What is assistive technology for early childhood (birth – three years)?

Assistive Technology, or AT, refers to adapting a child’s environment in order to support his/her ability to participate actively in the home, childcare program, or other community settings. This may include the ability to play successfully with toys and other children, communicate needs and ideas, make choices, and move independently.

For young children, this often involves low tech adaptations such as helping a child to sit by building support into their highchair with towels, modifying their spoon by increasing the size of the handle, making a book easier to look at by putting spacers between the pages, or helping a child feel an object they cannot see by adding texture to the object. It can also include more sophisticated technology such as communication or mobility devices.

If you know a child and family who you think could benefit from assistive technology, contact the Early Childhood Resource Provider in your community. If you don’t know who this is, visit the link to providers in your area or call Maureen Melonis at Assistive Technology Partners at 303-315-1280.

Last Updated: April 29, 2008