**1. Introduction**

#### *"Help a parent, and you've already helped the child." Johana Scot [1]*

All parents anticipate with excitement the upcoming birth of their soon-to-be baby. They dream about who the child will look like, who he/she will act like, and if their new baby will be an engineer, a ballerina, an athlete, or a nurse. Many times, when the parents are told that their child has or will have a disability, the wind is let out of the sails that give life to these dreams. New parents are apprehensive about what the future may bring. The hopes, joys, and anxiety that come with each new day can be more pronounced when their child has special needs.

This chapter will outline typical and atypical social/emotional, language/communication, fine/gross motor, and cognitive/academic development and discuss the common challenges experienced by parents and caregivers of young children with exceptionalities as well as strategies and resources designed to support families on their journeys. Each section will describe transition points for a child with special needs and provide strategies on how to help families make informed decisions

regarding major milestones within each time period. Resources will be provided to assist families and their child(ren) to reach their highest potential.

The content provided in this chapter is built on the premise that knowledge is power, that all children can learn, and that parent-professional partnerships are central to the growth of all learners.
