Be a Brain Builder

Start off the New Year as a brain builder for your child! Watch this two minute video to see parents who discover everything they need to make sure their child’s brain grows strong.

Tips on Toys

The holidays are a great time to play with your child, no matter how young they are! If you’re still looking for some last-minute gift ideas, NAEYC shares a few insights with us on what makes a good toy for a young child. You might be surprised to learn that “basic is better” when it allows for a child’s imagination to take over! Of course, if you do get a young child toys, you may be confused when your baby loves the box and wrapping paper more than the toy you excitedly wrapped. Check out these insights on why babies loves boxes and other sensory items. Regardless of how big or small your gift-giving is, remember not to overthink the power of play. When children play, they learn and grow emotionally. Just “trust your own playful instincts” and enjoy your child today!

To read more about play and how it affects your child’s development, follow these links from NAEYC:
What the Research Says: Impact of Specific Toys on Play
Why do Babies Like Boxes Best?
10 Things Every Parent Should Know About Play

Myths and Measures: The Importance of Getting It Right

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Dr. Dworkin has posted on the Help Me Grow National blog, this time about making sure Help Me Grow gets its research right. He says, "The danger of asking the wrong questions and adopting the wrong outcome measures is an important consideration in our efforts to evaluate the efficacy of Help Me Grow. Our crucial task is to assure that we ask the right questions and adopt the right outcome measures for Help Me Grow as it promotes children’s healthy development." Read more here as he ties in schools and Strengthening Families.

The Magic of Everyday Moments

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ZERO TO THREE has done it again! Another great resource is available. Anyone who has a young child, knows one, or wonders about why children do what they do, should definitely check these videos out.

"The Magic of Every Moments" is a series of four videos that explore key aspects of early childhood development, including: 

Brain Wonders: Nurturing Healthy Brain Development From Birth
Literacy Skills: The Roots of Reading Start at Birth
Power of Play: Building Skills While Having Fun
Temperament: What Makes Your Child Tick?

The videos are professionally made, engaging, and just around six minutes each. Watch them and share far and wide!

Help Me Grow & Sustainability

Check out Dr. Paul Dworkin's latest blog post regarding Help Me Grow and sustainability. Examples from Connecticut and Florida demonstrate how Help Me Grow is becoming more deeply embedded in enduring systems.

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Dads Matter!

Fathers have a profound influence on their child's language development. Check out this article which discusses the significance of dad - even for the youngest of children.

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From the article, we're reminded that when dads spend time talking with their child, it makes a difference! Remember that even small moments, like diaper changes or baths, can be meaningful moments of development. When children play with dad and know they are safe, it strengthens their emotional stability. For more information about "The Importance of Fathers", check out this article from Psychology Today.

Screen Sense

Check out this fantastic new resource from ZERO TO THREE regarding children and screen time!

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"Babies today are born into a world of digital devices. And parents are trying to navigate this new reality—specifically figuring out what role these new gadgets should play in the lives of their young children...

To fill this critical gap, ZERO TO THREE has developed Screen Sense: Setting the Record Straight—Research-based Guidelines for Screen Use for Children Under 3 Years Old. This new free resource, written in partnership with leading researchers in the field of media and young children, is an authoritative review of what is known about the effect of screen media on young children’s learning and development. It is designed to serve as a tool for guiding parents and professionals in making informed decisions about screen media use.

In addition to Screen Sense, there is a summary of the key findings, tips for how to use screen media with children under 3, and an infographic about 5 common misconceptions related to children and screen media."

Follow the link to download these tools and share!

"The Power of Town & Gown"

In his latest post, Dr. Paul Dworkin, founder of Help Me Grow and Director of the Help Me Grow National Center, has updated his blog regarding Help Me Grow Western New York and the College of Education of Niagara University. This is the first time a higher education institution is serving as the organizing entity for a Help Me Grow affiliate. In Alabama, Help Me Grow is organized under the Alabama Partnership for Children and throughout the country, Help Me Grow affiliates are associated with various nonprofits, state departments, and health providers.

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Read more to learn about this "inspiring example of strengthening town-gown ties in support of childhood system building."

Safety for Children

Newborns quickly progress from infant to toddler and it’s important to provide a safe environment for them to thrive. Watching young children learn and grow is very exciting, but several precautions should be taken to avoid common, but often dangerous accidents. The National Safety Council has assembled a quick list of tips to avoid suffocation, choking, falls, burns, and drowning. To help keep a curious child explore safely, consider these tips:

-         Infants should always sleep on their backs, and never on soft surfaces like comforters or pillows, or with large stuffed animals or toys.

-         Keep floors swept and vacuumed – infants and toddlers have an amazing ability to find tiny objects that could be choking hazards! Also, don’t allow any child to eat or suck on any hard food while lying down.

-         Keep cords and wires out of walking and crawling paths to prevent children from tripping on or becoming tangled in electronics.

-         Never leave a child unattended with a burning cigarette, candle, or any type of open flame.

-         Never leave a child unattended in a bathtub or near a pool or body of water. Entrances to bathrooms, pools, and other bodies of water should be securely closed when not in use.

For more a more thorough list with other ideas, download this PDF.

Infant Healthy Development & Nurturing Relationships

We all know infants need parents, but what impact do caregivers have on social and emotional health? Check out this post from Too Small to Fail on infant mental health:

“When a baby cries for attention or smiles for the first time, he is communicating with the people around him so that they can help him meet his physical and emotional needs. But how his parents respond to those early communication attempts—as well as the security he feels from these early interactions—will help shape his mental health and social skills for years to come…”

Also, watch “Connecting with Babies: The Power of Parent/Child Interaction” here.

Boost Activity with Music

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The Learning Station has put together this great printable that explains what is going on in your child’s brain when she is engaged in music & movement, along with activities & techniques for enhancing learning opportunities. Click here to download a copy to share with parents & teachers! 

Patriot Day

As this is a day to look back and honor the memory of lives lost, take advantage of the opportunity to teach young children the importance of history and the significance of patriotism.

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Healthy Hygiene

Learning healthy hygiene habits can cause any child to struggle. Children who have disabilities might have additional trouble learning these habits, but promoting a child’s independence is important. Here are some things to keep in mind when instructing a child in healthy hygiene:

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• Realistic Expectations: Know when the child is ready to take on a new task, and develop basic skills before moving towards bigger goals.
• Creativity: A child with a disability may need to start with modified or partial instructions in order to achieve gradual success.
• Patience: It can be difficult for a parent to watch a child struggle with something seemingly simple, remember to allow time to go at the child’s pace.
• Praise: Frequently affirm a child attempting a new skill – everyone needs a personal cheerleader when trying something new!

For specific examples and more ideas, refer to this PDF from the Government of South Australia.

Grade-Level Reading

Check out this video from the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and visit http://gradelevelreading.net/ to learn more.

7 Readiness Skills Kindergarten Teachers Look For

If your child's preschool years are coming to an end, your thoughts are probably turning toward kindergarten. But is your child ready to move on to the "big" school? What skills do kindergarten teachers expect their new students to have? To help answer those questions (and ease your mind), the team at Scholastic asked kindergarten teachers from around the country to share their insights. Their answers might surprise you. Read the article and discover the top 7 readiness skills.

Also, check out a list of resources compiled by the Alabama Partnership for Children.

Family Engagement

Help Me Grow is designed to help connect children and families to needed services. The latest blog post from Dr. Paul Dworkin, founder of Help Me Grow, helps us to consider how we can reach families where they are and provide the best possible connections. Below is a snippet - click here to read more.

Engaging families in the planning and design process is challenging. These are some of the questions we face:

• How do we best ensure parents’ comfort in participating in deliberations convened and typically dominated by presumed experts?
• How do we meaningfully reward parents for their time and effort? 
• How do we logistically accommodate the busy schedules of parents and respect their child care responsibilities and demands?
• How do we best ensure that consumer involvement is representative of the diverse constituencies served by our childhood systems? 
• How do we best capitalize on the voice of the family to enable our evaluation strategies to be meaningful and valid?

Let's Play!

Let's Play!

ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization focused specifically on the healthy development of babies and toddlers. They've released a new app for Apple and Android products. Check out Let's Play!

"Let's Play provides parents and grandparents with fun ideas for keeping babies and toddlers entertained and learning, especially during daily routines like commuting time, chores, bedtime and bathtime, mealtime, shopping. There are also 'boredom busters' for any time. Parents can search activities by age (0-18 months, 18-36 months, and 3-5 years), tag favorites, and share activities via social media. All of the activities reflect children's typical skills at each age and are designed to support development in the context of play and family routines."

For more information from ZERO TO THREE follow the link or download now for Apple or Android.

Art in Development

Creative arts help children develop motor skills, language, decision making, visual learning, inventiveness, cultural awareness, and academics. Check out this article from PBS to learn more about the impact of art on your child's development.

Then check out these ideas for projects to do with your little one!

Let's Read, Let's Move!

Check out this important reminder from the Corporation for National and Community Service:

United We Serve: Let’s Read. Let’s Move. calls on all Americans to participate in combating summer reading loss and childhood obesity through volunteering and service this summer.

Our nation’s youth need guidance to help build fit bodies and strong minds. Working together, Americans can foster a generation that is less prone to disease, has higher academic achievers, and is more educated about food and its effects on health. These factors can have lasting effects on a child’s overall development and future.

In this spirit, the Corporation for National and Community Service has again implemented the summer United We Serve: Let’s Read. Let’s Move. initiative. By encouraging Americans to serve, the Corporation is addressing summer reading loss and childhood obesity by engaging youth in summer reading and physical activity, as well as providing information about healthy, affordable food.

GET INVOLVED

• Read books with kids.
• Build or rehabilitate a playground.
• Create a community garden.
• Collect excess fresh, healthy foods to provide to kids in need.

SPREAD THE WORD!

• Activate your networks and spread the word that:
• kids need 60 minutes of play a day to be healthy.
• hunger doesn’t take a break for the summer: 19 million children receive free or reduced price meals during the school year, but only 2.3 million receive summer meals.
• reading five books during the summer prevents learning loss.

We want to hear about your own Let’s Read. Let’s Move. activities! Share how you or your organization is joining in the efforts to combat childhood obesity and summer learning loss by posting your service story on our Facebook page or letting us know on Twitter using the #LRLM hashtag.

For more information, visit the website or contact ServiceInitiative@cns.gov.

Happy Independence Day!

From everyone at Help Me Grow Alabama, we wish you a very happy Independence Day!

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HMG & Cultural Competence

Help Me Grow is a system designed to connect children and families to the services they need. These services should be appropriate to a child's development and the family's culture.

Dr. Paul Dworkin, founder of Help Me Grow, visited Help Me Grow Minnesota and was asked, “How do we ensure that the resources offered by Help Me Grow to families are culturally appropriate and sensitive?” To learn the answer, check out his blog post.

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Alabama's Early Intervention System (AEIS)

When a parent or professional has a question regarding a child’s development, a referral can be made to Alabama’s Early Intervention System (AEIS).  This is done by calling 1-800-543-3098 which is also known as the Child Find number. 

AEIS serves children from birth to age three.  To be eligible, the child must have:

A) A diagnosed condition that has a high chance of leading to a developmental delay; such as, cerebral palsy, deafness, etc.

OR

B) A 25% delay or greater in one of the five developmental areas: physical to include vision & hearing; communication, cognitive; social or emotional; adaptive.

If you would like more information about development, go to www.rehab.alabama.gov/ei.  From there select Resource Library and scroll down the page to Publications.  “A Step Ahead” (pdf) and “AEIS Developmental Flier” (pdf) provide information about developmental milestones. These are important resources because the earlier a child’s delays are identified and treated, the more likely a better outcome.

Once eligible for services, an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) is written with the family.  Outcomes or goals for the child are written and the early intervention services that are necessary to help the child and family achieve the outcomes are included in the IFSP.  Every family will have a service coordinator to help the family understand their rights, guide, and inform them.

Before the child reaches the age of three and must leave early intervention, the service coordinator will review options with the family for services at age three; such as, preschool services.

For additional information about Alabama’s Early Intervention System, please visit www.rehab.alabama.gov/ei or call 1-800-543-3098.

2-1-1 Strengthens Alabama's Families and Communities

2-1-1 Connects Alabama is network of call centers whose mission is to provide easy access to health and human services available throughout Alabama. The first call center was established in Montgomery in 2002 and the network has grown to provide services to all Alabama residents.

By making services easier to find, the 2-1-1 network strives to empower individuals with the information they need to "Get Help or Give Help" in their local communities. 2-1-1 serves individuals from all walks of life, but more importantly, vulnerable populations who struggle to connect to local resources and often slip through the cracks.

The objective of a 2-1-1 Call Specialist is to link the caller to information and available services such as:   

• Basic Human Needs: food banks, clothing closets, shelters, rent and utility assistance, emergency food and shelters, State and Federal assistance, grief counseling, emergency financial assistance
• Physical and Mental Health: health insurance programs, Medicaid and Medicare, maternal health, children’s health insurance programs, medical information lines, crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention, victims services, rehabilitation
• Employment Support: Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance, education programs
• Support for Elderly and Persons with Disabilities: adult day care, activity center meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, home health care, transportation, homemaker services, specialized services for both young and old with disabilities
• Support for Children, Youth, and Families: advocacy, empowerment, child care, after-school programs, Early Head Start/Head Start, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring, and protective services.

To connect to your local 2-1-1, it’s as easy as picking up the phone and dialing 2-1-1. You can learn more and access the online resource database here.

Quality Child Care Helps Children Grow

 In my 42 years of working with young children and their parents I am saddened to find that today’s families are in more crises than ever. Many parents have lost their jobs and many of those who haven’t are working part-time or irregular work schedules. Few have job benefits and little or no hope for advancement. Now, more than ever, quality child care is a very important family support.

With family members employed or seeking employment (even grandparents), child care is often a necessity. A parent earning minimum wage will often have to pay up to 40% of their take-home income for care for ONE child. If there are two or more children, it can seem impossible for the parent to work and pay for child care. Parents who are making this kind of sacrifice should be confident that they are placing their child in the best possible environment. Together, a community can encourage parents who work to support their families by ensuring that quality child care services are available, accessible, and affordable.

Childcare Resource Network is an advocate for Help Me Grow because we know what a difference high quality child care can make in identifying a young child’s needs and helping a family connect to resources. In many cases, a parent or guardian may know a child has a need, but be unsure how to define it or meet it. This is where a well-trained child care staff can empower parents to be their child’s advocate in the system of services. Help Me Grow has already provided the AL Access Guide to Early Childhood Services (pdf), which is a great tool for child care providers to use with any family. We look forward to further developments from Help Me Grow that will help us help children grow.

- Mary Davis, Executive Director

Childcare Resource Network

The Key to Future Success: Early Identification of Children with Special Needs

The vision statement of the Alabama State Board of Education Plan 2020 is “Every Child a Graduate – Every Graduate Prepared for College/Work/Adulthood in the 21st Century.” In order to have every graduate prepared, early identification and intervention for children with special needs is very important. It is a priority of all Alabama school systems to ensure that all children within their jurisdiction, birth to twenty-one, regardless of the severity of their disability, who need special education and related services are identified, located and evaluated. This process is known as Child Find.

Parents, friends, families, and agencies are encouraged to contact their local zoned school or the school system special education coordinator to request evaluations for children, ages 3 through 21, with special needs. Special education services are provided for children with disabilities who meet eligibility criteria in one of thirteen exceptionalities of the Alabama Administrative Code. The process sometimes seems complicated, but school staff look forward to helping parents and guiding them through the referral, evaluation, eligibility, and services procedures. Parents are the most important member of their child’s Individual Education Program (IEP) team.

For information about special education rights, disability definitions, eligibility criteria, Individual Education Programs, and parent involvement in IEP development, go to the Special Education Services and check out all the information available, including the Alabama Administrative Code. For more information, please contact the Alabama Department of Education, Special Education Services at speced(at)alsde(dot)edu or (334) 242-8114.

Family Resource Centers Help Families Grow

The Alabama Network of Family Resource Centers (ANFRC) is a strong advocate of Help Me Grow. ANFRC is made up of member agencies serving local communities. Each center is unique and provides services geared toward specific community needs. The centers share common ground, however, in the quality of services they provide. In order to become a member of ANFRC, each center must prove that it meets 25 standards of practice, which the Alabama Legislature passed into law in May of 2000.

Each Family Resource Center provides a broad range of services, including services for families of young children. These services are geared toward supporting parents, keeping children safe, and supporting school readiness and school success. Many ANFRC members offer home visiting programs, such as Parents as Teachers and HIPPY, in order to help parents prepare their children for school. Several ANFRC members have also participated in Books, Balls, and Blocks Help Me Grow events.

ANFRC agencies are able to help each family succeed using a comprehensive service plan developed by the family. This process allows families to identify goals they want to achieve, helps them to identify steps to take, and utilize resources for achieving their goals. Once a family’s plan is developed, a Family Resource Center staff member then meets with the family on a regular basis to help the family evaluate their progress toward achieving their goals.

For more information on ANFRC and its member agencies, visit the website at www.anfrconline.homestead.com or call Robin Mackey at (256) 310-6621.

Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive

Maximizing the health and development of children and families in the U.S. is an urgent concern of the Administration for Children and Families. Making sure our youngest children are screened and given support as early as possible is a priority for the Departments of Health and Human Services and Education. They have partnered to launch the Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive program. It highlights the importance of general developmental and behavioral screening for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. The initiative is geared toward teaching staff and experts in early care and education, including Head Start and Early Head Start; primary health care; child welfare, and mental health. Staff and experts learn to make sure all parents are aware of the importance of early screening and know where they can receive these services.

The initiative will bring the entire early childhood world together around common goals:

• Getting all children screened on a schedule
• Celebrating developmental milestones
• Promoting universal developmental and behavioral screening
• Identifying possible delays and challenges early
• Enhancing developmental supports

Launch materials include:

• A Compendium of Screening Measures for Young Children (pdf)
• A toolkit of informational resources and tip sheets
• Find Help Near You

Early identification of developmental delays is critical to providing children with services and support they need to thrive. As many as one in four are at risk for a social delay or developmental disability. Early identification allows communities to intervene earlier. It also leads to more effective and cheaper treatment during the preschool years rather than expensive special education services later. Studies have shown that intervention prior to kindergarten can have large academic, social, and economic benefits, including savings to society of $30,000 to $100,000 per child.

Follow this link to learn more about the Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive initiative.

Home Visiting - Might Not Be What You Think

The Charlotte-Douglas airport in North Carolina is relatively small. It has a moving sidewalk, but no trains – and you walk everywhere. There’s a lady who cleans the restrooms – and she is the reason I love that airport. The first time I arrived there, I stopped by the restroom and she said, “HEY! Come on in! I have a place right here for you. It’s all clean!” And she ushered me to the stall. While I was washing my hands, she said, “Would you like some mouthwash? Might make you feel better.” She pumped a medicine cup full of blue Listerine out of a huge jug and handed it to me. While I was swishing it around and my mouth was still on fire, she asked, “Would you like some peppermint candy?” I accepted and then, she said, “I hope you have a real nice trip. And I hope you will come back here again!” Suddenly, I forgot all about the person who sat beside me taking up their whole seat and half of mine. It didn’t matter that the person sitting behind me blew his nose loudly and almost continuously for an hour and a half.

That restroom attendant didn’t clean toilets; she made the journey better for others. That is the role of a home visitor. Regardless of the model used, the goal is the same. Home visiting is about helping families along their journey. Many families are on a trek that is very difficult and not of their choosing. Sometimes they are in dark, scary places and on roads that seem more like dead-ends than paths to success. Home visitors improve the trip and help families re-write the ending of their stories. Home visiting is not about stopping in for a quick hello. It is about helping families to a healthier, brighter, more stable place. It is about helping children become more socially, cognitively, physically, and emotionally ready for school and life. It’s about telling the family, “HEY! We’re in this together and things are going to be better!” The true value of home visiting may not manifest for years, but the immediate relief from helplessness and hopelessness is the beginning of lifelong change.

For more information on Home Visiting, go to www.children.alabama.gov and click on First Teacher, or call 334-353-2700.

-Dr. Susan McKim, Director

First Teacher

Early Childhood Mental Health: We Must Address the Most Vulnerable Population Now

This month's FOCUS from the Alabama Partnership for Children is mental health. When most people think of mental health they don’t think about babies, toddlers and preschoolers, but infant and early childhood mental health (ECMH) is an important topic we need to be discussing. 

ECMH is defined by Zero to Three as healthy social and emotional development of children 0-3 years. It includes the ability to: experience, regulate and express emotions, form close and secure interpersonal relationships, and explore the environment and learn.

Addressing early social-emotional development through prevention and early intervention is important to a child’s future mental health and well-being. According to Dr. Jack Shonkoff of Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child, “nurturing and responsive interactions build healthy brain architecture that provides a strong foundation for later learning, behavior, and health.” When positive relationships and interactions are missing due to circumstances such as extreme poverty in conjunction with continuous family chaos, physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, severe maternal depression, substance abuse, or family/community violence, there is interference in the way the brain’s neural circuits mature and form. This affects the brain’s stress management systems, which in turn often leads to difficulties in school, relationships, jobs, and may lead to criminal activities.

To address ECMH, we should build and strengthen communities and homes that promote and facilitate:

• Nurturing/protective relationships 
• Extended family support
• Access to resources/learning 
• Neighborhood safety
• Early learning opportunities/vocabulary
• Parent training and support
• Quality child care
• Health care (including early screenings)

We already have systems, agencies, and initiatives, such as Help Me Grow and others, in place to address child development and family support. By being attentive to social/emotional development in infants and young children just as we are to speech and motor development, and by being vigilant in our efforts to support the child’s relationships and environments, we can give our youngest, most vulnerable children a better chance to grow up emotionally healthy.

-Jane Duer, Early Intervention Coordinator

Alabama Department of Mental Health

10 Things to Know about the New Autism Data

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You might remember from the beginning of the month that April is Autism Awareness Month and there is new data from the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network which shows that the estimated number of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continues to rise. The following are based on information collected from health and special education records of children who were 8 years old in 11 states in 2010:

1. About 1 in 68 children were identified with ASD. 
2. This new estimate is roughly 30% higher than the estimate for 2008, roughly 60% higher than the estimate for 2006, and roughly 120% higher than the estimates for 2002 and 2000. We don't know what is causing this increase. Some of it may be due to the way children are identified, diagnosed, and served in their local communities.
3. The number of children identified with ASD varied widely by community, from 1 in 175 children in areas of Alabama to 1 in 45 children in areas of New Jersey.
4. Almost half (46%) of children identified with ASD had average or above average intellectual ability.
5. Boys were almost 5 times more likely to be identified with ASD than girls. 
6. White children were more likely to be identified with ASD than black or Hispanic children. 
7. Less than half (44%) of children identified with ASD were evaluated for developmental concerns by the time they were 3 years old.
8. Most children identified with ASD were not diagnosed until after age 4, even though children can be diagnosed as early as age 2.
9. Black and Hispanic children identified with ASD were more likely than white children to have an intellectual disability. 
10. About 80% of children identified with ASD either received special education services for autism at school or had an ASD diagnosis from a clinician. The remaining 20% of children had symptoms of ASD documented, but had not yet been classified by a professional in a school or clinic.

Check out the full report and get more information here.

Register for the Alabama Public Health Training Network's upcoming satellite conference and live webcast, "Developing Alabama's System of Services and Resources for Children With Autism: Lessons Learned and Taught." This program will be broadcast on Wednesday, May 7, 2014; 12:00-1:30 p.m. (Central Time). To see the conference flyer for this program click here (pdf). To register for this program click here.

National Minority Health Month

Autism Awareness, Week of the Young Child, Child Abuse Prevention, AND Minority Health - April is a busy month! Here's what U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has to say on National Minority Health Month:

In April, we commemorate National Minority Health Month, a time to raise awareness about health disparities that persist among racial and ethnic minorities. This year’s theme - “Prevention is Power: Taking Action for Health Equity” - embodies the ambitious goal put forward by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to achieve “a nation free of disparities in health and health care.”

During Minority Health Month, we applaud the commitment of all of our federal, state, tribal, and local partners in our shared work to implement the HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities and the National Stakeholder Strategy for Achieving Health Equity. To learn more about National Minority Health Month and what HHS is doing to achieve health equity, please visit www.minorityhealth.hhs.gov.

To read Secretary Sebelius' full statement, click here.

April Showers Bring May Flowers

“April showers bring May flowers”, at some time in our lives we have heard and repeated those simple words. In this phrase, we hear that for those who wait patiently for the dampness of April to pass, the rewards are great. We will once again celebrate clear days for play in May. The wonderful sights and smells of blossoms and new growth fill the air. April may bring unpleasant images of dreary days, but we know it will soon be replaced with the flowers of May.

Child abuse is another, much more terrible thing to deal with. April is National Child Abuse Prevention month and a time that we are reminded to recognize families and communities that are working to prevent child abuse and neglect. We celebrate the work of organizations who strive to turn the tragedy of child abuse into success stories of life and growth.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. Much has improved regarding understanding, preventing, and treating child abuse and neglect, but there is still more to be done. According to the Kids Count Data Center, a stunning 9,824 cases of child abuse were reported in Alabama in 2012. The sad word in that statement is “reported”. Reminding us that there could be more cases we may never know of.

To participate in Child Abuse Prevention activities, look for ways to make “meaningful connections” in your neighborhood and community. Blue is the color of Child Abuse Prevention month and you can show support many ways, such as passing out blue pinwheels, planting blue pansies, or wearing a blue ribbon on your raincoat. You can also download this toolkit (pdf) to connect to activities happening right here in Alabama.

Autism Awareness

The Alabama Interagency Autism Coordinating Council (AIACC), led by the Alabama Department of Mental Health, was created to meet the urgent and substantial need to develop and implement a statewide system of care for individuals with autism and their families.

Join the AIACC in recognizing that April 2 is World Autism Day, and April is Autism Awareness Month.

Around the world, state and national governments, private industries, and households will recognize World Autism Day as they “Light it Up Blue.” On April 2, standard light bulbs will be replaced by a hue of blue – showing awareness and concern for those affected by autism. The Birmingham City Hall and the RSA Battlehouse Tower in Mobile are just a couple of the buildings changing Alabama’s landscape. Governor Bentley recently signed a proclamation designating April as Autism Awareness Month in Alabama.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a brain disorder affecting communication and social interactions, and occurs before the age of three (DSM-5). Signs of ASD include:

• Repetitive behaviors
• Impairments in verbal and nonverbal communication
• Difficulties with socialization

The most recent statistics from the CDC (pdf) indicate that 1 in 88 children are affected by ASD. The prevalence rate for boys is 1 in 54. Early detection, early and appropriate intervention, and continued support throughout the lifetime for the people affected by autism and their families are vital.

If you would like to purchase the blue-tinted bulbs or a “Light It Up Blue” t-shirt, contact the Autism Society of Alabama (877-4AUTISM).

What's in a Nap?

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Child care providers and parents know that naps are an essential part of a young child’s life. However, there isn’t a huge body of research available to back that up. Recently the National Institutes of Health conducted a study that shows naps reboot energy and aid healthy development. In a preschool classrooms study, taking a nap helped with memory and supported learning. These results may help educators make informed decisions about naps.

Research was done on forty preschoolers by Dr. Rebecca Spencer and her team on exploring the relationship between early childhood naps and memory formation. The researchers taught the preschoolers a game called Memory. The objective of the game was for them to learn and remember 9 or 12 cartoons located on a grid. During the research, the children either took a nap or were kept awake. Researchers found that the children who took a nap recalled 10% more of the cartoon images and children who regularly took naps saw the most benefit.

So, not only do naps help young children’s health, but also with their learning. This study affirms that routine and the opportunity for rest is crucial for healthy early childhood development.

For more information on the study, follow this link.

Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

In 1987, President Reagan declared March "Mental Retardation Awareness Month" to encourage opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. Since renamed "Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month", this month is still set aside to celebrate individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, as well as promote general understanding and awareness.

Join the ARC and other organizations by using #DDAware on social media and joining the "Let's Go Out" movement on March 29! How can you participate?

"Simply make plans to go out somewhere in public on Saturday, March 29. That’s all. Just plan a day out and about with friends and family or by yourself enjoying the things you like to do. And, in the process help raise awareness and generate some conversation about people with I/DD. This one-day movement will serve to harness our collective power to gain allies, foster understanding, dispel myths and encourage people without disabilities to recognize that we’re not so different after all." 

Visit http://www.thearc.org/lets-go-out for more information and ideas to celebrate.

National Poison Prevention Week

March 16th-22nd is National Poison Prevention Week.

Adults should always try to keep poisons out of reach of young children, but accidents do happen. According to the Poison Prevention Week Council, “More than 2 million poisonings are reported each year to the 57 poison control centers across the country. More than 90 percent of these poisonings occur in the home. The majority of non-fatal poisonings occur in children younger than six years old.” Poison Prevention Week is designed to raise awareness of possible sources of poison and to prevent accidental poisonings. The Poison Prevention Week Council provides informational tips (pdf) and steps that can help you prevent poisoning.

It’s important to share this preventive information with anyone who supervises children (grandparents, neighbors, etc.), as we are reminded that adult drug prescriptions are strongly associated with pediatric poisonings. Child resistant bottle caps, latched drawers, and locked cabinets are the best ways to prevent accidental poisoning with prescriptions and chemicals.

What should you do if your child comes in contact with poison? Well, the answer is simple. Don’t wait! Contact the toll-free, 24/7, nationwide Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. This number will connect you to your local poison center. If the person is not breathing, immediately call 9-1-1. When talking to the poison expert remember to use the emergency checklist to guide yourself through the process.

Remember:

• Don’t panic! Not all contact with poison is poisoning.
• Call 1-800-222-1222. Don’t wait for signs of poisoning.
• Follow the advice the Poison Help line gives you.

Visit the Poison Help website to learn more about poison prevention and activities you can do during Poison Prevention Week.

10th Annual Joining Hands for Week of the Young Child - Updated

Update: The Alabama Partnership for Children (APC) is cancelling the 10th annual Joining Hands for Week of the Young Child event that was scheduled for April 9th at the State House. APC has learned that this year’s legislative session (which was on the calendar to end April 28th) is on track to end as early as April 7th, so legislators will have left the State House and returned to their home districts by the event date of April 9th. In light of this new information, you are encouraged to engage lawmakers in your local community as they return home from the legislative session. In keeping with previous years, child advocates across the state should coordinate with anyone that works with young children to collect handprints that children have traced and decorated. 

Please keep all handprints and DO NOT mail to the APC. If you have already mailed handprints, these handprints will be returned and should be mailed or personally delivered to your legislators and city officials.

If you are interested in celebrating Week of the Young Child by advocating for young children in your local community, visit www.legislature.state.al.us to determine local contact information for your legislators. State lawmakers are always interested in hearing from constituents on the issues that are important to them. Don’t be afraid to invite legislators to your facility and be sure to engage them in any Week of the Young Child activities you may have planned. Listed below are some easy ways to celebrate Week of the Young Child:

• Visit your local lawmaker and deliver child handprint artwork to remind them of the needs of young children. 
• Host a day at the mall, with activities for children and information for parents from family service organizations. 
• Have a children’s parade through town. 
• Have a proclamation signed by a city government official. 
• Post art done by children in local restaurants and businesses. 
• Decorate community store windows to promote the celebration. 
• Have an art project set up at a child care center for parents and children to do together. 
• Support programs that provide quality early childhood education by volunteering at a local school, community center, Head Start, or child care program. 
• Have local newspapers cover activities during the week. 
• Have an award for parents to nominate someone they think is an exceptional friend of young children. 
• Educate yourself and others about the importance of quality early childhood education in preparing young children for school. 

The Alabama Partnership for Children would love to know of any activities planned in local communities. Contact mpiggott[at]smartstartalabama[dot]org or call toll-free (866) 711-4025.

Reframing the Mental Health Issue

Photo Credit

Dr. Paul Dworkin, of the Help Me Grow National Center, has updated his blog again! This month focuses on mental health...

In a January 2014 New York Times op-ed column, Nicholas Kristof invited readers to suggest topics that deserve more attention this year. He offered up the topic of mental health as a systematically neglected issue.

I am confident that few of us disagree with him. Kristof lamented the “code of silence” around the topic, noting that the media tends to cover only mental health issues that arise in the context of extreme situations, such as mass shootings, despite the weak link between mental illness and violence...

Follow this link to read more about the role Help Me Grow is playing in early childhood mental health.

HMG: An Overview

We're looking forward to expanding Help Me Grow Alabama to more areas of the state in the future. Take 4 minutes and check out this video from the Help Me Grow National Center that briefly explains the model we plan to implement.

Get Vaccinated!

Parents must make thousands of healthcare decisions for their children over the course of their lives. Immunizations are crucial to disease prevention and have multiple benefits. Consider the following statements from the Department of Health and Human Services:

- Immunizations can save a child’s life. Because of advances in medical science, children can be protected against more diseases than ever before. Some diseases that once injured or killed thousands of children, have been eliminated completely and others are close to extinction– primarily due to safe and effective vaccines.

- Vaccination is very safe and effective. Vaccines are only given to children after a long and careful review by scientists, doctors, and healthcare professionals.

- Immunization protects others. Unfortunately, some babies are too young to be completely vaccinated and some people may not be able to receive certain vaccinations. To help keep them safe, it is important that children who are able to get vaccinated are fully immunized. This helps prevent the spread of these diseases to friends and loved ones.

- Vaccinations can save time and money. A child with a vaccine-preventable disease can be denied attendance at schools or child care facilities. In contrast, getting vaccinated against these diseases is a good investment and usually covered by insurance.

- Immunization protects future generations. Vaccines have reduced and, in some cases, eliminated many diseases that killed or severely disabled people just a few generations ago. If we continue vaccinating now, and vaccinating completely, parents in the future may be able to trust that some diseases of today will no longer be around to harm children in the future.

The Vaccines For Children (VFC) program is a federally funded program that provides vaccines at no cost to children from low-income families. To find out more about the VFC program, visit http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/vfc/index.html. To learn more about specific vaccines or other information about immunizations, visit www.vaccines.gov.