Fredericksburg Parent

www.FredericksburgParent.NET 17 A baby's cooing, laughing and crying are all invitations for a parent or caregiver to respond to the child's needs. By singing, reading, talk- ing and playing with your baby or toddler, you are literally helping to lay the foundation of neural connections that lead to important skills like motivation, self-regulation, problem-solving, communication and self-esteem later on. The opposite is also true—young children who receive low levels of caring interaction do not develop as many brain connections, which can have a negative impact later in life. While the Internet and streaming services are full of engaging pro- gramming targeting this age group, research has shown that watching another person on TV is no substitute for interacting with a human in real life. Parents should prioritize real-life interaction over screen time, especially in these early years. YOU ARE YOUR CHILD'S BEST TEACHER When a child experiences delays in meeting typical developmental milestones, a parent's role becomes even more important. This is why the Parent Education-Infant Development program, an early inter- vention program that is part of the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board, is uniquely designed to put parents at the center of the work that speech, occupational, physical and other therapy practi- tioners do to help narrow developmental gaps in children ages 0 to 3. "Our intent is to work alongside the parent so that they're learning how to do the activities, and so that they can carry them through- out the day and week with their child," said Alison Standring, Part C System Manager for RACSB. "This way, children benefit from far more therapy than just the few hours per month that they are actually with the therapist." Home visits with early intervention all start with the same question. "The first thing we ask the parents is, 'What would you like to work on today?'" said Suzanne Haskell, PE-ID Program Coordinator. This can take some getting used to. After all, when a trained thera- peutic specialist walks in, many parents expect them to set the agenda. But by taking this parent-led approach, PE-ID's providers are helping parents learn to be their child's best advocate—a skill that will serve them well throughout the parenting journey—while building a treatment regimen that is 100% customized to that family's needs. Sponsored Material Ask the Expert a sk t h e e x p e rt During a therapeutic visit the child, care giver and therapist will work to find and then practice techniques that will build developmental skills. At the end of the visit, the therapist will review what worked and did not work and then give the family a list of specific activities to work on before the next appoint- ment. When the therapist arrives for the next session, the team reviews and practices. Many times, it is easy to see great progress that has happened without the therapist there. This is why Early Intervention works! And as a child approaches age 3, the PE-ID team helps the family transition to the next step, whether that's a preschool program or continued therapy with another provider. With developmental delays, early intervention is key to prog- ress. Parents who have concerns about their child's devel- opmental progress should reach out to a pediatrician or call PE-ID directly at 540-372-3561. The team will schedule a free assessment, where the developmental skills of the infant or toddler are assessed by staff members from fields includ- ing early childhood special education, occupational therapy, speech/language therapy and physical therapy. A list of questions to help you assess your child's development, along with more information about the program, can be found at rappahannockareacsb.org/early-intervention. ...young children who receive low levels of caring interaction do not develop as many brain connections...

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