Experiences of Pediatricians and Part C EI Personnel With Identification, Referral, and Evaluation Amidst COVID-19

The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on families of young children with disabilities is well documented; however, there is little published research on the experiences of pediatricians and Part C Early Intervention (EI) personnel during the pandemic. This study examined the collective experiences of general pediatricians and Part C EI personnel related to delivering services to children and their families during the pandemic. Qualitative analyses of semi-structured interviews conducted between November 2020 and February 2021 revealed a significant decline in the number of children identified and referred to EI programs. Additionally, the 14 Part C EI providers and four pediatricians who were interviewed suggested that those children and families who were referred were either not linked with the EI program or experienced delayed evaluations. There was consensus among EI personnel and pediatricians that telehealth was not an ideal platform for conducting developmental screening and eligibility evaluations for children aged birth to 3 during the pandemic, particularly with new families where there was limited contextual information, and a rapport had not yet been established between the provider and the family.