Providing services for young students with disabilities is not negotiable. This is because, these young learners requires special care and services in their day to day activities. Developmental disability has become a common diagnosis in children these days. This disabilities starts during a child’s development period and may last for a life time. Special educational programs are available for children with development disabilities. Development disabilities can either be cognitive, emotional, physical, communicative or social. Therefore, it is the duty of the parents to recognize these disabilities and start an intervention program for them.
The diagnosis of developmental disabilities can be done at an early age. It is the duty of parents to take their children to a specialist who can help them in their children’s diagnosis. Specialists in health-cares are always ready to help parents in diagnosing developmental disabilities (Hardman, Drew and Egan 45). After the diagnosis, they will advise of the intervention process so as to facilitate normal growth of the child. The specialists plus the child’s parents as well as the educators now work together to make sure that the child thrives physically and learns important aspects that can help him/her live independently.
Once a child has been diagnosed by a specialist and it has been determined that the child is beyond physical risk, an early intervention program can be recommended by the specialist. A team of professionals can begin working with the child including physical therapist, language therapist, speech therapist and healthcare providers in addition to the child’s parents. All of these people will work together for a suitable plan for the development of a child including the cognitive, emotional and physical development of the child. Early intervention programs can be offered either in private of through public agencies as most of them are covered by federal and state laws. On the other hand, parents are also provided with services that will help them help their child with development disabilities. An interventional specialist gives directions and a schedule that should be followed by a child with specific development disabilities.
Special educational programs are accessible for all students with developmental disabilities. A personal learning arrangement can be planned for the young exceptional learners who would want to start school by their specialist. However, different states offer educational programs for these young learners and even provides for their needs. For a young student with disability to be able to access these educational programs, they should be medically diagnosed and have signs of developmental delays. Many local public schools offer special education for children with special needs. Therefore all students with special needs are able to easily access interventional programs to help them in their development and acquiring skills that will help them in future. Parents also need to participate here by making sure that their children access all the materials they need and all their needs are met.
One of the program providing services to the younger exceptional learners is Head Start. It is funded by the federal government and offers early childhood programs for children with special needs. Many children from lower social economic areas are the most beneficiaries of the Head Start programs. The Head Start program has been giving satisfactory services to children with developmental disabilities (Guralnick 78). Children with special needs easily adapt compared to adults, therefore, transition and change is not difficult for them. Young students with disabilities are able to learn with the support of their caregivers who are adults. These children with special needs require support from adults in order to achieve the desired developmental changes. There are many student with development disabilities and it is the duty of the parents to be able to access programs that provided services to these children.
Special education programs offer sustained education to special students after high school. The aim of these schools is to give the special students skills that will help them meet their goals in life. They help in giving a transitional life into adult life to these special students (Guralnick 102). In addition, special education programs gives special education to children with development disabilities as well as giving them training and equipment they need in their day to day activities. The expected outcome of transitional programs for student with special needs is that they are able to enter into adult life beyond the doors of an academic institution. These transitional programs offer the students a future and an entrance into the real world whereby they can do things on their own. The students should be able to leave these institutions with skills that could help them earn a lining and live independently. For the student to achieve these goals, they need their parents, educators as well as themselves to work collaboratively for their better future. The outcome of these programs is to shape a child’s development, give them knowledge and skills that will make them independent people in the society. Development disabilities should not be taken for granted. Parents should diagnose their children at a tender age so as they start the intervention programs to enhance their growth and development. Transitional programs for children with disabilities have really helped a number of students with disabilities thus giving them a bright future.
Works Cited
Hardman, Michael, Drew, Clifford, and Egan Winston. Human Exceptionality: School, Community, and Family. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.
Guralnick, Michael. The effectiveness of early intervention. Maryland: Paul H. Brooks, 1997. Print.
