Early intervention programs are used to improve or decrease biological and environmental difficulties in. young children with special needs, or those children who are exposed to undesired environmental factors. Biological difficulties include: prematurely, respiratory problems, brain damage, genetic problems, infectious diseases, toxins and drugs. The environmental factors which may expose the young children to the risk of disability are: parental illiteracy, economic and nutrition problems, family stress, large size of family and incorrect beliefs about child rearing methods. Since young children's brains have more plasticity and are more adjustable to change and learning as compared with adults' brains, regarding the importance of critical period of development, and considering that all parents are not capable of giving proper instructions to their children, it is necessary to contrive and execute effective early intervention programs for at risk children. Due to the availability of medical facilities, special education, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, preschool education and social work in Iran, contriving and effective execution of these programs are quite possible. In addition to investigating the details of early intervention programs, this article presents a model of early intervention program which is specifically appropriate for administration in Iran.
Malekpur M. Early Intervention Programs for Young Children with Special Needs, Theory and Practice - A Model for Iran. JOEC 2003; 3 (1) :39-54 URL: http://joec.ir/article-1-464-en.html