PSY345H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Family Therapy, Intellectual Disability, Hearing Loss
Document Summary
The first years of life are crucial to the overall development of children: the brain is the most plastic (amenable to change) during childhood. Early stimulation can affect the development of language, intelligence, personality and self-worth. Early intervention can reduce the overall impact of disabilities as well as counteract the negative effects of delayed intervention. Early intervention may in the long run, be less costly and more effective than providing services later in life. Purpose is to serve infants who are at risk for developmental delay and their families. Parents need to be motivated to stay involved in the child"s life: to help the family solve problems around special issues or to gain access to available services. Sometimes there is no cure, so doctors try to help the best they can. Established risk (diagnosed medical disorder) highest priority (eg. down syndrome)
