EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICE IN WORKING WITH CHILDREN WITH ALALIA

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects of speech therapy correction for alalia within the modern system of early intervention. The authors reveal the specifics of the transition from the diagnosis of «speech delay» to the verification of alalia as a systemic speech underdevelopment of organic origin. Particular attention is paid to the neuroplasticity of the child's brain up to the age of four, which defines this stage as the most sensitive period for compensating for speech disorders and preventing secondary cognitive and social impairments. The study details a multidisciplinary approach strategy where speech therapy is integrated into the overall family support plan. The specifics of corrective intervention for motor and sensory manifestations of speech disorders are considered, adapted to the child's natural environment, are examined. Methods for stimulating expressive speech, forming predicative functions, and developing auditory-speech attention through active parental involvement are highlighted. The authors emphasize the importance of using daily routines as a primary resource for creating thousands of learning opportunities, which is a fundamental difference between early intervention and traditional speech therapy sessions. The authors analyze the regulatory framework and organizational barriers to implementing early intervention services in Ukraine. Several challenges were identified, such as insufficient interagency coordination, staff shortages, and limited access to services in local communities. The authors conclude that developing the early intervention system is a strategic direction for reforming the state's social and educational policies, as it ensures not only the child's rehabilitation but also the social stabilization of the family, minimization of disability risks, and successful social inclusion. It is proven that timely specialist involvement and the use of self-assessment screening tools allow assistance to begin even before an official clinical diagnosis is established, which is a decisive factor in the developmental prognosis for a child with alalia.