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Abstract
Early intervention program promote the development of young children with disabilities. As well as support the families of young developmentally disabled children to enable them to meet the needs of childhood effectively, and /or promote adaptive family functioning.
The present study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of early intervention program on the development of children with cerebral palsy. As well as assessing the impact of early intervention program on parent stress and parent-child relationship. Thirty eight children fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study. Only 15 continued the whole intervention training year.
An individual tailored program was designed for every child after assessing the child’s abilities and skills. Parents’ involvement was encouraged throughout the program.
The results support the effectiveness of early intervention program in facilitating the acquisition of skills measured in the program contexts by children with cerebral palsy. On the other hand, parents who participated in the program showed better adaptation. After intervention, parents had lower level of parental distress. Early intervention not only accelerates child development but can also modify predictor-variables of stress in parents of a disabled child situation. At the end, we need to emphasize on the importance of early intervention programs to enhance the development of children with cerebral palsy. Also, Practitioners should be aware of the critical role of parent involvement for successful early intervention program .
Key words: Cerebral palsy, Early Intervention, Parent stress
Introduction
The human child is the greatest miracle of creation. Every single child is a world of subtle secrets, a personality, and a unique occurrence, never to be repeated on this earth. With child who is born under no matter what circumstances, and no matter what parents, the potentiality of human race is born again (Mydral, 1991).
Normal child development is the attainment of developmental landmarks or milestones within the expected age range and in comparison with children of the same age group. Children with developmental disabilities, have been defined as individuals with impairments in physical or mental abilities that are manifest before 22 years of age and resulting in functional limitations in major life activities. Mental retardation is the prototypic developmental disability; others include cerebral palsy, specific learning disabilities, pervasive developmental disorders, autism, visual or hearing impairments, and disorders of communication (Perrin and Shonkoff, 1996).
Cerebral palsy is the term used to describe a collection of non progressive disordes that manifest as abnormalities of motion and posture and result from CNS injury in the early periods of brain development, usually mainly as the first 3-5 years of life ((Koman, et al 2004).