Give to Help Me Grow

Are you looking to make your year-end contribution to a program that serves children and families in ways that impact lifelong success? Consider giving to Help Me Grow Alabama!

Follow this link to DONATE NOW. If you choose to give online via Pay Pal, indicate "Help Me Grow Alabama" as part of instructions for the recipient (an option Pay Pal provides when you review your donation information, prior to confirmation). If you choose to mail in a contribution, be sure your check is dated 2015 for it to be tax deductible for this year. Don't forget to write "Help Me Grow Alabama" in the memo line.

All Measures Matter

In his most recent blog post Dr. Dworkin reminds us that, "With respect to evaluating our impact on children’s optimal health development, the issue is not a matter of 'either/or,' but rather that all measures matter."

Wishing you very happy holidays from Help Me Grow Alabama as we seek to support optimal healthy development for all children!

Gift Ideas

With holidays right around the corner, many parents are on the lookout for what to give their child. You may want to consider limiting the number of gifts to a few, quality items. Many parents use the 4 gift idea of “Something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read.” Don't forget that quality time with a child may not be as easily wrapped, but can often be much more meaningful and memorable than a gift!

Here are ideas for something to read, but what about something they want? The number of options can make shopping overwhelming, especially when parents aren't sure which toy may be appropriate for their child. Toys that are too easy may bore a child and toys that are too advanced may aggravate them. Parents.com has a great article on making smart choices for age appropriate toys for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. This list from NAEYC gives even more specific ideas, depending on the child's age.

Building Young Children’s Listening Skills with Music

We all know listening is an important skill in school and as an adult, but parents can start teaching well before a child begins to speak. Here are some ways to help children engage with sounds that will begin to build their listening skills, and ultimately their language skills. Singing lullabies, while cuddling and rocking rhythmically with your child, will make him or her familiar with your voice and the rhythm of your language. As your child grows older, don’t stop singing! You can use more challenging words and tunes to teach them about pronunciation and grammar. To help your child learn the basics of language you should also talk with him or her, and use child-directed speech. 

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Listening is the first step to understanding. Encourage your child to listen to and imitate sounds. Once you’ve both heard a sound, like a dog’s bark, then, use your own voice to imitate the sound. Your child might try to imitate the dog’s bark as well. Once you’ve introduced your child to musical speech and sounds, then you might want to incorporate those sounds with music. You can also help your child to recognize when sounds start and stop with musical games like Musical Chairs or Hot Potato. To find out more about different games and songs used to help children’s listening skills visit http://www.medel.com/blog/child-listening-skills-musical-sounds/. You can also check out these 6 tips to help foster a love for music for more ideas.

Text4baby

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Have you heard about Text4baby? Text4baby is a free mobile health service that provides health information in English and Spanish to women during pregnancy through a child’s first birthday. As the largest mobile health initiative in the nation, Text4baby reaches more than 900,000 moms and is available in all 50 states and the U.S. territories. Text4baby makes it easy to get important information. Women can text BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511411 receive free personalized text messages with health, nutrition, and development information created by experts from all over the country. There is also an app that provides additional information about prenatal health, baby’s development, child care tips, and more. For more information about Text4baby please visit www.text4baby.org.

Raising of America

When parents and communities are squeezed, their young children pay the price. How can we do better? The acclaimed new documentary series, The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of our Nation, shows how a strong start for all our kids leads to a healthier, more prosperous and more equitable nation. 

From now until Nov. 30 you can watch every episode online for FREE! More video clips, interactives, discussion guides, toolkits and other resources are available on the series resources page.

Advancing Developmental Promotion, Early Detection & Linkage to Services

The HMG National Center has a new tagline: Advancing Developmental Promotion, Early Detection & Linkage to Services. Dr. Paul Dworkin explains how Help Me Grow is continuously evaluating its approach to helping children at-risk for developmental delays and their families by “viewing early detection as but one critical step in a comprehensive process of developmental promotion, early detection, and referral and linkage.” Learn more about the evolution and dissemination of Help Me Grow’s mission on the most recent blog post from the Help Me Grow National Center.

Happy Veterans Day

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Today we honor all of the veterans who have and are currently serving our country through military service. Veterans and their families make huge sacrifices for our freedom, and can face unique challenges that other families are not exposed to. The Child Mind Institute is a great online resource that focuses on supporting healthy brain development and empowering children and their families with help, hope, and answers. They include strategies for dealing with the strain of deployment in a healthy way and give advice on some of the other challenges military families can face. Visit their website to learn more: http://www.childmind.org/en/military-families/home/

National Adoption Awareness Month

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November is National Adoption Awareness Month! All adoption-related issues are important, but the particular focus this year is finding loving and permanent homes for foster children who are waiting to be adopted. Promoting awareness can be done through planned events and campaigns, gatherings and celebrations, and simple everyday activities. You can share ideas and advocacy plans on the National Adoption Awareness Month message board at www.AdoptionForums.com, send a virtual card to people who have touched your life through adoption at www.E-cards.Adoption.com, and be sure to talk to your child about adoption. Whether your child is adopted or knows someone who is, helping your child understand the adoption triad

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will encourage confidence when hearing about adoption. Click here to find out more information about adoption awareness in the month of November. Help Me Grow strives to help all children and families connect to the resources they need, including foster and adoptive families.

Considering Your Child's Development

Are you wondering if your child’s development is on track? You should contact Help Me Grow! To get an idea of some of the developmental milestones we’ll be looking for, here are some typical indicators of healthy child development from Family Education:

Age 0-6 Months - A lot happens during your baby's first months. Your baby will begin his development by learning to open and focus his eyes. He will begin responding to his name and your voice, and will learn big and small body movements. He might begin to babble and will use his fingers to grab, hold, and shake objects. As his development continues, he'll learn to grasp smaller items, release objects, sit and play on his own, and may begin to move around by creeping along on his belly.

Age 6-12 Months - Your child will continue learning how to move his body, and will begin creeping, crawling, pulling himself up to cruise along furniture, or may begin walking. He'll also learn to play with toys appropriately, wave good-bye, and begin to babble simple words like "Mama" and "Dada".

Age 1-2 Years - As your child grows into his first year, he may begin to stack, bang, and place objects inside others. His grasp will be precise, and he might begin scribbling and using a sippy cup independently. He'll also begin to engage in pretend play by feeding dolls or stuffed animals. His walking and running skills will also become more steady and established.

Age 2-3 Years - As your child's language continues to develop, he will begin using two-word sentences and will know and understand upwards of 50 words. He will also show an interest in playing with children his own age, and will begin alternating his feet when climbing the stairs.

Age 3-4 Years - Building towers and drawing shapes are just some of the developmental milestones your child will reach in his third and fourth year. Aside from buttons, he will begin dressing himself, can speak in simple six-word sentences, and will continue to develop motor skills such as learning to catch a tossed ball.

For ideas for age-appropriate activities, check out FamilyEducation at: http://life.familyeducation.com/child-development/activities/63988.html

What Is Epigenetics?

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According to KidsHealth.org, epigenetics is the idea that environmental factors (such as diet, lifestyle choices and behaviors, and stress) can change the health not only of the people who are exposed to them, but also the health of their descendants. Help Me Grow connects children and families to the services they need to ensure that children are developing with the best set of environmental factors possible. Help Me Grow is dedicated to providing parents with helpful information about healthy living that can be passed down from generation to generation. Knowing the facts about how to help children grow and develop is vital. KidsHealth.org is full of free and reliable information for children, teens, and parents about general health, growth and development, infections, diseases and much more.

Halloween Crafts

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The month of October often brings to mind one thing for children: Halloween! One of the best ways to prepare children for the holiday is by making fun, age-appropriate crafts. As they grow, children are constantly developing many important skills including fine and gross motor skills, language development and even cognition. We have provided some links that include Halloween crafts which are not only fun for children, but can sharpen their skills and help you to bond!

What will you and your family do for Halloween? Follow this link for some fun craft ideas like a Wooden Spoon Cat Puppet.

Find activities for bats, owls, spiders, and much more here: http://www.dltk-holidays.com/halloween/halloween_crafts.html

Hug Your Baby Today!

Mary Mackrain from the Devereux Center for Resilient Children, recently spoke at the 3rd Annual Alabama First Teacher Home Visiting Conference and 2nd Annual Infant/Toddler Academy on the importance of promoting resilience in young children and the adults who care for them by offering tips and resources that could be useful in many different settings. She began the session addressing the common misconception that mental illness is untreatable and is therefore just “the cards dealt” to a person, which not only discourages investment into needed services and research, but also discourages the need for early identification and intervention. To combat this misconception, she encouraged everyone who interacts with children and families to actively participate in reducing the stigma that is often associated with mental health by being “billboards for social-emotional health.” Additionally, she offered simple everyday tips for parents and providers working with young children that included practicing social-emotional surveillance every day; using screening tools; ensuring that every child feels loved by calling them by name, looking into their eyes, giving hugs and kisses, and laughing when they are being silly; and providing a safe and nurturing environment for them to explore and grow. She also explained that taking care of yourself, as a parent or provider, is just as important! It should be a parallel process where caregivers should be given the experiences they need to nurture their children, who may not have been shown those same skills throughout their past. Finally, she highlighted the need for providers to use “reflective practice” when working with families by actively listening to the families’ needs, always begin by assuming the family is competent in knowing what their needs are and fully capable in leading the decision making process, and “sitting on our hands” long enough to allow them to come to the conclusions of how to move forward.

See the list below for additional resources that can help you become a billboard for social-emotional health, and remember your message can be as simple as, “hug your baby today, it helps their brain to grow!”.

Additional Resources:
Adverse Childhood experience study: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy/
Toxic Stress: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/toxic-stress/
Five numbers to remember about early childhood: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/resources/five-numbers-to-remember-about-early-childhood-development/
CDC Learn the Signs. Act Early Resources: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/
Parents Interacting with Infants: http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/resources/training_piwi.html
Center on the Social Emotional Foundations for Early Learning: http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu
Magic of Everyday Moments- Zero to Three: http://www.zerotothree.org/child-development/early-development/magic-of-everyday-moments.html
Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: www.ecmhc.org
Michigan Social Emotional Toolkit: www.michigan.gov/socialemotionalhealth
Environmental Checklist Group Setting: http://ecmhc.org/documents/CECMHC_Observation_Toolkit.pdf
Devereux Adult Resilience Survey: http://www.centerforresilientchildren.org/wp-content/uploads/DARS.pdf
Maternal Depression Posters: http://ecmhc.org/documents/CECMHC_Depression_Providers.pdf

Discipline - An Opportunity for Learning

Spanking, removing privileges and verbal reprimand are possible forms of punishment, but are they the best way to discipline your child? According to “How to To Discipline Your Child” from Positive Parenting Solutions, we often misinterpret the term “discipline” with punishment, but the word “discipline” comes from the Latin word “disciplina,” which means “teaching, learning.” Parents should always focus on teaching their children constructive lessons, beyond simply punishing out of anger or frustration. The form of discipline you use should reflect the age and maturity of your child as well as the misbehavior.

Here are some suggestions on how to properly discipline your child: 1) Set boundaries and make sure you enforce them, 2) Be reasonable, 3) Give yourself a timeout before you react, and 4) Make sure that your child understands exactly why he or she is being punished. To find out more information about how to discipline children, click on this link. Remember actions do have consequences.

Reach Out and Read

Did you know that reading aloud is often recognized as the single most important activity leading to language development? Reach Out and Read is one of the leading organizations that promotes early literacy and school readiness by prescribing books to children as young as six months old. Reach Out and Read has been a valuable Help Me Grow partner since the beginning in Alabama. The Reach Out and Read three part model incorporates books into regular doctor visits and empowers parents as children's first teachers. Doctors can write parents a prescription for reading, and provide them with an age-appropriate book for their child. The website also offers reading tips, literacy milestones, and useful links for parents and pediatricians. For more information about early literacy and to find the Reach Out and Read program that is closest to you, go to www.reachoutandread.org.

National Obesity Awareness Month

September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control, childhood obesity is a major public health problem and has the potential to lead to lifelong issues. It occurs when a child’s body mass index (BMI) is at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. Children who have obesity are more likely than non-obese children to be obese as adults, face more bullying, have mental health problems, have diabetes and increased risk of certain cancers. The good news is childhood obesity is 100% preventable! 

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Here are some things you can do to decrease your child’s chances of becoming overweight or obese:

• Participate as a family in a walk/run
• Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet
• Drink more water and less sugary carbonated drinks
• Ensure that your child is getting an adequate amount of sleep
• Limit television viewing and video game play
• Encourage children to participate in activities that are age-appropriate and enjoyable
• Be a role model and lead by example!!!

For more information, visit:
http://www.cdc.gov/features/childhoodobesity/
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/HealthierKids/ChildhoodObesity/Preventing-Childhood-Obesity-Tips-for-Parents-and-Caretakers_UCM_456118_Article.jsp

Bilingual Benefits

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“Learning more than one language is an asset to individuals, families, and our entire society. Early childhood teachers can share the benefits of bilingualism with families and their communities, find ways to support children’s home languages, and encourage families to keep their language strong. Developing the child’s home language provides the foundation for reading and writing, preparing children to be biliterate.” Click here for a pdf to learn about a few of the benefits of being bilingual, and for more information on working with young children who are learning more than one language.

Are We Asking the Proper Question?

Dr. Dworkin of the Help Me Grow National Network has written a blog post discussing the recent US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) draft of a report, Screening for Autism Spectrum Disorder in Young Children. The draft report states that it cannot presently make a recommendation either in favor of or against autism spectrum disorder screening, and calls for more research to better determine risks and benefits.

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The draft report may come as a surprise, and Dr. Dworkin acknowledges that "when insufficient research is available, the Task Force acknowledges the lack of evidence, neither recommends nor discourages the activity, and calls for more research." Dr. Dworkin supports the call for more research, and also explains why he still supports developmental screenings. Read more from Dr. Dworkin here.

Reading and School Success

Supporting and encouraging children to read is one of the most important things you can do to help them succeed in school. According to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), reading helps children in all school subjects and is the key to lifelong learning. The parent-child relationship can greatly effect a child’s attitude toward reading and his/her ability to read. As parents, teachers, etc., we have a responsibility to promote literacy. There are many ways we can accomplish this and USDE offers these tips:

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• Start early. When your child is still a baby, read aloud to him. Reading should become part of your daily routine. 
• Make sure that your home has lots of reading materials that are appropriate for your child. Keep books, magazines and newspapers in the house. Reading materials don't have to be new or expensive. Ask family members and friends to consider giving your child books and magazine subscriptions as gifts for birthdays or other special occasions. 
• Show that you value reading. Let your child see you reading for pleasure as well as for performing your routine activities as an adult—reading letters and recipes, directions and instructions, newspapers, computer screens and so forth. 
• Get help for your child if he has a reading problem. When a child is having reading difficulties, the reason might be simple to understand and deal with. For example, your child might have trouble seeing and need glasses or he may just need more help with reading skills. If you think that your child needs extra help, ask his teachers about special services, such as after-school or summer reading programs. 
• Make reading fun! 

Check out these additional resources for:
Helping children cultivate a love for reading
Promoting independent reading
Helping your child succeed in school

Easter Seals: Make The First Five Count

Did you know that the first five years of children's lives shapes their future health, happiness, growth, and development?  Easter Seals is a leading provider of child development services and they encourage families to Make The First Five Count. Their website has valuable developmental information and services that help guide parents through the early years of development. They also provide a free online screening tool that helps parent keep track of their child’s growth and development during the first five years. For more information, check out the video below and visit www.easterseals.com/mtffc.

HMG is a Nonpartisan Issue

With the tumultuous and electrifying partisan politics that surround us, you may wonder where Help Me Grow lines up. Dr. Dworkin, founder of Help Me Grow, has updated his blog with a post which reminds us that, "The mission of Help Me Grow does not fall exclusively within either the liberal or conservative mainstream. Political beliefs can’t predict whether states and their leadership and policymakers will support early childhood system-building and early detection of vulnerable children at risk for adverse developmental and behavioral outcomes. Instead, we have found that when states, leaders, and communities share a strong commitment to the strength of families, then they are more likely to devote resources to supporting early childhood system-building and early detection of vulnerable children." Read on for more insights on the shared interest of strengthening families.

National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month! If you've ever wondered about the process vaccines go through to become recommended by the CDC, check out this infographic:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/infographics/journey-of-child-vaccine.html

HMG Partners with Western Health Center

HMG Central Alabama Coordinator, Danna
with Super Why

Exciting things are happening in Central Alabama! Through our great partnership with Reach Out and Read-Alabama, Help Me Grow care coordinators are building relationships with pediatricians and engaging families in their medical home to demonstrate the impact reading can have on the developing brain and connect families to additional resources when needed. Today Western Health Center of the Jefferson County Department of Health, is hosting a Prescription for Summer Reading event in collaboration with Reach Out and Read-Alabama and Alabama Public Television’s effort to promote summer reading in pediatric practices and clinics around the state. In addition, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama and the Caring Foundation will be presenting the center with 1,800 books to be distributed to patients through the year. The event will highlight the importance of reading for preparing a child to enter school, and will showcase the services that all families at Western Health Center have access to during well-child visits. Well-child visits are more than just a time for vaccinations, but an opportunity to focus on all areas of a child’s development and ensure parents have the knowledge, resources, and tools to best support their child starting at birth. To accomplish this, Western Health Center will be collaborating with other organizations in the community to offer families the following services:

Reach Out and Read Statewide Coordinator, Polly
with Super Why

1. Ages & Stages Developmental Screening
2. Developmentally appropriate books and instructions for parents about reading daily and brain development through Reach Out and Read-Alabama
3. Registration for all children in Dolly Parton Imagination Library to receive additional books through age five
4. Care coordination and referral for needed developmental services through Help Me Grow Central Alabama

School readiness begins at birth and primary care offices have a unique opportunity to engage families early. The services offered at Western Health Center are a great example of progress being made towards ensuring every child in Alabama enters school prepared to learn.

Getting Ready for School with PBS KIDS

PBS KIDS is a great place to find age-appropriate resources that help kids get ready for school! This website has fun activities for children, parent information on how to help children get ready for school, and classroom-ready digital resources for teachers. There is also a child development tracker, age appropriate activity search, and school readiness program. Remember to limit your child's screen-time, and the best way to prepare your child for school is through interactions with you and peers. For more information visit http://pbskids.org.

PBS KIDS

Preschool Readiness

ZERO TO THREE has some great suggestions about getting ready for preschool. Here are some highlights, follow the link for more details.

As you prepare for your child to being preschool, try to keep your efforts low-key. If you make too big a deal out of this milestone, your child may end up being more worried than excited. Here are some ways to focus on the fun.

• Use pretend play to explore the idea of preschool: take turns being the parent, child and teacher. Act out common daily routines, such as saying good-bye to mommy and/or daddy, taking off your coat, singing songs, reading stories, having Circle Time, playing outside, and taking naps.
• Read books about preschool: Choose several to share with your child over the summer before school starts. Talk about the story and how the characters are feeling. Ask how your child is feeling. Here is a list of nine “starting preschool” books to get the conversation started.
• Make a game out of practicing self-help skills: For example, you might want to have a "race" with your child to see how quickly she can put on her shoes. When you play school together, you can give your child the chance to practice taking off her coat, zipping her backpack closed, and sitting “criss-cross applesauce.”
• Play at your new preschool: Visit your child’s preschool together. These visits increase your child’s comfort with and confidence in this new setting.

During the two weeks before preschool starts:

• Purchase a backpack together with your child. If possible, let your child choose it himself.
• Label all items—backpack, jacket, shoes, blanket, teddy bear, etc.—with your child’s name and teacher’s name in permanent ink.
• Contact the preschool’s health professional if your child has medication that he or she takes on a daily basis. 
• Figure out how your child will get to school and how she will come home. Talk to your child about the morning and afternoon routine so that she understands that she will be safe, okay, and cared for. 
• Start using your child’s “school bedtime.” Help your child get into a preschool schedule by keeping to his or her school bedtime, beginning about two weeks before school starts.

For more ideas, visit ZERO TO THREE.

How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime

There is now scientific research that supports a direct link between early childhood experiences and physical health through both behavioral and biological pathways. In the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Study of over 17,000 participants, individuals who had experienced multiple adverse events were also more likely to suffer from many of the leading causes of death in the U.S., even when controlled for smoking, excessive drinking, or obesity. In a recent TED Talk, Nadine Burke Harris shares her experiences as a pediatrician and witnessing firsthand the detrimental effects childhood trauma can have on an individual’s health. In the video, Harris describes the evolution of her medical practice to viewing childhood trauma as a medical issue to better treat her patients and begin working towards preventing its lasting effects into adulthood. For more information on Nadine Burke Harris’s work and research, read her story here. 

Brandon's Story: The Impact of Early Intervention

This 2015 Telly Award winning video features Brandon’s mother as she talks about the importance and impact of early intervention on her son’s life and on her family. You’ll also hear from Brandon, who is a teenager and talented musician.

Safe Kids

A child dies from an unintentional injury every 30 seconds Safe Kids Worldwide is a global organization dedicated to preventing injuries in children. Their website has a wealth of information on how to keep kids safe. Safe Kids Worldwide has information on injuries, education and awareness programs, safety tips and how to get involved in your local Safety Kids Day. For more information visit, www.safekids.org.

Summer Water Safety

Now that it’s summer and the weather is heating up, a good way to cool down is to go for a swim! Whether it’s a pool, a lake, or splashing around with your toddler in the bathtub, kids love to engage in water play. However, water is a place where safety must come first. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death among children between 1 and 4 years old. It’s also the third leading cause of injury-related death among children 19 and under.

Here are a few tips directly from Safe Kids to make sure children are safe around water:

• Never leave a child unattended around water. We know it sounds strict, but there is no room for compromise on this one. Babies can drown in as little as one inch of water.
• Put the cell phone away, forget about all the other things you have to do and give young children 100 percent of your attention when they are near or around water.
• Empty all tubs, buckets, containers and wading pools immediately after use. Store them upside down and out of children’s reach.
• Keep toilet lids closed and use toilet seat locks to prevent drowning. It’s also a good idea to keep doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms closed. 
• Parents have a million things to do, but learning CPR should be on the top of the list. It will give you tremendous peace of mind – and the more peace of mind you have as a parent, the better. 

For more information visit: http://www.safekids.org/watersafety.

Little Kids, Big Questions

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The National Center for Infants, Toddlers, and Families has developed a series of 12 podcasts titled Little Kids, Big Questions that addresses common and often challenging issues parents face when caring for their infant or toddler including picky eating, sleeping through the night, and problem behaviors. The series also highlights an infant’s amazing ability to comprehend and learn from interactions with their caregivers in the first three years of life that can influence their social-emotional development, the ability to develop self-control and self-esteem, and the development of healthy eating habits into adulthood. The podcast series is hosted by Ann Pleshette Murphy and each topic includes interviews with experts who help parents translate current research into their everyday lives. For more information and to download the podcast series, visit the ZERO TO THREE website.

Getting to Know Danna

My name is Danna Perdue-Melton and I am the new program coordinator for Help Me Grow Central Alabama. I received my Bachelor's of Science degree in Psychology and a Master’s of Education with a concentration in Community Agency Counseling. Help Me Grow is a program close to my heart because I can use my education and skills to support positive change in the lives of children and families. As a former early childhood educator of fifteen years and mental health associate, I have had the opportunity to work with families, children, and teens. I understand the importance of an enriching learning experience, quality care, and appropriate early intervention when delays are identified. I am very passionate about early intervention, and Help Me Grow allows me to provide care coordination for families and link them to child development and parenting information and community resources. I’m excited to be working with young children and families in Blount, Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, and Walker counties. If you’re in one of those counties, dial 2-1-1 and ask for Help Me Grow. I’m happy to help and hope to hear from you soon!

Mental Health Awareness - Kids and Anger

As we wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month, consider the important social-emotional skills these children are demonstrating as they describe anger. Check out this article to see the six valuable lessons we can learn from these six children.

HMG Staff Spotlight: Danna Perdue-Melton

Danna recently joined HMG staff as the Help Me Grow Program Coordinator for United Way of Central Alabama. She received her B.S. degree in Psychology from University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Master's of Education with a concentration in Community Agency Counseling from the University of Montevallo. Danna recently completed an internship at the Bessemer Cut-off Children’s Advocacy Center. She was a preschool teacher for over a decade and brings with her a wealth of knowledge in quality care and early intervention. Danna is enthusiastic about Help Me Grow and we look forward to hearing more from her!

Project LAUNCH Professional Development Institute & Summit

REGISTER TODAY!!!
Alabama Project LAUNCH Professional Development Institute and Summit on Early Brain Development and Social/Emotional Health featuring Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D.
May 20-21 at the Bryant Conference Center in Tuscaloosa, AL

Price: $20.00 - $40.00
Register online at www.training.ua.edu/launch.

Registration Form
Professional Development Institute & Summit Information
Vendor Registration Form

Contact Person: Tonya Jones, Project LAUNCH Young Child Wellness Expert
Phone: 334-271-0304 

Email: tjones@smartstartalabama.org

National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day

May 7, 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day. According to the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the 2015 National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day will address the needs of children, youth, and young adults with mental health or mental health and substance use challenges and their families.

Participate in one or all of these opportunities from The Caring for Every Child’s Mental Health Campaign, designed to complement your community’s Awareness Day activities:

• Take Part in the National #HeroesofHope social media activity through May (National Mental Health Awareness Month). Post or tweet a message telling the world who have been #HeroesofHope in your community over the last ten years. Tell us about them or share an image on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and remember to use the hashtag!
• On May 7, spread the word about the Awareness Day “Text, Talk, Act” event for high school students. Creating Community Solutions, a National Dialogue on Mental Health partner, is hosting its first "Text, Talk, Act" event for high school students in support of Awareness Day. Encourage students in your community to participate together.
• On May 7, starting at 1:30 p.m. EDT, join the National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day 2015: Strengthening Communities by Integrating Care, a national event streaming live from the Lansburgh Theatre in Washington, DC.

Visit SAMHSA's website for more information.

HMG, Health Equity, and Young Children

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Dr. Dworkin, founder of Help Me Grow, writes in his blog about how HMG addresses disparities and promotes equity by focusing on vulnerable children, collaborating across sectors to address adverse influences on children, and recognizing that so many disciplines are relevant to children's healthy development. Read more on the HMG National blog here!

April is... National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Felicia Wilburn is the Early Childhood Resource Coordinator for the Alabama Partnership for Children (APC) and shares below on how the APC is helping prevent child abuse through resources and programs.

Babies don’t come with instructions. Many times parents lack knowledge of child development and parenting skills to nurture their child’s development. Without this knowledge, parents can be left to ineffective habits which lead to frustration, or even anger toward the child for not behaving the way the parent expects them to behave. One way to help protect children is by giving parents the knowledge and skills they need to decrease their frustration and nurture their child’s well-being.

Alabama Partnership for Children offers a few programs to help parents gain the knowledge and skills they need to not only increase their child’s physical and emotional health, but also to be a leader in their community promoting child well-being.

• Smart Start Parenting Kit is a tool designed for parents of newborns to give them immediate access to important information to assist in their difficult and joyous job of being parents. It includes materials that answer frequently asked questions and provide easy access to toll-free telephone numbers and websites of state agencies and public programs, and information on the importance of quality child care, children’s health, safety and child care products. Parenting Kits are designed to be useful through all stages of a young child's development.
• Smart & Secure Children (SSC) Parent Leadership Project was designed with parents through a community participatory study, to introduce/improve quality parenting as a way to strengthen vulnerable families raising children 0-5 years old who may have been exposed to negative childhood experiences. The parenting curriculum is delivered through a conversational learning environment that activates parents to improve their own habits which, in turn, improve their children’s brain development and emotions.
• Alabama Parent Leadership Project targets parents who have been through an SSC or other parenting skills experience and who wish to contribute their voice to decisions that affect their children, families, and communities. These parents will be recruited to participate in a conversational learning environment centering on identifying priority concerns about their families and communities, communicating ideas and recommendations effectively and broadly, learning how to/effectively engage local leaders, and learning how to influence and participating in state policy work.

April is... Week of the Young Child

National Week of the Young Child is a celebration of the children we serve and the steps we take to help ensure that their early years are learning years. Week of the Young Child is April 12-18 and this year's theme is "Celebrating Young Learners"! To learn more about how you can participate this week and join the Alabama Partnership for Children at the Alabama State House on Tuesday, April 14, visit http://www.smartstartalabama.org/get-involved/. 

As we celebrate Week of the Young Child, check out this infographic from Rasmussen College.

Photo Credit © 2012

April is... Autism Awareness Month

Autism Society of Alabama

The Autism Society of Alabama is coordinating walks this month to raise funds and support Autism Awareness Month. Visit http://www.walkforautismal.com/walk_locations.php to see information for walks this month.

Furthermore, there is an Alabama Interagency Autism Coordinating Council meeting in Montgomery on April 13, a Glenwood Lecture featuring Brenda Smith-Myles in Birmingham on April 15, and a Simpson-Ramsey Lectureship focusing on Transitions in Education, Employment and Health Care for Adolescents and Adults with Developmental Disabilities in Birmingham on April 16.

Lastly, check out the video below to see what it can be like to experience sensory overload.

Sensory Overload (Interacting with Autism Project) from Miguel Jiron on Vimeo.
© 2012
Some people with autism have difficulty processing intense, multiple sensory experiences at once. This animation gives the viewer a glimpse into sensory overload, and how often our sensory experiences intertwine in everyday life.

Getting Ready for Week of the Young Child

In honor of young children and early childhood educators around the nation, we are celebrating Week of the Young Child from April 12th-18th!

Week of the Young Child (WOYC) is the annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The idea for a designated week of celebration and awareness was inspired by numerous successful city and state events, and the desire to coordinate efforts around the country. WOYC was established nationwide in 1971 to focus on young children, their families, and care providers.

In Alabama, we encourage you to use Week of the Young Child as an opportunity to draw attention to early childhood programs and services by reaching out to your legislators and community leaders. WOYC is a special time to recognize those who are currently serving young children and families well, and to consider how our communities can provide even better for all young children.

For more information and ideas on how you can participate, visit www.smartstartalabama.org/get-involved and www.naeyc.org/woyc.

Getting to Know Arkeisha

I am excited to have joined the Project LAUNCH team and look forward to implementing the Help Me Grow model in Tuscaloosa County. What most attracted me to Help Me Grow is the fact that it combined the most enjoyable parts of my previous work experience. I always enjoyed working directly with children and families and being able to witness the positive changes that occurred as a result of information and resources I was able to provide or link them with.

Since I began in January, there have been lots of exciting things going on. Our first local Young Child Wellness Council meeting was held in February. We worked on completing an environmental scan of the county to assess available resources as well as gaps in services. During that work session, we found that although Tuscaloosa has many services, there are still some substantial gaps that we hope to fill by implementing Project LAUNCH and Help Me Grow. It was exciting to see agencies and professionals that serve children and families come together for a common purpose.

As part of the Help Me Grow initiative, we have scheduled two Books, Balls, and Blocks events. At these events, children are able to engage in developmentally appropriate play while their parents complete Ages & Stages Questionnaires, which will help identify developmental delays. There will also be resources made available to the parents that will address any concerns that they may have. Hosting these events will help promote the use of developmental screenings and increase early detection of developmental delays. This is important because it’s more effective and cost efficient to grow healthy children than it is to rehabilitate them as adults.

I am so thankful to be a part of Help Me Grow and Project LAUNCH at the local level. I am looking forward to seeing how this work is going to benefit children and families in the Tuscaloosa area.

HMG Staff Spotlight: Arkeisha Thomas

Arkeisha Thomas was hired in January 2015 with Child Development Resources at The University of Alabama as the Project LAUNCH Specialist. Arkeisha is responsible for local coordination of Help Me Grow and Reach Out and Read in Tuscaloosa County. She graduated from The University of Alabama with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Development and Family Studies. Arkeisha has 14 years of experience working with children and families in several different capacities, including classroom teacher, case management, home visitation, Fatherhood Initiative, and career development. Arkeisha is really excited to be a part of the team and to contribute to the impact that Help Me Grow has on the children of Alabama.

Getting to Know Katie

Last week we got to meet Katie Naman, Help Me Grow Alabama Coordinator. Here's a little information about what she's been up to...

I am so excited to join the Alabama Partnership for Children as the new HMG Alabama coordinator, and to have the opportunity to help expand a program that has already done such great work in Alabama. It’s been a little over a month since I came on board, but in that brief time, I have been so lucky to attend great meetings and witness how clearly Help Me Grow fits into the early childhood community.

The first meeting I attended was the “Doing What Matters” conference in Tuscaloosa that brought together leaders like Melanie Bridgeforth from VOICES for Alabama’s Children to share how far Alabama has come in national rankings for health, school readiness, and education, and the challenges to keep improving. Next, I was able to meet some of the amazing HMG leadership team to gain a historical perspective on HMG in Alabama and the hard work behind where we are today. We joined the Project LAUNCH team that same day for the first Young Child Wellness Council meeting that brought together early childhood leaders from around the state who will utilize HMG to increase developmental screening and identify the barriers and gaps in services in Alabama. My next stop was the Governor’s Early Childhood Education Leadership Summit in Montgomery, where we heard from national and state leaders about the exciting momentum in brain development research, early child care, and Alabama’s First Class Pre-K. It became even more apparent after hearing the information how these shared goals align with HMG’s mission to achieve the earliest identification and intervention for children at risk for developmental delays. Finally, at the end of February I attended the 14th Annual Alabama Autism Conference that gave attendees the opportunity to hear from leaders like Dr. Ami Klin who pointed to the critical “window of change” between birth and 3 years old where early diagnosis could have the greatest impact on the quality of life for a child and their family.

Last month I met many different people and heard from many different speakers, but they all had one important thing in common. They all want what is best for Alabama’s children and recognize that it is essential to invest the time and resources into early childhood to ensure every child has the best chance to be healthy and happy. I thought Commissioner Nancy Buckner highlighted perfectly the importance of ensuring the highest quality programs and initiatives for children when she said, “It’s far less costly to raise a healthy child, then to repair a dysfunctional adult”. I think Help Me Grow will be a vital link in making this a reality in Alabama, and I am so grateful to be in a position where I can help make it happen!

HMG Staff Spotlight: Katie Naman

It's been a while since we've posted, but that's because there have been exciting new changes and growth among the HMG staff. First, let's meet Katie Naman...

Katie recently joined our staff as the Help Me Grow Alabama Coordinator. The Help Me Grow initiative is currently being implemented in the Central Alabama area, and Katie has joined the APC to continue working towards statewide expansion. Katie received a B.S. degree in Nutrition Science from Auburn University and a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Maternal and Child Health Leadership and Policy from UAB. She recently completed internships with both the Alabama Interagency Autism Coordinating Council (AIACC) and the Autism Society of Alabama. She also comes with research experience from UAB and over 10 years of direct child care experience. Katie is originally from Mobile, Alabama and will soon be moving to the Montgomery area from Birmingham.

On PBS Tonight!

TONIGHT at 10pm Eastern Time, watch the second episode of the PBS Independent Lens series, A Path Appears. Journalist Nicholas Kristof joins actress and early childhood advocate Jennifer Garner as she returns to her native West Virginia to visit families enrolled in Save the Children’s Early Steps home visiting program.  The documentary introduces us to Johnny Weethee, who was just accepted into pre-K with the help of program coordinator Tonya Bonecutter. This moving story demonstrates how early interventions can have a transformative effect on a young child’s life.

Babies on the Homefront

ZERO TO THREE’s Military Family Projects announces their newest resource, Babies on the Homefront. This free app for smartphones is available in both English and Spanish on iTunes and the Google Play store.

Babies on the Homefront is designed especially for military and Veteran families as they navigate the many transitions that are part of serving—including deployment, reintegration, moving, and transitioning back to civilian life. The free app makes it easy to select from behavior tips and activities for parents and children, with a special section for parental self-care. The app also provides access to a series of newly developed, short video podcasts on a range of parenting topics particularly relevant to military and Veteran families.

You may access materials including the promotional video and a parent handout that may be duplicated at http://babiesonthehomefront.org/

Considering Autism Interventions

Anna McConnell, Dept. of Mental Health State Autism Coordinator, brings us some of the current resources available regarding different autism intervention and treatment strategies. For more posts about autism (many by Anna) just follow our new Autism label on the blog!

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Developmental screenings are crucial for identifying delays in children, leading to earlier intervention. The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) released the Environmental Scan: State Strategies and Initiatives to Improve Developmental and Autism Screening and Early Identification Systems publication, which describes various states’ efforts to create a well-developed system of care that emphasizes early screening, assessment, and intervention. Once identified, finding and paying for interventions in Alabama is not always easy. While there are a number of services accessible for children with delays, including Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), lack of adequate insurance coverage issues may make services inaccessible and depending on where a family lives, resources may not be available.

Recent news articles have featured therapies and interventions that have aided children with ASD in making great gains. One resource that provides guidance about which interventions are evidence-based and effective for specific age groups has been published by the National Professional Development Center on Autism Spectrum Disorders. The 2014 Evidence Based Practice Report (pdf) is a great resource for any service provider or family member who is considering appropriate interventions. Social, communication, and school readiness are the areas most addressed across interventions for the birth through age five category. In Alabama, we hope that the system of care for those with ASD will continue to develop and improve for early screening, identification, and intervention. These are helpful resources to consider as Alabama continues to move forward in its work for those with ASD.

Raising Food-Smart Kids

Like last week’s post, we’re still trying to help you keep your resolve to have a healthy family – hopefully a year-round goal! As you are leading in your family, “creating a nutritional home is one of the most important steps you can take to ensure the health of your child. To start, make smart food choices, and help your child develop a positive relationship with healthy food. Your children will learn their food smarts from your example.” Read these “10 Ways to Raise Food-Smart Kids” and remember that this is an ongoing process – take these as encouragement towards the future and don’t get discouraged if things don’t always go according to plan.

Healthy eating for kids is important, but sometimes it can be a struggle to serve foods children like. KidsHealth provides some great recipes for creative ways to serve kids healthy, fun foods they can enjoy.

Photo Credit

ABCDE This Year!

The New Year always brings New Year’s resolutions, and they aren’t always easy to keep. Here are some great ideas for parents and caregivers to “ABCDE” (Act Boldly to Change Diet and Exercise). As a parent, you are a role model! The foods you eat and the patterns you hold set an example for children. Download this PDF from the American Psychological Association for great ideas for keeping yourself and your kids on track towards healthy goals!

Staying active doesn’t have to be complicated. KidsHealth reminds us that a simple game of tag or bending over to tie shoes can be good endurance and flexibility exercises. They provide these tips for raising fit kids:

Photo Credit

• Help your kids participate in a variety of age-appropriate activities.
• Establish a regular schedule for physical activity.
• Incorporate activity into daily routines, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Embrace a healthier lifestyle yourself, so you'll be a positive role model for your family.
• Keep it fun, so you can count on your kids to come back for more.

For even more suggestions, check out this article on “Raising a Fit Preschooler”.