About Us
The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is an outpatient program that provides early identification and intervention services for infants and toddlers who have, or are at risk for developmental delay or disability and their families. The program is located in the Child Development Center (CDC) of Rumailah Hospital under the management of Children Rehabilitation Services.
We aim to provide child-focused and family centered care who provide high quality early intervention services that is based on the integration of clinical practice with current research evidence
Our Services
The Early Intervention program helps children reach their maximum potential by providing a wide array of medical, therapeutic, and educational services to families that include:
- Screening and early identification services
- Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary assessments
- Therapeutic interventions (for example occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language therapy, special education, psychology). This includes provision of individual and group therapy services.
- Consultation services for seating and mobility, feeding and swallowing as well as assistive technology
- Family support that build on family concerns, priorities, and resources and family education
- Service coordination between professionals, programs, and other organizations
- Liaison with other services and programs within or outside HMC to facilitate smooth transitions.
Our Team
- Program Coordinator
- Pediatrician
- Occupational therapist
- Physiotherapist
- Speech and language therapist
- Special educators
- Nurses
- Psychology consultation services
Who We Treat
Early Intervention program services are available to families having children who:
- Are aged up to three years of age.
- Have a diagnosed physical or mental condition associated with developmental disabilities.
- Are at risk of delayed development as a result of prematurity/low-birth weight or other factors such as Down’s syndrome, Spina Bifida or Cerebral palsy etc.
- Have confirmed delay in more than one of the following areas:
- Cognitive development (thinking, learning, solving problems)
- Communication and Language development (talking, listening, understanding)
- Adaptive development (eating, dressing, toileting)
- Physical development (reaching, rolling, sitting, crawling, standing and walking)
- Social and emotional development (playing, feeling secure and happy, interacting with others)
Referral to the Program
The program accepts referrals only from HMC Child Development Center physicians to make best use of the program and resources for the right group of children
What Will Happen After the Referral?
- When your consulting CDC physician generates a referral for your child to the Early Intervention Program (EIP), you will receive a call from the EIP team nurse. The nurse inform you the date and time for your first appointment called the Screening and Initial Service Planning Meeting.
- At this meeting, you will meet the EIP Program Coordinator and other team members who will provide you with a brief description of the program. Additionally, they will conduct a quick preliminary assessment (Screening Assessment) to determine how much your child may benefit on joining the program. If it is identified from the Screening assessment that your child will benefit more from other services in HMC than EIP then you will be re-directed to those services accordingly.
- The assessment team will determine the level of priority for admission to the program based on your child’s condition and severity.
- Your child’s referral will then be placed on hold for admission in the EIP waiting list until the next program intake- that happens cyclically every four months and you will be called for admission as per the priority level identified for your child’s referral.
- Once a vacancy for your child is identified, the EIP Team nurse will give you a call to inform you the date and time for your child’s Comprehensive Assessment.
- The assessment will be conducted in the form of an arena assessment where all required team members will meet you and your child together. Your assessment may be completed the same day or it may require an additional session.
- Once assessment is completed, the parents alone will be called for the IFSP (Individual Family Service Planning) meeting with the team members. The IFSP meeting is held to inform the parent of the needs identified during comprehensive assessment and also to discuss and agree on goals and treatment, while considering the family’s situation and priorities. On completion of the IFSP meeting, the parents are provided with the IFSP full report for reference.
- Following the IFSP meeting, the parents will receive a call from the EIP nurse informing the date and time for starting therapy sessions.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Red Flags
