Early Intervention for Des Moines, North Liberty & Beyond

WHAT IS EARLY INTERVENTION?

Early intervention focuses on helping young children in North Liberty and Des Moines develop essential communication skills during the most critical period of brain development. This specialized support addresses delays in speech, language, and social interaction, empowering children to build the skills they need to express themselves, understand others, and connect with the world around them.

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How Should My Two-Year-Old Be Speaking And Communicating?

SPEECH SKILLS

N

Says all vowel sounds

N

Regularly uses p, b, and m sounds

LANGUAGE SKILLS

N

Can follow 2-step related commands

N

Understands the concepts of “one” and “all”

N

Names 1 color

N

Regularly uses 2-3 word phrases

N

Answers “yes/no” questions correctly

N

Gives directions and asks basic WH-questions (who, what, where)

N

Uses 200-300 words

PLAY/SOCIAL SKILLS

N

Engages in pretend play

N

Engages in parallel play (playing next to other kids)

N

Stacks and assembles toys and objects

N

Shares toys with other children

How Should My Three-Year-Old Be Speaking And Communicating?

SPEECH SKILLS

N

Says all vowel sounds

N

Regularly uses p, b, m, h, n, k, g, w, d, and t sounds

N

Speech is approximately 75% understandable

LANGUAGE SKILLS

N

Can follow 3-step commands

N

Understands size concepts (big, small)

N

Understands and names basic colors

N

Asks “why” questions

N

Understands basic spatial terms (in, on, under, etc.)

N

Uses words like “a,” “the,” and “am” in sentences

N

Uses regular past tense verbs (jumped, played, etc.)

PLAY/SOCIAL SKILLS

N

Plays cooperatively with other children

N

Pretends to be something or someone else

N

Takes turns during games

How Should My Four-Year-Old Be Speaking And Communicating?

SPEECH SKILLS

N

Says all vowel sounds

N

Regularly uses p, b, m, h, n, k, g, w, d, t, s, z, f, v, and y sounds

N

Regularly uses "sh", "ch", "juh" sounds

N

Speech is approximately 90% understandable

LANGUAGE SKILLS

N

Answers “when” and “how” questions

N

Understands basic shapes (circle, square, triangle)

N

Uses 4-5 word sentences regularly

N

Beginning to learn letter and number names

N

Can tell you about what happened in the past

N

Beginning to tell stories that have a plot

PLAY/SOCIAL SKILLS

N

Expresses empathy

N

Creates imaginary roles or props in play

N

Maintains conversational topics

woman sits with toddler on a rug with toys

How Can ETLC Help?

 

At Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center, we know young children learn best through play! With individualized strategies, parent coaching, and structured play-based activities, early intervention creates a strong foundation for lifelong communication success. By starting early, families can prevent further delays, improve outcomes, and help their child thrive.

We offer Early Intervention services in-person at our North Liberty and Des Moines offices, where your child can work one-on-one with our speech-language pathologists and learning specialists.

How Do I Get Started?

1. Schedule a consultation

2. Receive an individualized plan

3. Watch your child thrive

Schedule a Consultation

Why Choose ETLC?

At Enrichment Therapy & Learning Center, we believe every child deserves to thrive with their communication skills, and we know you want that, too. We know the importance of early intervention and value the opportunity to build foundational skills that will help set children up for success. Our specialists are trained in many research-based programs and strategies to create a plan specific to your child and their unique learning style. Together, we can help your child feel confident and successful!
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