The first video illustrates the functionalities and importance of programs that aim to discern signs of developmental issues and disabilities among young children. This is vital to parents, guardians, and educators, as their ability to observe signs of developmental issues can improve a child’s growth in the future. Disabilities can cause several substantial issues for children while they are young and as they become older. However, appropriate intervention is key to making the process of development easier and ensuring that children grow up as healthy as possible. As such, I find that the most vital component of this video is the promotion of tools and resources that allow parents and educators to better recognize signs of early developmental disabilities.
The second video is vital in informing parents and early years educators of existing support structures for both them and children that have developmental disabilities. These systems are not only practical, but also educational for all parties and a place for conversations regarding opinions, issues, and ideologies. It is also vital that contacting and interacting with these support structures provides parents and educators with information from individuals that have substantial experience with developmental disabilities and growth in the early years. The existence of these support systems is also an essential blueprint for the implementation of similar structures in areas in which they are currently not available. Similarly, knowledge and information have the potential to be shared among groups that participate in such support systems.
Because I found that early intervention is a factor in achieving positive results in both early and later development, early screening was a concept I found especially important. “For newborns, the five-minute Apgar is an accurate predictor of future developmental progress (Kilgo & Gargiulo 133). Both the one and five-minute Apgar tests are performed as early as infancy. It focuses on heart rate, reflex response, color, respiration, and muscle tone. Essentially, a low initial score suggests that further testing is required and may also be an indicator of necessary medical intervention. This concept once more highlights the value of understanding early signs of developmental disabilities or issues and the necessity for screening and intervention. The question related to this concept that I formulated is: in what ways do current early screening processes limit the access children have to referrals and special education?
The first resource I will review is the M.O.R.G.A.N. project which is an initiative that aims to help individuals with sensory processing disorders, issues with social adaptation, and other developmental difficulties improve their quality of life. The organization can do so through specially designed programs, events, and the provision of resources. Overall, the organization can provide several individuals substantial support when they are unable to turn to governmental or other aid.
Richard Gargiulo and Jennifer Kilgo’s An Introduction to Young Children with Special Needs is an educational resource regarding familial structures and relationships regarding children with developmental difficulties and disabilities at an early age. While Kilgo and Gargiulo can outline
numerous useful components of such relationships, the most important in my opinion are the key concepts of family-professional collaboration. These include verbal and nonverbal communication and knowledge of objectives. These are especially important as they are the fundamental factors of the relationship between parents and educators.
Reference
Kilgo, J. L., & Gargiulo, R. M. (2020). An Introduction to Young Children with Special Needs: Birth Through Age Eight (5th ed.). SagePub.