In October 2013,
the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Children with Disabilities
developed a clinical
report published in PEDIATRICS,
entitled “Early Intervention, IDEA Part C Services, and the Medical Home:
Collaboration for Best Practices and Best Outcomes.” This report was reaffirmed
by the AAP in May, 2017. In this report, the Council provides an overview of
IDEA, Part C and compares it to the concept of a medical home in pediatrics. The
Council also defines “best practice” early intervention models as being
family-centered, using a coaching interaction style to build the capacity of
caregivers, and promoting child learning within the context of natural learning
environments rather than trying to create learning opportunities in artificial intervention
settings. The report goes on to inform pediatricians that serving children in
both traditional settings in which providers work directly with the child and
early intervention programs that focus on building the capacity of caregivers
to promote child learning in natural routines and activities can be confusing
to families and cause mistrust of the practitioners unless well-coordinated and
the differences understood by families.
The AAP report
is consistent with DEC Recommended
Practices including, but not limited to:
Environment 1
Practitioners provide services and supports in natural and
inclusive environments during daily routines and activities to promote the child’s
access to and participation in learning experiences.
Family 5
Practitioners support family functioning, promote family
confidence and competence, and strengthen family-child relationships by acting
in ways that recognize and build on family strengths and capacities.
Family 6
Practitioners engage the family in opportunities that
support and strengthen parenting knowledge and skills and parenting competence
and confidence in ways that are flexible, individualized, and tailored to the
family’s preferences.
Instruction 4
Practitioners plan for and provide the level of support,
accommodations, and adaptations needed for the child to access, participate,
and learn within and across activities and routines.
Instruction 5
Practitioners embed instruction within and across routines,
activities, and environments to provide contextually relevant learning
opportunities.
When first
published, we at the Family, Infant and Preschool Program (FIPP) sent a copy of
the report to pediatricians and family physicians in our catchment area. We
also included a letter informing the physicians that FIPP services are provided
in a manner consistent with the AAP Council on Children with Disabilities
report. We continue to share this report with physicians and families to help ensure
their expectations of early intervention services are consistent with the AAP
and DEC Recommended Practices.
How are you and
your program ensuring that pediatricians and families are aware of this AAP
report?
Other
report and position statements are available from the AAP Council on
Children with Disabilities on topics including fetal alcohol syndrome, nonoral
feedings, autism spectrum disorders, motor delays, sensory integration therapies,
and assistive technology.
If you are
interested in writing a blog about a particular resource or topic, contact
Dathan Rush (drush@sheldenandrush.org)
or M’Lisa Shelden (mshelden@sheldenandrush.org).
