Recently, I met up with the good docs at Descanso Pediatrics in La Canada, CA.
In addition to sharing about what I do in my work with young children and families, which focuses primarily on social and emotional development, I asked them about ways they help to make sure the infants and toddlers who come to them are on a healthy developmental path.
One of their answers? Three little letters: ASQ.
ASQ, or the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, is something I use regularly as well. It is an excellent developmental screening tool broken down by age, from 1 to 66-months.
By asking parents a number of questions (which only takes 10-15 minutes to answer), the ASQ allows us to see how a child is doing within a number of areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social.
Why is it so crucial to do regular developmental screenings for your child?
High-quality tools such as the ASQ enable us to catch and address problems or delays early. The sooner your child gets further evaluation and any needed extra support and services, the sooner he or she can get back to where he should be.
Remember, every child is different and normal development happens within a range.
To ensure that your young child reaches his or her potential now and moving forward toward learning his ABCs, developmental screenings are essential.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
A Success Story (So Far)
School is well underway now (though it feels like my last post was just written a few days ago). Whether it's preschool or first grade, many kids out there are enjoying success in the classroom, thanks to awesome teachers, teacher's aides, caregivers and most of all -- parents.
Pasadena parents Jackson and Elizabeth are a great example. They prepared their seven year-old son (who tends to be very anxious and dislike change) to enter a Mandarin-immersion class at a brand new school last month. They did this by spending time during the summer talking to him often about it. They were also able to take him by the school beforehand to meet the teacher. In talking to other parents in the neighborhood, they discovered that another child down the street from them would be in the same class too.
Sammy arrived on his first day filled with encouraging words from his parents and knowing what to expect, including who his teacher was. Plus, he had a buddy from the neighborhood! The latest word is that so far, he is learning up a storm and really enjoying the new class and school.
It's wonderful to hear good things like this from parents. It goes to show that when parents prepare their kids for major changes, the pay-off is big. Kids feel more confident and move that much closer to achieving their highest potential.
p.s. I actually wrote about Sammy getting ready to go to school not too long ago at theK5.com, so check it out!
Pasadena parents Jackson and Elizabeth are a great example. They prepared their seven year-old son (who tends to be very anxious and dislike change) to enter a Mandarin-immersion class at a brand new school last month. They did this by spending time during the summer talking to him often about it. They were also able to take him by the school beforehand to meet the teacher. In talking to other parents in the neighborhood, they discovered that another child down the street from them would be in the same class too.
Sammy arrived on his first day filled with encouraging words from his parents and knowing what to expect, including who his teacher was. Plus, he had a buddy from the neighborhood! The latest word is that so far, he is learning up a storm and really enjoying the new class and school.
It's wonderful to hear good things like this from parents. It goes to show that when parents prepare their kids for major changes, the pay-off is big. Kids feel more confident and move that much closer to achieving their highest potential.
p.s. I actually wrote about Sammy getting ready to go to school not too long ago at theK5.com, so check it out!
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