Early Intervention Services in Simcoe County
Our Services and Programs include:
Infant and Child Development Workers who are specialists in infant and child development and early years mental health provide in-home services to families with children birth to school entry who have a developmental disability and/or risk of developmental delay.
Resource Consultants assist children from 0 to school entry who attend licensed Early Learning environments and whose parents are concerned about their child’s physical, social, emotional or communication development. Resource Consultants support the licensed child care system including before and after school programs. These specialists in early learning and child development help your child meet developmental milestones and build a solid foundation for success.
Autism Consultants have in-depth knowledge of the challenges facing families and children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. They are also an expert source of information and can help families link to the various services and supports available. An Autism Consultant can meet with your child and family to help you identify and connect with programs, services, educational workshops and parent supports that are best suited to your individual needs. They can also advise on strategies and work with you and your child to develop new skills that help you deal with specific situations and challenges.
Mackenzie Health’s Centre for Behaviour Health Sciences provides care for individuals living in York Region or Simcoe County who have a developmental disability with a significant cognitive delay, autism or are living with the effects of an acquired brain injury. Services are offered within the community to individuals living in York Region or Simcoe County. Service is determined by evaluation of needs fixed and may be provided through individual and/or group support. Behavioral intervention is provided to children and adults through a comprehensive assessment followed by positive-based teaching and programming. A full range of challenging needs are addressed and include general management issues, aggression, self-injury, skill promotion, and social problem solving.
Supports infants and preschool children who are blind or who have low vision as diagnosed by an Ophthalmologist. The purpose of the program is to ensure that young children who are blind or have low vision and their families will have access to the services necessary to support their child’s healthy development in all areas.
Feeding services are provided to support children with feeding difficulties and their families. Services include assessment and treatment recommendations, and may be provided by one or multiple team members including a Speech Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist and/or Dietitian.
The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Initiative works to increase prevention, screening, diagnosis and support of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder within the community and among service providers and families.
Provides a range of services to infants and preschool children including Universal Newborn Hearing Screening for all infants born in the region; specialized Infant Audiological Assessment services for babies requiring follow-up based on newborn screening results; monitoring of high-risk infants for progressive hearing loss; on-going Audiology and Communication Development Services for infants and preschool children diagnosed with Permanent Childhood Hearing Impairment; Family Support to provide assistance with issues related to the child’s hearing loss.
For infants and children with complex medical needs who require nursing to live at home and reach their optimal level of health and independence. Nurses assist your family with caring for your child at home by assessing medical status, linking with Physicians and teaching your family specific care routines.
Looks at how a child plays, explores, learns and interacts. Occupational Therapists help a child and their family develop the skills needed to successfully participate in their day-to-day activities, at home and in the community.
Looks at your child’s motor development (sitting, crawling, walking, jumping) as well as the quality of their movement during play. A Physiotherapist works with your child and family to teach new skills that may be needed to improve your child’s movement.
Speech-Language Pathology looks at how your child plays, communicates and interacts within daily routines and activities at home and in the community. The program helps a child and their family develop the skills needed to promote communication and emergent literacy development.
Assessment and diagnosis for children – up to school entry or age five (5) – with developmental challenges. Children are referred to psychological services due to concerns with the child’s cognitive development (thinking and learning). Concerns in other developmental areas including behaviour, social (interacting with others), attention and/or emotional (feelings) may also be explored.
A family support service that provides funding for temporary relief from the physical and emotional demands involved in caring for a family member who has a disability. Respite Care can be arranged in your family’s home, in your care provider’s home, or in a community setting.
The role of the Social Worker is to provide short-term counselling for parents of children with special needs who are having trouble coping with their situation. Their goal is to promote and support the well-being of you and your family.
Specialty Services
Supports children who are unable to communicate effectively through speech. The use of gestures, pictures, letters and words, communication boards or books and special devices and computer programs may be used to support communication.
Assessments and consultations for children with complex physical, developmental and behavioural issues who need to obtain a diagnosis and/or need short-term medical management for their condition.
Assessment and treatment for children with significant feeding and swallowing difficulties that result in poor growth and nutrition.
The goal of Recreation and Leisure is to work with various services and families to support the availability of appropriate recreation and leisure activities so children of all abilities can participate fully.
Treatment and orthotic devices for children with Cerebral Palsy and other medical conditions that affect the functioning of their muscles and joints.
Services for children with long-term physical disabilities include the assessment and prescription of seating devices, wheelchairs and other mobility devices like walkers and standers, to provide comfort and to maximize your child’s activity and participation levels at home, in pre-school and at play.