Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, to Him belongs favor, grace, and good praise. May the blessings of Allah, the Merciful, and the close angels be upon our master Muhammad, the master of messengers, and upon all his brethren of the prophets and messengers, and upon his family and companions all.

The issue of early intervention has strongly emerged in the therapeutic and educational fields that provide services to individuals with special needs. It is possible to mitigate the effects of disability, and perhaps prevent it, if discovered and treated very early. Recently, it has become possible to detect several disorders during pregnancy or in newborns. Early identification and treatment of such disorders before damage occurs to the nervous system or other body systems can prevent disability.

Specialists in the field of special education are well aware of the close link between medicine and the development of early intervention. Although authors acknowledge that this field is still in its infancy, the scientific revolution and technological progress have significantly contributed to preventing many diseases and reducing their complications if they occur.

Medicine and its profession hold a high rank among the sciences, and its practitioners are vested with a prestige befitting their knowledge and skill. This is further emphasized by medicine's fundamental relationship with people's lives, including those with special needs. Who among us does not get sick or feel unwell? Health is a blessing, and people seek medical treatment in hopes of a cure, sparing no expense. Thus, medicine has its esteemed place, as Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) succinctly stated: 'Knowledge is of two kinds: the science of religion and the science of the world. The science for religion is jurisprudence, and the science for the world is medicine.'

It is worth noting that childhood is the most important stage of growth in a person's life. Psychologists and educators agree on the necessity of caring for children during this stage, as it is the foundational phase for building the child's personality and future behavior.

If early childhood is a crucial stage for the development of typically developing children, it is even more critical for children with special needs. For many children with severe or multiple disabilities, the first years of life are a struggle for survival, marked by developmental delays and lost opportunities that are difficult to compensate for later in life.

Early intervention is a modern concept in the field of special education, receiving great attention from specialists due to its expected benefits. It is a series of procedures aimed at preventing, rehabilitating, or mitigating the effects of disability. Its programs focus on two main axes: intervention for prevention and intervention for rehabilitation. It improves and changes the behavior of children with special needs, which may be represented by increased independence, improved self-care abilities, acquisition of new behavioral patterns, and development in cognitive, linguistic, motor, or socio-emotional areas within a rich and stable environment. Its importance lies in early childhood, a stage that witnesses the development of complex skills for body control, sitting, standing, walking, running, and balance, alongside the growth of verbal skills, speech, bladder control, and acceptable eating habits. These are vital for helping the child adapt to their environment and developing their mental, linguistic, and social abilities.

Thus, the justifications and effectiveness of early intervention are clearer than ever. The focus on early intervention programs reflects a growing awareness of the importance of early childhood and its role in shaping future development. Experience and scientific studies in the last decade have also shown that early intervention has important preventive functions, is economically viable, and has long-term benefits that contribute to the progress and well-being of society. The increased interest in designing and implementing early intervention programs has stemmed from a similar interest in the early detection of children with special needs. There is a clear logical relationship between early detection and early intervention; how can intervention services be provided without early detection? And what is the benefit of early detection if there are no intervention programs?

This book generally aims to introduce the student to the primary principles and basic concepts in the field of early intervention, enabling them to understand the principles, development, justifications, and models of special education for early childhood. It also aims to provide knowledge of the educational and psychological characteristics and developmental needs of young children with special needs, their programs and teaching methods in preschool, methods of their detection, and ways to prevent disabilities in early childhood, as well as modern trends in this field.

Dear reader: We present to you the first edition of the book 'Early Intervention: At-Risk Children', to shed light on the invaluable services provided by multidisciplinary teams, which showcase human cooperation in its finest form. Specifically, the book's twelve chapters aim to address early intervention for 'at-risk children'.

• ISBN: 9789957168476
• Weight: 0.900 kg
• Dimensions: 17x24 cm
• Paper: White
• Pages: 488
• Year of Publication: 2014
• Binding: Hardcover