Many children with developmental delays or behavioral issues go unnoticed for long periods of time. As a result, many children must wait for the help they require in order to do well in social and educational environments (for example, in school, at home, and in the community). Significant delays may have occurred by the time they are discovered, and opportunities for intervention may have been missed. Getting help as soon as feasible can make a big impact on a child’s growth if he or she has ASD or other developmental issues.
Early intervention therapies, according to research, can significantly improve a child’s development and lead to better outcomes. Children from birth to 3 years old can benefit from early intervention treatments.
Beginning at the age of 3, children with disabilities, including ASD, may be eligible for services through the local education system. Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are written for students to ensure they receive direct educational services for their individual needs.
Some students with ASD may have significant cognitive disabilities. In such cases, some states have developed access points for these students to access the general education standards. Access points reflect the core content of the state’s standards with reduced levels of complexity.
This allows teachers to disaggregate the standards into a variety of levels that may be taught in the classroom.
