Parent Portal

I posted information about the Parent Portal in July.  Here is the post explaining what the Parent Portal is and how to access it.

Some of you may have already realized the benefit of the Parent Portal.  With our fully functioning, secure data base, you are able to have your child's Individual Family Service Plan and all the visit reports at your fingertips!  If you haven't logged onto the Parent Portal yet, give it a try and let us know what you think. 

When a document like the Individual Family Service Plan or visit report is completed, it is saved in our data base and you automatically receive an email with a link to access the document.  The email gives step-by-step directions to see the current document or all the available information.  You also have the option to no longer receive notification when something is finalized in BTOTS (the Baby Watch data base).  If you have chosen not to receive notification and then decide you would like to have access to the Parent Portal, let your service provider know and they can allow you access.

The process for accessing these documents is simple.  You will receive an email with options to look at the most recently finalized document, access all your child's documents or unsubscribe.  Once you choose which option you would like, you will be asked some security questions.  This is so that we can protect the confidentiality of your child's information.  However, once you have answered these security questions, the data base will recognize your device and next time you access the Parent Portal using that device, you won't be required to answer the security questions.

We are currently working to become as paperless as possible.  If you are currently receiving handwritten visit reports, please take a look at the Parent Portal.  The information is also available online.

So when you receive an email from do-not-reply-parent-portal@utah.gov, take a look and use the available information to help your child reach their goals.


Hopefully some of you have taken the initiative to look online for your child's visit reports or IFSP.  If not, here are a few more reasons to take a look.

• Do family or friends ever ask what they can do to support your little one's development?  You can access the visit report on your smart phone, tablet or computer to show them what you are currently working on.
• Forward the information to a child care provider so there is consistency from all the adults in your child's life.
• Look through the visit reports for ideas on specific issues or ideas to incorporate during play time.
• You will have a little extra time next weekend with older kiddos (Fall Recess) so look for some ideas of things to do as a family or activities your older children can do with the little one.

As we move toward being paperless, visit reports and IFSP information will only be available online, so take the opportunity now to familiarize yourself with the Parent Portal.  You can also ask your service provider to help you access it while they are there!

October Community Events

October is the beginning of the busy season for community activities and there are a lot of activities to choose from!

October 1st - North Salt Lake Reads Fall Family Event - 6:00 - 8:30 pm at City Hall.  Activities for all ages.

Friday nights through October 23rd - Layton F.E.S.T. (Farmers, Entertainment, Shopping and Trucks) - 5:30 - 9:30 pm at Layton Commons Park (Inside Constitution Circle)

October 5th - Family First Monday at Fountain Square in Station Park - 5:30 - 7:30 pm.  Theme: Happy Harvest.  Meet the friendly witches and help them make Witch Brew.

October 10th - Monster Mash and Dash - 5:00 - 8:00 pm at Heritage Park in Kaysville.  Fun Halloween events.

October 16th - West Point Halloween Carnival - 7:00 pm at City Hall.

October 17th - Pumpkins in the Park - 6:30 - 8:00 pm at Hogan Park in Woods Cross.  Bring carved pumpkins to display.  Prizes for the best costumes and pumpkins.

October 17th - Free Haunted Train Ride - 3:00 - 7:00 pm at Canyon Meadows Park in South Weber.

October 22nd through 24th - Pumpkin Festival - 7:00 - 10:00 pm at Centennial Park in Syracuse.

October 23rd - Miss Farminton's Annual Halloween Event - 6:30 - 8:30 pm at the Farmington Community Arts Center.  Costumes are encouraged.

October 24th - Annual Davis School District Trunk or Treat 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Young Chevrolet (645 North Main Street, Layton).

October 24th - Mother and Sons Halloween Party - 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Family Activity Center in South Weber (1181 Lester Drive). Theme: Monsters.  Games, prizes and a costume party.

October 29th - Clearfield Community Band Halloween Concert - 7:00 - 7:45 pm.  Check www.clearfieldcity.org for the location.

October 29th - Trunk or Treat - 3:45 - 5:00 pm at Highmark Charter School in South Weber.

October 30th - Halloween Bash - 5:30 - 8:00 pm at Central Davis Jr. High Gym in Layton.  Carnival style games, pumpkin walk, costume parade, music and refreshments.

A Little More About Illness

I have been hearing a lot of parents say that their child is catching everything that is going around right now.  The Toddler 411 book (my go-to reference for all things toddler) starts the chapter on Common Infections with this:  Infections: coming to a toddler near you.

Toddlers seem to be magnets for germs which cause infections and illnesses.  This is because they have not yet built up an immunity to germs.  However, every fever does not necessitate a visit to the doctor's office.  Here are some red flags offered by Dr. Ari Brown and Denise Fields (authors or Toddler 411) for when a doctor's visit is necessary.

• You cannot figure out why your child is running a fever
• Fever lasts more than three days in a row
• New fever after being fever fee for over 24 hours
• Irritable or lethargic
• Not urinating at least every eight hours
• Blood/mucus in the poop
• Sore throat without cough and runny nose
• Pain with urination
• Severe pain anywhere
• Fever and a rash
• Fever of 104 degrees or greater

Generally a fever is caused by a virus, so if none of the above scenarios apply, you probably don't need to rush to the doctor's office.  But if it means your peace of mind then a co-pay is worth it.

Prevent the spread of germs by following these guidelines:

• Wash your hands frequently
• Cover your coughs
• Wash hands after using the bathroom
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth
• Do not share drinks or food
• Kiss at your own risk
• Cook foods properly
• Clean kitchen counters/cutting boards 

One of the most common childhood ailments is Otitis Media or middle ear infection.  There are some risk factors you can control to prevent middle ear infections.  

• When your child has a cold or flu, fluid can accumulate in the Eustachian tube (a tube between the middle ear and throat).  Good hand washing techniques can keep bugs from taking up residence there.
• Exposure to other children in a setting such as a day care may expose them to drug-resistant bacteria.  Make sure your child is vaccinated and using good germ prevention techniques.
• Second-hand smoke irritates the entire respiratory tract.  Smoke also irritates the Eustachian tubes, making them swollen and inefficient.
• Research shows that constant sucking of a pacifier creates a backup of fluid in the throat and Eustachian tubes.  If your child must have their binky, then limit it to bedtime and naptime.
• Drinking from a bottle while lying down allows fluid from the back of the throat to end up in the Eustachian tubes.  The fluid is a set up for infections.  Resist the urge to prop the bottle for your little ones, they should be slightly inclined while drinking from a bottle.  Even better, switch to a sippy cup by the first birthday.

Back to School Stuff

The older kids are back in school and bringing home all kinds of things, papers to sign, new friends phone numbers, germs, sickness . . . .  Just a quick reminder that as we visit the homes throughout the district we want to bring knowledge, ideas, support, an occasional toy, but not germs or sickness.  If you have sickness in your home and are scheduled to see one of our service providers or service coordinators, please call and cancel.  We are happy to reschedule appointments when everyone is well.  Everyone gets so much more out of our visits when no one is dealing with sneezing, coughing, upset tummies or anything like that.  We will do the same for you.  While a "little cold" may just slow down one child a little bit, that same cold can land another child in the hospital.  So in an effort to protect all the little ones in early intervention, here is our sickness policy again.

Illness Procedure 

Davis School District - Early Learning Center 

DAVIS EARLY INTERVENTION 

115 South 200 East 

Farmington, Utah 84025 

Our staff works with many babies and toddlers who get sick very easily. Because of this fact, it is very important for everyone to remember to cancel home or center visits if ANYONE in your family is sick. Please call to reschedule if any of the following symptoms are present: 

! fever of 101 degrees or more 

! stomach/flu-like symptoms such as throwing up or diarrhea 

! very sleepy or tired; fussier than usual 

! a sore throat

 ! bad cold 

! coughing 

! red eyes with discharge

 ! thick green mucus from the nose 

! skin rash 

! oozing fluid or pus 

! head or body lice; pinworm or scabies 

! mouth sores 

If anyone in your family is showing any of the signs listed above or isn’t feeling well, call to cancel the visit by 9:00 AM. Please help us keep everyone healthy. 

CONTACT INFORMATION: 

Early Learning Center Layton 801-402-5514 

Early Learning Center Bountiful 801-402-5432 

Early Learning Center Farmington 801-402-5408

September Community Activities

Here are a few community activities to enjoy along with all your end-of-summer traditions.

Layton F.E.S.T. (Farmers, Entertainment, Shopping, & Trucks) - Friday nights from 5:30 to 9:30 at Layton Commons Park (through October 2)

Family First Monday at Fountain Square at Station Park in Farmington.  Activities from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.  The theme for September is "Celebrate's COOL"

Centerpoint Theatre in Centerville is hosting a Fairy-tale Festival September 11th and 12th. Admittance to the festival is free as are many of the activities.  Registration for special events and booths is required.  More information at www.centerpointtheatre.org

For Math Success - Start Young

Davis School District Special Education is working to strengthen math skills in the students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.  We want to do our part, so we are going to focus on incorporating math skills into home visits.  You may be surprised at the math skills that you are already using with your little ones.  One of the reasons the Utah State Office of Education has determined as an influencer for low math scores is low expectations of students.  Let's use some of these fun activities to promote  enjoyment and understanding of math from the beginning. Did you know that all these activities are math?

What You Can Do
The tips below highlight ways that you can help your child learn early math skills by building on their natural curiosity and having fun together.  (Note:  Most of these tips are designed for older children—ages 2-3.  Younger children can be exposed to stories and songs using repetition, rhymes and numbers.)  

• Shape up.  Play with shape-sorters.  Talk with your child about each shape—count the sides, describe the colors.  Make your own shapes by cutting large shapes out of colored construction paper.  Ask your child to “hop on the circle” or “jump on the red shape.”
• Count and sort.  Gather together a basket of small toys, shells, pebbles or buttons.  Count them with your child.  Sort them based on size, color, or what they do (i.e., all the cars in one pile, all the animals in another). 
• Place the call.  With your three year old, begin teaching her the address and phone number of your home.  Talk with your child about how each house has a number, and how their house or apartment is one of a series, each with its own number.
• What size is it?  Notice the sizes of objects in the world around you:  That pink pocketbook is the biggest.  The blue pocketbook is the smallest.  Ask your child to think about his own size relative to other objects (“Do you fit under the table?  Under the chair?”).
• You’re cookin’ now!  Even young children can help  fill, stir, and pour.  Through these activities, children learn, quite naturally, to count, measure, add, and estimate. 
• Walk it off.  Taking a walk gives children many opportunities to compare (which stone is bigger?), assess (how many acorns did we find?), note similarities and differences (does the duck have fur like the bunny does?) and categorize (see if you can find some red leaves).  You can also talk about size (by taking big and little steps), estimate distance (is the park close to our house or far away?), and practice counting (let's count how many steps until we get to the corner).
• Picture time.  Use an hourglass, stopwatch, or timer to time short (1-3 minute) activities.  This helps children develop a sense of time and to understand that some things take longer than others.
• Shape up.  Point out the different shapes and colors you see during the day.  On a walk, you may see a triangle-shaped sign that’s yellow.  Inside a store you may see a rectangle-shaped sign that’s red.  
• Read and sing your numbers.  Sing songs that rhyme, repeat, or have numbers in them.  Songs reinforce patterns (which is a math skill as well).  They also are fun ways to practice language and foster social skills like cooperation.
• Start today.  Use a calendar to talk about the date, the day of the week, and the weather.  Calendars reinforce counting, sequences, and patterns.  Build logical thinking skills by talking about cold weather and asking your child:  What do we wear when it’s cold?  This encourages your child to make the link between cold weather and warm clothing.    
• Pass it around.  Ask for your child’s help in distributing items like snacks or in laying napkins out on the dinner table.  Help him give one cracker to each child.  This helps children understand one-to-one correspondence.  When you are distributing items, emphasize the number concept:  “One for you, one for me, one for Daddy.”  Or, “We are putting on our shoes:  One, two.”
• Big on blocks.  Give your child the chance to play with wooden blocks, plastic interlocking blocks, empty boxes, milk cartons, etc.  Stacking and manipulating these toys help children learn about shapes and the relationships between shapes (e.g., two triangles make a square).  Nesting boxes and cups for younger children help them understand the relationship between different sized objects.
• Tunnel time.  Open a large cardboard box at each end to turn it into a tunnel.  This helps children understand where their body is in space and in relation to other objects.
• The long and the short of it.  Cut a few (3-5) pieces of ribbon, yarn or paper in different lengths.  Talk about ideas like long and short.  With your child, put in order of longest to shortest.
• Learn through touch.  Cut shapes—circle, square, triangle—out of sturdy cardboard.  Let your child touch the shape with her eyes open and then closed. 
• Pattern play.  Have fun with patterns by letting children arrange dry macaroni, chunky beads, different types of dry cereal, or pieces of paper in different patterns or designs.  Supervise your child carefully during this activity to prevent choking, and put away all items when you are done.  
• Laundry learning.  Make household jobs fun.  As you sort the laundry, ask your child to make a pile of shirts and a pile of socks.  Ask him which pile is the bigger (estimation).  Together, count how many shirts.  See if he can make pairs of socks:  Can you take two socks out and put them in their own pile?  (Don’t worry if they don’t match!  This activity is more about counting than matching.)   
• Playground math.  As your child plays, make comparisons based on height (high/low), position (over/under), or size (big/little).
• Dress for math success.  Ask your child to pick out a shirt for the day.  Ask:  What color is your shirt?  Yes, yellow.  Can you find something in your room that is also yellow?  As your child nears three and beyond, notice patterns in his clothing—like stripes, colors, shapes, or pictures:  I see a pattern on your shirt.  There are stripes that go red, blue, red, blue.  Or, Your shirt is covered with ponies—a big pony next to a little pony, all over your shirt!  
• Graphing games.  As your child nears three and beyond, make a chart where your child can put a sticker each time it rains or each time it is sunny.  At the end of a week, you can estimate together which column has more or less stickers, and count how many to be sure.

Balance Activities for Toddlers

Toddlers always seem to have a bump or a bruise due to their lack of balance as they perfect the skill of walking and their desire to go fast!  Here are some suggestions to help your little one improve balance.

• Step in and out of a cake pan or a sturdy cardboard box cut down to 2 or 3 inches high.
• Crepe paper streamer: stand still while making circles, waves, etc. with a streamer.  Fun to do to music.  Standing in a cake pan or box can help the child stand still in one place.
• Contact paper: tape it to the floor sticky side up and have the child walk on it barefoot.
• Daddy Penguin Walk: place beanbag on the child's feet for an "egg".  Try to walk across the room without dropping the egg.  Beanbag can be made easily from an odd adult sock - fill sock 1/4 - 1/3 full with dry beans or rice, then tie the sock off in a knot and fold the extra sock back on itself over the "beanbag".
• Making cookies -- or -- Smashing bugs: child is standing.  Place a ball on the floor in front of him and have him push hard on it with his hands while rolling it back and forth in different directions like when rolling out cookie dough.
• Have child stand with one foot on the bottom step or on a stool.  For smaller children you can use a couple of phone books or packages of paper stacked on top of each other or a plastic storage box turned upside down.  Have the child stand this way while saying a poem or singing a short song.  Practice on each side.  Harder: try this with eyes shut.
• Wheelbarrow walk (child "walking" on her hands with adult holding her hips or legs up).  Help to have a "target" to walk to.
• Sit on a beach ball or similar size ball while singing songs, etc.
• Easier: let some air out of the ball
• Harder: play catch with a scarf or stuffed animal
• Walk on grass, slopes, gravel, bark, sand (Indoors, walk on wrinkled up quilt, pillows, couch cushion or mattress on floor).
• Playing on all sorts of playground equipment.
• Walking up and down stairs.  If child needs help, hold lightly to their wrist (to avoid the habit of the child needing to grip something for balance).
• Silk scarf or similar material, or balloons: play catch with a person, or toss it high and catch it again, swirl it in a big circle overhead, etc. (These materials are easier for young children to catch than balls because they move slower.)
• Use your imagination and some of these ideas to create an obstacle course for your child.