Why one size will not fit all?

"As every child is unique in its own way, so should be early intervention!"

Say Yes! to the Individualized and Customized Early Intervention program!

In the late '90s came to the evidence from the field of neuroscience that how early years of a child's life; right from conception till six years of age, and especially the first three years are prime for laying the strong foundation for physical, emotional, social, and cognitive development. (1,2) Besides, these pieces of evidence, there were already theories of how targeted behavioural interventions can help children at risk, and the role of empowering parents in community-based settings became the new normal.

Among these methods, the constructivist theorists' played an important role, they shifted the attention towards, an education system where instead of a child trying to adapt to the fixed curriculum and a set way of teaching, the system should accommodate and try to adapt and cater to the learning style of the child. They emphasize that each learner is an active participant in their learning journey, and construction knowledge is related to experiences.

"Learning is active mental work, not passive reception of teaching”. (3)

These advances in neurological and psychological sciences radically changed the way we look at education. And not just schools, it went to be applied to early years settings, and primary and even higher formal education systems. They helped in understanding that the current system was only informing and not transforming.

Using these theories and evidence, spectrum developed a completely different early intervention program, where the knowledge base is transferred to the parents, (4) and the focus is on keeping the home environment, regulated. Regulated in a way that instead of focusing on what we want our child to do, we work around the needs of the child, as per his/her development level.

Because, every child is unique, in terms of their behaviour, learning, and knowledge. By successfully modifying the environment around the child, based on the developmental decoding method, we have been able to help 59% of children just by empowering parents, home environment modification, along early intervention.

Dr Uzaina

A researcher and psychologist,

who loves writing to transform, and not just inform.

References

1. For a detailed brain development process refer to Human brain development. Charles A. Nelson, University of Minnesota.

2. Check our vlog by Dr Rahul Bharat on brain development in the early years.

3. Woolfolk, A. E. (1993). Educational psychology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

4. Bharat, R., Uzaina, Niranjan, S. et al. Autism Spectrum Disorder in the COVID-19 Era: New Challenges — New Solutions. Indian Pediatr 58, 890–891 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13312-021-2314-3