Early Childhood Disabilities and Special Education

Early Childhood Disabilities andSpecial EducationBY KRISTINE SLENTZ, PHD,Western Washington University, BellinghamThe earliest years of life are full of rapid changes and transitions. Youngchildren are all precious, especiallyto their caregivers, regardless of challenges to health, learning, and/or development that are common priorto school entry. Parents and Early Childhood teachers are usually the first to notice when infants, toddlers,and preschoolers are not developing and learning as expected. Parents andteachers are also in the bestposition to provide additional support and Special care when it is is not always a cleardifference, however, between the usual ups and downs of the Early Childhood years and developmentalproblems that indicate a need for Special and toddlers generally acquire developmental milestones in a typical sequence, but no twodevelop at exactly the same rate or following the same patterns.

have learned the basic skills necessary for independ-ent movement, communication, and social inter-action. Disabilities identified during this period involve conditions that interfere with talking, walking, relating to peers, and using hands. Referrals for special services may be appropriate for 3-year-olds who do not:

Tags:

  Skills, Action, Movement

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