In 1985, autism affected 1 in 2,500 children. In 1995, it was 1 in 500; in 2004, 1 in 166. According to estimates from the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network, today, autism affects 1 in 68 children. As shocking as these statistics are, what is more unsettling is that they are for autism alone—these numbers do not reflect the rise in PDD, Asperger’s, or other spectrum disorders.

With the increase in autism cases worldwide comes the growing need for parents to understand what is happening with their children. At Sunny Days, we strongly believe that the family is the most important piece of the development puzzle. By providing the following development resources, we  hope to help you understand your child’s development as well as enable and empower you to make informed decisions for your child.

Pennsylvania 2021 Early Intervention and Family Support Program Conference

Registration Is Now Open! Click here. 

The Bureau of Special Education is pleased to invite you to the upcoming virtual conference: Pennsylvania 2021 Early Intervention and Family Support Program Conference: Learning and Sharing to Support Children and Families on April 27-28, 2021.

This statewide conference provides an opportunity for families and professionals to gain knowledge and skills in effective practices in Early Intervention, home visiting, and family support programs. The over 30 sessions will focus on topics including equity, family engagement, trauma-informed care, social emotional development, and service delivery.

Invited participants include: Early Intervention Infant Toddler/Preschool Leaders, Teachers and Service Providers; Family Support Administrators, Supervisors, Home Visitors, and Nurse Home Visitors; and Families of Children Receiving Early Intervention or Family Support Services.

This conference is intended for professionals and families involved in Pennsylvania Early Intervention and Family Support programs only.

The schedule for the conference and information about credits is available on the conference website. Participants can receive up to 7 credit hours for Act 48, Infant/Toddler, PQAS, Social Work or Nursing.

Registration Information:

1)      There is no registration fee for this event, However, pre-registration is required.  

2)      Please register here by April 9, 2021.

3)      In order to be eligible for conference attendance and/or continuing education credit, participants must complete an evaluation at the end of the conference and include a verification code for each individual session they are applying for credit and/or attendance. The conference evaluation survey is entirely online and will be available on the conference platform at the start of the conference. You will not receive credit, or be marked in attendance, for any sessions for which you have not registered. You must complete the conference evaluation within the Chime App by May 7th to receive credit.

If you have any questions, please reference the Frequently Asked Questions on the conference website  or contact the conference help desk at eita@pattan.net.

Family Resources: Supporting Development

We understand that you always want to do more for your child. Once you have established a treatment plan and your child is participating in regular therapy sessions, sometimes all you need to do is keep doing what you’re doing. To make sure you are on the right track, we publish Family Autism Resource Articles with tips, case studies, and inspirational stories to help you help your child. You can also visit the Family Matters Website. This site provides  information on what families can expect when having in-person NJEIS services again.  Here are the current service options. 

Additionally,  if you are a PA resident, please  refer  to these contact options regarding EI services during COVID-19. 

Autism Terms Resource Center

Whether your child has recently been diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or if you are already participating in treatment, you are bound to hear many new terms and likely do not understand all of them. The Sunny Days Glossary of Autism Terms was created specifically for you, the parent, to keep you informed and make sure you never feel lost in lingo.

Child Development Resources

With the increasing number of children diagnosed with a form of autism or other developmental delay, new parents are monitoring their child’s development closer than ever before. But what are they looking for? What are they seeing? Our Developmental Milestones will provide you more information about how children develop, what is typical in the development process, and interactions you should have with your child to ensure their developmental progress. We can also help you find resources that support the latest evidence-based best practices for strategies and intervention methods available today.