The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Intervention

 Early years educators know the importance and the significant benefits to students with developmental delays, and although early intervention should actually happen during infancy itself, in this article we will focus on the intervention that primary schools - and the wider community - could provide during the critical early years in education.

Through early identification, educators, therapists and parents can collaborate to create intervention plans that focus on the specific strengths and challenges of the student which would ultimately lead to better educational outcomes and improved quality of life.

Students are most often initially identified either by the paediatrician or by teachers through classroom observations. After this, they are referred to psychologists and a multidisciplinary team that uses various methods including standardized tests to systematically assess the student in a comprehensive manner which then leads to a formal diagnosis. Once there is a diagnosis the team together with all stakeholders works on a plan that aims to promote a nurturing environment that would maximize the learning outcomes by addressing  the functional limitations of the child and support the families through the critical early years.   

An early diagnosis can allow students to receive specialized education and personalized learning plans that challenge and stimulate them intellectually. An individual learning plan should include reevaluating educational goals, and must be aligned with the national inclusive education agenda as well as UN Sustainable Development Goals ensuring that students have equitable access to intervention services provided by the schools. It is important at this juncture to emphasize the importance of a family centered plan which includes all members of the child’s educational and social environment.

So far we have been focussed on early intervention for students with disabilities but it is important to note that an early assessment and intervention strategy for identifying gifted and talented (G&T) students is just as important. In my personal experience as an educator, I have seen the disastrous outcomes when G&T learners are not identified in the early years and are forced to fit in with their peers.   In many cases it leads to not just the fact that the students were unable to reach their full potential but in many cases it actually led to behavioural issues due to students being disengaged or frustrated in an inhibiting program.