Column: Promoting healthy learners; ready for success
Child Focus Early Learning Programs has long been aware of the large role health plays in overall development.
The daily programming for children includes providing rich learning experiences aimed to help children master developmental milestone. Ongoing assessments allow for the monitoring of a child’s progress and interventions when certain concerns with development arise. When health issues are not found and are left untreated, children struggle to master those developmental milestones and will likely struggle in school.
Assuring children are in their best health is critical to our work. Children should have a schedule of age-appropriate well child care. The primary care doctor should do age-appropriate tests, also called screenings, during well check visits to find possible issues. Further testing should be done when health concerns are suspected.
Our agency makes use of information from doctors to make sure children receive the care they need. When hearing or vision screening results are not included in documentation received from providers, we use special tools to complete those screenings. The tools used do not require any response from the child, allowing for screening of very young children as well as those with English as a second language. These tools are not used to diagnose a vision or hearing problem. Some screenings will result in a referral for further evaluation. Parents are provided help with receiving this follow up evaluation.
Imagine how hard it would be to recognize letters when the letters are blurry. Development of fine motor skills may also be negatively affected from this. Hearing problems are often accompanied by speech impairments. Little ones cannot correctly repeat letter sounds or words when they cannot hear them clearly. Behavior issues may occur when children become frustrated when they can’t communicate their wants or needs.
Each program year, we will have 50 to 60 children who receive treatment as a result of failed screenings. Twenty or more will receive eyeglasses. Many children receive tubes to improve hearing. Three children were identified with hearing loss resulting in treatment with hearing aids for both ears. Most recently, a child that did not pass our vision screening was identified with a vision problem and received eyeglasses at only 19 months of age.
Data shows increases in scores on developmental tests for those little ones getting treatment for vision or hearing problems. While participation in our early learning programs demonstrates typical developmental gains of 8 percent to 13 percent, for those who received treatment for sensory issues, gains range from 29 percent to 49 percent .
Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. You are the decision makers for your child’s health care. Your children count on you to help them be successful. Ensuring health problems are found and treated early will make a lasting difference for your child. Please discuss age appropriate screening with your child’s doctor. Making sure they are ready to learn will give them the best head start to success in their school years and beyond.
Karen Balon has worked as the health and special education manager for Child Focus Inc. Early Learning Programs for nearly 20 years. She has been a licensed nurse in the state of Ohio for 28 years.