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1
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
• What Does a Young Child Need?
• What is the Caregiver’s Role?
• Lessons That Last
• Caregiver Hints
• Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
• Early Childhood Programs
• Early Childhood Resources
• Car Seat Information
2
What Does a Young Child Need?
• EVERYTHING…• Assistance to meet
– Physical Needs:• Food• Clothing• Cleanliness• Shelter • Safety / protection• Play
– Emotional Needs:• Security• Care• Nurturance• Love• Hope
– Social Needs:• Interact with caregiver
and others, including children the same age
• Opportunity to play with others
3
What Does a Young Child Need? continued
– Psychological Needs:• Know he/she is important
to the caregiver
• Learn who he/she is
• Develop a positive self esteem
– Cognitive Needs:• Read to the child
• Build language skills. Talk with the child, even when they are too young to know all you are saying.
• Play with the child
4
What is the Role of the Caregiver?• The caregiver is the significant person who
meets the child’s needs on an ongoing basis.
• Provides love, care, and nurturance for the child.• Makes sure the child is safe and healthy.• Engages the child in play, conversation, singing, and activities that expand learning.
5
Lessons that Last a Lifetime
• Young children learn from infancy about the world.
• Many of the lessons are taught by the caregiver.
• Some of these lessons relate to...
6
TRUST The Infant Knows His/Her Needs
will be Met
• It is vital to babies under one year to develop a sense of trust; knowing the caregiver will meet their needs.
• Trust is born from having the baby’s needs met by a consistent caregiver.
7
INDEPENDENCEThe Young Child Explores and Learns What He/She Can Do
• The caregiver provides a safe environment with supervision and encouragement for the child to explore.
• Exercise their will and learn self-control.
• Desires to test independence.
• Walking is step toward independence...
8
INITIATIVEYoung Child Takes Action When
He/She Feels Capable and Confident
to Do New Things• Preschoolers begin
to imagine• Learn skills through
play• Increase in ability to
follow directions• Gain new skills• Feel capable to learn
9
Caregiver Hints
• Things to do together:– Talk (even to a baby)– Read books daily– Play with blocks, balls,
trikes, puppets, and more
– Draw (big crayons)– Teach a song
– HAVE FUN...
10
Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
• Refers to behavioral indicators that show that a child is not developing at a normal range. These behaviors are areas of concern when they are seen consistently over a period of time.
Some children are “early bloomers” and others may be delayed
in some areas but still within the normal range of development.
11
Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
• Infants under 6 months:– Failure to gain weight– Unable to make eye
contact or follow objects
– Failure to hold head up– Failure to hold on with
hands– No response to loud
sounds
– Failure to show anticipatory behavior at feeding
– Lack of interest in social stimuli
– Does not grasp or reach for objects
– Tight muscles or muscles appear stiff
12
Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
• Infants 9 to 12 months -
– Does not gain weight– Lack of affect– Not able to say single
words, such as “mama”– Does not look at caregiver
for social cues or comfort– Does not crawl– Cannot stand when
supported
– Does not use gestures, such as waving or shaking head
– Drags one side of body while crawling (for over one month)
– Does not search for object that are hidden while s/he watches
13
Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
• Toddler 18 to 24 months-
– No speech– Excessive body rocking– Sleep disturbance– Out of the ordinary play– Withholding and other
bowel problems– Retarded development
or persistent regression
14
Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS• Three-Year-Olds -
– Frequent falling and difficulty with stairs
– Persistent drooling or very unclear speech
– Inability to build a tower of more than four blocks
– Difficulty manipulating small objects
– Inability to communicate in three word sentences
– No involvement in “pretend” play
– Little interest in other children
15
Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
• Four-Year-Olds -– Cannot throw a ball
overhand– Cannot jump in place– Cannot grasp a crayon
between thumb and finger
– Has difficulty scribbling– Shows no interest in
interactive games
– Ignores other children– Resists dressing,
sleeping, using the toilet– Does not use sentences
of more than three words– Cannot copy a circle– Lashes out with no self
control whenever angry or upset
16
Developmental RED FLAG ALERTS
• Five-Year-Olds -– Extremely fearful or timid– Extremely aggressive– Easily distracted and
unable to concentrate on a single activity for more than five minutes
– Shows little interest in playing with other children
– Severely unhappy or sad much of the time
– Seems unusually passive
– Cannot talk about daily activities
– Has trouble taking off clothing
– Cannot wash and dry his/her hands
17
What to Do When Red Flag Alerts are Noted?
• Have the young child evaluated by the child’s pediatrician.
• Obtain input from the childcare center professional.
• Request a developmental assessment.
18
Early Childhood Education ProgramsComponents of Quality Childcare Programs
• Care center is licensed
• Care provider is caring and focused on the needs of every child
• Number and ages of children allow for good childcare practice
• Area is clean and SAFE
• Foods are nutritious
• Equipment is appropriate to care for the child’s age
• Toys and activities are appropriate for the child’s development
• A routine is established for rest and play
19
Early Childhood Programs
• HEAD START– Federally funded to serve children 3.9 years– Some communities have programs beginning
for young children as early as 18-24 months.– Services available at NO COST– 3.5 hour daily programs - Monday through
Friday– Lunch and snacks provided
20
Features of HEAD START Programs: • Assessment screening
for special needs – Speech therapy– Developmental
milestones, etc.
• Emphasis on school readiness
• Literacy Development• Field trips
• Provide family support services– In home visits– Parenting classes
• Individual Education Plan developed for each child
• Assistance transition to a new school
21
Early Childhood Resources• Developmental Milestones Guide
http://eww.lakids.gov/dcfs/DrugTesting/milestones/MLSTONES%20BLUE.htm
• Early Head Start -National Resource Center http://www.ehsnrc.org/AboutUs/Index.htm
• Head Start Programs http://www.lacoe.edu/lacoeweb/orgs/201/index.cfm Los Angeles County Site Locator: http://nas.lacoe.edu/head_start2/
• Department of Children and Family Services Public Website
http://dcfs.co.la.ca.us/Internet_Site/OpenPage.asp
22
ALL YOUNG CHILDREN MUST BE BUCKLED IN A CAR SEAT
for EVERY RIDE
• Birth - 1 year, under 22 pounds must be in rear-facing child safety seat, 5-point belt harness is best
• 1 to 6 years of age, under 60 pounds, forward-facing child safety seat, 5-point belt harness is best