Earley intervention program in memory of Maurice Lowinger 

From the beginning, the experience of parenting a baby with special needs is fraught with feelings of confusion, distress, hopelessness and loneliness. This new reality is unlike anything one could have imagined.

The Me & My Mommy Early Intervention Program was created in response to the critical need for a targeted framework in Israel. Designed to assist parents and their special needs babies soon after birth, the program aims to alleviate initial concerns and strengthen the entire family nucleus toward a better, more secure future for everyone. Corroborating the program's success, it was cited by the Ministry of Health in 2005 as the Model for Early Childhood Development.

Me & My Mommy is the leading program in Israel in the field of early intervention with its vast professional experience and appropriate sensitivity.

Shalva publishes First Steps, a resource book for parents of special-needs children.   First Steps, A Parents Resource for Babies with Special Needs has just been published by Shalva's Me & My Mommy program.   This 40 page guidebook contains professional advice and information on how to care for the special-needs child from birth to toddlerhood, and also features personal testimonials from other parents of children with special needs.  Click here to read First Steps  online  or to download the pdf file.

The wide range of treatments given in the program enables a substantial rate of advancement within the various developmental categories. Treatment areas include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, touch-screen computer training, Snoezelen sensitivity development, baby massage and hydrotherapy.

Based upon a world view that sees parents as full partners, the program provides early intervention treatments and cognitive stimulation that are structurally combined. Once a week the parents arrive with their baby and both observe and participate in the treatment process. Under the guidance of Shalva professionals, they become skilled at taking care of their baby, strengthening the parental bond, accepting the differences in their challenged infant, and encouraging their child to reach a level of maximum function.

The program is built upon the basic understanding that a child's parents can contribute an enormous amount and, in doing so, become proactive partners in the rehabilitative process. Ultimately, with appropriate support, the parents will gain the tools to become the best counselors for themselves and for their child. The professional team structures and accompanies the process, nurturing a secure atmosphere that encourages the parent to cope with the challenges at hand. As a rule, the treatment process of each family is closely monitored by experienced social workers who provide the emotional assistance needed to help the process succeed.

Research

Recently, several studies have been conducted by the Me & My Mommy Program. The work was conducted by Prof. Malka Margalit of the School of Education of Tel Aviv University for the purpose of understanding the needs of special toddlers and their family members, improving existing treatment and striving to incorporate these treatments into other rehabilitation institutes in Israel.

Shalva's Me & My Mommy Program provides service to its participants in Israel free of charge.