Bona Vista's Child Care Solutions

Do you have a child or children in your care with an IEP who are having a CCC and the parents have invited you to be part of the committee that is talking about the LEA and the LRE for the child and all of a sudden you just want to say “WAIT! What are you saying?”

The world of education can quickly become full of acronyms and letters that sometimes need to be deciphered. The following are some of high occurrence acronyms.


ADA - Americans with Disabilities Act
ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ASD - Autism Spectrum Disorder
EI - Early Intervention (First Steps)
ESL - English as a Second Language
FAPE - Free, appropriate, public education
IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA-Part C - Programs for infants and toddlers with special needs
IEP - Individualized Education Program
IFSP - Individualized Family Service Plan
LD - Learning Disability
LEA - Local Education Agency (local school district)
LRE - Least Restrictive Environment
OT - Occupational Therapy
PDD - Pervasive Development Disorder
PBS - Positive Behavior Supports
PLOP - Present Levels Of Performance
PT - Physical Therapy
SLP - Speech Language Pathologist
SPD - Sensory Processing Disorder
TOR - Teacher Of Record

Hopefully as you are reviewing any IEPs or IFSPs of the children in your care, you will now be able to decipher some of the alphabet soup that you may see.

In child care we are supposed to be the experts in helping soothe the fussiest most challenging babies. Even the greatest infant teacher will from time to time come across a baby who is difficult and seems impossible to soothe. When this happens there can be a mix of emotions from guilt to frustration to anger. It is easy to blame the parents, “this baby is spoiled” or to blame yourself, “I don’t know what I am doing I must be stupid”. The blame game is never helpful in fixing a situation so here are some tips and techniques to keep in mind to help you problem solve with the babies family how to soothe the fussiest baby.

1. Make sure you have run through your basics- food, diaper, calm period to rest etc.
2. Strip the baby down and make sure nothing is irritating her skin. Remember for a sensitive baby socks that are too tight can cause a day of crying.
3. Find out what works at home. Does mom use a cradleboard? Do they have a special CD that plays? How does the family hold the baby? All of this matters. Compare it to how you relax. We all have specific things that we do to calm ourselves down and what works for me might not be at all what works for you. Just because I like a cup of hot tea and a jazz CD does not make that the only way to calm down. This is true for children too. Take some time and have a conversation where you listen to the parents share what they do to calm the baby at home. Who knows maybe it is a combination of rap music and fan that works wonders at home. Do not judge parents, just listen and keep an open mind.
4. Try to adapt techniques used at home to the child care setting. This often takes creativity since there are more complications in a child care setting (i.e. other children playing laughing and even hollering), but you can adapt almost anything with a little creativity.
5. Do not expect miracles. Especially when babies are new to care, everything is different. Smells, sounds, temperatures, and you are all new. All that change is scary so expect some crying. Even if a child has been in your care for some time, as children go through different developmental stages crying at change is normal. As you make your adaptations, give each adaptation at least a week, preferably more, to work before changing anything else. Nothing works instantly and patience is essential when working with young children.
6. Ask for help. If you have tried to adapt and use different techniques and it is not working, call your mentor or infant toddler specialist and ask for help. Also keep in mind that there can be medical reasons for a child to cry. If the baby is crying and is inconsolable both at home and school, you should keep a log of the times the baby cries and what you have done to soothe. This log can be helpful for the child’s family to take to the pediatrician to talk about what else could be causing the crying.

Try not to be too hard on yourself or on parents. Babies cry for a reason. They are not spoiled nor are they out to get you. By working patiently with the family you should be able to help soothe most of those babies through even the roughest patches.

For more information on helping out parents click here

When thinking about helping babies sleep always remember Safe Sleeping guidelines check out this article for more information

For more great Infant & Toddler Information Check out these websites:

Zero to Three
National Association for the Education of Young Children
The Program for Infant & Toddler Care

Asthma is a pretty common occurrence, being diagnosed in about 1 in every 10 children. Since it affects and presents differently in every child, it is important to know what we can do to prevent flare ups.

First, asthma is a chronic lung disease that affects the airways. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing (a whistling or squeaky sound during breathing), chest tightness, and shortness of breath. Common stimuli that can set off asthma are allergens, irritants, respiratory infections, and physical exercise. It is very important to know if a child in your care has asthma. Talk with the parents about what stimuli set off their child’s asthma. Also, make sure that you have talked with the parents about treatment, as well as having a doctor’s note about any medications that are used and how to use them.

Here are some ways that you can help children to avoid asthma flare ups while in your care. Reduce exposure to pets, definitely keeping them out of sleeping areas; keep bathrooms, kitchens and basements well aired and regularly cleaned (reduces mold); do NOT smoke or allow smoking inside your facility; wash blankets and bedding in hot water weekly (130 degrees, because dust mites do not survive at that temperature); do not use room deodorizers (plug ins); avoid wearing strong perfumes. Now that we are into the cold weather season, the cold air can prompt a flare up for some children. Help them by having them wear a scarf or turtleneck over their mouth and nose.

Information taken from and available at the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

In the frenzy of the holidays, it's easy to overlook safety hazards. But while you're busy wrapping the presents, lighting the candles, or trimming the tree, it's important to keep the following in mind:

Every little button and ornament is a potential choking hazard
You already know that toddlers will put almost anything in their mouths, so watch where you're leaving that bowl of tiny pinecones or potpourri. Wreaths, ornaments, Holiday scenes, and other decorations with unsecured pieces become choking hazards if left within reach of little hands. Be sure to keep seasonal decorations and dishes of holiday treats — especially nuts, candies with hard shells, and hard candies — well out of your child's reach on high tables or counters. Finally, clean up carefully when wrapping presents. Young toddlers love scrap pieces of tape, ribbon, and wrapping paper (especially shiny foil papers) and could choke on them. And you don't want your child getting his hands on scissors and other sharp tools used to cut paper and ribbon.

Candles and matches create a fire hazard
Young children are drawn to flames, so keep lit candles well out of your child's reach. Don't put lit candles on a tablecloth or anything else that your child could pull down or knock over. And always keep lit candles far away from your tree and never let a candle burn in an unoccupied room. Place lighted menorahs, or any type of live fire, in a safe spot.

Lights and other tree decorations can be dangerous
Strings of electric lights are as dangerous as they are attractive to young children, who can easily get wrapped up in the wires and risk being strangled or even electrocuted. And while tinsel can make a tree sparkle, it's also a choking hazard. If you use strands of tinsel or lights of any kind, hang them high and out of your child's reach.

Lead may lurk in unexpected places
Like nearly all appliance cords, most strings of Christmas tree lights are coated with plastic that contains lead. The amount of lead varies widely, and it's hard to say how dangerous it might be. To be safe, don't let your child handle the lights.

Lead is also a concern if you have an artificial tree that's old. Some of these trees may contain unsafe levels of lead and give off dust that can spread lead through the air. Throw out any suspect artificial trees and replace them with either the real thing or a modern imitation. When buying an artificial tree, check for lead warning labels.

Holdiay Plants
Although pretty and festive, some holiday plants may be poisonous to you and your children. Be sure to check with your local nursery before purchasing any holiday plants.

As you flip through prenatal books and baby store catalogs you are bombarded with pictures of babies serenely sleeping, giggling, or curiously gazing at the camera. For many these pictures become a rarity in the early days of parenting. What we see instead is a face red and puckered from crying. So what is all the crying about?

When babies cry it can become frustrating. It is normal to feel discouraged, helpless, and even embarrassed at not being able to soothe your baby. Crying is a baby’s major form of communication. It is establishing what the cry means that can be challenging. A problem solving approach can often be best. So, consider sorting through the following to see if your little one has an unmet need:

• Hunger-Not all babies eat at regular intervals. It is not unusually for some babies to eat much more one day than another. A hungry baby will often cry intensely before a feeding or after. If you are not sure if your little one is hungry then try feeding a small amount of milk. If the milk is only taken a little before your baby turns away hunger is probably not the main cause of the crying.
• Boredom/ Feeling Overwhelmed- a baby who is not tired will not sleep and will cry out of boredom. Try singing songs or placing your baby on his/her tummy while you play together for tummy time. A baby will also cry if too much is going on in the environment. When a baby is overwhelmed some other signs are often excessive drooling, averting eyes, and hiccups. To calm an over-stimulated baby use soft tones and remove as many of the stimuli as possible.
• Needing Comfort- as adults when we become upset we calm ourselves down with deep breaths, taking a walk, meditating, etc. babies are not capable of self soothing. To help a baby calm down a few tricks can work wonders. Sucking is a natural calming response that babies actual display prenatally. Sucking on a pacifier, finger, or thumb can sometimes help calm a fussy baby. Holding a baby while you rock to create a gentle swinging motion helps recreate womb like comforts and can also help ease crying. Soothing sounds such as a lullaby or shh sound can also help but remember your singing has to be louder than the crying for the baby to be able to hear it.
  
• Hurt-do a head to toe look over your little one. Especially sensitive babies could cry because a sock is too tight, or a piece or hair is caught around a finger. Doing a check to make sure that your little one does not have any sore spots is always a good idea
• Too hot or too cold- We tend to overdress babies and being too hot is no fun. The ideal room temperature for an infant is about 68 degrees, a baby should not be sweaty, or shivering.
• Wet or dirty diaper- not all babies are as intensely bothered by soiled diapers as others, but changing diapers frequently can help prevent diaper rash which can be extremely painful.
• Tiredness-babies can become very tired quickly, but they will often struggle to fall asleep. A little background noise can often help a baby fall to sleep, remember the womb was full of the noises of mom’s heartbeat and more so babies are not accustomed to extreme quiet. Try turning a radio to a static station, running a vacuum cleaner, or using a noise maker to create white noise.

If you are still struggling with working through crying do not be afraid to ask for help. Talk to your child’s pediatrician, share your struggles at a new mommy or new dad’s group, or call your resource and referral agency and ask for the infant and toddler specialist.

A drive in the car seems to be the perfect trick to get even the fussiest baby to sleep. So it is not surprise that many babies are brought into child care still sound asleep in their car seats, but the car seat is not where they should stay. Unfortunately this alarming new trend of leaving babies to sleep in their car seats rather than moving them to safe sleeping environments is putting babies at risk of more than just a sore neck. A new study by Harvard Medical School and Mass. General Hospital for children has discovered that children sleeping in car seats had oxygen levels dropping below 95%. The semi upright position of a car seat compresses an infant’s lungs, and is likely responsible for the decrease in oxygen. Care seats are wonderful at keeping babies safe in a moving vehicle, but they are not a replacement for a safe sleeping environment. Babies need to sleep in a safe crib, port-a-crib or pack-and –play. Always remember that a safe sleeping environment is about more than comfort or convenience it is about saving babies lives! Babies should always sleep in a safe sleeping environment free of pillows, blankets, and stuffed animals positioned on their backs. Every Sleep counts.

If you have any questions about safe sleep environments or would like help making sure your sleep environment is safe please contact Child Care Solutions.

For more information about the study mentioned in this blog check click here

For more information about safe sleep check out the First Candle website

Recently H1N1, also known as swine flu, has received a lot of media attention, and much of the information has been confusing. We have gathered the most common statements made about H1N1 and sorted them into fact fiction.

Eating pork causes H1N1-
FICTION:
H1N1 is an influenza virus and is spread person to person likely in the same way that the traditional flu is spread i.e. sneezing and coughing

You should wear a mask when in public places to protect against H1N1-
FICTION (sort of)
There is no evidence clearly supporting masks as an effective tool in preventing the spread of H1N1; however, some is still pending. The best methods of prevention for influenza remain the same:
•Wash your hands with soap and warm running water, after toileting, before eating, after sneezing, after coughing
•Get plenty of sleep
•Eat nutritious food and drink plenty of water

If I get a flu shot I will be protected against H1N1-
FICTION:
There is a new vaccine currently in the process of development and production being developed to protect against H1N1, but the seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against the novel H1N1. The vaccine will be available as both a nasal spray and a more traditional injection talk to you family doctor to see what is best for your family.
Help keep yourself and the little ones safe in your life this flu season by practicing good hand washing techniques, covering coughs and sneezes, eating healthy, and getting enough rest. These health practices remain consistently true. As flu season approaches you should also consider talking to your health care provider about the flu vaccine and the H1N1 vaccine.

For more information about H1N1 check out the links below
Immunization Action Coalition
Center for Disease Control Updates for Child Care
Tool Kit for children and Parents on H1N1

As budgets tighten it can become difficult to find fun, unique kid friendly activities for the family to enjoy. Child Care Solutions has partnered with Carey Services and Indiana Wesleyan to bring an incredible community event to Marion: a FREE community concert. This incredible sing-a-long event will be held at the Old College Church on Indiana Wesleyan University Campus, October 16 7:00.
Julie Austin is an award-winning singer/songwriter and early childhood specialist. Who will bring a unique blend of storytelling, sign language, and music to this lively and engaging program. She not only sings songs in a variety of styles—folk, swing, bluegrass—she also accompanies herself on guitar, autoharp and jaw harp. Interactive stories, sign-mime, and singable songs, add up to a toe-tapping, hand-clapping, and finger-snapping good time! Julie's five outstanding children's recordings have won national awards including a Parent's Choice Award for her most recent CD, "Fandagumbo!"
So bring the whole family to this incredible FREE event! For more information please contact Child Care solutions at 1-800-493-3231.

Promoting Excellence in
Early Childhood Education



School is starting. Is your professional liability coverage in place?

Don’t leave your personal finances at risk to a work-related lawsuit. The Educators Professional Liability Plan, sponsored by NAEYC, provides $1,000,000 in liability coverage for just $99 per year. That’s only 28 cents per day!
This plan pays defense costs in addition to liability claims, and it includes valuable job-protection benefits for you at no additional cost.

You can apply for coverage online in minutes at:
http://www.ftj.com/epli2009

Many educators think they are protected from lawsuits by the school that employs them, but that’s not always the case. Consider the facts:
• Not all schools have liability coverage for their employees.
• Those that do may not have enough coverage to protect all employees against all claims made during a given year.
• And your employer can decide not to defend you under its liability coverage.
That's right. There is risk involved in relying on an employer’s liability policy to protect you. Wouldn't you rather know you’re covered with your own $1,000,000 professional liability policy?
Application is easy. For more information or to apply online, visit the NAEYC website.

We all want to learn more about child development, and child care; however, finding the time and the money for such trainings can be difficult. In addition to all of the free trainings that Child Care Solutions offers, now the National Association for Child Care Resource and Referral has made learning about all aspects of child development even easier through FREE Webinars that you can enjoy in the privacy of your home! Child Care Aware Parent Network Webinars are presented by child care experts to give you information about high-quality child care and other topics that are of interest to you. They are designed specifically for busy parents, grandparents and professionals who want to learn more but have very little time.

Upcoming Webinars:

Brain Development: You Can Easily Make a Positive Difference!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presenter: Deborah McNelis
Click here to learn more and register now! It’s Free!

“My Body Belongs to Me!” Keeping Your Child Safe from Sexual Abuse— A Prosecutor’s Advice
Tuesday August 25, 2009, 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presenter: Jill Starishevsky
Click here to learn more and register now! It’s Free!

Playing to Learn: Why High-Quality Child Care Must Include Play
Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (EDT)
Presenter: Dr. David Elkind
Click here to learn more and register now! It’s Free!