It is well documented that educational intervention programs provide the best start in the lives of infants with disabilities. Through a generous grant from the Cornell/Weinstein Family Foundation in 2008, Daystar has developed an adaptive early intervention curriculum to support our ability to adequately address the social and intellectual needs of medically fragile infants and toddlers. Called Special Education Early Developmental Strategies, or SEEDS, this program supplements Daystar’s individualized medical plan of care to include curricula that provides a solid foundation from which infants may fully engage themselves in life, physically, socially, and intellectually, regardless of their medically induced limitations.
A New York State certified special educator assesses each child and creates individualized, developmentally appropriate goals. The early intervention program emphasizes the children’s abilities and works towards meeting their individual goals. This benefits not only the infants, but also the parents by improving the outlook of their family and providing preparation for the field of special education, which is where the majority of the children will be served in the future. This program “plants the seeds” for Daystar infants to grow and thrive in more inclusive settings throughout their lives.
The SEEDS program is an essential complement to the individualized medical care plan of the infants and toddlers at Daystar and accomplishes the following:
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Provides a standard means to measure progress in categories of essential developmental skills such as fine motor, gross motor, adaptive, cognitive, social-communication, and social domains from entry to exit.
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Develops specific growth objectives for each infant. Infants participate in planned daily activities, similar to other daycare settings, which helps to stimulate and enhance their growth in the targeted skills. Each infant’s growth is routinely monitored, reassessed, and documented.
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Helps parents, other care providers, and those providers who will be servicing these infants in the future to understand optimal ways of supporting the daily progress of medically fragile infants.
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Provides education, stimulation and socialization in a group setting.
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Provides the opportunity to grow in an atmosphere that is most similar to the least restrictive environment.
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Enhances the quality of life of each child.