{"id":1034,"date":"2013-01-24T07:06:33","date_gmt":"2013-01-24T15:06:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/?p=1034"},"modified":"2013-01-24T07:06:33","modified_gmt":"2013-01-24T15:06:33","slug":"expert-insights-with-early-intervention-specialist-bambi-rosario-wyatt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/2013\/01\/24\/expert-insights-with-early-intervention-specialist-bambi-rosario-wyatt\/","title":{"rendered":"Expert Insights with Early Intervention Specialist Bambi Rosario-Wyatt"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>When it comes to helping young children reach their fullest potential, Bambi Rosario-Wyatt does just that. Serving as a certified Early Invention Specialist, Bambi supports families and helps enhance the development of the children she works with by providing specialized services.<\/p>\n

Recently I had a chance to connect with Bambi and pick her brain on how parents and caregivers can support the healthy growth and development of children. Here\u2019s what she had to share.<\/p>\n

eNannySource: How important are developmental milestones?\u00a0 Where can parents find a quality list of them?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bambi: <\/strong>Developmental milestones help parents and caregivers in understanding when and how development takes place.\u00a0 Knowing approximately when a child will begin to learn a new skill and how other children their age are mastering it helps to know if your child is on track with their development or if they might need some support.<\/p>\n

There are three websites that I use when sharing information about milestones and to get answers to parent\u2019s questions.\u00a0 They are: www.cdc.gov<\/a>, www.kidshealth.org<\/a> and www.zerotothree.org<\/a>.\u00a0 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has great lists of milestones starting from 1 month up to 5 years of age, as well as a checklist for a parent to use to see if their child is doing what is expected for their age.\u00a0 Just type \u201cdevelopmental milestones\u201d in their search engine and you\u2019ll be able to click on the age you need and see what your child should be doing.\u00a0 You can also look at the next age range to see what comes next in your child\u2019s development.\u00a0 The KidsHealth website is a great place to visit when you have questions about how your child is developing or how they are acting. The Zero to Three website is run by a non-profit organization and they publish a journal bi-monthly.\u00a0 They promote the mental and developmental health of infants and toddlers.\u00a0 They have great information, but their site isn\u2019t as easy to navigate.<\/p>\n

eNannySource: What should parents do if they realize their children aren\u2019t meeting them and how can they get the help that may be needed?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bambi: <\/strong>If you believe that your child isn\u2019t meeting his\/her milestones, don\u2019t worry.\u00a0 Talk to your pediatrician about your concerns.\u00a0 If your pediatrician tells you not to worry, but you are still concerned, you can contact your local Early Intervention program for a child from birth to 3 or your local school department for children over 3.<\/p>\n

You do not need to be referred to Early Intervention.\u00a0 Early Intervention is available in all 50 states because it is a mandated service by the Federal government.\u00a0 However, the way it is handled differs from state to state. \u00a0The program should be listed in your local phone book or you can look them up on the web.\u00a0 You can call your local school department and discuss your concerns with the early childhood personnel.\u00a0 After your discussion, follow up with a written letter with your concerns and request a screening for your child.<\/p>\n

eNannySource: \u00a0I\u2019ve heard mixed things on crawling? Is that still an important milestone?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bambi: <\/strong>Crawling is an important milestone because the physical movement of crawling leads to so many other areas of development that could be effected if a child doesn\u2019t crawl.\u00a0 When an infant learns to crawl they develop coordination between their upper body and lower body.\u00a0 They build up the strength in their upper body so that they can create breath control for talking, wrist rotation for feeding and writing and most of all they teach their brain to communicate with both sides of their body equally.<\/p>\n

eNannySource: What can parents and caregivers do to help children reach their milestones?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bambi: <\/strong>Parents and caregivers can be aware of the milestones and when children typically reach them.\u00a0 Play and have fun with your child.\u00a0 Spend time with the child reading and talking; offer a variety of stimulation such as playing outside in all kinds of weather (appropriately dressed of course); going to the grocery store (talk about what you are going to get, what things you see, etc); participate in community playgroups with children of similar ages (mixed age groups work well too); visit your local library (children begin to learn the rules if they are exposed to them early); play and enjoy your child.<\/p>\n

eNannySource: What are the best types of activities parents can do with babies? With toddlers? With preschoolers?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bambi: <\/strong>Wow, this question could be a whole column by itself.\u00a0 But I will try and be selective with the ones I think are most important.<\/p>\n

My first advice for babies would be let them play on the floor.\u00a0 They need time on their tummy<\/strong> in order for motor developmental progressions to occur.\u00a0 But first an infant must like being put on their tummy before they are interested in crawling (usually between 6 and 9 months of age).\u00a0 Many people report that their infant doesn\u2019t like being on their tummy.\u00a0 And that could be true, but it is so important for them to spend time there.\u00a0 It helps to build up their upper body strength so they can lift up and support their head.\u00a0 The infant works on raising their upper body and being able to move (pivoting, inching forward, crawling, creeping, etc.).\u00a0 So, in order to achieve this, caregivers need to encourage more and longer time on their tummy.\u00a0 It could be done in increments over the course of a day, 1 to 2 minutes at a time, several times during the day, trying to build up to longer periods of time.\u00a0 It can be laying on top of the caregiver, face-to-face so that it is combined with social time; it can be laying on the couch while someone is sitting on the floor talking to them or entertaining them with a toy; it can be laying on the bed while the caregiver lays next to them or placing a mirror so the baby can see themselves; or it could be on the floor, with toys that interest them or a person entertaining them.\u00a0 Read<\/strong> to them.\u00a0 It can be your magazine; read it out loud for him\/her to hear.\u00a0 It can be the local paper, an instruction manual, anything. Use a sing song style voice and have fun.<\/p>\n

For toddlers, let them explore<\/strong>.\u00a0 Textures are important to them as they move from mouthing everything they get their hands on to using their eyes and other senses to learn about their environment.\u00a0 It is okay to play with your food at the high chair.\u00a0 Usually once a child is finished eating they stop putting the food into their mouth and begin to explore.\u00a0 There could be a mess at the end, but think about all the learning that is going on.\u00a0 Look at books<\/strong>; at first just point to pictures and talk about what is going on in the picture on each page (or every couple of pages); don\u2019t read the words (yet).\u00a0 You can label items, animals, people names, etc.\u00a0 Enjoy the time with them on your lap, sitting on the couch together, or where ever you can get them to sit.\u00a0 It will be a short burst of time to start, but will increase over time.\u00a0 As they start using more and more words you can talk about where you are going in the car, who you will be seeing, what you will do when you get there, etc.\u00a0 Give toddlers information<\/strong>: this age range is dependent upon routines.\u00a0 They do not understand the concept of time, but do remember orders of things.\u00a0 Try and give warnings when things may be different.\u00a0 If you have a child who has trouble with transitions (moving from one thing\/activity to the next) then give warnings (5 minutes, then 2 minutes, then 1 minute).\u00a0 Make sure that you have their attention before giving information.\u00a0 If they aren\u2019t looking at you there is a good chance that they aren\u2019t hearing you.<\/p>\n

For preschoolers; Play<\/strong>.\u00a0 Provide a variety of materials for children to make things from.\u00a0 Let their imaginations develop and mature.\u00a0 Find toys that increase their creative play.\u00a0 If all of the child\u2019s toys talk for them, then why do they need to talk?\u00a0 If you have a farm and animals that makes all the noise for them, take the batteries out.\u00a0 Encourage narrated play.\u00a0 Vehicles make noises, people make noises, animals make noises, etc.\u00a0 A language rich environment<\/strong> helps vocabulary to grow and children learn how to make language work if their vocabulary is big enough.\u00a0 Socialization<\/strong> with peers is important too, but not too much structure.\u00a0 Let the children play and learn how to work things out for themselves.\u00a0 If things begin to get too out of hand, then it\u2019s time for an adult to step in and help them work things out.\u00a0 Give them options and create the words that they need to use.\u00a0 Read<\/strong> with them.\u00a0 At this age they enjoy simple words on the pages of the books.\u00a0 They will choose a favorite one and you\u2019ll be reading it over and over again.\u00a0 This is great.\u00a0 Soon they will be \u201creading\u201d it to you.\u00a0 You can read the words and leave off the last one before turning the page and let them finish the word.\u00a0 Once they know the book you can begin to substitute new words and see their reaction.\u00a0 It will become fun for you both.<\/p>\n

eNannySource: Is there anything else you\u2019d like to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Bambi: <\/strong>Children are fun.\u00a0 Enjoy them while they are little in whatever way you are able.\u00a0 Many families have to send their children to child care or have a care taker come to their home to care for their children.\u00a0 Visit several child care facilities before making a decision.\u00a0 Make sure to interview several people before making that final choice.\u00a0 It will take time, but will be worth the effort when you find the caring place or individual that fits your child\u2019s and your needs.\u00a0 Being cared for by someone other than a parent isn\u2019t a bad thing.\u00a0 Children develop relationships with all kinds of people and understand who their parents are from a very early age.\u00a0 When you are with your child just remember to enjoy him.\u00a0 Be silly and have fun.<\/p>\n

And lastly, please let those babies play on the floor.\u00a0 There are many pieces of equipment out there now that keep a baby upright when what they really need is to be down on the floor.\u00a0 The walkers, ExerSaucers and jumpers are not needed and can lead to a baby developing their lower muscles more than their uppers.\u00a0 This is usually why they don\u2019t like time on their tummy or skip crawling and go right to walking.\u00a0 If you need 10 to 15 minutes for your child to occupy themselves so you can start preparation of dinner or dry your hair, then use one to keep your child safe, but please don\u2019t keep them in there for longer periods of time throughout the day.\u00a0 It does not help with their typically developing bodies.\u00a0 When working in the kitchen, place the infant in their high chair and give them a toy to play with instead.\u00a0 The suction cup toys will stay on the tray and keep them entertained and you can still watch them, talk to them and be \u201cwith\u201d them.<\/p>\n

Bambi Rosario-Wyatt is a certified Early Intervention Specialist in the state of Massachusetts.\u00a0 She has her Associates degree in Special Education: Teacher Assistant and her Bachelor\u2019s degree in Human Development with Early Childhood certification.\u00a0 She has worked at Cape Cod Child Development in Early Intervention (children ages birth to 3, with developmental delays) for nearly 29 years.\u00a0 Bambi co-facilitates an integrated play group for children in Barnstable weekly and supports families and their children through home visiting in the mid and lower Cape areas.\u00a0 She is the mother of 4 grown children and grandmother to two teenagers.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When it comes to helping young children reach their fullest potential, Bambi Rosario-Wyatt does just that. Serving as a certified Early Invention Specialist, Bambi supports families and helps enhance the development of the children she works with by providing specialized … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1034","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-expert-insights"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1034"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1037,"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1034\/revisions\/1037"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enannysource.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}