Pictured: Tanya Hitchens, Byesville Rotary President; Kelley Burkhart, Help Me Grow; Joe Rosen, Help Me Grow; and Deana Palmer, Service Coordinator Help Me Grow.
Help Me Grow staff members described the services they provide to young children. Deana Palmer, Service Coordinator for Help Me Grow, explained her organization works with at-risk children in Guernsey County. She stated that common risk factors for young children are coming from a family with low income, having no insurance, and living in a 1 parent home.
Help Me Grow staff focus on children with developmental delays. Services include screenings to determine if a child is developmentally on track, home visits to first time parents, and visits to check if a new mother is suffering from post-partum depression. Once a child’s needs are identified, staff members will link parents with local support services.
Early intervention services are available to families of all income levels and are provided to any child 0-3 years old that has a medical condition or a developmental delay. A staff member will visit a child 1 to 2 times a month depending on the severity of the child’s problem.
Joe Rosen, a staff member who makes homes visits, stated that the first step taken to help a child is to train the parents. Three common problems contribute to developmental delays: 1) keeping the TV on all the time; 2) a family member who smokes; and3) pets in the house. Pets are a problem because parents are reluctant to put the child down in case the pet and the child do not get along. This means that the child will start walking later than other children.
Rosen demonstrated some simple toys that can be used to help children with developmental delays. Parents can help a child develop motor skills by showing the child how to drop cloths pins into an empty Pringle can. Other good toys are blocks, bubble blowers, and various kinds of books like pop-up books.
Kelley Burkhart, an Early Intervention Specialist, stated that anyone—a pediatrician, birthing center staff member, or parent—can refer a child to Help Me Grow for assessment. Kelley checks a child’s cognitive development, fine and gross motor development, language and listening abilities. An important part of this process is discussing the results with the child’s parents.
More information about the Help Me Grow services is available at 439-4451.
Help Me Grow staff focus on children with developmental delays. Services include screenings to determine if a child is developmentally on track, home visits to first time parents, and visits to check if a new mother is suffering from post-partum depression. Once a child’s needs are identified, staff members will link parents with local support services.
Early intervention services are available to families of all income levels and are provided to any child 0-3 years old that has a medical condition or a developmental delay. A staff member will visit a child 1 to 2 times a month depending on the severity of the child’s problem.
Joe Rosen, a staff member who makes homes visits, stated that the first step taken to help a child is to train the parents. Three common problems contribute to developmental delays: 1) keeping the TV on all the time; 2) a family member who smokes; and3) pets in the house. Pets are a problem because parents are reluctant to put the child down in case the pet and the child do not get along. This means that the child will start walking later than other children.
Rosen demonstrated some simple toys that can be used to help children with developmental delays. Parents can help a child develop motor skills by showing the child how to drop cloths pins into an empty Pringle can. Other good toys are blocks, bubble blowers, and various kinds of books like pop-up books.
Kelley Burkhart, an Early Intervention Specialist, stated that anyone—a pediatrician, birthing center staff member, or parent—can refer a child to Help Me Grow for assessment. Kelley checks a child’s cognitive development, fine and gross motor development, language and listening abilities. An important part of this process is discussing the results with the child’s parents.
More information about the Help Me Grow services is available at 439-4451.
Byesville Rotary meets every Tuesday, 7:30 am, at the Stop Nine Senior Center at 60313 (GPS use 60299) Southgate Road, Byesville. Anyone interested in learning more about the Byesville Rotary is welcome to attend a meeting or call 740-685-3828, or 740-685-8294.
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