Helpful Links
We hope you will find the various articles, links, and downloadable documents helpful to you and your family.
American Academy of Pediatrics – Children's Health Topics
From asthma to immunization, find out more about what AAP recommends for children's health.
CHILDNETT.TV
A first-of-its-kind internet web channel dedicated to autism and other neurological disorders. The mission of Childnett.tv is to reach out globally to families, clinicians and educators, connecting them through the internet, to information related to autism and other neurological disorders Established in 2003, Childnett.tv is an internet access web channel that broadcasts interactive programming 24/7 via the internet. Our lineup includes streaming video related to autism and other neurological disorders. Families, clinicians and educators can witness the latest therapies and treatments, seminars, as well as personal stories—all for free. The Dan Marino Foundation is funding Childnett.tv, to improve the lives of families around the world. It is our hope the information you see will help ensure every child with developmental disabilities reaches his or her highest potential.
NECTAC
NECTAC is the national early childhood technical assistance center supported by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. NECTAC serves all 50 states and 10 jurisdictions with an array of services and supports to improve service systems and outcomes for infants, toddlers, and preschool aged children with special needs and their families. Each state's Part C and Section 619 Program Coordinators have a contact person at NECTAC and request TA on behalf of their state programs. Funded since 2001, NECTAC and its predecessor TA projects have a foundation of over thirty-five years of technical assistance excellence in early childhood services.
Manitas por Autismo
This website provides information and supports to Spanish-speaking families with children on the autism spectrum.
Zero to Three
ZERO TO THREE's mission is to support the healthy development and well-being of infants, toddlers and their families. ZERO TO THREE is a 30-year-old national nonprofit multidisciplinary organization that advances our mission by informing, education and supporting adults who influence the lives of infants and toddlers.
Free reproducible Language and Early Literacy activities in English and Spanish
These materials include twenty home and community activities for adults and children birth to three that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.
Each of the twenty activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate. In addition to the activities, you can download an activity checklist that helps parents and caregivers notice their children's skills, and also cue adults to examine and grow their own interactions with children.
The materials are specifically designed to address the three key skills of 1) language development, 2) sounds and rhythms, and 3) general book and print awareness.
The files are in PDF format to allow easy and secure downloading.
- A brief introduction to the materials
- Activities and hints for adapting them to the child?s specific needs
- Self-evaluation checklists for adults
Network of Care and Supports
This site is a portal to more than 500 service providers in the Philadelphia area. It is also a place where you can get the latest news in the field, such as important new finding published in medical journals. The site also offers people a way to voice their concerns in policy debates in Harrisburg and Washington.
Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania
Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania matches parents and family members of children and adults with disabilities or special needs, to supporting parents, on a one-to-one basis, according to condition or concerns.
Pennsylvania Office for Dispute Resolution
The Office for Dispute Resolution provides the resources for parents and educational agencies to resolve disputes concerning the identification, evaluation, educational placement, or the provision of a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities, students who are gifted and children with disabilities served by the early intervention process. ODR provides Individualized Education Program (IEP) Facilitation, Mediation, Dispute Resolution Skills Training, Due Process and Appeals Panel Process, and a Speakers' Bureau. ODR's phone number is 1-800-222-3353.
Special Kids Network
The Special Kids Network (SKN) is a statewide system that connects children with special needs and their families with services in order to enrich their lives. SKN was created in 1993 from a needs assessment that identified the need for a single point of contact for families of children with special needs to help them navigate complicated service systems. The Network was launched in 1996 as an initiative of the Department of Health and is funded by the Federal Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant.
There are three components of Special Kids Network, Community Systems Development, Information and Referral, and an On-Line Searchable Database. The primary goal is to assist children ages birth to 21 with special health care needs and their families, professionals, and communities.
There are currently six SKN regional offices across the state in which the Community Systems Development component is located. The Community Systems Development works by participating in and facilitating activities such as community development, coalition building, and project development and evaluation. Community Systems Development can be reached at 1-877-986-4550 or www.health.state.pa.us.
The SKN Information and Referral services can be reached at 1-800-986-4550. Services that may be available include education and training, support and advocacy, social services and counseling, recreation and leisure, health care products, and therapy.
The Pennsylvania Recreation and Leisure Line for Individuals with Disabilities was created in 2001 to assist individuals of all ages and abilities in locating information about recreation and leisure opportunities in communities around the state. The toll free number is 1-800-986-4550.
Parent to Parent of Pennsylvania is a network that was created for families by families to share experiences, offer practical information, and provide support. They also provide assistance in locating and developing support groups. The toll free number is 1-800-986-4550.
Trained specialists take calls at the Health and Human Services call center and are able to serve all the caller?s needs in a single call. In addition to providing information by phone, the Health and Human Services Call Center provides written material. The Call Center responds to callers on behalf of the Pennsylvania Departments of Health, Public Welfare, Aging, and Insurance. In addition to the SKN number, other helpline numbers include, Healthy Kids Line, 1-800-986-KIDS, Lead Information Line, 1-800-440-LEAD, Healthy Baby Line, 1-800-986-BABY, Long Term Care Line, 1-866-286-3636, Adult Basic Line, 1-800-GO-BASIC, and the Brain Injury Help Line, 1-866-412-4755.
LIVE in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is the keystone state of the nation, and families are the keystone of the commonwealth. But there are times when even the strongest of families can’t do it all on their own. That’s why Pennsylvania provides a network of programs, services and information to help families work through financial, medical and personal difficulties and be healthy, productive and self-sufficient.
Washington Learning Systems
Free & reproducible materials include twenty home and community activities for adults and children birth to three that encourage early language and literacy development. They are appropriate for children with disabilities as well as children who are developing typically.
Each of the twenty activities includes an activity description, and hints for making the activity fun and developmentally appropriate. In addition to the activities, you can download an activity checklist that helps parents and caregivers notice their children's skills, and also cues adults to examine and grow their own interactions with children.
The materials are specifically designed to address the three key skills of 1) language development, 2) sounds and rhythms, and 3) general book and print awareness.
Positively Autism
A free eMagazine designed for parents, professionals and individuals with autism, and other members of the Autism community! Positively Autism is a publication that celebrates the positives: accomplishments of individuals with autism, success stories, positive media reports, and more! "Positively Autism" is also committed to providing helpful strategies and resources to busy parents and professionals working with the autistic population
Sparkle
Project Sparkle is a very unique training program designed specifically for families of children and youth who are deafblind to use in their homes. We combine self-study (through DVDs and written materials) with conference calls to help families apply what they learn to address their child’s developmental and educational needs. Families have access to a national listserv as well as website that allows them to create a child profile for planning purposes, along with an online library of resources.
Pennsylvania's Promise for Children
Pennsylvania’s Promise for Children is a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of providing Pennsylvania’s young children with access to quality early learning opportunities. Sponsored by the PA Build Initiative, Pennsylvania Early Learning Keys to Quality, The Grable Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and William Penn Foundation, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL).
What Does Early Intervention Look Like
Watch this brief video to see what Participation-Based early intervention services look like. This video includes examples of families and providers who receive services in Philadelphia, PA through the Infant-Toddler EI system although the services are not specific to Philadelphia.
Learn the Signs. Act Early.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), in collaboration with a number of national partners, launched a public awareness campaign called “Learn the Signs. Act Early.” The campaign aims to educate parents about childhood development, including early warning signs of autism and other developmental disorders, and encourages developmental screening and intervention. Please visit this site for a wealth of useful as well as interactive information.
Child Outcomes Step by Step Video
This video describes and illustrates the three child outcomes adopted by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and reported on by all state early intervention (Part C) and preschool special education (Part B/619) programs as part of their Annual Performance Report (APR). This video offers a consistent way to describe the outcome areas across programs and states. It can be used to provide an overview to the three outcomes for professional development and training, orienting families, and introducing the outcomes to other constituents such as policymakers or funders. The video explains functioning necessary for each child to be an active and successful participant at home, in the community, and in other places like a child care program or preschool.
Guide By Your Side
Hands & Voices Guide By Your Side of Pennsylvania (GBYS) is dedicated to directly supporting families and their infants and toddlers who are identified with any degree of hearing loss by offering them the opportunity to talk to or meet face-to-face with a Parent Guide.