Early Intervention Program - Plexus Neuro and Stem Cell Research Centre

Early intervention is a combination of intervention, therapy, and practice that enables children with autism to develop skills that will significantly elevate their quality of life. This kind of intervention is typically play-based. This is extremely helpful for children younger than the age of 7 years, as their short attention spans may not be conducive to learning-based interventions.

At Plexus, we believe early intervention can prove to be extremely beneficial for your child.

Remember - autism is not a tragedy, ignorance is.

The sooner we as parents and caregivers can accept this statement, the higher the chances of us being able to enable our children to lead independent lives.

Understanding early intervention

As neurologically typical (neurotypical) individuals, you and I do not find it challenging to focus our attention when asked to carry out a particular task. In fact, when we focus, we are also able to grasp and learn new concepts faster. Neurotypicals can also communicate better, socialise and form meaningful relationships, and absorb information without much of a hassle.

However, children with autism experience difficulties with most of these things. What we consider to be mundane is essentially challenging for them. This is where early intervention can be of great value.

The focus of early intervention is developing communication and social skills by enabling your little one to build vocabulary, comprehend and apply new words and phrases. Simultaneously, early intervention also works towards bettering cognitive and behavioural skills. This will also help your child bond well with other members of your family and social circles.

At Plexus, we devise and carry out early intervention programs for children with autism. These programs are designed to equip your little one with the necessary skills to partake in social situations and perform everyday functions with relative ease.

What is the right age for early intervention programs?

The earlier the intervention can begin, the better it is for your child. It is recommended that the program begin as soon as the child is diagnosed to be on the spectrum. Most early intervention programs are a combination of therapy, education (of parents and/or caregivers), and support.

Early intervention programs are designed to suit the needs and developmental graphs of children, from birth to 18 years. There have been several cases of children with autism receiving early intervention and growing up to need little to no support to carry out all their routines and rhythms.

Children younger than 7 years have shown significant progress after receiving early intervention. This is the reason why the program is called ‘early’ intervention. Developmental delays and related concerns will become more pronounced as the child grows older. Therefore, early intervention offers the child more opportunities to develop in an all-round manner.

How does early intervention work?

Early intervention programs are universal, which means the support and therapy comes from experienced medical practitioners, nurses, therapists, paediatricians, family healthcare specialists, local community health workers, playgroups, peer support groups, and so on.

Once your child is diagnosed to be on the spectrum (depending on where they are on the spectrum) the program can effectively focus on the needs of your little one as well as those of your family.

The 4 principal areas development that early intervention aims to focus on are:

1. Physical development: child’s motor skills, movement, balance perception
2. Cognitive development: child’s capacity for critical and analytical thinking, logic, reasoning, and learning
3. Social development: child’s ability to cope with social situations, changes to routine, forming new relationships
4. Behavioural development: child’s behavioural patterns is reflective of the stage(s) of cognitive and physical development they are at

All of the above developmental areas are typically addressed with:

• Speech therapy: to support speech, language, drinking and eating skills (chewing, sucking, swallowing)
• Physiotherapy: to improve coordination, balance, and gross motor skills (crawling, walking, sitting, standing up)
• Occupational therapy: to better fine motor skills and foster independence (learning to dress by themselves, using the toilet, etc.)
• Psychological therapy: to develop social skills, learn to cope with emotions, form meaningful relationships

Wait! Do you have the right diagnosis?

Early intervention programs rely on the assessment and diagnosis made by your child’s doctor. This assessment must be comprehensive and should give a complete understanding of your child’s current skills and developmental delays. It will also typically include a treatment plan that is designed to suit your child’s developmental needs. Very often, developmental paediatricians also recommend the type of therapy that will suit your child.

Things you need to discuss with your doctor/therapist before deciding on early intervention as a course of therapy

• What will my child gain from this program?
• What are the risks (both physical and medical)?
• How does the assessment made by the developmental paediatrician steer the program?
• What are the long-term effects/benefits of this program?
• How much does it cost?
• How long does this program take to show tangible results.

The role of the child’s family

Parents, siblings, grandparents, caregivers, and even the extended family can play critical roles in early intervention programs. Since one of the principal aims of the program is to foster independence and equip the child with the skills to perform everyday tasks, a large part of the therapy can be done at home. How, you ask? By simply modelling the right type of actions, social behaviour, speech, etc. Young children learn by imitation. Therefore, their family and community can be essential cogs in the process.

Early intervention programs may also reflect the local cultures and customs prevalent. For eg. in India, we eat our meals with our hands, very rarely do we use cutlery. Our children see us eating with our hands and follow suit. In other Asian countries and in the West, cutlery is also part of the table setting. Their children learn to use cutlery by observing the others.

A note to parents and caregivers: Once you start with early intervention, you must be regular and consistent. Evaluations and feedback also play a critical role in devising the further course of the program.

Founded by Dr. Na’eem Sadiq, India’s renowned stem cell specialist and neurologist, Plexus is the country’s leading hospital for stem cell therapy with over a decade of experience and expertise in stem cell research.

Our team of highly-trained and proficient speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, cognitive behavioural therapists, and clinical neurophysiologists with a combined experience of over three decades will be with you and your child throughout the program.

At Plexus, we strongly believe that your child can live to their fullest potential. We do not believe autism to be a handicap. It is a way of life that also urges us to think differently. Instead of thinking outside the box, let’s do away with the box completely!

Book an appointment with us today.

Call +91 89048 42087 | 080-2546 0886 | 080-2547 0886 | 080-2549 0886

FAQsHow do I know if early intervention is meant for my child?

Your developmental paediatrician will recommend a further course of action based on your child’s assessment. You can discuss the implications and benefits of the program with them. Please remember, that this program is most effective in the early years of childhood, which is before 7 years of age (at the very least).

What will my child gain from early intervention?

Your little one will be able to navigate social situations they may have previously been uncomfortable in; they may learn to communicate their emotions and feelings better; they may learn to make meaningful friendships with their peers and relationships within their family and community; they may improve their vocabulary, speak with more clarity and grammatical accuracy … The list of benefits is endless!

Are there any risks to early intervention programs?

None at all. There are only benefits. As parents and caregivers, you need to keep in mind that the program can only be wholly effective when the family and community also work to support your child.

A highly regarded neurologist and stem cell specialist, Dr Na’eem Sadiq studied neurology and clinical neurophysiology in London before working with some of England’s and the Middle East’s most prestigious medical institutions. He completed his MBBS