Primeros Pasos

Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers and Their Families in the Latino/HispanicCommunity

The Kennedy Krieger Institute Department for Family Support Services and the Baltimore Infants and Toddlers Program are partnering to provide outreach, training, and service in the Baltimore Latino/Hispanic Community for infants and toddlers who are eligible for early intervention services and their families.

The first three years of a child’s life are the most critical time for learning. To assist families in focusing on a child’s developmental needs and capitalizing on his or her natural ability to learn, Baltimore Infants and Toddlers Program has a family-centered system of early intervention services for young children who may be experiencing a delay in development or who have a diagnosed condition that has a high probability of delay and their families. An early intervention service coordinator, who speaks Spanish and is familiar with the Baltimore Latino Community at the Kennedy Krieger Institute provides assistance to families in securing early intervention services in areas of the child’s and family’s identified resources, priorities, and concerns. These services may include:

  • Family education, counseling, and support
  • Special instruction
  • Speech pathology and audiology
  • Occupational therapy
  • Physical therapy
  • Psychological services
  • Medical services for diagnosis
  • Health services related to other early intervention services
  • Other services may be available as appropriate
Referrals are made to the Baltimore Infants and Toddlers Programs then the families are referred to the Primeros Pasos service coordinator. The coordinator contacts the family to arrange a home visit and to schedule an eligibility evaluation. If the infant or toddler is eligible, the coordinator and the family develop the Individual Family Service Plan; then services may begin in the home or other natural environment. Services are monitored by the family and the coordinator. At the age of 30 months transition plans are begun, either to Part B services of IDEA or to other appropriate community services.

The Baltimore Infants and Toddlers Program can be contacted at 410 396-1666 and the early intervention service coordinator, Martha Benson may be contacted at Kennedy Krieger at 410 298-1997, ext.1066.