Pediatric Therapy Services (0-3) - ECI

There’s one reason we’re all here…

At Brighton,
We’re here for the kids.

Brighton Center is an approved contractor with the State of Texas to provide Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services. Our fully licensed Therapists and Early Intervention Specialists (EIS) provide speech, occupational, and physical therapy as well as specialized skills training and case management to nearly 4,000 children across Bexar County every year.

What Makes Brighton’s Therapy Services Different?

Brighton, a non-profit organization in Bexar County, provides educational and developmental support to children experiencing developmental delays or disabilities. As an ECI provider through the State of Texas, Brighton’s team of highly skilled and licensed therapy and early childhood developmental professionals provides a holistic and family-centered approach to development. Through Brighton’s Pediatric Therapy Services, you can be assured that your child and family will receive the needed resources, support, and guidance!

A Family Centered Approach

Brighton knows that parents are natural teachers and understand their children best. That is why Brighton’s ECI staff involve parents and/or caregivers in every aspect of intervention and therapy and teach them how to play an active role in their child’s development.

Our Early Intervention Specialists (EIS)

Every child enrolled in Brighton’s Therapy Services is assigned an Early Intervention Specialist (EIS) who will coordinate all therapy services, work with the child’s doctors, and connect the family with additional resources in the community based on their individual needs.

Here, Helping Children is a Team Effort

Our mission is to ensure every child reaches their full potential, and our mission is only made possible through the enormous trust given by families. Helping children grow is a team effort, and effective teams are built on a foundation of trust. So come meet your team, and remember we’re here for children and their families.

MEET THE TEAM

Speech, Language & Feeding Therapy Services

Brighton’s licensed Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) provide home-based therapy and work with children experiencing difficulties with feeding, pronouncing words, or expressing and understanding language.

LEARN MORE

Occupational Therapy Services

Brighton’s licensed Occupational Therapists (OTs) help children reach or develop age-appropriate skills to participate in everyday activities. By addressing sensory processing, balance/mobility, and muscle functioning, OTs help children play, eat, sleep, dress, explore, learn, and socialize effectively.

LEARN MORE

Physical Therapy Services

Brighton’s licensed Physical Therapists (PTs) provide home-based therapy to children experiencing delays in gross motor skills by developing their range of motion, flexibility, strength, posture, gait, balance, and coordination.

LEARN MORE

Specialized Skills Training (SST)

Brighton’s Early Intervention Specialists (EISs) provide specialized skills training (SST) to support children’s cognitive, behavioral, and social development. Parents are also provided support on how to use these skills in daily activities to help their children reach developmental goals.

LEARN MORE

Other Available Services

Case Management Services Early Signs of Autism Intervention Telehealth

Brighton Center’s Early Intervention Specialists help families access and receive services, resources and support they need to support their child’s development. The support can include helping the child and family transition to special education services or other options as appropriate for children exiting Early Childhood Intervention at age 3. ECI provides comprehensive case management for all members of the child’s family as their needs relate to the child’s growth and development.

Brighton Center ECI Specialists are trained in Early Autism Intervention strategies through the Pathways Parent Training Program. This program has proven effective for developing the early social communication skills of social engagement and verbal reciprocity in toddlers.

Early Childhood Intervention services can be provided via telehealth using technology like a tablet or telephone. It is a safe, convenient, and effective way to receive critical therapy and ECI services when the therapist and child cannot meet.

LEARN MORE

Frequently Asked Questions

Every child develops at their own pace; however, there are some common things to look for in determining if your child could benefit from pediatric therapy or early childhood intervention services. Under these questions is a Developmental Checklist you can review to see if your child is reaching age-appropriate milestones.

ECI is a state- and federally-funded program through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, P.L. 108-446). The evaluations/assessments determining a child’s eligibility and need for ECI services are done at no cost to families. Based on the results of the evaluations/assessments, Brighton’s professional will work with the family to plan appropriate services. ECI asks families who can afford to share in the cost of services to do so. The amount a family pays for ECI services is determined using a state-regulated sliding fee scale based on family size and income after allowable deductions. No child/family is turned away because of an inability to pay. Families with children enrolled in Medicaid do not pay for any ECI service.

Evaluation/assessment, development of the Individual Family Service Plan, Case Management, Translation, and Interpreter services are provided at no cost to any family, regardless of income.

Eligibility for Early Childhood Intervention is determined by a team of at least two Brighton Center professionals from different pediatric therapy disciplines (speech, occupational, physical). An evaluation determines the nature and extent of the child’s abilities, delays, or difficulties. This evaluation is done at no cost to parents.

The ECI staff determines eligibility for infants and toddlers (birth to 36 months) based on:

Medically-diagnosed Condition: A child who has a medically-diagnosed condition that has a high probability of resulting in developmental delay qualifies for ECI. The diagnosis must be on the HHSC ECI list of qualifying diagnoses, and medical records that confirm the diagnosis must be provided.
Auditory or Visual Impairment: A child with an auditory or visual impairment, as defined by the Texas Education Agency rule at 19 TAC Section 89.1040, qualifies for ECI. This determination is made by a team led by certified staff from the local independent school district.
Developmental Delay: A child with a developmental delay of at least 25%, affecting functioning in one or more areas of development (cognition, communication, gross/fine motor, social-emotional, and/or adaptive/self-help), qualifies for ECI.

If found eligible, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is then created that identifies the child’s unique strengths and needs and lists the types of pediatric therapy services necessary to meet these needs.

If you are concerned that an infant or toddler may have a developmental delay or disability, contact ECI for an evaluation. Anyone can make a referral, including parents, family members, healthcare professionals, social workers, caregivers, friends, or neighbors. A referral may be based on professional judgment or general concern. Call ECI at 210-826-4492 or fill out this form.

If you are concerned that your child may have a developmental delay or disability, call ECI at 210-826-4492, or fill out this form to receive more information. An ECI professional will provide an evaluation to determine your child’s eligibility for ECI.

ECI helps children from birth to 36 months.

First, call ECI to make a referral for your child: 210-826-4492 Or fill out this FORM for more information. Next, your child will be is assigned to a Service Coordinator, based upon where you live. Then, the Service Coordinator will contact you to schedule an appointment.

No, ECI will come to you. ECI professionals provide ECI services in places familiar to your child – where they live, learn, and play – like at your home, at their childcare, or in a community setting – where your child feels most comfortable.

Yes. You may call and speak with ECI referral staff about your child’s development: 210-826-4492 Or fill out this FORM for more information. You may also want to track your child’s developmental milestones to see how they are doing. Not reaching these milestones, or reaching them much later than other children, could be a sign of a developmental delay.

No, anyone can make a referral (a parent, family member, health care professional, social worker, caregiver, friend or neighbor.) Simply, call ECI: 210-826-4492 Or fill out this FORM for more information.

A child who already has a medically diagnosed condition, which has a high probability of resulting in a developmental delay, automatically qualifies for Early Childhood Intervention (ECI). That diagnosis must be on HHSC/ECI’s list of qualifying medical diagnoses; medical records must be provided to confirm the diagnosis. To get started, call ECI and make a referral: 210-826-4492 Or fill out this FORM for more information.

Yes. Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) can help. If you are concerned that your child may have a developmental delay or disability, call ECI: 210-826-4492 Or fill out this FORM for more information. Early intervention is best.

To get started, simply call ECI to request a referral: 210-826-4492 Or fill out this FORM for more information. Your child will be assigned to an ECI Service Coordinator, who will contact you to schedule an appointment. At the first visit, your child will be evaluated to determine if your child has a delay and to determine what ECI services are needed to help your child develop. ECI professionals partner with families, listen to their concerns, and work on a plan for services and assistance. Each child will have his/her own individual plan, according to his or her needs.

If you are concerned that the foster child may have a developmental delay or disability, contact ECI for an evaluation. Anyone can request an evaluation (a parent, family member, health care professional, social worker, caregiver, friend or neighbor.) Call ECI to make a referral or for more information: 210-826-4492 Or fill out this FORM for more information.

Prior to the child’s 3rd birthday, ECI helps the family plan for services and supports elsewhere – after the child graduates from ECI (for example: the local school district, Head Start, private ECI services, or other resources in the community).

At age 3, Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) services may be provided by your local school district, Head Start, private pediatric therapy services, or other resources in the community. You may contact your local school district for more information. To determine the school district in which you live, visit the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website.

Developmental Checklist for Children

3 – 12 Months 12 – 21 Months 21 – 36 Months

3 – 6 Months 6 – 9 Months 9 – 12 Months

Follows moving toys or faces with their eyes
Startled at loud or new sounds
Wiggles and kicks with legs and arms
Lifts head and shoulders while on stomach
Smiles back at parents or other family members
Makes sounds, like gurgling, cooing or sucking

Explores toys with hands and mouth
Rolls over front-to-back and back-to-front
Squeals and babbles different sounds
Sits by leaning on their hands
Turns their heads to voices and responds to their names
Knows family members and seeks their attention
Enjoys playing “peek-a-boo”

Copies hand movements like “patty cake,” or “bye-bye”
Picks up crumbs or other small things with their thumb and finger
Moves toys from one hand to the other hand
Crawls on hands and knees
Sits without help
Repeats sounds like “baba”, “dada” and “mama”
Cries when mother or father leaves

12 – 15 Months 15 – 18 Months 18 – 21 Months

Pulls themselves up to a standing position
Walks by holding onto furniture
Drinks from a cup with your help
Waves bye-bye
Says “mama” and “dada” and one other word
Points to objects they want
Can find a toy hidden under a cloth

Uses at least three words besides “mama” and “dada”
Likes to look at pictures in a book
Holds a crayon in a fist
Hands toys to you when asked
Points to pictures or objects you name
Walks without help
Dumps contents out of a box

Likes to pull and push things while walking
Uses pointing and words together to tell what they want
Pulls off shoes and socks
Feeds themselves with their fingers
Can point to one body part when asked
Uses at least 10 words and can repeat words you say

21 – 24 Months 24 – 30 Months 30 – 36 Months

Likes to pull and push things while walking
Uses pointing and words together to tell what they want
Pulls off shoes and socks
Feeds themselves with their fingers
Can point to one body part when asked
Uses at least 10 words and can repeat words you say

Uses 2 to 3 words together, like “No, Mommy” or “More cookies”
Uses and understands at least 50 words
Feeds themselves with a spoon
Shows affection to family members and pets
Runs short distances without falling
Pretends play with more than one step (Feed a doll, then pat and hug it)
Shows lots of feelings (joy, anger, sadness)

Throws a ball overhand
Comforts another child who is crying
Can walk on tiptoes
Combines 2 ideas in a sentence (i.e. “I want an apple and a banana.”)
Helps to clean up
Asks for help when needed
Combines 2 toys in pretend play (Uses a stuffed bear as the driver of a toy car)
Uses at least 100 words