Blog 4 Observation and Interaction with professionals, children and families that have delays

Blog4- My Observation and Interaction with professions, children and families in Early Head Start as it relates to children with early signs of delays.

          My focus is on early signs of delays in Early Head Start children. During these two weeks I have talked with teachers and parents that their children was screened using the Denver II. The question I wanted to focus on was children that the test results were suspect. If a child was scored suspect that would mean the child had two or more areas of concern on the test.  The teacher stated she rescreens the child with in two weeks time frame. The children in question still showed delays in speech and fine motor delays. The teacher sat up a meeting with special needs coordinator and the parents. The parents came in and agreed to the service now they are waiting on Baby Net to call them and set up a meeting and to screen the child.

          I ask the teacher how she felt about the process she stated that it was faster than she seen in past years. With the holidays coming she expected the meeting to take place January instead of November. The teacher seemed pleased. I ask, did all the families that they talked with agree to the service. The teacher stated “no” one of the families declined services because the family stated the child talked at home and they could understand the child’s wants. The mother stated her other son talked later and was doing ok in public school. I ask what “ok” result was, the teacher stated “ok” in her opinion was not good. She stated the child talked to her one time in three word sentences. The sibling is quite but response to directions. The teacher stated that she will continue to work one-on-one with the child and ask the child to repeat words to increase the child’s vocabulary. The teacher said she will support family’s decision and give them choice to help their child. She will retest all children February 2013 using the Denver II. During this time she will work closely with children, parents, and Baby Net to provide the best possible care for each individual child.

          I ask the teacher if she would provide families with suggestion to enhance learning for their child. She stated she sends home a monthly calendar for families to work with their children at home by naming objects, reading stories, sing to music, and talking to their child everyday. This was great information the teacher had for families. I offered web sites and games that parents could interact with their child. The experience that I gain is that teachers need to be willing to accept decision parents make about their own child.