Early intervention is the part of special education law that covers the youngest children — from birth until their third birthday. If a baby or toddler has a developmental delay or a condition likely to cause one, early intervention provides services like speech therapy, physical therapy, and developmental support, often right in the family's home or the child's daycare. It runs under Part C of IDEA, separate from the school-based system that begins at age 3.
These earliest years matter enormously, because a young brain changes fastest when help arrives early. That's why early intervention doesn't wait for school. Any worried parent can ask for an evaluation — you do not need a doctor's referral in most places, and the evaluation is free. If your child qualifies, services are written into a family-centered plan called an IFSP rather than an IEP.
The program ends at age 3, but the support doesn't have to. Before your child's third birthday, the early intervention team should hold a transition meeting with your school district so a preschool IEP can be ready the day your child turns 3. If your toddler seems behind — in talking, moving, playing, or connecting — a phrase as simple as "I'd like my child evaluated for early intervention" starts the process.
General information and document preparation — not legal advice.