Why Early Intervention Works

Abstract

A systems perspective is put forward designed to place the many diverse conceptual and practice approaches and accomplishments in the early intervention field within a common framework. Complex reciprocal patterns of influence are described emphasizing risk and protective factors operating at 3 levels: child social and cognitive competence, family patterns of interaction, and family resources. It is argued that this framework can provide an understanding with respect to why early intervention works when it does as well as establish a new assessment and intervention approach firmly grounded in developmental science.

Intellectual Disability and Developmental Risk: Promoting Intervention to Improve Child and Family Well‐Being

“…Current interventions for the social and emotional consequences of ID reflect an emerging recognition of the importance of developmental systems (Guralnick, 2011) as well as an emphasis on key family mechanisms that link chronic conditions to important functional competencies. Indeed, Guralnick (2011) has emphasized that intervention programs must carefully identify those family interactions and resources that may be especially stressed or perturbed by the presence of a child with ID, as these elements often result in additive risk for behavior disorders.…”

“…For more than a decade, Guralnick (2011Guralnick ( , 2016 has promoted a developmental systems approach for integrating core individual, family, and contextual elements that can frame successful approaches to early intervention for children with developmental risk. The core working hypothesis of the developmental systems approach as applied to early intervention for all vulnerable children is that its effectiveness depends on the program's ability to establish or restore as optimal a level of family patterns of interaction as is possible.…”

“…Historically, expectations for developmental competence in children with ID were limited as the underlying biology of developmental disorder was deterministic, and developmental limitations were considered largely immutable. However, complex developmental systems now implicate social and contextual influences that operate directly and indirectly to influence child competencies for children at risk of ID (Guralnick, 2011(Guralnick, , 2016, suggesting that early intervention can have important developmental benefits. However, intervention approaches must better address key developmental processes, identifying salient challenges that are specific, if not unique, to children with ID and their families.…”

Terapia Vojta, desarrollo psicológico, y apego infantil en poblaciones de riesgo biológico [Vojta Therapy, mental and motor development, and infant attachment in biological risk population]

“…En la actualidad, todos aceptamos que la Atención Temprana constituye un enfoque apropiado ó conveniente cuando nos encontramos con poblaciones infantiles de riesgo o con patología; en este sentido, Guralnick (2011) ha destacado que los programas de intervención basados en la atención temprana son altamente eficaces en su conjunto, tanto en el caso de poblaciones infantiles de riesgo social y de riesgo biológico, como en el de poblaciones infantiles con patologías claramente establecidas (p.ej., Trastornos del Espectro Autista, Síndrome de Down ó Parálisis Cerebral). Pensamos que, desde este momento en adelante, la investigación debería plantearse, entre sus objetivos principales, ahondar en las diferentes modalidades de tratamiento, con el fin de determinar su eficacia, pero teniendo en cuenta la relación entre los costes (recursos profesionales, económicos y temporales) y los beneficios que determinados tratamientos pueden tener sobre el progreso en el desarrollo del niño y el bienestar de la familia en su conjunto.…”

Eye-Gaze Control Technology as Early Intervention for a Non-Verbal Young Child with High Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Report

“…For these children, there is a delay between what they are able to do and what is expected for their age [4]. In order to create opportunities for actions and promote child development [4,5] eye-gaze control technology might be a promising early intervention. Eye-gaze control technology allows the child to use the movements of their eyes to operate a computer.…”