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Early intervention ends on your child's third birthday. Here's what comes next, and your options if your child still needs support.
The short version
Early intervention, called Baby Watch in Utah and the Infant Toddler Program in Idaho, serves children from birth to 3. Before your child turns 3, your service coordinator should hold a transition meeting with you to plan what comes next.
From age 3, your local school district is responsible for evaluating children who may need special education, including speech therapy, at no cost to you. Some children move into district special education preschool. Others don't qualify, or qualify for less support than their family feels they need. In Wyoming, regional child development centers continue to serve eligible children up to age 5.
Sources: IDEA Part C regulations (34 CFR 303), IDEA 34 CFR 300.301, Wyoming Department of Health
For state program details, see our early intervention guide.
Most families land in one of these
The school district writes an IEP (Individualized Education Program), and speech therapy is provided at no cost, often at a district preschool. Some families add private sessions for more practice or a different schedule.
School eligibility rules are different from early intervention's, so some children who were in early intervention don't qualify at 3, even though they still have a speech or language delay. Private therapy can pick up where early intervention left off.
District services may be less frequent than what your child had before. Private therapy can sit alongside the IEP, with goals shared between both teams.
Articulink offers private speech therapy by video for children ages 2 to 18. Families in Lehi, Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain, Herriman, South Jordan, Provo, Orem and Salt Lake City keep going from home, with the same parent-coaching approach early intervention uses.
Free self-check
Every child learns to talk at their own pace, but some signs are worth a closer look. Check any that sound like your child.
Any of these is a good reason to talk with your pediatrician and book a speech check. Losing words at any age should be checked right away.
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Keep it on the fridge or take it to your next appointment.
A one-page handout for families approaching their transition meeting, with a QR code to this guide.
This page is for general information. Talk with your child's dentist or doctor about their specific needs.
Book a free 15-minute consultation with a licensed speech-language pathologist. Bring your early intervention reports if you have them.
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