Early Childhood Initiatives
Why Early Childhood Matters
The first few years of a child’s life sets the course for how that child will grow, learn, develop relationships, and prepare for school. Every experience and opportunity during these initial years are crucial to setting a strong foundation for a healthy future. At ICAAP, we are committed to supporting all pediatric healthcare providers with early childhood resources and guidance to ensure all children in Illinois receive well-rounded care.
By leveraging existing early childhood programs, resources and interventions, we can help improve outcomes for all children.
Early Childhood Resources for Clinicians
AAP Coding Fact Sheet for Early Childhood Social-Emotional Development Billing and Coding
A new resource for Early Childhood Social-Emotional Development Billing and Coding from the AAP that details billing and diagnosis codes recommended for use by pediatric health care providers, followed by case examples of social-emotional development coding in practice. This document is designed for all pediatric providers, including pediatricians, family medicine, integrated mental health professionals, and other specialists who work with children ages 0-5.
Additional resources from the AAP
Explore dedicated professional resources covering a wide range of early childhood topics like:
- Early Childhood Health & Development
- Early Relational Health
- Council on Early Childhood Guidance
- Learn the Signs. Act Early. (LTSAE)
- Early Childhood Developmental Health Systems (ECDHS)
- Safe Babies
- Facilitating Attuned Interactions (FAN)
- And more
AAP’s Council on Early Childhood Policy Statements
The Council develops policy statements, clinical reports and technical guidelines to improve the health of all children including:
- Addressing Early Education and Child Care Expulsion (published 2023)
- Quality Early Education and Child Care (published in 2017)
- The Pediatrician's Role in Family Support and Family Support Programs (reaffirmed in 2017)
- The Pediatrician's Role in Optimizing School Readiness (published in 2016)
- Addressing Early Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Problems (published in 2016)
- Technical Report: Addressing Early Childhood Emotional and Behavioral Problems (published in 2016)
- School Readiness (revised 2019)
- Clinical Report: Selecting Appropriate Toys (revised in 2019)
- Literacy Promotion: an Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice
- Parental Leave for Residents and Pediatric Trainee Programs
Bright Futures Early Childhood Tools
- Previsit Questionnaires: Help determine what the family would like to discuss during the health supervision visit (in conjunction with the Bright Futures visit priorities), initiate recommended medical screening with integrated risk assessment questions, obtain developmental surveillance information, and identify topics for anticipatory guidance discussion. Each questionnaire is written in plain language to ensure the information is clear, concise, relevant, and easy to understand .
- Visit Documentation Forms: Provide a convenient resource to document activities during a typical health supervision visit, simplify proper coding, and help secure appropriate payment for each visit's activities.
- Parent/Patient Educational Handouts: Help guide anticipatory guidance and reinforce key messages (organized around the 5 priorities in each visit) for the family. Each educational handout is written in plain language to ensure the information is clear, concise, relevant, and easy to understand.
Programs & Resources
to Build Your Skills and Capacity
Get key information, learn more about referrals and programs, and share important resources with your patient families with little ones from infancy through five years of age.
Breastfeeding Resources & Guidance
Human milk provides recognized health benefits for the lactating parent and their child. Infants that are formula fed are at risk for increased incidence of numerous infectious childhood diseases, SIDS, type 1 and 2 diabetes, and childhood obesity. Breastfeeding/chestfeeding reduces the incidence of postpartum bleeding, breast and ovarian cancer, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease.
Topics & Resources Include:
- Chest/Breastfeeding Resources for Parents
- “We Can!” Strategies to Achieve Health Equity in Breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding Promotion & Support CME Series
- Illinois Breastfeeding Projects & Reports
Early Intervention
Early Intervention in Illinois is a statewide program providing support and services to families to help their children under age 3 meet developmental milestones. These services are available to babies and young children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families. Properly leveraging early childhood intervention program can have a significant impact on a child’s ability to learn new skills and overcome challenges while increasing their likelihood of academic and general success.
Topics & Resources Include:
- Primary Referral Resources
- Early Identification of Developmental Delay & Disability Resources
- Child & Family Connection Offices
- Filing Early Intervention Complains
- Resources for Families
Read Out and Read
Guided by the ICAAP team, Reach Out & Read Illinois (ROR) helps prepare low-income children and their families for kindergarten by:
- Finding new ways to incorporate books into pediatric visits from six months to five years
- Connecting families to neighborhood resources
- Encouraging families to read together
Reach Out & Read Illinois builds on the existing relationship between parents and healthcare providers by providing resources and activities that can be shared during well-visits to help keep children on track.
Topics & Resources Include:
- How to Bring ROR to Your Clinic
- Shared Reading Strategies
- Ways to Improve School Readiness
Leveraging Early Childhood Collaboratives to Improve Care
Early Childhood Collaboratives are groups of dedicated community members and leaders who work together to improve outcomes for children and families.
Collaborations may work to improve access to:
- Early childhood screenings
- Early intervention & home visiting programs
- Vaccinations
- Well child visits
- Mental health services
- Family engagement &education
- Community resource
ICAAP, Tri-Town YMCA, and the Villa Park Area Early Childhood Collaborative
We put together two webinars to help pediatric health care providers gain a better understanding of Early Intervention & Home Visiting Programs in DuPage County. With these webinars, you can:
Gain an understanding of the resources and services that can be leveraged to better support children and families!
WEBINAR 1:
Leveraging Home Visit Programs in DuPage County
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Describe the role of home visiting within the broader early childhood landscape in IL
- Understand the various home visiting models and programs available in DuPage County and how they support families
- Assess families’ eligibility to various home visiting models
- Understand how to refer a family into home visiting program in DuPage County
Watch Now Presentation Slides | Download the home Visiting Handout 
For Web For Print
WEBINAR 2:
Leveraging Early Intervention Programs in DuPage County
Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:
- Describe the EI system in IL and understand future plans
- Understand medical diagnostics through early intervention Communicate the transition between EI and school-based services
- Utilize practical tips and tricks to leverage EI to support patients and families
- Guide families in monitoring the status of their EI referrals after they have been made by the pediatrician
Watch Now Presentation Slides | Download the home Visiting Handout For Web For Print