E is for Early Intervention: The Importance of Early Intervention Services in Providing Better Outcomes for Children Who Have or Are at Risk for Having a Developmental Delay

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects that early intervention services have on children who have or are at risk for a developmental delay due to medical or environmental circumstances. Throughout this paper, the following research questions were used as means to guide and provide focus to the paper: Why are early intervention services important in the first few years of life? Who benefits from early intervention services and how are these children affected? and Does early intervention affect the individual long-term? By using a combination of research articles, scientific journals, and data collected from federal research studies regarding early childhood early intervention and the outcomes of children, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of why early intervention services are needed early in life and the true impact of early childhood intervention programs on the lives of children both at the time of intervention and across the lifespan.