Early Intervention for At-Risk Infants and Toddlers

Early Intervention for infants and toddlers is crucial for their over all well-being and development. According to the text, children who live in poverty are likely to show gradual declines in intelligence test scores and to achieve poorly when they reach school age.  These problems seem to correlate with stressful home environments. 


Take Stacy for instance, Stacy was born weighing 5lbs 16oz and 3 weeks early and much smaller than other infancts. Due to lack of pre-natal care, smoking, and maybe some drug use admits Stacy's mother. After leaving the hospital Stacy goes home to live with her parents. Needless to say, Stacy's life is stressful and so is the over all home environment, she lives with parents who lack communication skills and often being subject to physical and emotional abuse. 
Even though her parents were able to receive early intervention with their problems and Stacy was able to get the special attention she needed, Stacy still struggles (and probably always will) with academics and has learning disabilities in all academic areas of learning.  Stacy is now nine years old and school is hard for her.  She is an energetic, impulsive 9 year old female with an engaging smile; she has a history of tempestuous behavior that has followed her since infancy. She is bright, articulate, a fast learner, as unpredictable as a tornado and just as destructive. From the time she cut her first tooth, she began biting - often drawing blood. In kindergarten, Stacy was sent home for “being a danger to herself.”  She consistently does poor in academics, unable to sit still and focus, often acting out having 2 year old like temper tantrums.  As well as having a string of "needs improvement" comments in all areas of behavior. She is a loving child one minute and cruel the next. Stacy’s parent's have attended many a parenting class, read an excess amount of books, and tried every means of discipline suggested by family, friends, teachers and doctors. Some say, "Stacy’s just being a kid. She will grow out of it." Others suggest, "Stacy is a product of her environment."
It shows in homes where infants and toddlers like Stacy live they received little stimulation from their parents and outside environment. This leaves for little brain stimulation and growth.  Not only does Stacy now have to struggle with learning but her social skills are impaired as well.