High Peaks Rehabilitation and Development Center... Help your child to climb higher... occupational therapy, physical therapy, pediatric audiology, speech therapy, special instruction, developmental evaluation, treatment goals and sessions, sensory integration therapy, auditory processing disorders

Early Intervention Program and High Peaks

The Early Intervention Program is a statewide program that provides many different types of early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.

Early Help Makes a Difference
Early Help Makes a Difference! Checklist for Growing Children, is available in Portable Document format. (PDF, 291KB, 2 pg.) CLICK HERE to download your free copy.

Young children learn and develop differently. One baby may walk earlier than another, while another baby might talk first. Often, these differences will even out. But, some children will need extra help.

Look for signs that your infant or toddler might need extra help. Early help makes a difference! If your child does have a problem, the earlier you get help, the better.

Where Can Parents Get Help?
Call the Early Intervention Program in your county. You can be put in touch with High Peaks to have your child's development evaluated for FREE. Then, if your child is eligible, together we'll make a plan to get help for your child - and you.

What Help is Available?
Early intervention services are provided to help your child grow and develop, and to help you care for your child. These services include evaluation services (including hearing and vision screening); home visits; speech, physical and other therapies; child development groups; family counseling; and, sometimes, even help with transportation. These services are provided at no cost to you.

What Children Need Early Help?
Any child from birth to age three with a developmental delay, disability or condition that affects development may need help.

Who Do I Call?
Click here for a list of counties in which High Peaks is certified to provide evaluations and services. For the phone number of your county's program, call the New York State "Growing Up Healthy" 24-hour Hotline at 1-800-522-5006.You can also call the New York Parent's Connection 1-800-345-5437 (1-800-345-KIDS) Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., about this and other child-related services.

Here's what you can expect your child to be doing, from birth to age three.

At three months of age, most babies:	At six months of age, most babies:	At twelve months of age, most babies:
turn their heads toward bright colors and lights move both eyes in the same direction together recognize bottle or breast respond to their mother's voice make cooing sounds bring their hands together wiggle and kick with arms and legs lift head when on stomach become quiet in response to sound, especially speech smile	follow moving objects with their eyes turn toward the source of normal sound reach for objects and pick them up switch toys from one hand to the other play with their toes help hold the bottle during feeding recognize familiar faces imitate speech sounds respond to soft sounds, especially talking roll over	get to a sitting position pull to a standing position stand briefly without support crawl imitate adults using a cup or telephone play peek-a-boo and patty cake wave bye-bye put objects in a container say at least one word make "ma-ma" or "da-da" sounds
If your child is having trouble doing some of these things, it may put your mind at rest to talk to someone. Early help makes a difference! Talk with your doctor or call your local Early Intervention Program.
At 1 1/2 years of age, most children:	At two years of age, most children:	At three years of age, most children:
like to push and pull objects say at least 6 words follow simple directions ("Bring the ball") pull off shoes, socks and mittens can point to a picture that you name in a book feed themselves make marks on paper with crayons walk without help walk backwards point, make sounds or try to use words to ask for things say "no," shake their head or push away things they don't want	use two-to-three-word sentences say about 50 words recognize familiar pictures kick a ball forward feed themselves with a spoon demand a lot of your attention turn 2-3 pages at a time like to imitate their parent identify hair, eyes, ears and nose by pointing build a tower of four blocks show affection	throw a ball overhand ride a tricycle put on their shoes open the door turn one page at a time play with other children for a few minutes repeat common rhymes use three-to-five-word sentences name at least one color correctly

For additional counties in NYS, please click here.

To contact your child's School District (for ages 3-5 years), use the menu below:

To contact your local Health Department (for ages 0-3 years), click here.

NYS Early Intervention website // Contact us for help and answers