Why an earlier referral?

“Use it or lose it!” principle: how early experiences affect brain structure.
Recent advances in brain research show how the environment impacts the young child’s brain. Stimuli in early life switch on genetic pathways, including the ones for the sensory neurons (language, vision, sound, etc ), which create connections and growth in response to the stimulation.  This critical period of growth – influenced by environment and early experience – has the greatest potential to influence the child’s developing brain during the first few years of life.  Early experiences affect brain structure because the brain operates on a “use it or lose it” principle (Carnegie Task Force on Meeting the Needs of Young Children, 1994; Ounce of Prevention Fund, 1996). If a child does not have adequate emotional, physical, cognitive, and language stimulation, neurons can be lost permanently.

Brain pathways associated with language develop early.
The brain pathways that affect language, literacy, behaviour, and health are made early in life.  Ages 0 to 3 provides the greatest window of opportunity to affect neurological and behavioral growth (Rossetti, 2001).  Early intervention provides better and faster outcomes for the child because of the biological relationship of early experiences affecting brain structure.

Early identification and intervention provide better and faster outcomes.
With an early referral and intervention, we take advantage of that critical learning period.  An early referral prevents a cumulative delay and/or decrease the severity of language delays in preschoolers.  An early referral enhances school readiness and increases later academic success in school.

Early treatment impacts social, learning and behaviour skills.
When a child is talking very little, others may communicate less with that child. The interaction of ‘less talk, less input’ has long term negative effects.  Parent education, early experiences and early intervention can prevent cumulative developmental delays and/or related social, learning and behavior issues.

• (Carnegie Task Force on Meeting the Needs of Young Children, 1994; Ounce of Prevention Fund, 1996;  Early Years Study, Final Report Reversing the Real Brain Drain. Hon. Margaret Norrie McCain and J. Fraser Mustard, Publications Ontario, Toronto,1999;  The Early Years Study Three Years Later. Hon. Margaret Norrie McCain and J. Fraser Mustard, The Founders’ Network, 2002)