Putting the "Early" in Early Intervention

It's a well known fact that the earlier we begin educating our children the more they learn and the better they do.  This is so much more for children with developmental disabilities who have extra challenges in their cognitive, physical and/or behavioral growth.  I was reminded of this when working with a mom who discussed how to best manage her 3 year old girl's aggressive behavior - the girl would hit mom when upset or not getting what she wanted.  Mom understood the challenge in setting limits for this child, as her tantrums would surely escalate before finding another more "adaptive" way of expression.  (Not to mention finding positive ways of engaging the child so she's less likely to seek attention by hitting.)  It's one thing to teach a 3 year old how to regulate their emotions.  It's another thing altogether to do so with a 6, 10 or 15 year old.