Early Intervention

As a result of the NIA’s ongoing commitment to children with disabilities and their families, the NIA has expanded services to include programs for infants and toddlers ages 0-3. The professionals who provide the NIA Early Intervention (EI) services are certified or licensed as teachers or therapists in their respective fields. Many have Master’s Degrees and multiple years of experience. In addition, all EI service providers are credentialed through the State of Illinois Provider Connections System. The NIA believes that early intervention provides children with a more solid foundation upon which to build their education and is committed to providing the highest quality services available.

The specific EI services available through the NIA include the following:

Hearing

These services bring together parents, their child who is deaf or hard of hearing, and a variety of professionals to work as a team to enhance communication strategies, to provide early infant education, parental guidance, listening skill development, family support, and smooth transitioning at age three.

Audiology

The NIA has five hearing clinics located throughout its regions, which are staffed by Clinical Audiologists with extensive background in testing children. The audiologists are available to administer a variety of evaluations designed to identify potential hearing problems, make recommendations and referrals for hearing aids or rehabilitation, and provide information to parents about hearing loss.

Physical Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders

• Consultation services to parent and EI providers
• Specialized educational programming
• Activity adaptations
• Resources
• Transition support to Early Childhood Special Education

Occupational and Physical Therapy

The primary goal of occupational therapy is to maximize a child’s functional potential in all environments (home, school and community). The focus is to enable the child to participate fully in all roles and functions that are meaningful to him or her. The goal of physical therapy is to identify and treat children who have problems with movement and posture, or body position. Through the use of stretching and strengthening exercises, along with handling techniques, physical therapy focuses upon developing a child’s movement skills and assisting parents with care issues.

Vision

• Eye exam required before referral to Child Development Vision Specialist
• Functional Vision Assessment
• Ongoing direct or consultative services
• Focus on enhanced visual, auditory, and tactual skills
• Provides liaison between family and eye doctor

Orientation and Mobility

• For students with visual disability
• Assessment
• Ongoing direct or consultative services
• Focus on body image, spatial/positional concepts, environmental awareness, texture discrimination, sensory skill development and mobility skills

Contact Information

Jane Neisendorf
(815) 895-9227 voice/TDD
FAX (815) 895-2971