An infant or toddler can begin the process of receiving Part C early intervention services by having a diagnosed condition with a high probability of developmental delay (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, 2004). How states define those diagnosed conditions that begin the initiation process varies widely. Lists of diagnosed…

Infants who require admission to a neonatal unit and who ultimately present with complex neurodevelopmental difficulties often require more sustained engagement with early intervention services during admission and beyond. However, there is little research exploring families' experiences of early intervention (EI) therapy received throughout a…

Early childhood intervention (ECI) services for children on the autism spectrum commonly espouse a family-centered approach but outcomes studies often focus solely upon the child. Mothers of 96 children on the spectrum (aged 4-5 years) completed a measure of access to ECI and the Family Outcomes Survey--Revised. Family outcomes after ECI were…

Family quality of life (FQoL) constitutes an important aspect of early intervention. However, the culture bound nature of this construct necessitates validation of FQoL measures when being used in a culture different from the one in which they were developed. This study sought to understand the psychometric properties and construct validity of the…

A multiple-probe design across participants was used to investigate the effect of a peer-mediated intervention on the turn-taking behavior of 3 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) attending inclusive childcare centers. An educator trained peers to support the child with a disability to take turns playing a game on an iPad. The educator…

Having a child born prematurely can plunge parents into an unknown and sometimes frightening situation, where they experience a loss of control over events and reduced decision-making capacity. Preterm birth sometimes results in posttraumatic stress disorder for parents and negatively impacts on parent-child interactional patterns, especially if…

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) offers a universal language of codes to document childhood functioning. The ICF-CY Code Set for Infants with Early Delay and Disabilities (EDD Code Set) has been developed to facilitate the practical application of the ICF for children. The purpose of this study was to…

Young Hispanic children make up an increasing percentage of children enrolled in preschools; however, little is known about the effects of adversity on their preschool outcomes. This pilot study uses descriptive, correlational, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses to explore the relationship between cumulative adversity, teacher-rated and…

This study compared the developmental gains of preschool children with disabilities (CWD) and children without disabilities (CWOD) during a year they spent in preschools and examined the predictors of development in both groups (60 CWD and 57 CWOD) of children. Data on the social skills, problem behaviors, school adjustment level, student-teacher…

The demographic composition in the United States has undergone shifts due to increasing immigration. This may change the way we think about families and children in the United States, and it is important to include immigrant families in parenting research. This study examined the relations between parent-child relationships and preschool-aged…

Brief, clinically feasible instruments are needed to assess autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in toddlers and preschoolers so that children can access early evidence-based intervention. Study purposes were to (1) compare scores on the 30-item Checklist for Autism Spectrum Disorder (CASD) and 6-item CASD-Short Form (CASD-SF) for toddlers and…

A survey was distributed in 8 states to learn about perceived strengths and challenges of service coordination from those working in early intervention (EI) programs under Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Survey responses from 769 service coordinators and other EI personnel in 8 states provide an overview of state systems…

Embedded learning opportunities are one evidence-based practice for addressing individualized education program goals for young children with special needs. In this study, we used quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze 8 early childhood special education teachers' use of embedded learning opportunities during the usual conditions of…

Attachment is considered a fundamental aspect of social and emotional development in children. Attachment is established, in part, through sensory processes, yet many children have unique sensory needs. The present study explores the association between sensory processing disorder and attachment by examining primary caregivers' perception of the…

Children and families receive maximum benefits from early childhood programs when families are actively engaged. "Parental involvement" is an established feature of Aboriginal Head Start in Urban and Northern Communities (AHSUNC) in Canada, and there is interest in increasing the knowledge on how AHSUNC sites engage with parents and…