Do you ever have questions or concerns about how your 3-5 year old is walking, talking, playing, or behaving but don't know whom to ask or where to go for help?

In Washington DC it is estimated that 12% or more of children may have some type of developmental delay.

Early intervention is critical. What children learn and how they learn at this age have great impact on how they learn later. Most of a child's brain development occurs before 5 years old.1 As children grow and interact with people and with the world, they are rapidly developing synapses in their brains that allow them to learn and make connections.  Children with developmental delays may not form these synapses adequately to maximize their ability to learn.  Early intervention provides the support children need to develop these synapses and can help make up deficits; without it, many children will lack what they need to find success in school.

To meet the growing need of our community, Early Stages was launched in 2009 under the direction of Dr. Nathaniel Beers, a developmental pediatrician here in Washington, DC.

Early Stages follows a four-step process to identify, evaluate, and serve children with developmental needs.  Here are the steps followed by a typical family:

• 1) Referral: Any child who is a resident of DC can be referred for screening. Early Stages referrals come from parents, pediatricians, teachers, daycare workers, or other adults who work closely with children. Referrals can be made by calling Early Stages directly at (202) 698-8037 or by visiting our website at http://www.earlystagesdc.org/.

• 2) Screening: Early Stages uses the Ages and Stages Questionnaire to determine if a child needs additional evaluation. The screening is parent-driven and can be done over the phone, in the home, at school, or even online.

• 3) Evaluation: If it is determined that a child needs additional evaluation, that child will visit the Early Stages Center at Walker Jones Education Campus. The Center is home to a team of experts who can evaluate children in one or more of several domains.

• 4) Eligibility: After the evaluation, the team will sit down with the caregivers and determine if a child is eligible for services. If a child is found eligible, an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will be written and services will be implemented.

The goal of Early Stages is to identify, screen, and evaluate DC residents between the ages of 2 years 9 months and 5 years 10 months.  Early Stages then connects eligible families with appropriate services.  All services at Early Stages are free and any DC resident in this age range may be referred for screening.

Early intervention can make all the difference for a child with a delay. It is up to all of us to help identify children in need as early as possible so that they may reach their full potential.

Please contact Early Stages at (202) 698-8037 or by visiting our website at http://www.earlystagesdc.org/ with questions or to refer a child.

For those readers living outside Washington DC, if you believe that your child is not meeting developmental milestones or if you think there might an issue with your child's speech, play ability, hearing or possibly behavioral issues, it is critical that you take immediate steps to address the situation.  Start by contacting your pediatrician.

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[1] Purves, D. (1994). Neural Activity and the Growth of the Brain.