Early Identification of Risk, Developmental Delay, or Disability in Young Children: Connecting Families with Services During a Global Health Crisis

Abstract

The global pandemic has created barriers for locating infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with special needs. Identifying young children in need of academic (early childhood education) and support (care, therapy, supervision, etc.) services posed a particular challenge worldwide during the COVID-19 health crisis. This chapter begins by describing the many ways that the pandemic disrupted services to young children with special needs in various parts of the world. This chapter then unpacks the services, programs, and the challenges faced with early detection of risk, delay, and disability during the global pandemic that resulted from COVID-19. Next, strategies early childhood professionals implemented as alternatives to face-to-face developmental screening to identify infants, toddlers, and preschoolers for early identification services are examined. This chapter concludes with perspectives on the difficulties encountered internationally in providing special education support during the health crisis and the implications of lack of support.