Monday, December 17, 2012

Get in the Governor's Budget - Check!

Great news!  The Governor included us in his budget proposal for the full amount requested to maintain our budget for another year.  However, part of the money is only proposed as one time funding.  So now we need to convince the legislators that funding the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program is the smart thing to do.  Please reach out to legislators in your area.  Contact them and let them know what we do and why it is a valuable service.  While the Governor and ligislature are committed to funding education and enrollment growth in our system, people who are not familiar with us don't always see us as part of "education".  Make sure your legislators understand the role that Early Intervention plays in education. 

  • We will be organizing Parent Panel Sessions for local legislators to attend and learn from their constituents what we do.  If you are interested in participating, please contact me. 801 402-5403

  • We are compiling books of stories about families that are or have been involved in Davis Early Intervention.  Please write up a paragraph or two about the services you receive (or received) and how it helped your family and send them to me at mzeschke@dsdmail.net.

  • We will be receiving some buttons for parents and staff to wear when meeting with legislators so that we can be easily identified as supporting the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.

Please be involved in helping the legislators understand the importance of serving children as early as possible for the best outcome.

Below you will find the Davis County Legislators and their contact information.  When you email any of them, please CC: to me so we can keep track of the number of supporters we have as well!  Thank you all for your support.  We love working with you and your children!

Brad L. Dee   District 11    bdee@utah.gov    801 399-8623

Paul Ray         District 13   pray@utah.gov      801 538-1029

Curtis Oda      District 14   coda@utah.gov     801 538-1029

Brad Wilson    Distrit 15     bradwilson@utah.gov  801 538-1029

Stephen G. Handy    District 16   stevehandy@utah.gov  801 538-1029

Stewart Barlow  District 17  sbarlow@utah.gov   801 538-1029

Roger E. Barrus  District 18  rogerbarrus@utah.gov  801 538-1029

 Jim Nielson     District 19    jimnielson@utah.gov    801 355-5915

Rebecca Edwards   District 20   beckyedwards@utah.gov  801 538-1029

 Reid Stewart     Senate 18    screid@utahsenate.org   801 538-1035

 Jerry W. Stevenson  Senate 21  jstevenson@utahsenate.org  801 538-1035

Stuart Adams     Senate 22   jsadams@utahsenate.org    801 538-1035

Tom Weiler        Senate 23   tweiler@utahsenate.org     801 538-1035

Monday, December 10, 2012

A little inspiration

I had the amazing opportunity to meet a beautiful little girl this weekend.  She reminded me of a favorite quote from Marianne Williamson (also attributed to Nelson Mandela):

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.  We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?  Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We are meant to shine, as children do. As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to meet many little ones who shine.  Maybe we should take our cue from the little ones in our lives to look for the best and be the best.  And maybe by doing that we will influence our little ones to keep being the best they can throughout their lives.  We also need to remember that our best may be different than someone else's best.  As Albert Einstein put it, "Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish on it's ability to climb a tree, it will live it's whole life believing it is stupid."

So I am going to take the cue from my little granddaughter and shine however I can.  I am going to go to bed each night knowing that I did my best and I will wake up each morning ready to tackle the challenges that are there for me, knowing that each success will help me shine - as children do.

Right after a good meal!

This is my little inspiration.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Festival of Trees


Decorating a tree for the Festival of Trees has been such a great experience!!   The theme we chose for our tree was the Cinder"Ella" tree in memory of the little Princesses and Princes who are with us for such a short time, but make such a big impact on our lives.  What a great way to celebrate those little ones and the families who are touched by them.  The tree was beautiful!  We received $646.00 in donations and the staff involved in decorating the tree went to work to find Princess-y decorations.  The tree looked magical when it was all decked out and I am sure every little girl who saw it would have loved to have all the Cinderella toys, dress-up clothes, movie and decorations that were included!  We so appreciate all the love that was shown through the donations!  Thank you for helping us to participate in the Festival of Trees!

 Five beautiful and amazing women created the vision of the Cinder"Ella" tree and made the vision come to life!


 They worked hard to make sure it looked amazing!


All the decorations had to be wired on.  (There are a lot of things to learn about decorating a tree for Festival of Trees!)


 Here are some of the items that went under the tree to complete the package.


The final product, after months of planning, weeks of searching for just the right decorations and hours of putting it all together.

By the way, our tree sold on the first night of the Festival of Trees!  Yay!  All proceeds go to help the little ones at Primary Children's Hospital.

Monday, November 26, 2012

Community Activities in December

December can be such a hectic month.  Sometimes we don't take the time to enjoy the activities that are available to us.  Davis Early Intervention staff have been consulting with families all through the month of November to coordinate which activities we will attend with you.  Doing this allows you to enjoy the holiday activities with your family knowing that we are there to help make it successful.  Our goal for the month of December is to help you have an enjoyable holiday experience with your family.

We know you can't be at every activity there is available, but I thought it would be a good idea to post all the activities that we have found that are free so if you have a spare afternoon or evening, your family could enjoy an extra event.  We are already compiling the list of families attending the activities that you have indicated with your service provider, but you are not limited to only attending those with your family.  So enjoy the spirit of the season!

Woods Cross:
  • Woods Cross Madrigals Christmas Concert at City Council Chambers - 12/9 (Sunday) 6-8pm
Bountiful:
  • Family Art Night at Bountiful/Davis Art Center (745 So. Main St.) Hands on art activities for the whole family, free to the public, treats included. 12/17 (Monday) 7 - 8:30pm
  • Library Story Time - Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 10:30 am
  • Holiday Puppet Show at the Library on 12/3 (Monday) at 5:00 and 7:00 pm
West Bountiful:
  • Christmas on Onion Street.  Santa begins his trip around the city at 5:00 and returns to City Hall to meet the chldren and light the tree at 7:00 pm.  12/3 (Monday)
Centerville:
  • Festival of Lights at Founders Park.  Hot cocoa, cookies and Santa.  Choirs performing.  12/3 (Monday) 6pm
  • Library Story Time - Wedensdays at 10:30am
Farmington:
  • Santa visits Farmington City's Community Arts Center.  Make and take a craft.  Free to Farmington families.  12/8 (Saturday) 1 - 5pm
  • Library Story Time - Wednesdays at 10:30am
Kaysville:
  • Tri-City Nursery Holiday Open House.  Pictures with Santa, tractor rides, face painting, hot cocoa, cookies, and live reindeer on Saturdays.  $5.00 donation suggested (benefits Family Connection Center) 12/1 and 12/8 (Saturdays) 1 - 4 pm and 12/3 (Monday) 6 - 8pm
  • Library Story Time - Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10:30
  • New Year's Eve Party on City Hall Block.  Children's carnival at Kaysville Elementary and Story Time at the Library from 7 - 9pm.  Also, food, bingo, music, dancing from 6 - midnight. 
Layton:
  • Layton City's "The Lights Before Christmas" open every evening from dusk to 11:00pm
  • Layton City Family Recreation hosts family hay rides throug "Lights Before Christmas".  Free only one night 12/12 (Wednesday) 6 - 8pm from the Layton Commons Park
  • Library Story Time - Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 11:00am.  Also on Wednesdays at 1:30pm.
Syracuse:
  • Library Story Time - Tuesdays at 10:30am and Wednesdays at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm
Clearfield:
  • Clearfield Community Choir's Holiday concert at North Davis Jr. High Commons 12/6 (Thursday) 7pm
  • Library Story Time - Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10:30am.  Also Wednesdays at 1:30pm
  • Holiday Puppet Show at the Library 12/3 (Monday) 7:00pm
West Point:
  • City Lighting Ceremony at West Point City Hall 12/3 (Monday) at 5:30pm
Ogden:
  • Christmas Village at 2500 Grant Ave.  Open from 11/26/12 to 1/1/12 from 5pm to midnight

Monday, November 19, 2012

Call to Action

About a month ago I posted a blog about the need for parent input to encourage Governor Herbert to approve an increase in the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program's budget.  We are still working to make that happen.  So if you haven't written to the Governor or the Office of Management and Budget or the State Budget Director yet, there is still time - but not much.  The Governor will approve the new budget by December 8th and at that point it goes to the legislature for approval.  Before we can worry about that, we need to get the budget increase onto the Governor's budget.  (For more information, see the October 20th post).

Here at Davis Early Intervention we are hoping to send 100 emails to the Budget Trio by November 30th.  Please join us in trying to meet this challenge. 

We recommend that parents include the following types of things in a phone call or email:

1.  Your Name

2.  Where you live by city or county

3. Thank the Governor for his current and past support of this program and explain that your child is or was in the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.

4. Tell your story.  Explain how Early Intervention has benefitted your child and your family and why the services are important.  Let them know that families like yours might not get the services they need without the funding for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.  Explain that Early Intervention services are an investment in your child's future.

5.  Ask them to support the full amount of the funding request for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.

Remember to be brief and clear in your request and thank them for their consideration!

Contact information for the Governor, the Governor's Office of Management and Budget and the State Budget Director are:

Gov. Gary Herbert
801 538-1000
E220 State Capitol Complex
gherbert@utah.gov

Clifford Strachan
Gov. Office of Management and Budget
801 538-1861
cstrachan@utah.gov

Ron Bigelow, State Budget Director
150 State Capitol Complex
801 538-1555
ronbigelow@utah.gov

We are also continuing to collect stories of how Davis Early Intervention has influenced your family and helped your child.  Please email those to me at mzeschke@dsdmail.net.

Once the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program budget request has been sent to the legislators for approval, we will be inviting local legislators to talk to our families and possibly attend a Parent Panel discussion and home visits to see what we do.  If you are interested in participating, please let your service provider know.

We appreciate our families and their dedication to helping their children.  We love working with you and enjoy the time we are able to spend watching your children progress and your families succeed in reaching the next step in your child's development.

Thank you for all your help and support in keeping the Davis Early Intervention Program going.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Family Fun

It seems like this time of year is so busy, but when my children were small, I was always looking for places to go and things to do with them.  It is hard for big people to be cooped up indoors all the time.  It's nearly impossible for little people!  Here are some ideas for outings for the family and dates when the admission is free!

Utah's Hogle Zoo - Free admission on November 28th, December 26th (except Zoo-Lights), January 30th and February 27th.

Living Planet Aquarium - Free admission on November 26th.

Discovery Gateway - Free admission March 14th.

Utah Museum of Fine Arts - Free admission on the first Wednesday of every month and the third Saturday of every month.

Red Butte Gardens - Free Open House December 1 - 2.  Also, free admission April 26th (Arbor Day), July 24th (Pioneer Day), and September 2nd (Labor Day).

You can also find a lot of ideas of activities to do with your child at home at familyfun.go.com. 

Monday, November 5, 2012

Utah's Early Learning Guidelines

Last week I was able to attend the Early Childhood Conference held in Provo.  This conference focuses on children from birth to six years and a variety of classes were held for us to choose from.  One of the classes I attended was an introduction to the New Utah's Early Learning Guidelines for children from birth to three.  This is a document adopted with permission fromt he Minnesota's Early Childhood Indicators of Progress.  This is a guideline for parents, caregivers, early childhood educators and early intervention to understand developmentally appropirate expectations for infants and toddlers.  The guidelines come from research by The National Infant and Toddler Child Care Initiative about what children should know and do in different domains of learning.  The domains are: Social and Emotional Development, Language Development and communication, Cognitivie Development, and Physical and Motor Development.

This document was developed with three goals in mind:
1.  To help parents andother caregivers understand what young children should be doing socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively, and communicatively at certain points during the first three years.
2.  To promote healthy child growth and development, high quality child care and early childhood education.
3.  To provide common lanugage for those who are providing services to benefit families with infants and toddlers.

These guidelines are a resource to support the learning and development of infants and toddlers.  The framework provides guidance for parents and caregivers as they plan and implement appropriate activities for children to support growth and development.  This is not an assessment tool.  The developers of the the guidelines recognize that all children develop differently and this is simply a guide to see what development would occur next from where the child is currently functioning.  In fact the guiding principles of the guidelines are that infants and toddlers develop in the context of their families, cultures and communitites; Nurturing and responsive caregiving helps infants and toddlers develop secure and trusing relationships; rapid growth occures during the years from birth to three; multiple abilities and skills develop simultaneously during the child's first three years of life; and individual children vary considerably in their rate of progress in achieving developmental milestones.

This is a great resource for those working with children from birth to three.  The best part is that along with developmental milestones, the developers also included a list of strategies to target development of children.  The strategies are not all inclusive and will hopefully be used to help you think of your own strategies to use with your children.

If you are interested in receiving a copy of the guidelines, please let your service provider know, comment below or contact me (mzeschke@dsdmail.net) and we will provide one for you.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Staff Picks - Books

Davis Early Intervention has the best people available working with your children!  When I asked for suggested books for parents and children, the response was amazing!  Here is a list of books our staff recommends for parents of children with delays and/or disabilities.

Recommendations for Parents of Children with Sensory Issues:
The Out of Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz and Lucy Jane Miller
The Out of Sync Child Has Fun by Carol Kranowitz
Sensational Kids, Hope and Help for Children With Sensory Processing Disorder by Lucy Jane Miller
Raising A Sensory Smart Child by Lindsay Biel and Nancy Peske
Growing an In-Sync Child by Carol Kranowitz and Joye Newman
Sensory Parenting by Britt Collins
Sensational Kids by Jucy Jane Miller
The Active Imagination Activity Book by Kelly Tilley

Recommendations for Parents of Children with Special Needs/Behavior:
I Love You Rituals by Becky A. Bailey, PhD.
Tools for Tots by Diana Henry
The Child With Special Needs by Stanley Greenspan
The Challenging Child by Stanley Greenspan
Setting Limits With Your Strong Willed Child by Robert McKenzie
No Mind Left Behind by Adam Cox

Recommendations for Parents of Children with ADHD:
A Mind At A Time by Mel Levine
Smart But Scattered by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
All Kinds of Minds by Mel Levine

Recommendations for Parents of Children with Autism:
Engaging Autism by Stanley Greenspan
Ten Things Every Child With Autism Wishes You Knew by Ellen Notbohm
The Autism Answer by Frank Lawlis

Recommendations for Parents of Children with Language Delays:
It Takes Two To Talk by Jan Pepper and Elaine Weitzman
The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
The Late Talker by Marilyn C. Agin, Lisa F. Geng and Malcolm Nicholl
Play to Talk by James MacDonald
More Than Words by Hanen
Talkability by Hanen

Recommendations for Children:
Little Feet Love by Anthony Nex
Bright Baby picture books by Roger Priddy
Safari Sounds by Susan Ring
Papa, Please Get the Moon by Erick Carle
Spooky Old Tree by Stan Berenstain
Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You by Dr. Seuss
Moo, Baa, La La La by Sandra Boynton
Where's Spot by Eric Hill
Elmo Says . . . by Sarah Albee
Baby's First Sounds (Baby Boopers Baby's First Series)
No No Yes Yes by Leslie Patricelli
Clifford's Noisy Day by Norman Bridwell
B is for Bear by Roger Priddy
Peek a Who? by Nina Laden
Ready, Set, Go by Nina Laden
Quiet Loud by Leslie Patricelli
Yummy Yucky by Leslie Patricelli
Zip! Pop! Hop! And Other Fun Words to Say by Michaela Muntean

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Please Help Us Help Your Children

The Early Intervention program in the state of Utah, like most other educational programs in the state, received a budget cut for this year.  Because of that budget cut, people have lost jobs, services have been reduced and fewer people are doing more to make sure your families and children receive the support and services you need.  We are facing further budget cuts, unless we do something now.  Additional budget cuts would mean decreasing services and maybe even discontinuing services for children with moderate delays.  In order to avoid this the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program has requested a "building block" to be added to the Governor's budget.  The building block request has been approved through the State Department of Health and the next step is for the Governor to include us in his budget proposal to the State Legislators. 

Here is how you can help.  Please contact the Governor and the Governor's Office of Management and Budget to let them know that you are concerned about Early Intervention.  You can contact them by email or phone.  You can also attend Town Hall Meetings to get some face time with the decision makers to voice your concerns.  If the Governor approves adding Early Intervention to his budget, it will then go to the state legislature and we may ask for your help again.  For now we recommend that parents include the following types of things in a phone call or email:

1.  Your Name

2.  Where you live by city or county

3. Thank the Governor for his current and past support of this program and explain that your child is or was in the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.

4. Tell your story.  Explain how Early Intervention has benefitted your child and your family and why the services are important.  Let them know that families like yours might not get the services they need without the funding for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.  Explain that Early Intervention services are an investment in your child's future.

5.  Ask them to support the full amount of the funding request for the Baby Watch Early Intervention Program.

Remember to be brief and clear in your request and thank them for their consideration!

Contact information for the Governor, the Governor's Office of Management and Budget and the State Budget Director are:

Gov. Gary Herbert
801 538-1000
E220 State Capitol Complex
gherbert@utah.gov

Clifford Strachan
Gov. Office of Management and Budget
801 538-1861
cstrachan@utah.gov

Ron Bigelow, State Budget Director
150 State Capitol Complex
801 538-1555
ronbigelow@utah.gov

Parents play a critical role in giving a voice to our program.  We can't wait until this goes to the legislature to take action.  We need to get it into the Governor's budget now.

Thank you for your help!

Monday, October 15, 2012

The staff at Davis Early Intervention would like to decorate a tree to donate to the Festival of Trees 2012.  All proceeds from the Festival of Trees benefit the children at Primary Children’s Medical Center.  We would like to provide a tree dedicated to the little ones who are only with us for a very short time, one in particular, whose family desires to remain anonymous.  These children touch so many lives on their brief journey.
In order for us to reach this goal, we are asking for donations from parents who have been, or currently are, involved in Early Intervention.  All donations will help to purchase the tree and decorations to make this offering possible.  If you would like to participate in this endeavor, please send your check made out to Davis Early Intervention to:
Mandy Zeschke
P.O. Box 588
115 South 200 East
Farmington, UT 84025

Donations need to be received by November 1, 2012.  This is a tax deductible donation.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of the life of your family and of your little one.  We value the relationships that we are able to develop with all children who qualify for Davis Early Intervention and their families.  The names of the families who make a donation will be kept confidential.  If you are willing and able to participate in decorating our tree, we thank you.

Monday, October 8, 2012

The Wonderful World of Discipline

We work so hard to help our children become more independent - teaching them to walk and communicate and make choices - and what do we get for it?  They throw tantrums about where they want to walk and what they want to communicate and the choices they want to make.  At that point the job description of parent is expanded to include disciplinarian.  Why is toddlerhood such a struggle?  Because children are not born with social skills.  Parents get the privilege to teach their children social skills and self-discipline.  Here are some pointers that most parenting books agree with regarding disciplining toddlers.

1.  Reward Good Behavior.  A child is more willing to repeat a behavior that is rewarded, whether that behavior is good or bad.  Try to reward the good behaviors with praise.  You may need to also provide a small, physical reward until the child is able to recognize a sense of accomplishment.

2. Avoid Rewarding Bad Behavior.  We don't set out to reward bad behavior, it just seems to happen.  When your child tantrums every time you try to make dinner and receives your attention as you yell at him, you are rewarding bad behavior.  The same rule applies for rewarding bad behavior as rewarding good behavior.  If a behavior receives a reward, the child is more likely to repeat it.

3. Limit Setting.  A child doesn't know what is okay and what is off limits if parents don't tell them.  Sometimes the limits need to be physical (putting a gate in front of the stairs), but should progress to verbal as the child gets older ("Don't go downstairs, sweetie").  All children want to explore.  Setting limits let's them know how far they can go.

4. Active Listening.  Who doesn't feel rewarded and confident if they are being listened to?  Even children understand when a parent is only pretending to listen by throwing in a few "uh-huh's".  Listening and adding to the conversation is a great way to expand a child's vocabulary, reinforce their creative thinking, and increase their willingness to use words to communicate wants and needs, instead of hitting.  This strategy is equally important for children who are not yet talking.  Watch for communication attempts and reward your child by moving forward with the conversation.  "You see a doggie.  The doggie says ruff."  Your child will be overjoyed that you understood and more willing to try to communicate next time - maybe even verbally!

Of course there are more pointers, but for the little ones, these are the basics that build the foundation of good discipline.  The book "Toddler 411" by Denise Fields and Ari Brown, MD, provides a list of "20 Commandments of Toddler Discipline".  They are:

1. Use a prevent defense.  Set up situations for success, not failure.
2. Don't back down to avoid conflict. Don't give in, no matter who is watching.
3. Anticipate conflicts.  Let the child know what is coming and what you expect.
4. Anticpate attention-seeking behaviors. Be prepared with an activity or snack for those times your attention needs to be on something else.
5. Act immediately.  Discipline needs to happen as soon as the misdeed is committed.
6. Be consistent. Children learn through repetition.  You have to respond the same way all 974 times the child misbehaves.
7. Pick your battles. Not everything requires discipline at the same level.
8. Make your comments short and sweet.  Kiddos are too busy to listen to a long explanation  of why they need to be soft with the puppy.
9. Focus on the behavior, not the child.  The behavior is bad, not the child.
10. Remind your child that you love her.  This reinforces the reason you are setting limits and gives her a reason to listen.
11. Don't yell.  Change the tone of your voice, but not the volume.
12. Show respect. Use active listening and don't interrupt.
13. Be a good role model. If you are calm under pressure, your child will follow your lead.
14. Catch your child being good.  Back to Pointer #1.
15. Use age-appropriate and temperament-appropriate techniques.  You have to adjust your strategy between children and over time.
16. Don't treat your child like an adult. Toddlers understand consequences better than they understand a lecture. 
17. Lower your expectations. Children develop at their own speed and in their own way.  Celebrate the successes and don't lament because he is progressing slower than the little boy down the street.
18. Take emotion out of the equation. Children thrive on emotion because they are getting a reward.  The less you talk and react during discipline, the better.
19. Don't negotiate or make false promises.  Natural consequences are better teaching strategies than promises.
20. Remember to take a step back.  You don't have to respond immediately, especially if emotion is involved.  This is not contrary to number 5, you don't want to take too long, but you don't want to make things worse either. Take a breath and determine the best way to approach the problem before you get sucked in.

Discipline now is worth it in the long run. "The seeds of discipline you plant now will blossom later and you will be thankful for the fruits of your labor." (Toddler 411).

Monday, October 1, 2012

85 Days til Christmas!!!

I know not many of us are thinking about Christmas right now, but for those who are, I decided to do a post with a list of toys that will target different developmental skills.  Sometimes it's hard to decide what to get a child with a delay or disability.  If you can get them something they will enjoy that will also help strengthen skills they need to work on - that would be great!!!  It's even better if the gift comes from someone else, so be sure to share some of these ideas with grandparents, friends, etc.

Toys that help with fine motor skills


Large Farm Jumbo Knob Puzzle by Melissa & Doug (Bonus: encourage sounds to go with the puzzle - animal sounds, etc.) 

Little Hands Twist and Drill by Alex (If your child's hands are too small or if they have a difficult time grasping, use hand over hand to help hold the drill.  They will be rewarded for their hard work because you can "build" 4 cars with the set.)
Imagnarium 5 Way Giant Bead Maze Cube by Imaginarium (Grasping, reaching, sitting, problem solving, attending)
LEGO Duplo Large Brick Box by LEGO

Cutting Fruit Crate by Melissa & Doug

Play Doh Duffel Bag by Hasbro (Actually, any kind of play dough is great for fine motor development)
Sesame Street Play Doh Color Mixer (Has a crank handle and buttons for different skill development)

Pop Haulers by Little Tikes

Deluxe Latches Board by Melissa & Doug (Some of the latches are difficult and need two hands to operate, but once the latch is open, the door reveals animals and colors - for language development)

Mix 'N Max Stack Me Up by Alex Jr.  (Reinforces with textures, patterns and colors)

Mix 'N Max Cuddly Cube by Alex Jr.  (For the little ones - a colorful, squishy cube with a mirror, handle and parts for chewing)

Toys that help teach cause and effect

Ad imageTopzy Tumblers Twirlin' Tumblin' Fun Park by Fisher Price (An action packed toy with a ferris wheel that lights up and spins; figurines you can roll down a slike that back up a series of steps; music and sounds)

Little People Wheelies Zig the Big Rig by Fisher Price (A talking truck with 50 sounds and phrases, side gate releases with a big button, comes with one Wheelies mini vehicle to load into the truck)


Vehicles Sound Blocks by Melissa & Doug (Wooden blocks that make six different vehicle sounds when the pictures match up)

Little People Zoo Talkers Animal Sounds Zoo by Fisher Price (An interactive play set.  When you place an animal in the right play, you hear it's name.  Press it again and you hear it's sound.  Also has a peek-a-boo door, slide and teeter-totter to explore.  Includes Discovering ZooTalkers DVD and stickers to decorate the toy.)

Toys that help with gross motor skills

Shopping Cart by Little Tikes (You can weigh it down with cans when your child is learning to walk.  You can also place items up high and down low so your child can work on balance and reach)
Ad image
Sizzle 'n Pop Kitchen by Little Tikes (A play kitchen with sounds.  A great toy to encourage standing for longer periods of time.)

Toys and Activities that help with learning and speech

Peek-a-Shoe Talking Octopus by LeapFrog (Drop in a ball and lift one of the shoes to find it)Ad image

                                           
 Talking Tubes by Alex (Shaped like an old style phone allows the child to hear themselves talk - You can also get an accordian tube in the automotive section of Walmart and shape it yourself)

Signing Time Videos by Two Little Hands (There is a lot of verbal repetition of the words)

Anything that you can talk about and make sounds with during play.  The best toys for language development do not have batteries.  They require the child and playmate (parents) to create the sounds and the communication.


I hope this gets your Christmas brain thinking and not stressing.  Several of these items can be found at DI, Kid to Kid or at garage sales.  Remember, the most important toy for your child's development is you. 

Monday, September 24, 2012

Truth about Toddlers

Whatever profession you are in, you usually seem to gather books and articles and magazines that focus on that subject.  It's the same for those of us in Early Intervention.  I have a couple of fabulous books called Baby 411 and Toddler 411 by Denise Fields and Dr. Ari Brown.  Here is a little excerpt from Toddler 411,

The three truths about parenting a toddler

1.  You can't make a kid eat, sleep, or poop on the potty.  Yes, toddlers have a will all their own - and if they don't want to do any of the above, darn it, that's the way it is.  Nope, you have to come well-armed with a series of clever strategies and tricks to work some magic. 

2.  Parenting is the great equilizer.  No matter whether you're a CEO or a working stiff, parenting a toddler puts us all in the same place.  We all have to deal with the same anxieties, concerns and frustrations.  And yes, even the experts (ahem) have had their toddler throw a tantrum when its time to leave the playground.

3.  Monkey see, monkey do.  Long gone are the days when you could behave badly and have your little newborn look up at you with a blank stare.  Nope, your toddler is studying all your moves . . . so if you expect your toddler NOT to throw a tantrum or utter curse words, you have to set the example.

Now I realize that none of those truths are earth-shattering, in fact they are simple truths of raising a toddler.

The book goes on to provide tricks and tips for parenting a toddler.  There are a lot of parenting books out there.  I have tried to focus my time and energy on the ones that are practical and helpful (not the "How to Raise a Genius" ones).  These two books seem to be good reference material and you are not required to read them from cover to cover to find all the secrets.  Soon I hope to post a list of the Staff Favorites.  But for now, what is your favorite parenting book/author?

Monday, September 17, 2012

Picky Eaters and Problem Feeders

One of the frequently voiced concerns of parents of young children is about food.  There is a difference between picky eaters and problem feeders. 

Picky eaters are choosy.  They tolerate about 40 different foods.  They may seem to not be able to get enough of a certain food and then they will stop eating that food only to pick it up again later.  If you think you have a picky eater, just be patient and they will cycle around to foods you thought they were done with forever.  Also, don't be sneaky about their food.  If you are diluting their juice, let them see you do it so they don't get suspicious about what you are doing.  They may cut that food out forever, if they are worried about what you are doing.

Problem feeders tolerate less than 40 foods, and like picky eaters, they may go on a food jag, but when they stop eating that food, they will never pick it up again.  This whittles down your options of what to feed your child.

Don't be too concerned if your child doesn't eat a good dinner.  Look at a child's diet over a weeks time - not by each meal or even a day at a time.  Look at the whole child to determine health - weight, skin, eyes, energy level, hair, etc.  Also, consider portion sizes.  Make a fist - the size of your fist is about the size of your stomach.  Look at the difference between the size of your fist and the size of your child's stomach.  Make sure you are giving your child portions that are the right size for them - not the right size for you.

Here are some ideas to help your child eat healthier:
  • Watch the sugar intake - avoid the sugar roller coaster.  The occurs about 2 hours after eating sugar.  The child will become angry and hungry.
  • Give your child the gift of hunger - at least 2 hours between meals and snacks.
  • If you are trying to get your child to eat more, give food first and then liquid. 
  • Consider that it generally takes 21 presentations of a new food to get used to it.  Keep offering, but don't pressure.  Most children will try a new food once they are aquainted with it.
  • Many children are starving for outside play.  Outdoor play increases appetite and also provides health benefits from fresh air and sunshine.
  • Let your child have fun with food.  Read a book that incorporates food and then serve those foods to your child. (Hungry Caterpillar or Stone Soup)
  • Make edible play dough.  There are a variety of play dough recipes on playdoughrecipe.com.  Make sure the recipe you choose is edible before you let your child take a bite.
At a workshop I attending on mealtime success, a presentation was made regarding Primary Foods and Secondary Foods.  Primary Foods need to be taken care of first and include physical activity (outdoor play), relationships (taking turns, playing with family and friends), imaginary play, and self care (doing chores or choosing activities).  Secondary foods are the actual foods that your child will eat.  We have to take care of Primary Foods first if we want our children to eat a healthy diet.  Remember - There is not enough broccoli to make a bad day okay.

If you have more questions or concerns about your child's eating habits, give us a call.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Getting the Word Out

You may be surprised to hear this, but not a lot of people know who we are and what we do.  Some of our referrals come from friends or relatives, sometimes even doctors.  We never receive referrals from the legislators, but those are the people who decide how much funding we get each year to maintain our programs and the services we provide.  We are currently participating in a campaign to inform our state legislators about the services we provide and the difference we can make in the lives of families involved in Davis Early Intervention.  Would you please help us?

We would like to share your story!  Stories from families sharing how you learned about early intervention or about the skills your family has developed through your participation in Davis Early Intervention make a great impact in helping legislators understand what we do.  We are currently compiling family stories to give to those who make the decisions about allocating state funds.  We would also like to create a book to keep in each of our centers.  Please write up your information, add a picture of your family and either email it to me at mzeschke@dsdmail.net or give it to your service provider.

Each year we have the opportunity to submit family stories to the Utah Department of Health, Baby Watch Early Intervention Program about how involvement in the local early intervention program has helped.  These stories are used to motivate staff that is working with Baby Watch to make the program better as well as to include in the Annual Baby Watch Report.  This is another publication distributed to legistlators and others who provide funding for the early intervention programs.

If you would like to participate, please write your story and send it in.  No last names of families will be used in the stories or in relation to the pictures.

We love to hear the stories of how Davis Early Intervention has helped your family.  Please share with us.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Welcome!

Davis Early Intervention is taking a leap into the 21st century!   It is our goal to provide families involved in our program an easy-to-find source of information regarding the services we provide and to also be a resource if you have concerns about your little one's development.  As an introduction, here is a little about what we do.

The Early Intervention program serves children with qualifying delays from birth until their third birthday.  Your child can be tested at no cost to you.  Early Intervention services are usually provided in the child's home.  Other locations can be used if it is determined that they would better meet the child's needs.  The focus of service is to help parents enhance the development of their infant/toddler with special needs.  An Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is created by the family and staff.  Goals are determined based on the child's current development in all areas.  If your child qualifies, a minimal participation fee will be assessed through the State Department of Health.

Based on the delay/disability the following services may be offered:

Occupational Therapy - for small muscle development
Physical Therapy - for large muscle development
Speech/Language Pathology - for development of speech and language
Nursing - for children with ongoing medical concerns
Developmental Specialist - for children struggling to meet milestones
Speech/Language Specialist - for prelanguage development

All services are based on the needs and goals of the child.  Our philosophy is that the parents are the best teachers for children from birth to three years and so our job is to provide training for the parents so they can help their children reach their goals.  Most services are provided in the home on a monthly basis in order to allow the family time to learn the techniques that will help their child and to practice them together.  Usually, the children progress at a steady rate when the parents are taking a few minutes each day to incorporate the suggestions that we make.

Working together we CAN make a difference for the child and the family.  Thank you for working with us!