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Typical Development/ Health Screenings and Referrals

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Typical Development/ Health Screenings and Referrals

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Screen and assessment are two completely different processes.Screening helps in determining kids who could have developmental delays or challenges in the quickest way possible as assessment goes more in debt and focuses on specific elements in detail of childhood development. As they are different, both early childhood screening and assessment are crucial way for determining developmental needs.

This is very important to my future as an educator because it allows me to know where the child is at on the developmental side of things.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Developmental Monitoring

Developmental monitoring observes how your child grows and changes over time and whether your child meets the typical developmental milestones in playing, learning, speaking, behaving, and moving. Parents, grandparents, early childhood providers, and other caregivers can participate in developmental monitoring. You can use a brief checklist of milestones to see how your child is developing. If you notice that your child is not meeting milestones, talk with your doctor or nurse about your concerns.

When you take your child to a well visit, your doctor or nurse will also do developmental monitoring. The doctor or nurse might ask you questions about your child's development or will talk and play with your child to see if he or she is developing and meeting milestones. A missed milestone could be a sign of a problem, so the doctor or another specialist will take a closer look by using a more thorough test or exam.

Your childcare provider can also be a valuable source of information on how your child develops. More information on developmental monitoring for early childhood educators.

Developmental Screening

Developmental screening takes a closer look at how your child is developing. Your child will get a brief test, or you will complete a questionnaire about your child. The tools used for developmental and behavioral screening are formal questionnaires or checklists based on research that ask questions about a child's development, including language, movement, thinking, behavior, and emotions. Developmental screening can be done by a doctor or nurse, but also by other professionals in healthcare, early childhood education, community, or school settings.

Developmental screening is more formal than developmental monitoring and normally done less often than developmental monitoring. Your child should be screened if you or your doctor have a concern. However, developmental screening is a regular part of some of the well-child visits for all children even if there is not a known concern.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends developmental and behavioral screening for all children during regular well-child visits at these ages:

In addition, AAP recommends that all children be screened specifically for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during regular well-child visits at:

If your child is at higher risk for developmental concerns due to preterm birth, low birthweight, environmental risks like lead exposure, or other factors, your healthcare provider may also discuss additional screening. If a child has an existing long-lasting health concern or a diagnosed condition, the child should have developmental monitoring and screening in all areas of development, just like those without special healthcare needs.

If your child's healthcare provider does not periodically check your child with a developmental screening test, you can ask that it be done.

Developmental Evaluation

A brief test using a screening tool does not provide a diagnosis, but it indicates if a child is on the right development track or if a specialist should take a closer look. If the screening tool identifies an area of concern, a formal developmental evaluation may be needed. This formal evaluation is a more in-depth look at a child's development, usually done by a trained specialist, such as a developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, speech-language pathologist, occupational therapist, physical therapist, or other specialist. The specialist may observe the child, give the child a structured test, ask the parents or caregivers questions, or ask them to fill out questionnaires. The results of this formal evaluation determines whether a child needs special treatments or early intervention services or both.

WHO: You - parents, grandparents, other caregivers

WHAT: Look for developmental milestones

WHEN: From birth to 5 years

WHY: To help you

celebrate your child's development

talk about your child's progress with doctors and childcare providers

learn what to expect next

identify any concerns early

HOW: With easy, free checklists - get yours at www.cdc.gov/Milestones

WHO: Healthcare provider, early childhood teacher, or other trained provider

WHAT: Look for developmental milestones
WHEN:

Developmental Screening at 9, 18, 30 months of age

Autism Screening at 18 and 24 months of age

WHY: To find out

if your child needs more help with development, because it is not always obvious to doctors, childcare providers, or parents

if more developmental evaluation are recommended

HOW: With a formal, validated screening tool - learn more

WHO: Developmental pediatrician, child psychologist, or other trained provider

WHAT: Identify and diagnose developmental delays and conditions

WHEN: Whenever there is a concern

WHY: To find out

if your child needs specific treatment

if your child qualifies for early intervention

HOW: With a detailed examination, formal assessment tools, observation, and surveys from parents and other caregivers, often in combination, depending on the area of concern

Why It's Important

Many children with developmental delays or behavior concerns are not identified as early as possible. As a result, these children must wait to get the help they need to do well in social and educational settings (for example, in school, at home, and in the community).

In the United States, about 1 in 6 children aged 3 to 17 years have one or more developmental or behavioral disabilities, such as autism, a learning disorder, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In addition, many children have delays in language or other areas that can affect how well they do in school. However, many children with developmental disabilities are not identified until they are in school, by which time significant delays might have occurred and opportunities for treatment might have been missed.

Services for Children with Developmental Disabilities

Research shows that early intervention treatment services can improve a child's development.

Early intervention services can help children from birth through 3 years of age (36 months) learn important skills.

For children age 3 and older with an identified developmental delay or disability, special education services may be provided.

Services can include a variety of options, depending on the child's need, such as therapy to help the child talk, move and walk, learn, and interact with others.

Child Find programs are provided by each state to evaluate and identify children who need special education services. Early intervention programs can provide services from birth to 3 years of age. Local public school systems can provide the needed services and support for children age 3 years and older. Children can access some services even if they do not attend public school.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) says that children with a diagnosed disability should get special education services. IDEA says that children younger than 3 years of age who are at risk of having developmental delays might be eligible for early intervention treatment services even if the child has not received a formal diagnosis. Treatment for particular symptoms, such as speech therapy for language delays, may not require a formal diagnosis.

Although early intervention is extremely important, intervention at any age can be helpful. It is best to get an evaluation early so that any needed interventions can get started. When parents are concerned about a child's development, it can be very challenging for them to figure out the right steps to take. States have created parent centers. These centers help families learn how and where to have their children evaluated and how to find services. For information about services in your state, you can access your state's parent center.

Links to Other Websites

"Learn the Signs. Act Early."
This CDC program offers free milestone checklists to help parents and professionals track children's milestones, support development, share concerns, and take action to support developmental delays.

Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive!
Birth to 5: Watch Me Thrive! is a coordinated federal effort to encourage healthy child development, universal developmental and behavioral screening for children, and support for the families and providers who care for them.

Overview of Early Intervention
Learn more about early intervention services from the Center for Parent Information and Resources.

Bright Futures
Bright Futures materials for families are available on a wide range of mental, physical, and emotional health issues in children from before birth through 21 years of age.

References

1. Lipkin PH, Macias MM, Council on Children with Disabilities, Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (2020). Promoting optimal development: Identifying infants and young children with developmental disorders through developmental surveillance and screening. Pediatrics, 145(1), e20193449.

2. Zablotsky B, Black LI, Maenner MJ, Schieve LA, Danielson ML, Bitsko RH, Blumberg SJ, Kogan MD, Boyle CA. Prevalence and Trends of Developmental Disabilities among Children in the US: 2009-2017. Pediatrics. 2019; 144(4):e20190811. [Read summary]

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Developmental Monitoring and Screening | CDC

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Learn about developmental monitoring and screening.

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Throughout this lesson we learned about emergency care, which is the way medical assistance is quickly given to those those who have unexpected, serious diseases or injuries. We also learned how and when to use certain first aid devices based on the child's circumstances. For example, we were taught how to use a Gvoke Hypopen in this lesson. This is used when one is having severe low blood sugar.

This is very important to my future as a educator as I will know how to best handle these scary situations in my classroom in a effectful matter.

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Red Cross Training | Take a Class | Red Cross

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Sign up for one of our top Red Cross programs. Classes include First Aid, AED, BLS, CPR, EMR, swimming, water safety, babysitting, child care, and more!

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In this lesson we learned all about Chronic illness. Chronic illness is a long term sickness that lasts for a extended time in that person's life. Asthma is one of the main causes of children's chronic illness. Normally there is about 2-3 students in each class with this illness.

As asthmas is so common in the classroom, as a future educator I need to make sure that I am watching what triggers there asthmas, and have an action plan if they do have an asthma attack in the classroom.

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Some school problems for children with chronic health conditions are due to the requirements of the treatment and the effects of the condition.

Children may need to miss school for scheduled treatment or medical procedures, or they may be required to remain at home to reduce the risk of sickness.

A chronic health condition and its treatment can sap children's energy at times, making it difficult for them to give their full attention in class and complete assignments.

Pain and discomfort can make it hard for a child to endure a long day at school and complete homework in the evening.

Emotional and social issues can get in the way of school achievement.

Feelings of sadness and worry can diminish the optimism and drive needed to do well in school. Children with chronic health conditions may worry about their health prospects, fear an upcoming treatment, or feel grief over the loss of physical abilities.

If a child does not have a supportive group of friends and teachers at school, who are aware of the illness and accept the child for who he or she is, feelings of being "different" can lead to problems with self-esteem and self-image. These negative feelings can hurt school performance.

Chronic health conditions can also be associated with depression and with pediatric traumatic stress, either of which can interfere with motivation, concentration and healthy sleep habits.

Some conditions can also lead to cognitive impairments - problems with brain functioning - that can impact school performance. This can occur, for example, with brain tumor, stroke, seizure disorder or sickle-cell disease. Chemotherapy and cranial radiation therapy can also have an effect on brain function (known as neurocognitive late effect).

School functioning issues are cognitive, behavioral or emotional side effects that can sometimes accompany a chronic condition or its treatment. Signs of school functioning issues are usually easy to spot, but families and teachers may just view these changes as temporary. Signs include a decrease in energy or motivation with homework, an inability to complete assignments, and a drop in grades.

Parents of children with chronic health conditions should work closely with their child's school so that teachers are aware of any special requirements the child needs. Arrangements should be made to help keep up with schoolwork when a child can't be at school. If parents and teachers are communicating and working together, school problems should be noticed quickly.

If the school problems are tied to depression, medical traumatic stress or other emotional problems, those conditions have their own signs and symptoms, and can be treated.

If your child is suffering from school functioning issues, talk with your child's doctor. The medical team working with you and your child can develop a plan to address his or her specific issues. A neuropsychological assessment is a possible first step with recommendations for the patient, family and school.

The steps needed to address school performance problems will depend on the age of the child and the nature and cause of the problem.

If the condition or its treatment is leaving a child too tired or uncomfortable to pay close attention in class or keep up with school work, the child's doctor may be able to suggest changes that could give the child more energy or reduce discomfort.

If absences are required for treatment or recuperation, or to avoid contagious illness, a parent can work with the school to continue instruction online or to get assignments the child can do outside of school to keep up with the class.

If emotional issues, such as worry, sadness or low self-image are interfering with school performance, a child or adolescent psychologist can work with the child and the family. Cognitive behavior therapy or psychotherapy can be used to change negative thought patterns and build confidence and optimism. A psychologist can also help the child address problems with any social issues, such as fear of standing out from peers and ways to respond to insensitive comments from other children.

If the condition or its treatment has had a neurological effect, a doctor can explain how this may be affecting the child's learning. All children learn in different ways, and children with neurological changes may need to adopt different approaches to learning. The Executive Function Consultation, Education and Skills (EXCEL) Clinic at CHOP provides services and information for families of young cancer patients whose condition or treatment may put them at risk for executive functioning weakness.

In some cases, medication may be prescribed to the patient to address emotional problems.

Parents should collaborate and communicate regularly with the child's teachers to address school performance problems, and work with school administrators on any needed accommodations. It's important that parents and teachers share information on the steps being taken at school and at home to address the problems and track progress.

With attention, collaboration between parents and teachers, and a multidisciplinary approach incorporating medical and behavioral support, school functioning issues can usually be corrected. When emotional issues are the cause, expert guidance and counseling is generally successful in helping children learn healthy ways to cope.

If long-term treatment is needed for the chronic condition, parents should continue to pay attention to school issues. Behavior may change in adolescence, so a child who is able to navigate school and medical care in the early school-age years may begin to have problems in the teenage years. The demands of school also naturally increase during this time in an adolescent's life. Some of this is additionally a normal part of growing up, as teenagers begin to exert their independence and push back against the demands of others.

Even children without chronic illness can experience ups and downs in their success at school, so parents should be careful not to attribute all school problems to issues related to the medical condition.

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has a skilled team of child and adolescent psychiatrists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, nurse practitioners, social workers and more, who work in collaboration to support children with chronic illnesses and their families. School performance is an important part of all of our patients' lives, and we have worked with hundreds of young patients as they navigate the treatment for their illnesses while staying successfully engaged at school.

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School Functioning Issues in Children with Chronic Health Conditions

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Children with chronic health conditions may experience problems with school performance. We discuss causes, signs and symptoms to watch for, treatment options and much more to help children succeed in school.

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In this lesson we learned about communicable disease in which is generally known as a contagious disease. An example that I read about and personally experienced was the Covid 19 pandemic. This heavily affected schools and child care programs as the spread was very extreme and many people caught this. This is because communicable diseases allows for people to contract them from one another very easily.

As an educator I will do the best I can to try and maintain the spread by getting vaccines for these illnesses, promote handwashing to the children in the classroom, and in the case that Covid happened again, make sure I am implementing social distancing.

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Returning to School Guidance

Guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission and severity of COVID-19 and is updated as needed and as additional information becomes available. The DPHHS Communicable Disease and Epidemiology Section provides more information on disease monitoring and prevention in Montana.Please visit the Montana DPHHS Coronavirus website for more information. Visit the DPHHS 2019 Novel Coronavirus website for current information about monitoring and resources in Montana and nationwide.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CDC has also released new guidance for schools on COVID-19. This interim guidance is intended primarily for administrators* of public and private childcare programs and K-12 schools in the United States to help prevent the introduction of COVID-19 into their facilities. Interim Guidance for Childcare Programs and K-12 Schools. The guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Visit the CDC website for more information.

The Montana Immunization Program

The Montana Immunization Program provides on overview of the immunization requirements, forms, and resources needed for children to enroll in childcare facilities and public schools in the state of Montana. Visit the Childcare and School Resources page of the website for more detailed information.

Communicable Disease Guide for Schools
Communicable Disease: A Guide for Schools in Montana

*If you would like a hard copy of this manual, please call CDEpi at (406) 444-0273.

Communicable Disease Resources

More information about common diseases you may encounter at your school and how to prevent them:

For more information, please visit the Immunization Program's School Resources page.

Remember!

Schools inherently foster the transmission of infections from person to person because they are a group setting in which people are in close contact and share supplies and equipment.
All school districts should:

maintain their vigilance for increasing absenteeism due to respiratory, gastrointestinal or other communicable illnesses.

report any increases in absenteeism rates or suspected outbreaks to your local health department immediately.

collaborate with your local health department. They are there to help with outbreak investigations and can provide education about prevention and control of communicable diseases in schools.

Most Communicable diseases can be prevented by following the steps listed below:

Hand washing: Wash hands with soap and warm water frequently, especially after using the restroom. Give children enough time to properly wash their hands. ( single most important factor)
Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives- This CDC resource page includes educational and promotional materials as well as current news and links to partner organizations working to improve basic hygiene practices.

Stay home when ill: Strongly suggest that ill children and staff stay home when ill. Avoid close contact with others during the infectious period. Consult with ARM or local public health for guidance.

Education: Be informed about signs, symptoms and prevention of diseases. Share information with students and parents. Learning how diseases are transmitted can help to actively prevent the spread of disease.

Disinfect surfaces: Clean and disinfect surfaces or objects. Focus especially on frequently touched surfaces at home, work and school.

Vaccinate: Be sure to check immunization status of children for those diseases that can be prevented with vaccines.

Seek care: Visit your health care provider when ill to get diagnosed and treated properly.

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Returning to School Guidance Guidance is based on what is currently known about the transmission and severity of COVID-19 and is updated as needed and as additional information becomes available. The DPHHS Communicable Disease and Epidemiology Section provides more information on disease monitoring and prevention in Montana.Please visit the Montana DPHHS Coronavirus website for more information.

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This lesson talks all about the importance of for children's nutrition specifically as it plays a large role in fundamental, and physical development. I learned that "healthy" nutrition consists of fruits, vegetables, low dairy, whole grain, lean meat, and low saturated fats. Some ways that schools can address the nutrition issues that take place are by getting parents involved, involve the children, creating lunch and breakfast menus that have healthier habits, and creating healthier vending machine options for the students.

After seeing through this lesson how important nutrition is, I will do my best job as a future educator to ensure that I encourage healthy nutrition by again, involving parents and children, as I will also do my best to encourage healthy snacks during snack time and lunch and share some suggestions with students and parents.

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Most US children attend school for 6 hours a day and consume as much as half of their daily calories at school. A healthy school nutrition environment provides students with nutritious and appealing foods and beverages, consistent and accurate messages about good nutrition, and ways to learn about and practice healthy eating throughout the time children spend on school grounds-including before- and after-school.

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This lesson talks about how important movement is for children. This is because it improves not only just physical health, but also aids a lot of growth developmentally. Some ways that children get the time to move in schools are through recess, gym, lessons and activity.

Due to movement being very important for students in many different aspects, I will make sure that I am doing my part as a future educator to make this happen. I will do so by making my classroom a kinesthetic classroom, or a movement friendly classroom that allows active learning.

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Physical Education (PE) isn't the only class that should emphasize movement! Whatever the grade or subject area, every teacher can effectively incorporate movement into the school day. Most students take fewer than 5,000 steps during a non-PE school day. (That's including one recess!) Health experts recommend at least 10,000 steps or 60 minutes of physical activity a day.

Adding physical activity to classrooms will result in more focused, better-behaved students who can accomplish even more throughout the school day.

Physical Activity Improves Academics and Social-Emotional Well-Being

It should go without saying that movement is good for us. Emerging research suggests that more physical education, recess, and physical activity can improve academic achievement (CDC, 2015). Physical activity in the classroom has been shown to increase cognition, memory, and recall.

Increases in daily physical activity are also positively associated with socialemotional aspects of learning such as mood, behavior, and stress level.

A Classroom Culture

Most teachers already implement sensory or movement breaks, which are a great start.

Examples of effective movement breaks can be found at www.GoNoodle.com and www.brain-breaks.com. Once physical activity is woven into the daily routine, it can become part of the classroom culture. Students and teachers will feel the positive effects of being active.

Lead by example! Let students see you enjoy moving in the classroom throughout the day.

Simple Strategies for More Movement in the Classroom

Don't just sit around: When students need to be seated, consider seating such as physio-balls, balance discs, or ergonomic stools. Standard desks can also be modified for movement by using resistance bands or rubber bands around the legs of the desk to use as a wiggle bar.

Stand up: When convenient, students can use standing desks or stations).The act of standing burns more calories and expends more energy.

It also increases blood flow, oxygen uptake, and muscular fitness.

Walk and talk: When students work in pairs, why not walk and talk? Teachers can encourage movement through walking in the classroom and the school building as space allows.

Keep count: When students arrive at school, keep count of their steps using inexpensive pedometers or phones (for older students). Tracking steps is motivating and can be incorporated into the classroom and reinforced at home. Help students set goals, track steps, crunch numbers, chart progress, and more.

Take it outside: Students enjoy the change of scenery and benefit from fresh air.

Outdoor space allows for plenty of gross motor movement. Physical activity should become an expectation during the school day.

If teachers appreciate the connection between exercise and learning, students will too.
Lynn Pantuosco-Hensch is a professor in the Movement Science, Sport, and Leisure Studies Department at Westfield State University.

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Making Movement a Part of Your Classroom Culture | NEA

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Whatever the grade or subject area, every teacher can effectively incorporate movement in the classroom throughout the school day.

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This lesson is about mental health. A very common aspect of mental health is anxiety. There are different types of anxiety that a student can experience such as, social anxiety, separation anxiety, a specific phobia, etc. Anxiety can affect students academically as it may lead to them getting frustrated a lot easier, worrying about getting everything right, fear that they don't have the abilities to complete assignments correctly, or just avoiding school in general due to being so anxious.

Due to mental health, specifically anxiety being so common, it is my job as a future educator to help children with these obstacles. Some ways that I plan on doing so is by being flexible with deadlines, and workloads, posting a daily schedule, frequently checking in on the students to make sure they have all there assignments written down correctly/are completing them correctly, etc.

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Sometimes anxiety is easy to identify - like when a child is feeling nervous before a test at school. Other times anxiety in the classroom can look like something else entirely - an upset stomach, disruptive or angry behavior, ADHD, or even a learning disorder.

There are many different kinds of anxiety, which is one of the reasons it can be hard to detect in the classroom. What they all have in common, says neurologist and former teacher Ken Schuster, PsyD, is that anxiety "tends to lock up the brain," making school hard for anxious kids.

Children can struggle with:

Separation anxiety: When children are worried about being separated from caregivers. These kids can have a hard time at school drop-offs and throughout the day.

Social anxiety: When children are excessively self-conscious, making it difficult for them to participate in class and socialize with peers.

Selective mutism: When children have a hard time speaking in some settings, like at school around the teacher.

Generalized anxiety: When children worry about a wide variety of everyday things. Kids with generalized anxiety often worry particularly about school performance and can struggle with perfectionism.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder: When children's minds are filled with unwanted and stressful thoughts. Kids with OCD try to alleviate their anxiety by performing compulsive rituals like counting or washing their hands.

Specific phobias: When children have an excessive and irrational fear of particular things, like being afraid of animals or storms.

Here are some tips for recognizing anxiety in kids at school, and what might be causing it.

Inattention and restlessness

When a child is squirming in his seat and not paying attention, we tend to think of ADHD, but anxiety could also be the cause. When kids are anxious in the classroom, they might have a hard time focusing on the lesson and ignoring the worried thoughts overtaking their brains. "Some kids might appear really 'on' at one point but then they can suddenly drift away, depending on what they're feeling anxious about," says Dr. Schuster. "That looks like inattention, and it is, but it's triggered by anxiety."

Attendance problems and clingy kids

It might look like truancy, but for kids for whom school is a big source of anxiety, refusing to go to school is also pretty common. School refusal rates tend to be higher after vacations or sick days, because kids have a harder time coming back after a few days away.

Going to school can also be a problem for kids who have trouble separating from their parents. Some amount of separation anxiety is normal, but when kids don't adjust to separation over time and their anxiety makes going to school difficult or even impossible, it becomes a real problem. Kids with separation anxiety may also feel compelled to use their phones throughout the day to check in with their parents.

Disruptive behavior

Acting out is another thing we might not associate with anxiety. But when a student is compulsively kicking the chair of the kid in front of him, or throws a tantrum whenever the schedule is ignored or a classmate isn't following the rules, anxiety may well be the cause. Similarly, kids who are feeling anxious might ask a lot of questions, including repetitive ones, because they are feeling worried and want reassurance.

Anxiety can also make kids aggressive. When children are feeling upset or threatened and don't know how to handle their feelings, their fight or flight response to protect themselves can kick in - and some kids are more likely to fight. They might attack another child or a teacher, throw things, or push over a desk because they're feeling out of control.

Trouble answering questions in class

Sometimes kids will do perfectly well on tests and homework, but when they're called on in class teachers hit a wall. There are several different reasons why this might happen.

"Back when I was teaching, I would notice that when I had to call on someone, or had to figure out who's turn it was to speak, it was like the anxious kid always tended to disappear," says Dr. Schuster. "The eager child is making eye contact, they're giving you some kind of physical presence in the room like 'Call on me, call on me!' " But when kids are anxious about answering questions in class, "they're going to break eye contact, they might look down, they might start writing something even though they're not really writing something. They're trying to break the connection with the teacher in order to avoid what's making them feel anxious."

If they do get called on, sometimes kids get so anxious that they freeze. They might have been paying attention to the lesson and they might even know the answer, but when they're called on their anxiety level becomes so heightened that they can't respond.

Frequent trips to the nurse

Anxiety can manifest in physical complaints, too. If a student is having unexplained headaches, nausea, stomachaches, or even vomiting, those could be symptoms of anxiety. So can a racing heart, sweaty palms, tense muscles, and being out of breath.

Problems in certain subjects

When a child starts doubting her abilities in a subject, anxiety can become a factor that gets in the way of her learning or showing what she knows. Sometimes this can be mistaken for a learning disorder when it's really just anxiety.

However anxiety can also go hand in hand with learning disorders. When kids start noticing that something is harder for them than the other kids, and that they are falling behind, they can understandably get anxious. The period before a learning disorder is diagnosed can be particularly stressful for kids.

Not turning in homework

When a student doesn't turn in her homework, it could be because she didn't do it, but it could also be because she is worried that it isn't good enough. Likewise, anxiety can lead to second guessing - an anxious child might erase his work over and over until there's a hole in the paper - and spending so much time on something that it never gets finished. We tend to think of perfectionism as a good thing, but when children are overly self-critical it can sabotage even the things they are trying their hardest at, like school work.

You might also notice that some anxious kids will start worrying about tests much earlier than their classmates and may begin dreading certain assignments, subjects, or even school itself.

Avoiding socializing or group work

Some kids will avoid or even refuse to participate in the things that make them anxious. This includes obvious anxiety triggers like giving presentations, but also things like gym class, eating in the cafeteria, and doing group work.

When kids start skipping things it might look to their teachers and peers like they are uninterested or underachieving, but the opposite might be true. Sometimes kids avoid things because they are afraid of making a mistake or being judged.

Dr. Schuster notes that when kids get anxious in social situations, sometimes they have a much easier time showing what they know when teachers engage them one-to-one, away from the group.

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How Does Anxiety Affect Kids in School? - Child Mind Institute

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Sometimes school anxiety is easy to identify - like when a child is feeling nervous before a test at school. Other times anxiety in the classroom can look like something else entirely - an upset stomach, disruptive or angry behavior, ADHD, or even a learning disorder.

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This lesson discusses child abuse. Child abuse can be through physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and threatened abuse. A lot of times, it may be difficult to discuss child abuse as the child may feel guilty doing so, or may fear the consequences that come with telling someone about it. That is why when there is a fear of suspicion that child abuse is happening, it is important that one doesn't put words into the child's mouth, don't pressure the child, avoid asking a crazy amount of questions, and they are realizing where the child is developmentally, using words that they can best understand.

Knowing how to best approach these situations as a future educator is very important. Whenever I am suspicious of a circumstance like this, as it is important that I follow reporting procedures, it is also very important that I am just there for the child, supporting them, actively listening to them and keeping the communication open as it is so important that they feel as comfortable as possible with me in those situations.

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How Teachers can Recognize the Signs & Support Abused and Neglected Children - EndCAN

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Many people are baffled by why those abused don’t come forward sooner. There’s a misconception that someone abused at 14 or younger who didn’t disclose until adulthood was simply an opportunist. However, delayed disclosure is the norm, not the exception. Read here to discover why disclosures of child sexual abuse are so often delayed.

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This lesson talks alot about sexual behavior and development in children. Some of the common sexual behavior in young children are touching private parts on purpose, attempting to see others naked or undressed, mocking dating behavior, and talking about private parts. There is alot of basic information to teach children on this subject such as teaching them that bodies change, personal boundaries, to touch their private parts in private, and a simple explanation that babies come from their mothers.

As a future educator it is important that I react to these situations appropriately. As I will try my best to inform them on all the information above, I will also get to know age appropriate development, or better my understanding on the typical sexual development at each age.

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​As a parent, you may be perfectly comfortable talking with your child about the differences between right and wrong. But talking with them about their private parts and sexual development is not always so easy.

Seeing what may appear to be "sexual" behaviors in your young child may be especially distressing. You may worry that these behaviors are odd, deviant or a sign of sexual victimization.

In fact, "sexual" behavior​s in children are common, especially between about 3 to 6 years old. Usually, they are a normal part of development. Read on for information that can help you tell the difference between normal "sexual" behaviors and behaviors that may signal a problem.

Children's natural curiosity about their bodies

At a very young age, children begin to explore their bodies. They may touch, poke, pull or rub their body parts, including their genitals. It is important to keep in mind that these behaviors are not sexually motivated. They typically are driven by curiosity and attempts at self-soothing.

Curiosity about bodies, and their differences, can also prompt children to try to look at others in states of undress, rub up against them and ask questions about genitals and toileting.

As children grow older, they will need guidance in learning about their body parts, their functions and appropriate social boundaries that surround them.

Normal sexual behaviors in toddlers and preschoolers

Normative (normal), common "sexual" behavior in 2- to 6-year-olds may include:

Touching/rubbing genitals in public or private

Looking at or touching a peer's or sibling's genitals

Showing genitals to peers

Standing or sitting too close to someone

Trying to see peers or adults naked

Examples of Sexual Behaviors in Children Aged 2 Through 6 Years

Tries to view peers or adults nude

Sexual behaviors that are occasional but persistent and disruptive to others

Sexual behaviors that are frequently disruptive to others

Sexual behaviors that involve coercion

Behaviors are transient, not very frequent and can be easily diverted

Behaviors are transient and moderately responsive to distraction

Behaviors that persist and are resistant to parental distraction

Behaviors are persistent and child becomes angry if distracted

Is a child's self-stimulation a sign sexual abuse?

Caregivers often assume that self-stimulatory behavior such as masturbation must have been taught, suggesting that the child was sexually abused. This is not the case. Children simply find their genitals, recognize that stimulating them feels good and continue to engage in the behavior.

What to do when these behaviors happen

In general, a young child's "sexual" behaviors that ​are easily redirected and do not cause harm or distress are not a cause for concern. When these behaviors happen, it is important to stay calm and not become angry or upset. Instead, try to redirect your child's attention. You might say something like,"It's OK for you to touch your own body but you should do that in a private place."

This is also a good time to discuss body safety and respecting each other. ( See "Teaching body safety & boundaries: 10 tips for parents," below.)

Sexual behavior problems: red flags

Parents also need to know when a child's sexual behavior may be more than harmless curiosity and should be addressed by a professional. Sexual behavior problems may pose a risk to the safety and well-being of your child and other children. They also can signal an underlying neuropsychiatric disorder, physical or sexual abuse or exposure to sexual content.

Sexual behavior problems in young children include any act that:

Is disruptive (they cannot focus on a task due to the behavior)

Occurs to the exclusion of other activities and cannot be redirected

Causes emotional or physical pain or injury to themselves or others

Is associated with physical aggression

Involves coercion or force

Simulates penetrative and/or adult sexual acts

Teaching body safety & boundaries: 10 tips for parents

You can start to teach your child about body boundaries and safety as soon as they can talk. Here are some tips that can help:

Give your children a solid rule about inappropriate touches. It is easy for a child to understand the concept of a rule. This will make it easier for them to recognize a not-OK touch if one happens and say "NO" to these.

Control media exposure. Make a family media plan. Get to know the rating systems of video games, movies, and television shows and make use of parental controls available through many cellular, internet, cable and satellite providers. Providing appropriate alternatives is an important part of avoiding exposure to sexual content in the media. Be aware that children may see adult sexual behaviors in person or on screens and may not tell you that this has occurred.

Review this information regularly with your children. Some good times to talk to your children about personal safety are during bath time, bedtime, doctor visits and before any new situation. Children meet and interact with many different adults and children every day-at child care, sports practices, dance classes, camps and after-school programs, to name a few. Giving them tools to recognize and respond to uncomfortable situations is key.

Expect questions. The questions your child asks and the answers that are appropriate to give will depend on your child's age and ability to understand. It is always important to tell the truth. See "When & How to Talk With Your Child About Sex" for tips than can make it easier for both of you.

Talk with your child's pediatrician

If you are dealing with any of these issues or have more questions, don't hesitate to talk with your child's pediatrician. They can work with you to distinguish age-appropriate "normal" "sexual" behaviors from behaviors that are developmentally inappropriate or signal potential sexual behavior problems. Asking for help simply means you want what is best for your child, and you will do whatever you can to help them succeed.

More information

American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Child Abuse and Neglect (Copyright © 2023)

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sexual behavior; toddler kissing; preschool kissing; sexual abuse; private parts; penis; vagina; bathroom; potty talk; naked; masterbation; inappropriate touching; modesty; swim suit; molest; sexual abuse; undressing

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Sexual Behaviors in Young Children: What's Normal, What's Not?

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preschool~The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) provides tips to help parents tell the difference between "normal" sexual behaviors and behaviors that may signal a problem.

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In this lesson we talked about anti-bias which is getting rid of stereotypes and discrimination. This is on topics such as race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation and more. Promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion in educational environments is the goal of anti-bias in education.

As a teacher, I will make sure that I will create an inclusive environment, model inclusive behavior, meet the needs of every student as an individual, and in general just try to get rid of stereotyping and discrimination in my classroom so that every student feels comfortable as themselves.

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Anti-bias education is not just doing occasional activities about diversity and fairness topics (although that may be how new anti-bias educators begin). To be effective, anti-bias education works as an underpinning perspective, which permeates everything that happens in an early childhood program-including your interactions with children, families and coworkers-and shapes how you put curriculum together each day.

This article is an excerpt of the second edition of Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards. An NAEYC bestseller, this book helps early childhood educators fulfill their mission of helping all children reach their full potential. The new edition-with major updates to all chapters, including gender identity-will be available early in 2020.

The four core goals of anti-bias education

Four core goals provide a framework for the practice of anti-bias education with children. Grounded in what we know about how children construct identity and attitudes, the goals help you create a safe, supportive learning community for every child. They support children's development of a confident sense of identity without needing to feel superior to others; an ease with human diversity; a sense of fairness and justice; the skills of empowerment; and the ability to stand up for themselves or for others.

Goal 1: Identity

Teachers will nurture each child's construction of knowledgeable, confident, individual personal and social identities.

Children will demonstrate self-awareness, confidence, family pride, and positive social identities.

This goal means supporting children to feel strong and proud of who they are without needing to feel superior to anyone else. It means children will learn accurate, respectful language to describe who they and others are. Teachers will support children to develop and be comfortable within their home culture and within the school culture. Goal 1 is the starting place for all children, in all settings.

Adding to early childhood education's long-term commitment to nurturing each child's individual, personal identity, anti-bias education emphasizes the important idea of nurturing children's social (or group) identities. Social identities relate to the significant group categorizations of the society in which we grow up and live and which individuals share with many others. Social identities include (but are not limited to) gender, racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, and economic class groups. (In the forthcoming book, social identity is described in detail in Chapter 2.) A strong sense of both individual and group identities is the foundation for the three other core anti-bias goals.

Goal 2: Diversity

Teachers will promote each child's comfortable, empathetic interaction with people from diverse backgrounds.

Children will express comfort and joy with human diversity, use accurate language for human differences, and form deep, caring connections across all dimensions of human diversity.

This goal means guiding children to be able to think about and have words for how people are the same and how they are different. It includes helping children feel and behave respectfully, warmly, and confidently with people who are different from themselves. It includes encouraging children to learn both about how they are different from other children and about how they are similar. These are never either/or realities because people are simultaneously the same and different from one another. This goal is the heart of learning how to treat all people caringly and fairly.

Some teachers and parents are not sure they should encourage children to "notice" and learn about differences among people. They may think it is best to teach only about how people are the same, worrying that talking about differences causes prejudice. While well intentioned, this concern arises from a mistaken notion about the sources of bias. Differences do not create bias. Children learn prejudice from prejudice -not from learning about human diversity. It is how people respond to differences that teaches bias and fear.

Another misconception about Goal 2 is that exploring differences among people ignores appreciating the similarities. Goal 2 calls for creating a balance between exploring people's differences and similarities. All human beings share similar biological attributes, needs, and rights (e.g., the needs for food, shelter, and love; the commonalities of language, families, and feelings) and people live and meet these shared needs and rights in many different ways. A basic premise in anti-bias education is " We are all the same. We are all different. Isn't that wonderful! "

Goal 3: Justice

Teachers will foster each child's capacity to critically identify bias and will nurture each child's empathy for the hurt bias causes.

Children will increasingly recognize unfairness (injustice), have language to describe unfairness, and understand that unfairness hurts.

This goal is about building children's innate, budding capacities for empathy and fairness, as well as their cognitive skills for thinking critically about what is happening around them. It is about building a sense of safety, the sense that everyone can and will be treated fairly.

Learning experiences include opportunities for children to understand and practice skills for identifying unfair and untrue images (stereotypes), comments (teasing, name-calling), and behaviors (isolation, discrimination) directed at themselves or
at others. This includes issues of gender, race, ethnicity, language, disability, economic class, age, body shape, and more. These are early lessons in critical thinking for children, figuring out what they see and hear and testing it against the notions of kindness and fairness.

These lessons build on young children's implicit interest in what is "fair" and "not fair."

As children come to identify unfair experiences and as they learn that unfair can be made fair, children gain an increased sense of their own power in the world. Children cannot construct a strong self-concept, or develop respect for others, if they do not know how to identify and resist hurtful, stereotypical, and inaccurate messages or actions directed toward themselves or others. Developing the ability to think critically strengthens children's sense of self, as well as their capacity to form caring relationships with others.

Goal 4: Activism

Teachers will cultivate each child's ability and confidence to stand up for oneself and for others in the face of bias.

Children will demonstrate a sense of empowerment and the skills to act, with others or alone, against prejudice and/or discriminatory actions.

Goal 4 is about giving children tools for learning how to stand up to hurtful and unfair biased behavior based on any aspect of social identity. Biased behavior may be directed at oneself or another. It may come from another child or adult or from children's books, television, and films. This goal strengthens children's development in perspective taking, positive interactions with others, and conflict-resolution education.

Actions of teasing, rejection, and exclusion because of some aspect of a child's social identities are a form of aggressive behavior. They are just as serious as physical aggression. The old saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me" is false. Children's developing sense of self is hurt by name-calling, teasing, and exclusion based on identity. And children who engage in such hurtful behaviors are learning it is acceptable to hurt others, the earliest form of bullying. An anti-bias approach calls on teachers to intervene gently but firmly, support the child who is the target of the biased behavior, and help both children learn other ways of interacting.

Children's growth on Goal 4 strengthens their growth on the other three goals. If a child is the target of prejudice or discrimination, she needs tools to resist and to know that she has worth (Goal 1). When a child speaks up for another child, it reinforces his understanding of other people's unique feelings (Goal 2). When children are helped to act, it broadens their understanding of "unfairness" and "fairness" (Goal 3).

Guidelines for your curriculum

Just about every subject area in the typical early childhood program has possibilities for anti-bias education themes and activities. For instance, early childhood education themes of self-discovery, family, and community are deeper, and more meaningful, when they include explorations of ability, culture, economic class, gender identity, and racialized identity. So, too, issues of fairness (Goal 3) and acting for fairness (Goal 4) arise as children explore various curriculum topics.

Differences do not create bias. Children learn prejudice from prejudice -not from learning about human diversity. It is how people respond to differences that teaches bias and fear.

The ideas for specific anti-bias education content and activities come from three major sources. One is from children's questions, interests, or interactions with each other that classroom teachers see as important to respond to and develop. Teacher-initiated activities are a second source of anti-bias activities, based on what classroom teachers and families think is important for children to learn. A third source is significant events that occur in the children's communities and the larger world that classroom teachers think need to be explored with children.

Here is an example of an anti-bias education topic at snack time.

It is snack time in the 4-year-old room. The teacher sets a small pitcher of water on the table for children to pour and drink. Lupe, whose home language is Spanish, looks up and asks, "Agua?" Casey, sitting next to her, says with annoyance, "No! It's water-not ahhgwa" (exaggerating the pronunciation). The teacher stops what she is doing and turns to Casey and says, "Lupe is right. What you call 'water' her family calls 'agua.' There are many words for water, for crackers, for oranges, for everything! We all have words. We have different words. It's pretty wonderful!"

At group time, the teacher follows up by asking children about the different words they have for people in their family. As the children call out Grandma, Oma, Pops, Daddy, Papa, Abuelita, and more, she writes them on a chart. She assures them that none of the words are wrong. They are just different. And they all mean someone who loves them.

Meet anti-bias goals in every corner of the classroom

The ongoing examination of how people are simultaneously the same and different provides children with a conceptual framework for thinking about the world they live in. For example, children playing with blocks can learn that although some children like to build tall towers and some like to build long, flat structures on the floor, all the children like to build. Art projects can show enthusiasm and admiration for blacks and browns along with all the other wonderful colors of the spectrum. The common curriculum topic of harvest time can include respecting and making visible the people who grow, pick, and transport our food.

Everyday activities offer opportunities for Goals 3 and 4 as well. Arguments over toys can include discussion of fairness and kindness. Exclusionary play, stereotypes in books, or teasing are experiences open to critical thinking about hurtful behavior and for problem solving toward just solutions.

Planning Anti-Bias Education Activities for Your Program's Curriculum

An anti-bias education approach is not a recipe. Rather, teachers include anti-bias issues in their planning by considering the children and families they serve and the curriculum approach their program uses. Here are key questions to ask yourself as you and your colleagues plan learning activities and environments. Begin by asking yourself these questions for one or two activities a week, and see how they change what you do and how the children respond.

Where do I best fit anti-bias goals and issues into my curriculum plans for the day and the week?

Who might be left out of this curriculum? How will I use the topic to include each child, connecting to the diversity of their social identities and to their individual needs? How can I be sure no one is invisible or unnoticed?

What ideas, misconceptions, and stereotypes might children have about this topic? How can I learn what these are and provide accurate information and counter misinformation and stereotypes?

How can I use this topic to support and strengthen children's innate sense of justice and their capacity to change unfair situations to fair ones?

What learning materials do I need to gather to incorporate an anti-bias perspective into this curriculum topic?

Use child-initiated and teacher-initiated activities

Children's questions, comments, and behaviors are a vital source of anti-bias curriculum. They spark teachable moments as well as longer-term projects. However, it is not sufficient to do anti-bias activities only when a child brings up a relevant issue. Teacher-initiated activities are also necessary-be they intentionally putting out materials and books to broaden children's awareness or planning specific learning experiences around issues that matter to families and the community.

You do not wait for children to open up the topic of reading or numbers before making literacy and numeracy part of the daily early childhood curriculum. Because you have decided that these understandings and skills are essential for children, you provide literacy and numeracy discussions and activities in your classroom. A balance between child-initiated and teacher-initiated activities is as vital in anti-bias education as in any other part of the early childhood curriculum.

Here's an example of how a teacher begins with a children-generated teachable moment and follows up with teacher-initiated activities:

After a windstorm broke dozens of small branches off of the trees surrounding their preschool, several 4- and 5-year-old boys begin building a "club house" by dragging branches and bunches of leaves to a corner in the playground fence. Valeria (4 years old) starts dragging a branch to join them and the boys shout, "No girls allowed! No girls allowed!"

The teacher considers encouraging the boys to welcome their classmate into their play-but then she hesitates. There are larger societal issues embedded in this interaction. As an anti-bias educator, she decides she needs to address the underlying ideas, especially that girls can't or shouldn't engage in play that emphasizes physical strength or that "real boys" don't include girls in their play.

Deciding to find out what the children are thinking, the teacher asks, "Why do you think no girls are allowed?" She listens carefully to the boys' responses: "Girls can't move the big branches." "And they can't build high!" "We're going to be superheroes! Girls can't be heroes." And, finally, "We don't like girls." All these statements reflect commonly held stereotypes about girls. Additionally, she thinks, not seriously addressing the situation reinforces the additional stereotype that boys don't have to pay attention to the feelings of others.

Seeing an opportunity to expand their thinking, the teacher suggests testing these claims. She says, "Well, let's find out if girls can move the big branches and build high or not." Since many of the children are now gathering around, she invites everyone to join in the challenge. "What do you think is going to happen?" she asks. With much laughter the children run and gather branches. Some girls are faster than some boys, some boys are faster than some girls. Everyone is able to add branches to the club house, which is suddenly much higher!

Bringing the children back together, the teacher says, "It looks like both girls and boys can lift big branches and build high. Thinking that boys would be better at these things than girls was a stereotype." Several children repeat the word stereotype (preschoolers love big words!). Still holding their attention, the teacher clarifies and gives words to the program's values: "Stereotypes are unfair. In our school we want everyone to be treated fairly. What can we do so that we can be sure that we play together fairly?" The next steps are suggested by the children. One suggestion is a sign that says "Everyone can play here." "How about," says one of the boys who began this episode, "how about if we want to play alone, we just say 'you can have a turn in a few minutes'?"

Knowing that one interaction is never enough to help children think in new ways, the teacher plans and carries out further activities. She adds to the classroom library books in which female athletes and firefighters are strong and fast. At circle time, she reads books in which girls and boys play together in big muscle games. She invites a female carpenter in to help the children build with real tools. And she begins a curriculum on "Being a hero," about all the ways boys and girls can be powerful helpers.

In the next staff meeting, the teacher relates what she has done and is planning to do, and why. She asks her colleagues to consider the frequency of gendered exclusionary play in the program and they agree to take the important step of identifying how (explicitly and implicitly) they may be supporting a binary view of gender (see Chapter 9 in the forthcoming book) in their classroom. For example, how often do they call out "boys and girls" rather than "children"? Do they ask "strong boys" to help move furniture and big blocks? Do they comment on girls' clothing or hair instead of asking about their interests and accomplishments?
Do they support boys' tender, sharing, inclusive behaviors or mainly comment on their noisy, power-focused play? The teachers agree to observe each other as well as the children and see what changes they can make to avoid the damage that gender stereotypes have on children's sense of themselves and of others.

Using a combination of child-initiated, teachable moments and teacher-initiated, pre-planned activities is the most effective way to expand children's ability to grow in the four anti-bias education goals and to talk about, think about, and understand the world around them.

Pay attention to the realities of children's lives

While the four core anti-bias education goals are the same for all children, specific activities should be relevant to the children's backgrounds and their lives. Some children need support to resist messages of racial or cultural inferiority; others need guidance to develop a positive self-concept without absorbing social messages that they are the "normal" ones and other children are less than, strange, or negatively different. Children of wealthy families need help resisting the message that material accumulation defines their worth and that of others; children of families with fewer resources need support to resist messages that undercut their families' worth. Some girls may need extra support to develop confidence and interest in experiences that are math and science related; some boys may require help to develop skills for having nurturing, cooperative interactions with their peers
and to engage in play that reflects these attitudes.

Closing thoughts

As in all other areas of the curriculum, teachers tailor and scaffold anti-bias education materials and activities to each child's cognitive, social, and emotional developmental capacities. They plan and choose learning experiences that stimulate children to explore the next step of new ideas and skills and allow each child to apply new understandings and behaviors in his or her daily life.

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Understanding Anti-Bias Education: Bringing the Four Core Goals to Every Facet of Your Curriculum

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This article is an excerpt of the second edition of Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves, by Louise Derman-Sparks and Julie Olsen Edwards.