Social

1
Social Emotional Development in Young Children
Dr. Judith Romano Board Member, Ohio Chapter,
American Academy of Pediatrics Chair, Early
Education and Childhood Committee
2
Child Care Providers Play A Key Role in

• Offering a safe, healthy, and nurturing
  environment
• Ensuring optimal development of the young
  children in your care

3
Development is Integrated Establishing the Model

• The Architecture Model
• First, lay the foundation
• Then, put up the frame
• Then, add wiring and plumbing
• Then, hang the drywall

4
Development is Integrated Establishing the Model

• The Architecture Model for Brain Development
• The Foundation social-emotional development
  responsive, supportive relationships
• The Frame physical brain and body genetic
  makeup
• The Wiring and Plumbing neural circuits
  cognition
• The Walls sequential development experiences
  affect structure

5
Early Experiences Last a Lifetime
Early Experiences determine whether a childs
brain architecture will provide a strong or weak
foundation for all future learning, behavior, and
health.
6
The Bricks and Mortar

• Emotional Well-Being
• Social Competence
• Emerging Cognitive Abilities
• These are highly interrelated and together
  provide the foundation for human development

7
Like Homes, Brains are Built Over Time
Like houses, the building of a brain is done in a
predictable sequence. Thats why A child must
have a strong foundation. The more solid the
foundation, the greater the chance of a positive
outcome!
8
Can you see me? Can you hear me?

• Babies naturally reach out for interaction with
  babbling, facial expressions and words.
• Adults should respond by vocalizing and gesturing
  back.
• These activities help wire neural connections in
  a babys brain!

9
Early Experiences Last A Lifetime
Interaction with those who are important to
babies and children have the most influence on
their brain structure and function.(This
includes you!)
10
Stress and the Developing Brain
Stress in early childhood can be growth-promoting
or toxic to the developing brain.
11
Growth-Promoting Stress Positive Stress

• Definition Moderate, short-lived physiological
  responses to wants such as meeting new people or
  dealing with frustration.
• How to help Supportive relationships keep the
  stress response small and help children develop
  self mastery and self control.
• Examples A child starting child care or moving
  to the next room.

12
Growth-Promoting Stress Tolerable Stress
Definition Events that could trigger
physiological responses large enough to disrupt
brain architecture, but can be relieved by
supportive relationships. How to Help Family
members or care givers help the baby or young
child by adaptive coping, which restores the
heart rate and stress hormones to normal
levels. Examples Divorce, death of a parent, a
natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina.
13
Toxic Stress
Definition Strong and prolonged activation of
the bodys stress response systems without the
buffering protection of adult support. How does
this affect a child Persistent elevations of
stress hormones cause the brains architecture
and chemistry to be disrupted. This can lead to
problems in learning and memory, as well as an
increased susceptibility to physical and mental
illness. Examples Child abuse and neglect,
severe maternal depression, parental substance
abuse.
14
Providing Stability
Sometimes, the child care provider offers the
most stable adult relationship. A trusted
adults presence protects the child, which
literally turns down their stress response
system.
15
Out-of-Home Settings

• 90,000 infants and toddlers in Ohio are cared for
  in out-of-home settings.
• 100 of care outside the home is considered
  educational.
• The AAP uses the term Early Education and Child
  Care, the education world uses Early Care and
  Education. The intent is the same to reinforce
  the importance in the quality of these settings
  and the experiences they represent.

16
Quality Matters

• The science of child development provides proof
  that quality is a critical component of early
  care and education programs.
• Quality programs have a beneficial impact while
  low quality programs can be harmful.

17
Quality programs have

• Highly skilled teachers
• Small class sizes with high adult-to-child ratios
• Age appropriate curricula and stimulating
  materials
• Safe physical settings
• Language rich environments
• Warm, responsive interactions between staff and
  children
• High and consistent levels of child participation

18
How to Recognize Warning Signs and the Importance
of Early Recognition
19
Key Definitions
Surveillance Process of recognizing children
that may be at risk of developmental delays
either physical or emotional. Screening Use of
standardized tools to identify and refine that
recognized risk. EvaluationA complex process,
aimed at identifying specific developmental
disorders. These evaluations are performed by
medical and/or psychological professionals.
20

Key Definitions
Emotional DevelopmentThe childs emerging
ability to become secure, express feelings,
develop self awareness and self regulate. Social
DevelopmentThe childs development of an
understanding of self and others, and the
ability to relate to other people and the
environment.
21
Importance of Early Identification

• Early problems can become hard wired into a
  childs developing brain, making him or her
  possibly destined for a lifetime of disability.
• You are the front-line, a key component, in
  identifying social-emotional problems!

22
Important Point About Screening

• Screening DOES NOT diagnose an infant or child
  with a particular problem.
• It simply says there may be a problem, and its
  time to seek professional help.

23
Screening ToolsASQ SE
24
To Be Reliable, Screening Tools Must Be

• Sound, low cost and reliable.
• Valid having similar responses across large
  numbers of children.
• Sensitive and specific. In other words children
  that need to be identified are and children that
  need further evaluation are not missed.

25
ASQ SE
An easy-to use tool for parents or care givers to
identify possible warning signs in a childs
social and emotional growth.
26
ASQ SE

• Addresses 7 behavioral areas
• Self Regulation
• Compliance
• Communication
• Adaptive Functioning
• Autonomy
• Affect
• Interaction with People

27
ASQ SE
Self Regulation Childs ability or willingness to
calm or settle down. Compliance The childs
ability to conform to the directions of others
and follow rules. Communication The childs
ability or willingness to respond to or initiate
verbal or nonverbal signals to indicate
feelings. Adaptive FunctioningThe childs
success or ability to cope with physiological
needs. For example, sleeping, eating,
elimination.
28
ASQ SE
Autonomy The childs ability or willingness to
self-initiate or respond without guidance.
Affect The childs ability or willingness to
demonstrate his or her own feelings and empathy
for others. Interaction With People The childs
ability or willingness to respond to or initiate
social responses to parents, other adults and
other children.
29
Practice Using the ASQ SE
As you become more familiar with the screening
tool, you will find the content to be very
similar to the things you already notice in
infants and young children.
30
Importance of the ASQ SE
The ASQSE will help you organize and sort your
observations and identify children who are
developing normally and those that require
further evaluation.
31
Youre the First Line of Recognition This
Matters!
As with all developmental areas, early
identification allows for early intervention and
the opportunity to influence a life in the best
possible way.
32
Suggested Resources
www.healthychildcare.org www.healthykid.us ww
w.zerotothree.org www.nccic.acf.hhs.gov www.occr
ra.org
33
Other OpportunitiesFor Child Care Providers
Debbie Wright, MS, RN Chief, Bureau of Early
Intervention Services for The Ohio Department of
Health
34
Infant Toddler Guidelines

• Module 3 Emotional Development
• Module 4 Social Development
• Approved SUTQ Training 3 hours each

35
Key Resources

• Center on Social and Emotional Foundations for
  Early Learning (CSEFEL)
• National resource center for disseminating
  research and evidence-based practices.
• Developed to assist early childhood educators in
  meeting the needs of children with challenging
  behavior and mental health challenges.
• DECA and the Incredible Years/EMCH Consultants
• Healthy Child Care Ohio (HCCO)

36
Healthy Child Care Ohio (HCCO)

• Based at the Ohio Department of Health.
• Funded through the MCH Block Grant, with
  additional dollars from the Child Care and
  Development Fund (ODJFS) and Part C of IDEA.
• Provides a statewide Child Care Health Consultant
  network through a contract with the Ohio Child
  Care Resource and Referral Association.

37
Child Care Health Consultants (CCHCs)

• Registered Nurses representing nine agencies.
• Serve all 88 counties in Ohio.
• Are the equivalent of 6.75 full-time positions.
• Offer services to any child care provider for
  FREE.
• Provided 1729 consultations, 644 trainings, 3805
  vision screenings and 1040 hearing screenings
  last year.

38
HCCO Training Topics

• Reducing the Risk of SIDS in Child Care
• Medication Administration for Out-of-Home Child
  Care
• Asthma Allergies
• Keep It Clean (handwashing diapering)
• Child Care plus (Inclusion of children with
  special needs)

39
HCCO Training
CCHCs will offer free statewide training on the
ASQ and ASQSE to childcare providers beginning
in January 2008.
40
HCCO/CCHC Network

• Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association
  (OCCRRA)
• Access contact information by region at
  http//www.occrra.org/hcco.htm
• 1-877-547-6978

41
Questions and Answers