Pre-Diagnostic Intervention
Signs of developmental delays and autism can be observed beginning around 6-12 months of age
From 0 to 3 years of age the brain is developing more rapidly than any other time during one's life, making millions of neural connections every minute
Providing support while these neural pathways are being formed allows for the most significant gains to be made in the least amount of time

Keynote Address
Athens, Greece
2019
Every Month Counts!
Neural Connections from Birth to 2 Years of Age
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When it comes to early intervention, the sooner you start, the better, and every month is important. From birth to three years old, a child's brain is rapidly developing millions of neural connections every minute. It is much easier, faster, and more effective to make positive changes during this critical period of neural pathway formation rather than trying to modify established connections later on.
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be ignited
-Plutarch

The SPARC
Infant and Toddler Intervention
A 12-Week Program designed to improve social engagement, communication, play and daily routines
The SPARC in action
12 sessions of parent coaching condensed to 8 minutes.
The SPARC
The SPARC is a 12 session curriculum which will focus on how to:
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Follow your child's lead and interests
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Have more fun with your child and expand the activities that make them smile
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Set up your environment for success
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Practice imitation (gross motor, fine motor, oral motor and vocal)
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Teach and encourage the use of gestures such as waving, pointing, giving objects and showing objects
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Encourage joint attention and referencing
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Create learning opportunities across play, bath time, meal time, dressing and other daily routines.
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Build the foundations for future communication and learning

The Role of The Parent
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Parents play a crucial role in intervention. Learning opportunities for infants and toddlers arise throughout the day, from meal times to playtime and more.
Parents are uniquely positioned as the best teachers for their child due to their close bond and daily presence.
When a child's development deviates, parents may unknowingly respond in ways that worsen challenging behaviors and delays.
Parent Coaching equips parents with tools to create an enriching learning environment, foster social connections, and reduce challenging behaviors.
Teaching parents how to optimize and maximize social engagement with their child can lead to improved communication, increased quality and quantity of social interactions and reduced challenging behaviours.
Additionally, parent training can be a protective factor for parental stress, anxiety and depression all while moving their child’s developmental forward.
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