Developmental Milestones

There are developmental milestones that every child makes at his or her own progress. These have most likely been monitored by your child's pediatrician. As your child enters the school system you will see a large range of social and academic needs among the children there. If you see that your child is delayed in any area, speak to your child's teacher to get specific ideas on how to assist and support your child in the classroom. At times you may begin to see specific behaviors from your child that may concern you. Most likely it is your child's way of communicating his or her feelings of unhappiness. Even though the behaviors are inappropriate you will need to determine what your child is trying to express and help them resolve the concerns appropriately. This is when you will most likely need professional help. As a parent you will need to identify the following information.

• Was your child exposed to any harmful substances during the pregnancy?
• Is your child demonstrating any developmental delays?
• Does your family have a history of divorce, domestic violence, depression, anxiety or learning disorders?
• Is your child sleeping through the night?
• Does your child cry and refuse to get ready for school?
• Is your child hitting, biting, or breaking his or her belongings on purpose?
• Are you seeing extreme mood swings or social isolation with your child?
• Does your child have difficulty completing tasks or sitting still?

Make sure your child is eating healthy foods and getting ten to twelve hours of sleep. Sit and play with your child and model appropriate social skills. If you continue seeing the negative behaviors escalate over the span of 90 days please seek a professional opinion. I would be glad to come to your home and assess your child in his/her own environment or observe their behaviors at school. You can contact me by email at ginalcmft@hotmail.com or call 316-253-4084.

Have a great school year!

Gina