Early Intervention

Early Intervention services help children with special needs from birth to age 3, along with their families

What is the Infants & Toddlers Program?
A coordinated effort by county agencies to provide early intervention services for infants and toddlers with developmental delays and their families.

Who is eligible?
Children under the age of three (3) who may be experiencing a delay in development, or who have a diagnosed condition that has a high probability of delay, may be eligible for this program.

What is the cost?
There is no cost to families. The program utilizes a variety of funding sources.

Who provides the services?
Early intervention services are provided by:

  • Public schools

  • Health Departments

  • Department of Social Services

  • Other public & private agencie

What are the Services?
Assistance is provided to identify your child's needs. Please download the Early Intervention Services document for a full list of services.

How Do I Make a Referral?
Anyone can make a referral by accessing the Maryland Infants and Toddlers Program online process.

Development Milestones
The following is a list of "rule of thumb" responses to be expected by certain ages. The list is general and should be used only as an indicator of the possibility of potential developmental delays. If you have a concern, please call our office.

  • By 3 months, a child will respond to loud noises, demonstrate a social smile, coo, visually follow and object and begin to hold their head erect.

  • By 6 months, a child will recognize mother, turn head to locate sound or voices, use vowel-like sounds, hold and explore toys and roll from stomach to back.

  • By 12 months, a child will babble and begin to speak their first words such as "ma-ma" and "da-da", sit unsupported, follow some simple requests, respond to their name, transfer toys from hand to hand and wave "bye-bye."

  • By 24 months, a child will point to body parts, obey simple commands (such as "go get your truck"), recognize pictures of objects, say first words, name objects, begin to use two word sentences, walk alone, put shapes in a shape sorter and eat table food independently.

  • By 3 years, a child will identify objects by function, understand prepositions (in, out), use two- or three-word sentences, have a vocabulary of at least 900 words, be understood 75% of the time, join in songs, draw a circle or copy a vertical line, and peddle a tricycle.

Additional Information
MSDE Infants & Toddlers Program

Family Guides from the Maryland State Department of Education: