Early Intervention for Children with Intellectual Disabilities: Current Knowledge and Future Prospects*

Abstract

The field of early intervention is vibrant, generating expectations that systematic, comprehensive, experientially based interventions will alter developmental trajectories and prevent secondary complications. In this article, the existing knowledge base in the field is reviewed. It emphasizes the importance of an overall developmental framework, what is known through intervention science and the emergence of guiding principles for programme design and development. This is followed by a discussion of future prospects for improving early intervention outcomes in four areas. First, the importance of designing studies that provide information about carefully defined subgroups is discussed. This issue of specificity of outcomes is crucial in order to determine boundaries for effectiveness and to direct attention to areas of special concern. Second, prospects for translational research are discussed with particular reference to our knowledge of the core developmental processes affected. Third, the need to focus on the increasingly apparent mental health and social competence difficulties of even young children with intellectual disabilities is considered. Finally, the complex problems and potential solutions associated with the transfer of model intervention programmes to communities as part of early intervention systems are described.

The Validity of the Child and Adolescent Intellectual Disability Screening Questionnaire (CAIDS-Q) with children aged 6–7 years, 11 months: A brief report

“…Routine use by CAMH and ID services at the point of referral may help promote an efficient triage process, facilitating appropriate referral for full diagnostic assessment when required, earlier diagnosis and intervention (Guralnick, 2005). Future research which explores the validity of the tool within education services will also indicate whether routine use of the CAIDS-Q might offer a means for children with ID to be identified at an early stage at key points within the educational process.…”

“…see Rzpecka et al, 2011). Early diagnosis of ID is crucial to ensure that the child receives appropriate support and intervention to maximise his/her life chances (Guralnick, 2005), however research suggests that diagnosis can often be delayed, into adolescence or even adulthood (Hamilton, 2006) and that this can be a significant source of stress and dissatisfaction for parents (Watson et al, 2011). There are a number of reasons why this might be the case, including limited knowledge, among some health (McKenzie et al, 2000) and education professionals (Rae et al, 2011) about what ID is, and the fact that diagnosis requires professional determination of the individual's intellectual and adaptive functioning.…”

The evaluation of a screening tool for children with an intellectual disability: The Child and Adolescent Intellectual Disability Screening Questionnaire

“…It may, therefore, offer a useful means of identifying children who are likely to have an intellectual disability in order to facilitate intervention at an earlier stage (Guralnick, 2005), provide targeted educational support (Sonnander, 2000), help ensure referrals to specialist services are more appropriate (BPS, 2003) or in order to identify particular groups of children for research purposes (Charman et al, 2007).…”

Family of People With Spina Bifida: Goals and Strategies

“…This combination of strategies revels this group needs social support, which can be offered through actions that recognize not only the needs of disabled people, but also of family members (Guralnick, 2005). For example, family-centered interventions are supposed to identify needs and find resources to family groups, so that they use their skills and learn new ones related to caring their sons and daughters (Alves, 2009).…”