Early Intervention Program (EIP) - Introduction in Singapore
When you notice your infants or children have delay of development, you should start making appointment with KK Hospital Department of Child Development to assess your kids. No harm sending to assess even you have doubt. The outcome may not be negative always. Do as early age as possible as it can correct your kids behaviour before it become a habit.
Example: He does not look into your eye (no eye contact) when communicate with you. The professional will have ways to correct them. With eye contact, he will be able to learn and ask. It also improve his Social and Communication. A simple worry has to be corrected as it will lead to another bigger worry.
Child development progress is very much dependent on the parents or care giver. Therefore, KK gave classes to care giver and parent instead of the child. The classes will teach you how to train them. Whatever they learn in school, it must be practise at home to see the result. Teacher and parent must work hand-in-hand to correct the child behaviour.
How to choose your EIP Center?
I would suggest somewhere near your house. You be tiring to send twice a week if the location is far. Sending twice a week already use up most of our family time. If you are going a travel far, you will be losing your half of your day. EIP class is around 3 hours per session (depends on center).
Example: He does not look into your eye (no eye contact) when communicate with you. The professional will have ways to correct them. With eye contact, he will be able to learn and ask. It also improve his Social and Communication. A simple worry has to be corrected as it will lead to another bigger worry.
How it start?
Your kid will have the first assessment with the consultant and doctor. They will assess if he has
- Eye contact
- When you call his name, did he answer you.
- When you call his name, did he answer you.
- Able to follow instruction
- Able to read
- Able to point
- Able to point
- Arrange things in straight
- Ask for help when needed
- Any repetitive behaviour
- Any repetitive behaviour
This assessment also will tell you if your kids is actually slow development or really something that you need to take note. So, no harm to get your kid assess. It also could turn out he is just fine!
This assessment will not confirm that your kids is Autism but will give you an overview of what is your child progress compare to average kids of his age. Autism has a wide range of spectrum from mild to severe. Mild autism which we call it High-functional Autism which is refer to people who can read, write, speak and manage daily life skills.
If your kids are way behind the normal kid range of development. Classes like Early Intervention Program (EIP), Speech Therapy, Occupation Therapy and etc will be recommended which you can enrol with government (cheaper and at least 6 months waiting time) or private (expensive and can get seat immediately). Assessment with KK Hospital will cost about 100+ each time.
What is EIP?
It is an Early intervention Programmes that help to support overall development and therapy for infants and young children with slow development.
If your kids are way behind the normal kid range of development. Classes like Early Intervention Program (EIP), Speech Therapy, Occupation Therapy and etc will be recommended which you can enrol with government (cheaper and at least 6 months waiting time) or private (expensive and can get seat immediately). Assessment with KK Hospital will cost about 100+ each time.
What is EIP?
It is an Early intervention Programmes that help to support overall development and therapy for infants and young children with slow development.
To confirm your kid is an Autism, you will need to send for a full test and once confirmed it will label your child as Autism and recorded now in hospital. So, I would not recommend to go but to correct your child first with Early Intervention Program.
There are also free classes for parent on how to correct your child behaviour which KK Hospital will arrange for you. Classes will be ceased once your kid is enrolled to an EIP school (either private or public).
Working parents and unable to send kids to EIP under government for weekday. Although there is transport arranged from school to EIP centre directly on weekday, but you still need time off to be there to understand the progress.
Some EIP require parent to attend together.
Cost
Here you need to calculate the cost and see which is the best options.
EIC (Public)
- Courses on weekday (require parent to attend?)
- Transport
- Low Fee
- 6 - 9 months waiting time
PIC (Private)
- Courses on weekend
- Location
- Higher Fee
- Shorter waiting time (got seat most of the time)
- There is PPIP subsidies (min. S$500)
What is the cost?
Some EIP require parent to attend together.
Cost
Here you need to calculate the cost and see which is the best options.
EIC (Public)
- Courses on weekday (require parent to attend?)
- Transport
- Low Fee
- 6 - 9 months waiting time
PIC (Private)
- Courses on weekend
- Location
- Higher Fee
- Shorter waiting time (got seat most of the time)
- There is PPIP subsidies (min. S$500)
What is the cost?
See Public Price here.
Private price is about 1.5k at year 2019
Cost per class (around 1 hour) for Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy
Public Price around $60 at year 2021
Private Price about $200 at year 2019
Child development progress is very much dependent on the parents or care giver. Therefore, KK gave classes to care giver and parent instead of the child. The classes will teach you how to train them. Whatever they learn in school, it must be practise at home to see the result. Teacher and parent must work hand-in-hand to correct the child behaviour.
How to choose your EIP Center?
I would suggest somewhere near your house. You be tiring to send twice a week if the location is far. Sending twice a week already use up most of our family time. If you are going a travel far, you will be losing your half of your day. EIP class is around 3 hours per session (depends on center).