Developmental delays in very young children

Most young children learn new skills in predictable ways and at predictable times. Some children need more support to learn how to hold up their head, roll over, sit, drink and eat solid foods, talk, play with people and toys and build relationships with their family members. When children take longer to learn new skills, it may be called a developmental delay.

Some things that might cause a developmental delay are:

  • health problems during pregnancy, birth or as a very young infant, including substance exposure during pregnancy, birth complications, being born prematurely or serious illness like meningitis
  • some genetic or medical conditions (such as down syndrome, or seizure disorders)

We don’t always know why a child’s development is progressing at a different pace than other children his or her age.

About the Home Visiting Program for Infants

A parent infant therapist will work with you to get to know you and your child. This therapist will support you and your family, answer your questions and help connect you with community supports.

They will make regular visits to work with your family and to set goals with you. During these visits, you and your therapist will explore play activities to help your child learn new skills.

Other team members will meet with you as needed. Early on, we will offer you a ‘Team Screen’, which is a play-based assessment to allow you and your child to meet your child’s whole team. We will offer formal developmental assessments if these would be helpful. We also hold group programs at CPRI and community locations to support families and teach them skills to support their child’s development.

Together we will decide how long our services would be helpful. If your family still needs supports as your child approaches the age of two, we will talk with you about other services that are available to you in the community.

Many of the children who require ongoing developmental supports are transitioned to other community service providers after the age of two. These may include services offered at the Thames Valley Children’s Centre, tykeTALK, smallTALK, daycare centres, and others. Your Parent Infant Therapist will help you decide which services would be helpful for you and your child.

Our services are free and voluntary. We work with all kinds of families and we work hard to learn about your family’s culture and what makes your family unique. We want to learn more about your child and what kind of supports might be helpful to you and your child.

Eligibility

Referrals for children up to age 2

Parents, doctors or community agencies can make a referral to the Developmental Resources for Infants (DRI) committee, for children up to age 2, if they are concerned about a child’s development.

The developmental resources of infants committee reviews referrals and connects families to services from:

  • Home Visiting Program for Infants (CPRI)
  • Thames Valley Children’s Centre
  • Developmental Follow-up Clinic (Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre)
  • tykeTALK

To make a referral, call 519-685-8710.

Referrals for children 2 to 6 years old

To refer a child who is between 2 and 6, contact CPRI Intake. This is where all referrals for the Child and Parent Resource Institute are directed to the program that best fits the child’s needs.

Learn more about the referral process and access referral forms.

Where appointments are held

Families tell us that it is most helpful to them to receive supports in their homes. We can also meet at our offices in St. Thomas Aquinas High School (located next to CPRI), at your child’s daycare, or at another location, like an Ontario Early Years Centre.