Year by year: Early intervention, early screening, and special education evaluation

Sometimes, kids fall behind in areas like physical skills, language skills, and performance at school. Your state or your local public school may be able to help.

Depending on your child’s age, here’s where to get help if your child is behind.

Birth through age 2

Where to get help: Early intervention from your state

Does your baby or toddler seem to be behind other kids in development?

You might see your child…

• Not rolling over

• Not making sounds

• Not looking at adults

• Not being curious about the world

Your child may qualify for free early intervention services from your state. This could include physical therapy and speech therapy.

Ask your doctor or health clinic to find out how to qualify for early intervention.

Age 3 until starting school

Where to get help: Special education from the local public school

Does your young child not seem ready to start school?

You might see your child…

• Not speaking many words

• Not counting or naming colors

• Struggling to hold a fork, spoon, or crayon

• Not getting along with other kids

Your child may qualify for free special education services from the local public school. This could include free preschool or therapy to get your child ready to start school.

Contact your local public school to find out how to qualify. Your doctor or health clinic may have information, too.

Listen to a mom telling how early intervention services helped her son.

Ages 5 through 8 (kids in early grade school)

Where to get help: Early screening from the public school

Is your child at risk of falling behind in school?

You might see your child…

• Struggling to keep up

• Falling behind in one or two areas

• Having trouble with behavior

• Not liking school

Your child may qualify for extra help from the school. This could be small group teaching or learning strategies.

Many, but not all, schools automatically screen kids. Contact the school and ask about early screening.

Kindergarten through high school

Where to get help: Special education from the public school

Is your child having difficulty and not making progress in school?

You might see your child…

• Not reading or doing math at grade level

• Disrupting class or not behaving

• Not holding a pencil correctly

• Struggling to follow directions

Your child may qualify for an IEP with free special education services. This could include instruction tailored to your child’s unique needs. Another option is a 504 plan with accommodations, like technology or extra time, to help your child work around barriers to learning.

Write a letter to your public school to ask for your child to be evaluated.

If your child is falling behind in school, find out what to do next. And read about developmental milestones for kids to understand how your child is doing.