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A Focus on Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health
July 2022
Milestones and Developmentally Appropriate Expectations through
Best Practices for Infants and Toddlers
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This newsletter focuses on sharing information on infant/early childhood mental health and
the importance of relationship-based approaches and supports that help infants and young children feel safe, supported, and valued by the adults around them. The newsletter, and the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) program, is made possible by a partnership between the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Pennsylvania Key.
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Infants and toddlers learn and grow rapidly, sometimes it seems right before our eyes! This age group is often likened to sponges as they absorb everything they experience around them. Healthy social emotional development begins with nurturing and responsive relationships with caring adults.
In this issue we explore how to foster healthy social emotional development and how to manage healthy expectations for infants and toddlers. We hope this issue will support teachers and caregivers to set realistic and developmentally appropriate expectations through the use of best practices in early childhood development.
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The eNewsletters focus on sharing information on infant/early childhood mental health and the importance of relationship-based approaches and supports that help infants and young children feel safe, supported, and valued by the adults around them. The eNews and the Infant Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC) program is made possible by a partnership between the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Pennsylvania Key.
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Good teachers understand typical development from birth through age 3. Knowing how the youngest children learn and develop helps professionals closely attune to individual children and their families—in all their variety.
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Hallmark Developmental Milestones/First Signs. Milestones enable caregivers to monitor a baby’s learning, behavior, and development. This developmental checklist was a collaborative effort between First Signs, Stanley Greenspan, M.D., Barry Prizant, Ph.D., and Amy Wetherby, Ph.D.
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Watch Me! Celebrating Milestones and Sharing Concerns. This FREE 1-hour online training course · will provide understanding of infant and toddler developmental milestones, provide tools and best practices for monitoring the development of children in your care and talking about it with their parents.
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Early Intervention. While all children grow and develop in unique ways, some children experience delays in their development. Children in Pennsylvania with developmental delays and disabilities benefit from a state supported collaboration among parents, service practitioners and others who work with young children. Pennsylvania's Early Intervention program provides coaching support and services to families with children, from birth to age five, with developmental delays and disabilities. Learn more.
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ASQ:SE-2 Social-Emotional Development Guide (above right). Support the social-emotional development of children by checking for these important milestones. Printable PDF available.
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"NAEYC defines ‘developmentally appropriate practice’ as methods that promote each child’s optimal development and learning through a strengths-based, play-based approach to joyful, engaged learning. Educators implement developmentally appropriate practice by recognizing the multiple assets all young children bring to the early learning program as unique individuals and as members of families and communities. Building on each child’s strengths—and taking care to not harm any aspect of each child’s physical, cognitive, social, or emotional well-being—educators design and implement learning environments to help all children achieve their full potential across all domains of development and across all content areas. Developmentally appropriate practice recognizes and supports each individual as a valued member of the learning community. As a result, to be developmentally appropriate, practices must also be culturally, linguistically, and ability appropriate for each child.”
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Exploring developmentally appropriate practice. As a practitioner caring for children, it is your responsibility to seek out and intentionally plan the best opportunities for children that support their over-all well-being and healthy development. The practices that you use when working with young children need to embrace the most current, effective approaches in learning and development. Read more.
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Core Considerations to Inform Decision Making. Developmentally appropriate practice requires early childhood educators to seek out and gain knowledge and understanding using three core considerations: commonality in children’s development and learning, individuality reflecting each child’s unique characteristics and experiences, and the context in which development and learning occur. Read more.
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Preparing the Environment. This Infant/Toddler Resource Guide offers a host of materials to support the development and implementation of policies and practices for high-quality care for infants and toddlers.
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CARE Reflective Checklists. The four reflective checklists will help caregivers support the social and emotional quality of infant and toddler care settings. They will help adults reflect on Connecting with Families, Activities and Routines, Responsive Caregiving practices and the learning Environment. Available in English and Spanish.
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Active Learning for Infants and Toddlers. An active learning environment builds trust, autonomy, and initiative in young children. To ensure infants and toddlers enjoy these benefits and flourish in their program settings, HighScope has five ingredients of active learning that serve as practical guidelines for caregivers: Materials, Manipulation, Choice, Child communication, language and thought, Adult scaffolding. Read more.
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Talk, Read and Sing Together Every Day! Tips For Infant & Toddler Teachers and Caregivers. Tips that infant/toddler teachers and caregivers can use to help bridge the word gap by enriching the language environment of all babies and toddlers in their care, including babies or toddlers who do not speak yet, those with disabilities or delays, and those who are learning more than one language. Available in English and Spanish.
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Social Emotional Tips for Providers Caring for Infants and Toddlers. A set of (5) one-page posters that staff can refer to during specific daily routines including: dressing, meal times, playtime, resting and diapering. Putting these posters up around the classroom can serve as a reminder of what to say or do to nurture the social and emotional health of infants every day. The practical strategies, sample language and rationale in each poster can help staff to: Practice using behavior and language that supports healthy, positive connections with children; Learn more about social and emotional health and; Understand the importance of social and emotional health to school readiness. Available for Infants and Toddlers.
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What You want to See in a High Quality Infant Program. The first few years of your baby's life are such important learning years. Connecting with warm, caring adults from the beginning helps your baby connect with others throughout their life. Read more.
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Social Emotional Tips for Families with Infants and Toddlers. A set of five one-page posters that families can refer to during specific daily routines including: dressing, meal times, play time, resting and diapering. Putting these posters up around the house can serve as a reminder of what to say or do to nurture the social and emotional health of their toddlers every day. The practical strategies, sample language and rationale in each poster can help families to: Practice using behavior and language that supports healthy, positive connections with children; Learn more about social and emotional health and; Understand the importance of social and emotional health to school readiness. Available for families with Infants and Toddlers.
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Make the Most of Playtime. As a parent, you are your child’s very first and favorite playmate. Playing with your child in the first three years of life help the two of you build a warm and loving relationship. Playing together also supports the development of social and thinking skills. For babies and toddlers play is their work. Read more.
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Concerned about Development? How to Get Help for your Child. Talking to the doctor is the first step toward getting help for your child if you are concerned about his or her development (how your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, or moves). Don’t wait. Acting early can make a real difference! Information available in English and Spanish.
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IECMH Consultation helps adults strengthen their relationships with young children and build capacity to respond to children’s social-emotional needs. IECMHC can help reduce caregiver stress, as well as increase caregivers’ reflective practice skills.
IECMH Consultants are available by appointment to provide IECMHC Virtual Office Hours consultation via telephone or video conference. IECMHC Virtual Office Hours is a short-term, collaborative, problem-solving conversation to help you find next steps for: Child Social-Emotional Concerns | Child Behavioral or Developmental Concerns Emotional Well-being of Teachers and Caregivers | Partnering with Families.
Appointments are held on the first and third Fridays of the month, or other days/times by request. Get more info.
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Programs and families can contact the program leadership directly at PAIECMH@pakeys.org with questions or concerns.
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Share your feedback! We'd like to hear what you think about infant early childhood mental health. Are there resources you'd like to see? Questions you have? Tell us! Send your feedback to PAIECMH@pakeys.org.
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