Parent Fact Sheets

When children turn two it is not unusual for once curious toddlers to suddenly be afraid. They are experiencing an overwhelming amount of physical, emotional and cognitive development. As the imagination begins to develop, so can a child’s sense that the world is a scary place. And just about anything may seem frightening. Since two and three year old toddlers usually don’t have the language skills to express themselves clearly, a parent may have a hard time figuring out what is the cause. They could be as innocent as unintentional exposure to evening news.

As a parent, having a new infant can be a wonderful experience. It is fascinating to watch your infant grow and develop. Learning about infant development can help you appreciate each tiny step your baby makes. 

Let’s examine some ways that your baby learns. Infants learn a great deal through their senses. Here are some ways infants learn and activities that will assist the infants to reach developmental milestones: 

YOUR BABY – BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

One of the first experiences you have with your new baby is the bonding that takes place between the parent and their infant. The bonding process is very important in healthy infant development. Nature facilitates this process by making it an enjoyable experience for both you and your infant. Bonding which includes hugging, snugging, making eye contact and providing a sense of continuity and security not only benefits the infant, but you as a parent as well.

WHY IS MY CHILD ANGRY?

As a parent, you care about the self-esteem of each of your children. How do you help children feel loveable and capable when your child acts unruly and irritable? Most parents want their children to like themselves, to be at ease with themselves and others. Occasionally it seems impossible to get children to like themselves when they are just plain mad. The first step is to try to identify why your child is so angry.

WHY DOES MY CHILD GET ANGRY? 

WARNNG SIGNS: FIFTH DISEASE FIFTH DISEASE

Fifth disease can be particularly problematic in a childcare setting because a child or adult is contagious before symptoms occur. Transmission of fifth disease is from by direct contact from person-to-person through respiratory secretions.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS: 

• A red rash on the child’s face, often looks like the child has been slapped.

• A lace-like rash on the child’s trunk and arms and legs.

NEWBORN WARNING SIGNS

Newborn babies go through many changes as they are getting used to the world around them. Some babies may be fussy and other calm. Your baby’s temperment will have a lot to do with how your baby reacts to these changes. Most of the time babies adjust very well. However, there are some warning signs that you should be aware of an watch for. They are:

• No urine in the first 24 hours at home. This can be difficult to assess, especially with disposable diapers.

• No bowel movement in the first 48 hours.

SIGNS OF HEARING LOSS

There are many causes for hearing loss in children. Some problems occurred at birth, others from middle ear infections. You may notice that the baby is not reacting to sounds, some early warning signs to look for are:

INFANTS

• Not reacting normally to sounds

• Not startling with noise

• Trouble locating the source of sound or voices

• Speech delays

• Trouble developing correct speech sounds

• Your child may not respond to your voice

CHILDREN

SEIZURES

SCHOOL PHOBIA

It is not unusual for children to be anxious about going to school. Extreme school fears, or sometimes called ‘school phobia’ are different from normal school anxiety. A child with school phobia may be so terrified of going to school he fights to stay at either his home or his family childcare home.

Children from ages 5-11 may exhibit the following:

• may act sick

• develop a headache

• have a stomachache

• vomit when it’s time to go to school

• Cling to parent

• Have a temper tantrum

• Excessive Crying

WHAT IS MRSA?

MENENGITIS

Meningitis in very serious. There are various causes and types of meningitis. If your child has any of the symptoms listed below, it is important to seek medical care to have the type of meningitis identified and treated correctly.

LEAD PAINT POISONING

Lead is very dangerous to children. A child’s growing body absorbs more lead than adults do. A young child between to ages of 9 month and 6 years old are at most risk. Their brains and nervous systems are very sensitive to the effects of lead. If you are pregnant, lead can hurt your baby. One of the reasons babies and young children are so susceptible to lead poisoning is because they are constantly putting their fingers and other objects into their mouth that can have lead from dust or soil on them.

COMMON SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA

Dyslexia is a language-based disability that affects both oral and written language. With help, children with dyslexia can become successful readers. This Fact Sheet discusses the warning signs for dyslexia that preschool and elementary school children might display.

FACTS ABOUT DYSLEZIA

• Fifteen to twenty percent of the population has a reading disability.

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD)

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states the following about Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is a developmental disability that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges. There is often nothing about how people with ASD look that sets them apart from other people, but people with ASD may communicate, interact, behave, and learn in ways that are different from most other people. The learning, thinking, and problem-solving abilities of people with ASD can range from gifted to severely challenged.

ANXIETY DISORDERS IN CHILDREN

It is normal for children to feel worried or anxious to a certain extent. For example, first day of school or moving to a new area. As a parent you need to be concerned when the anxiety is affecting their behavior and their thoughts are interfering with their normal life.

ANXIETY SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN:

• become irritable, tearful or clingy

• have difficulty sleeping

• wake in the night • start wetting the bed

• have bad dreams

IN OLDER CHILDREN:

VISION PROBLEMS

As babies develop, they should hit certain ‘milestones’ in development. Most baby’s eyes, before 4 months, occasionally look misaligned. However, after 4 months of age, inward crossing or outward drifting that occurs regularly, is usually abnormal. If one of these is present, let your child’s doctor know.

HYPERKINETIC BEHAVIORAL DISTURBANCE

Hyperkinetic Behavioral Disturbance is a behavioral syndrome in children. Many times children with this specific disorder will be diagnosed under the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) category.

Children with Hyperkinetic Behavioral Disturbance:

• Have a hard time paying attention

• Are easily distracted

• Have difficulty controlling their own behavior

• Move around a lot seemingly without a purpose and without thinking

VIOLENT BEHAVIOR – RISK FACTORS

We live in a world where violence appears to be common and almost acceptable. On television, movies, and video games children are subjected to various kinds of violent, disrespectful and aggressive behavior. We can see this displayed by children acting out what they see. These behaviors can result in other behaviors such as lying and stealing. Children who begin to show aggressive, antisocial behaviors earlier in childhood are most likely, without intervention, to progress to more serious behaviors.

UNDERSTANDING AND HELPING CHILDREN WITH THEIR FEELINGS

Social and emotional development are a vital part of your child’s development. Learning about their feelings, how to handle them, how to relate to others are all important skills for your child as they develop friendships and relationships with others. When children can identify their feelings it helps them to have empathy for others. It also helps them to control their feelings and build self-esteem.

IDENTIFYING DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES

TV VIDEO VIEWING

Most children begin watching TV at a very early age. There are some very informative and early learning programs geared towards infants right up through school age children. However, the question is how much and what kinds of TV viewing is acceptable for my child. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.