Child Development Screening

            When it comes to our little ones, we all want to make sure that they are learning every day. It is imperative for their growth and development. Healthy development in the early years (particularly birth to three) provides the building blocks for educational achievement, lifelong health, and a successful generation to come. What can we do during this incredibly important period to ensure that children have a strong foundation for future development? Simple steps like keeping track of milestones like smiling, eye contact, independent play and self-care can help give parents clues as to how their child is progressing.

            The Calhoun County Library was so fortunate to welcome  First Steps on Wednesday afternoon, January 26. While parents filled out a questionnaire about each of their children, First Steps representatives interacted with the children. This involved doing puzzles, reading, coloring, tossing foam balls, and playing with toys. These were all fun activities that kids already love doing!

            Because the instructor used a soothing voice to fill the children with affirmations, they felt very comfortable interacting with her.  While the babies and toddlers played and interacted, the instructor watched for certain attributes and monitored many areas that are crucial to proper child development. Fine motor skills, gross motor capability, social intelligence, emotional awareness, language possession, communication ability, and cognitive behaviors were assessed during their “play time.”

            As a thank you, First Steps and Help Me Grow South Carolina passed out goodie bags to each child tested which featured checklists of what milestones most children reach by a certain age. It also introduced signs to be on the lookout for and how to approach a healthcare provider about any concerns. An age-appropriate book was also gifted to each child. These were unique because they were age-related and personalized. According to the First Steps instructor, it “allows the child to become aware that they are the same age as another child and it helps deepen their love of literature.”

            It is well-known that different children learn and develop at different speeds. That could occur because of genetics, the environment, or it could be unexplained. Different stages of development are expected, but understanding the areas of development can benefit parents to help ensure that children continue to grow the way they should. We hope that more parents of  young children will register and join us on our next testing day in the future and take advantage of this free service to our community.