Early Intervention Services

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Early Intervention Services *

Lifelong Learning Starts with Early Support

DCDC’s Early Intervention Services

Every child develops at their own pace—but when developmental delays arise, Early Intervention can make a meaningful difference.

Danville Child Development Center (DCDC) is proud to be the region’s first provider of Birth to Age 3 Early Intervention services. We offer individualized support at no cost to families who qualify, helping children build essential skills during their most critical years of growth.

Our experienced Early Intervention (EI) team provides services in the setting that works best for your family—at DCDC, in your home, or both. We collaborate closely with DCDC teachers to ensure consistency across care and learning environments, creating a seamless experience for children enrolled in both programs.

Inside a colorful classroom with children sitting on a blue and yellow rug listening to a woman reading a book. The room has green walls decorated with children's artwork, hanging fish, and an aquarium. There are shelves with books, toys, and educational materials, and a sign that says 'Hello' is displayed on the wall.

Services include:

  • Speech Therapy                                                         

  • Physical Therapy

  • Occupational Therapy                                              

  • Special Instruction (Early Childhood Education)

A woman reading a picture book to a group of young children in a playroom. The children are sitting and lying on the carpeted floor, with some in a baby swing and others gathered around the woman. Toys and storage shelves are visible in the background.

We focus on five key areas of development:

  • Physical (motor skills)

  • Cognitive (learning and problem-solving)

  • Communication (understanding and expressing language)

  • Social/Emotional (interacting and relating to others)

  • Adaptive (self-help skills like eating and dressing)

 

With ongoing professional development and a family-centered approach, our team is committed to helping each child grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.

A daycare or preschool classroom scene with young children eating at a small table supervised by an adult woman. The background shows cubbies filled with backpacks and various classroom decorations.

Meet Our Team!

Meet Our Team!

  • A smiling woman with light brown hair styled in loose curls, wearing a navy blue top and a gold necklace.

    Kayla Clouser is our EI Team Lead and Special Instructor

    With 5 years of early intervention experience and 11 total years’ experience in education, she brings both expertise and heart to every family she works with. She attended Mercyhurst University and obtained educational degrees in Music Education, Special Education, and Teaching Excellence, plus a Principal Leadership certificate.  Her experience with working with infants through age 21 students over the past 11 years gives Kayla a unique perspective on child development and family collaboration. 

  • A woman with short brown hair smiling, wearing a navy blue shirt with white and light blue striped sleeves, a black beaded necklace with a flower pendant, and standing against a light green wall.

    Carla Maize

    Carla Maize has been a speech therapist for 29 years and currently works as a speech therapist in the Danville Area School District. She has had the opportunity to work with individuals of all ages...infants and toddlers, in early intervention, to older individuals, in long-term care settings.  She worked in early intervention many years ago and enjoyed the experience very much!  Carla truly appreciates and loves working with families with young children, getting to know everyone and helping to address any needs they are experiencing. 

  • A woman with curly hair smiling, wearing a green top and a white floral-patterned cardigan, standing against a plain wall.

    Kelly Renno, OTR/L

    Kelly Renno, OTR/L has over 20 years of experience in the field of pediatric occupational therapy. As an occupational therapist, she addresses a variety of physical, developmental, and sensory challenges children may face including, but not limited to sensory processing and sensory integration; apraxia and motor planning; feeding; adaptive toys and switches; positioning; neurodevelopmental treatment; and treatments for fine and gross motor development. Kelly focuses her therapy sessions on coaching the family to use their strengths and increase their knowledge to help their child succeed on a daily basis. 

  • A woman with long brown hair, wearing a black jacket, gray sweater, and a necklace, smiling in front of a blue background with the words 'Misericordia University'.

    Morgan Heap, OTR/L

    Morgan Heap has been working as a pediatric occupational therapist since 2022. Morgan has experience in a variety of settings including pediatric inpatient, outpatient settings, and feeding clinic. She is passionate about helping children build the skills they need to participate in day-to-day activities and family centered goals. She strives on supporting families through all developmental milestones. Her therapy approach is child-centered, play-based, and family-focused. Areas that she targets include but are not limited to sensory integration, pediatric feeding, and fine and gross motor development. Morgan prioritizes partnerships with families and collaborating to support their goals and fitting each child's strengths and needs. Morgan's goal is for sessions to be fun, encouraging, and functional—helping children and families gain confidence while building skills to work towards maximum potential. 

  • A woman with dark hair pulled back, smiling and wearing a beige sweatshirt with partially visible text, standing outdoors against a clear blue sky.

    Katie Dean

    Katie Dean graduated from Misericordia University with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and bachelor’s degree in biology in 2015. She has experience working with children & families in several settings, including, NICU, high risk follow-up clinics, outpatient, and inpatient pediatrics. She specializes in the development of motor skills, movement patterns, prematurity, positioning, and equipment needs. Katie has experience working with a variety of diagnoses and medically complex infants and children. She is certified in neonatal touch and massage. Katie uses play based interventions and will provide individualized instruction on how to best support your child's development. Katie's goal is to help each child reach their maximal potential and provide families with the knowledge & available resources to help them succeed.

  • A young woman with brown wavy hair smiling outdoors with a background of autumn leaves.

    Kayla Thorpe, M.S., CCC-SLP

    Kayla Thorpe is a pediatric speech-language pathologist who has been dedicated to supporting young children and their families since 2022. She currently works full-time with the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit (CSIU), providing speech and language services to children ages 3–6 in daycare and preschool settings. Kayla also brings valuable experience from the outpatient setting, allowing her to adapt her approach across environments and developmental needs. Kayla has participated in the Hanen Centre’s "It Takes Two to Talk" program, a parent-focused approach that promotes language development in infants and toddlers through everyday interactions. Her therapy style is child-centered, play-based, and family-focused. She prioritizes strong partnerships with caregivers and values collaboration to support each family’s goals while honoring each child’s individual strengths and needs. Flexible in her approach, Kayla creates customized communication boards and visual supports to meet the unique needs of the children and families she serves. Kayla’s goal is for therapy sessions to be fun, encouraging, and functional—helping children and families build confidence while developing meaningful communication skills that support independence and long-term success. on goes here