What is Specialized Skills Training (SST)?
Specialized Skills Training is a unique service offered to families only through an Early Childhood Intervention Program and by an Early Childhood Intervention Specialist (EIS). A child can receive both SST and therapy services. SST and your child’s therapy services work together so you can help your child:
- Develop positive social-emotional skills (making and keeping friends)
- Learn new developmental skills and know how to use them
- Learn to meet his needs himself (walking, talking, eating, dressing).
Specialized Skills Training provides the following for parents and caregivers:
- How to help your child learn with a focus on thinking skills, behavior and social skills. These are skills your child needs to be ready for school!
- Ways to help your child during your family’s everyday activities by using items in your home or childcare center.
- An understand about your child’s development and what should be happening next.
What happens at an SST Visit?
Your EIS will schedule visits to join you during activities your request help with, either at home or in your community. The skills you learn during SST will help your child meet their specific developmental goals. The following are a few examples of activities that might happen during an SST visit:
Learning and using words
- The EIS shows you how to set up your child’s play area to encourage him to use words to ask for his favorite toys.
- The EIS shows you ways to use pictures of food to help your child make choices during snack time.
Behavior and reducing tantrums
- The EIS suggests ways to help your child know when they need to stop one activity and move to the next. The EIS supports you as you practice these ideas and offers suggestions on other things to try.
- The EIS meets you at the grocery store and teaches you ways to help your child stay calm so you can complete your shopping.
Rolling, sitting & walking
- The EIS helps you use your baby’s toys to teach him to roll over, sit up, and eventually walk.
