Educational and Social History

Very young children may be enrolled in an early inter­vention program, home- or center-based. Frequency, length of sessions, components of training, the child's tolerance and cooperation in the program, and its effec­tiveness, as perceived by the parents, should be clar­ified.

Opportunities to meet and play with other chil­dren in addition to school or home contacts, visits and sleepovers with friends, and participation in var­ious recreational activities are formative experiences that prepare all youngsters for social functioning and adulthood. Asking the parents to describe the child's daily schedule, including regular and occasional activ­ities on weekdays and weekends, yields a valuable insight into these aspects of the entire family's life­style. Time spent in school, therapy, homework, play, and leisure activities with family members, friends, or alone should be noted. Housing, employment of the parents, siblings and their ages, and social support of the family provide further understanding of the phys­ical and social environment. Some families with a disabled child experience social isolation. Information about or referral to community resources is helpful in all cases.