose cognitive strengths and weaknesses, learning disabilities, and ADHD. Gifted students, as well as students with learning difficulties benefit from psycho-educational testing. Psycho-educational testing is conducted by a licensed psychologist. After the assessment, the psychologist scores, interprets the results and discusses the findings with the parents.

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**For a list of highly recommended, trusted professionals in the community who can help you and your child call the Child Success Center at (310) 899-9597.