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Early Intervention Can Make a Dramatic Difference
If you have a child who has had a difficult neonatal course, he
or she is at risk for mental and physical developmental difficulties.
The good news is that early intervention can often make a dramatic
difference in the quality of life for your infant as he or she
grows. However, it is frequently difficult for these developmental
problems to be detected in a timely manner during a routine pediatrician
visit.
The Early Developmental Assessment Center (EDAC) at Children’s
Hospital of Orange County is a vital resource for these young,
high-risk children. Our innovative program is designed to detect
a broad spectrum of problems early to prevent or minimize severe
developmental delays in the future.
At the Center, a comprehensive, multidisciplinary assessment is
done during one office visit, offering true convenience for parents
and their infants. Your infant is seen at predetermined intervals
as he or she grows, allowing our team of experts to assess the
child’s progress and make appropriate referrals to community
resources.
The EDAC also provides comprehensive assessment to infants and
toddlers up to 36 months who may be lagging in their developmental
milestones.
Who Can Benefit from the EDAC?
The EDAC is recommended for children with possible concerns about
delays, including those who meet neonatal criteria:
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Low birth weight |
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Difficult birth |
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Neonatal illness |
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Exposure to substances while in utero |
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Infants and toddlers up to 36 months who may be lagging in
their developmental milestones |
About the EDAC
Consultation can occur one time when a concern has been identified,
or for those at risk (such as premature infants, failure to thrive,
infants who had respiratory distress, etc.), periodic screening
over the first few years is recommended.
We will also see infants at other ages who are referred to our
Center by their primary care physicians and other sources. These
include children up to 36 months old who may be behind developmentally.
During each Center visit, an interview is conducted and a developmental
exam is performed. After the examination, a team conference is
held to assess your child’s needs and to make recommendations.
If necessary, your child will be referred for treatment. Center
visits usually take about two hours.
Education also plays a key role in the center, and as a caregiver,
you learn about appropriate play, proper nutrition guidelines and
other issues that can have a positive impact on your child’s
development.
A variety of areas are assessed during the visit. These include:
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Fine and gross motor development |
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Muscle tone and reflexes |
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Cognition/intellectual development |
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Medical history and present medical needs |
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Medications/diet |
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Vision and hearing |
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Psychosocial needs |
The EDAC is also affiliated with the Apnea/Neonatal Follow-up
Center at CHOC. This program is a unique resource for babies who
are sent home with apnea monitors. Our team of skilled professionals
determines how these babies are thriving in the home environment
and whether they can safely be weaned from the monitors. The Neonatal
Follow-up Program is for babies who have medical problems that
need to be assessed and evaluated on a regular basis.
Meet the Team Members
During the EDAC visit, your child will be seen by our multidisciplinary
team – all in one visit. This is a real strength of the program.
Team members include:
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Neonatal/Pediatric Nurse – Coordinates
overall operation of the Center, holding team conferences and
sending results of each visit to the appropriate individual
or agency. |
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Neonatologist/Developmental Pediatrician – Provides
medical assessment and consultation. Monitors general health
care in collaboration with the child’s personal physician. |
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Social Worker – Provides psychosocial assessment, referrals
to community resources, advocacy and emotional support. |
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Clinical Dietician – Assesses the growth data, nutritional
intake for age appropriateness and adequacy, and need for education
to optimize the nutritional status of the infant/toddler. |
The Developmental Team: Utilizes standardized developmental testing
to evaluate development milestones. Assists team and family with
appropriate referrals and family education as needed.
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Psychologist – Evaluates cognitive development,
language, social interaction and provides behavioral consultation. |
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Physical Therapists-specializes in gross motor evaluation
and motor planning |
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Occupational Therapists –specializes in fine
motor development, motor planning, sensory integration and
feeding |
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Speech and Language Pathologist – Specializes in cognitive,
language development and feeding. |
A Spanish translator is also available for the convenience of
our families. In addition, families have access to parent support
services and child life specialists.
The Team Evaluation: A Valuable Resource
After your child’s visit, members of the EDAC team participate
in a meeting to evaluate your child’s developmental milestones
and make recommendations. Together, the team proposes a treatment
plan and determines which specialists are needed to provide crucial
early intervention. The Center also connects you to vital resources
in the community that may be needed.
Once the team has met and made its recommendations, families are
encouraged to stay in touch with the center’s nurse coordinator
to help answer any questions.
For More Information
At the Early Developmental
Assessment Center, our focus is on “early.” Through
early screening and evaluation, children can avoid or minimize
developmental difficulties and delays.
For more information, call Dini Baker, RN, BSN, program coordinator
at (714) 532-8821. To make an appointment, please call (714) 289-4041.
This program receives funding from the Children’s and Families
Commission of Orange County and is implemented as a joint program
by the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and CHOC. The program
is designed to enhance services and improve access for high-risk
patients’ 0-5 years. The program is inclusive of infants
with risk factors including but not limited to the existing California
Children’s Service high-risk infant criteria.
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