Cadence of Acadiana

The Infant and Toddler program is for developmental delayed children ages 0 to 3 years in Louisiana. The point of entry for all Infants and Toddlers is a written referral from the Early Steps Program.

The following are the specific eligibility requirements for the Infants and Toddlers program:

  • 1. A documented, established medical condition determined by a licensed physician. In the case of a hearing impairment, a licensed audiologist or licensed physician must make the determination; or
  • 2. A developmental delay in one or more of the following areas:
    • Cognitive development
    • Physical development, including vision and hearing. Eligibility must be based on a documented diagnosis made by a licensed physician (vision) or a licensed audiologist (hearing).
    • Communication development
    • Social or emotional development
    • Adaptive development

The determination of a developmental delay must be made by a multi-disciplinary evaluation team which includes the child's family and qualified professionals, as recognized by the Early Steps Program.

Cadence support coordinators will be responsible for:
  • Informing the family of the steps involved in the Multidisciplinary Evaluation process; explaining their rights and procedural safeguards and securing their level of desired participation.
  • Reviewing relevant medical records and prior evaluations.
  • Coordinating the necessary evaluations, and KIDMED screenings and immunizations.
  • Identifying and coordinating the identification of families' needs, concerns, priorities and resources.
  • Developing the Child's Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) within required limits.
  • Informing the recipient of all service choices.
For more information contact the CADENCE office nearest you.