This exciting new e-health program will give new parents a sense of empowerment through simple tools to monitor and assist the first three years of their child’s development and, through activities, address any delays as they occur.
The Federal Government’s attempts at making schools more transparent and accountable via the My School website may be missing the point.
New research from the Centre for Community Child Health and Telethon Institute for Child Health Research 2009 shows that one in three five-year-olds start school with developmental vulnerability.
If a third of all school entrants are already struggling when they start school, surely the school cannot be blamed. Nor the teachers, nor the education system.
We need to look at what is happening to these children before they start school. Or more importantly, what is not happening.
According to Ian Hunter, a brain development specialist of 35 years, more attention needs to be placed on the first three years, especially the first 12 months.
“Post-birth brain development is to a large degree dependent on the stimulation and opportunities provided to the child,” said Hunter, who devised the program based on work with developmentally delayed clients.
“Almost 350 measurable milestones emerge during a child’s first three years. More brain development occurs in this period than in the rest of our life”, Hunter added.
If parents notice their baby may be showing signs of delay in the early months, health professionals most commonly tell parents “Don’t worry, children develop at different rates, your child will catch up”.
But, according to Ian Hunter, “Almost nobody tells parents what I know from my clinical work. Catching delays in the crucial first 12 months when the brain is in its most malleable state, can alleviate potential problems, while waiting reduces chances of success.”
The cost, frustration, heartache and often lifelong consequences of unaddressed developmental delay can, in many cases, be avoided by identifying problems as they appear.
“Early intervention is effective, but this system provides real time detection and real time intervention” said Pam Burgess, CEO of The Developing Foundation Inc., the Australian charitable foundation offering this new program at an affordable annual fee for parents.
A NSW mum who assisted with the initial beta testing of the program commented that Developing Childhood is a hugely beneficial resource and it helped her feel more in control.
Ian Hunter and Pam Burgess will be available at the Expo to answer parent’s questions. Visit www.developingchildhood.com.au for more information.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): hingo2
Quelle/Source: Parramatta Advertiser, 22.04.2010
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