When Should Your Baby Learn to Walk?

Posted on March 10, 2013 by llpitlwp

Did you encourage your baby to walk by holding his/her hands and letting him practice stepping …I know I did this. However, I did not make a game of it nor did I do it over and over as a practice or encouragement to walk.

As I recall, we just let our little one learn to crawl, pull up on things to a standing position and then to fall on his bottom and try it all over again and again by himself.

I do believe babies are self-learners and will learn to crawl, stand and walk when they are “ready”…all in good time.

I also believe that most parents who practice walking with their little ones do so, not because they want to hurry their baby along…they do it, just to give their baby a chance to step and step and see what it is like to get somewhere in an upright position…also they are merely having fun with their child.

When you baby is beginning to pull up and stand…he just might need some help getting back down again…if he seems to want help, show him how to bed his knees and sit down again…rather than letting him fall.
An easier way than holding on to your baby’s arms to help him walk is to encourage him by holding out your hands so that he is encouraged to walk towards you. Some baby’s like push and pull toys when first starting to walk.
Baby walkers are not encouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics…they can actually prevent your child’s muscle from developing properly because they make it so easy for baby to scoot around.
Barefeet are also a good way to encourage baby balance and coordination.
You will need to childproof baby’s environment when he is learning to walk so that he does not fall on hard surfaces or reach harmful items.

Although, I love RIE principles and enjoy Janet Lansbury’s perspective, I think there is basically only one reason not to walk babies and that is the one that appears below.

However, if you choose to help your baby to practice stepping…don’t berate yourself nor carry around guilt for doing so. Simply work on your patience and enjoy your little one…and one day ah ha….he will be walking and you will be chasing after him or you will be holding hands taking a walk together like the grandpa here.

1. Body wisdom

“Only a baby knows just the way his joints should align,” notes Carol Pinto, a longtime RIE Associate, Feldenkrais practitioner and friend. In other words, when it comes to motor development, babies are self-learners — they really do know best. By holding a baby’s hands to mobilize him, position and reposition his body, we hinder his natural ability to find balance, sense spatial relations, and judge what he can and cannot do. Better to trust our babies to walk when they are ready, and by doing so encourage mental and physical awareness.

9 Reasons Not To Walk Babies | Janet Lansbury.

What is an IEP?

Posted on March 7, 2013 by llpitlwp

This is a post from “News Moms Need” related to delays and disabilities and how to help your child. It is published through the March of Dimes.

I find “News Moms Need” a wonderful resource for moms and parents in general…I hope that you do too and pass it on to your friends.

What is an IEP?

An IEP is short for “Individualized Education Program.” It is both a process and a written educational plan for a child with a disability. It is a document that lists all of the educational services that your child will receive, if he qualifies. In a prior post I told you all about the IFSP (for babies and toddlers). Well, the IEP is a similar document but it is for children ages 3 – 21.

The IEP is supposed to be just what it says – INDIVIDUALIZED, which means that it is specific for your child’s needs. It is not one size fits all. It is also supposed to be EDUCATIONAL, which means it should look at three main areas of your child’s life: the general education curriculum, extracurricular activities and nonacademic activities. Lastly, it is a PROGRAM or PLAN, where all of the services your child will receive are laid out and detailed in writing.

In a sense, the IEP is like a roadmap. It shows you where you are now, where you plan to go, and the roads that you will take to get there. It sounds simple, but it is actually more challenging to write and put together than you might think. This post is just a quick overview to help you understand the basics.

Who gets an IEP?

In prior posts, I explained how to have your child (from birth to age 3 or ages 3 – 21) evaluated for free if you suspect that he has a developmental delay or problem. Once the team (evaluators, school officials and parents) has met and discussed the results of the testing, you will learn if your child is considered eligible for services (if he fits one or more of the categories of disability.) If your child is eligible, the team will develop an educational program (the IEP), that will be specific for your child’s needs.

What’s in an IEP?

The IEP may include special education, related services and/or supplementary aids and services. The IEP is first based on your child’s “present levels” which is a snapshot of your child’s current level of academic and functional performance. In other words…what he is able to do now as compared to his non-disabled peers. Then, based on his present levels and his delay or disability, the IEP sets measurable annual goals. The goals should specify:

• Who will provide the service (eg. the regular ed teacher, special ed teacher, reading specialist, physical therapist, etc.).

• What kind of service will be provided, such as curriculum modifications or adaptations, the types of related services or aids- (eg. specialized reading curriculum, speech therapy etc.).

• Where the service will be implemented (eg. the regular ed classroom, playground, counselor’s office, etc.).

• When parents will receive reports on how well your child is doing. By law, you need to receive progress reports at least as often as children without disabilities. Often a school system will send home the IEP progress reports when Report Cards are sent home for all children.

• When the goal will be achieved (eg. by the end of the marking period or by the end of the year).

• How the goal will be measured and how you will know the goal has been achieved (eg. a benchmark, such as a test score that shows if the goal has been reached).

An IEP is a living document that can be changed or updated by the IEP team, of which parents are members! It must be reviewed by the IEP team at least once a year, but it can be reviewed and updated more often if necessary.

Where can you get more help with IEPs?

A great place to go to understand your options, how to prepare for IEP meetings, and to understand the process of creating a great IEP is on NICHCY’s website. In particular, they provide guidance on how an IEP team can write effective goals. NICHCY also refers parents to Wrightslaw – one of my favorite resources for parents. They go into even greater detail which will help you with every aspect of the process.

Why should you learn about IEPs?

The more you know about the law and the special education process, the better you can help your child. Knowledge is powerful! If your child has a delay or disability, be sure to check out NICHCY’s and Wrightslaw’s information (above). It will help you understand the process to become a more effective advocate for your child and to feel more in control of your journey.

Have questions? Send them to AskUs@marchofdimes.com.

Note: This post is part of the new weekly series Delays and disabilities – how to get help for your child. It was started on January 16, 2013 and appears every Wednesday. Feel free to go back to look at prior posts as the series builds on itself. As always, we welcome your comments and input.

Tags: child, delays, developmental delays, disabilities, early intervention, Help for your child, IEP, IFSP, related services, school, special education, supplementary aids and services

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via News Moms Need » Blog Archive » What is an IEP?.

Do You Know the Dangers in Your Baby’s Nursery?

Posted on March 6, 2013 by llpitlwp

Hidden Dangers in Your Baby’s Nursery | Healthy Child Healthy World.

Sharing your kids online…how much is too much???

Posted on February 7, 2013 by llpitlwp

A brouhaha broke out on Instagram recently over a picture of a 3-year-old eating ice cream while taking a bath. The issue was not about eating ice cream in the bath tub — truthfully I think the concept is brilliant — but instead, everyone freaked out about the blogger publicly posting a full frontal nude photo of her child for the viewing pleasure of her 25,000-plus followers.

via Sharing ‘cute’ naked photos of your kids online: Just don’t – TODAY.com.

I have written before about children whose lives are being shared on the internet.

It seems that there is little thought given to how these kids will feel when they are older and happen upon these “stories” about themselves and their families.

It seems that there should be more thought given to the impact that this life sharing can have on a child…this is really uncharted territory. There has never been a generation that has experienced their lives being basically “open books” much less shared with basically the whole internet world with their mom commenting on it.

The therapist part of me says that in the not too distant future this is going to pose a problem for today’s children especially when their lives have been the topic of a mommy blogger since they were born.

In particular, I would pay particular concern to those children, whose lives are basically being exploited by their own parents…by that, I mean that their family “business” or “dirty laundry” so to speak has been blogged to essentially any and all who choose to read it. It is like “Honey Boo Boo” without the cameras. In the not too distant future these kids will be able to read what has been said and commented on…what are they going to think?

I guess what I might do is ask everyone who blogs about their family to read their posts very carefully and ask themselves if it is something that they will want their children to read in the future. Will it follow them around like a big shadow that they simple cannot shed and will they resent you for it in the end.

Parenting carries with it a huge responsibility and keeping your child safe is something that should not be taken lightly…”15 seconds or really a life time of internet fame” …is it really worth it?

Children and theatre… the possibilities are endless!

Posted on February 6, 2013 by llpitlwp

Theatre has always been magical to me from early childhood school productions to elaborate Broadway shows. It is a way of sharing make believe mixed with a dose of reality.

Children’s theatre is amazing and can provide a child with so many learning opportunities about so many diverse things.

Literature that is turned into a play can be such a learning experience for a child from science to history, to music, to relationships and handling small childhood conflicts.

I love reading children’s books myself and reading them to children makes them all the more special. Children have the uncanny ability to take us by surprise and ask questions that we may not even realize they have swirling around in the little heads

The truth be said, I cannot think of a better way to help a child learn life lessons than to expose them to literature and theatre.

What do you think?

Here are just a few pieces of reading that comment on what is new and in the works for young audiences.

Chicago has many opportunities to enjoy theatre with your children….the Emerald City Theatre recently had a fantastic production of Knuffle Bunny adapted from the Caldecott Award winning book of the same name.

Do your self and your children or grandchildren a favor and checkout children’s theatre in your community…you might just find another way to laugh and enjoy yourselves together.

In fact “Take A Child to the Theatre Today” is the campaign theme of The International Association of Theaters for Young Audiences for the next three years.

If you take a child to the theater, not only will they practice empathy, they might also laugh uproariously, or come home singing about science, or want to know more about history, or tell you what happened at school today, or spend all dinner discussing music, or learn how to handle conflict, or start becoming future patrons of the arts.

via Lauren Gunderson: How Theater for Young People Could Save the World.

Chicago Children’s Theatre has evolved as both a professional and personal response to the lack of a Chicago company dedicated exclusively to providing high-quality, professional year-round children’s programming. Since its founding, Chicago Children’s Theatre has rigorously pursued its mission to enrich our communities through diverse and significant theatrical programming that engages and inspires the child in all of us.

After the success of its launch production of A Year With Frog and Toad in January 2006 at Goodman Theatre, Chicago Children’s Theatre continues to provide Chicago children and families with the highest level professional theatre programming. There has been tremendous critical and popular support of Chicago Children’s Theatre and its audience continues to grow. In just over six years since the theatre’s inception in 2005, more than 180,000 youth and families have attended its productions.

via About Us | Chicago Children’s Theatre.

Chicago Moms

Emerald City Theatre

Pediatrics…The Role of Traditional and Integrative Medicine

Posted on February 5, 2013 by llpitlwp

Christmas 2012

As a nurse, I am very interested in the role that integrative medicine combined with traditional medicine is playing in healthcare today.

I believe that there is a balance between the mind, the body and the spirit and that it helps to take care of all of these to attain better health even when a person or child is sick with an illness.

In the case of pediatric arthritis, the recent story in the NY Times highlighted a mother’s concern about her son and his diagnosis of juvenile arthritis. He experienced very debilitating symptoms which interfered with his life as a young boy…sports, school and family activities.

The tenacious spirit of his mother and her willingness to explore integrative medicine as well as traditional medical treatments for pediatric arthritis has made it possible for her son to now enjoy a remission of his symptoms.

There is much to be said for traditional treatments as well as integrative medicine and the balance between them.

This article highlights the need for parents to advocate for their children when it comes to healthcare … it also shows the internal struggle of the mom as well as the struggle between the parents when it comes to making decisions regarding the treatment plan for their little boy.

When a child is diagnosed with a serious illness it is a time of family crisis. All family members are affected…it is a time of disbelief and grief, worry and work to find the best possible treatments.

It is a path that requires an open mind on the part of the parents and sometimes it is helpful to talk to other parents whose children are experiencing the same illness. Today there are many resources available for parents and it is their responsibility to seek them out and make use of them to the best of their abilities.

It is not a sign of weakness to ask for help from social workers or other healthcare professionals in order to accept and deal with a child’s serious illness.

I hope you read this rather lengthy article and appreciate the role and balance of traditional and integrative medicine in today’s healthcare.

In the comments following this article there was concern expressed that this story may encourage parents to choose natural remedies ignoring traditional treatments only to have them fail.

For me, this article illustrates the judicious use of alternative medicine in conjunction with traditional treatments. These parents were not fighting with their child’s physicians they were working with them, which is how it should be, but as we know this is not how it always is.

I am in favor of working with specialists in both traditional and integrative medicine when illness and its symptoms are perplexing. I am in no way endorsing only alternative treatments when it comes to illnesses.

What do you think? Are you familiar with integrative medicine? Do you know of an integrative medicine practice in your area?

The Boy With a Thorn in His Joints – NYTimes.com.

Pediatric integrative medicine: pediatrics’ newe… [BMC Pediatr. 2012] – PubMed – NCBI.

What is Integrative Pediatrics? – the whole child.

Media « Lawrence Rosen, MD.

Kids and Asthma…Some interesting facts.

Posted on February 4, 2013 by llpitlwp

Asthma is a scary experience particularly when one of your children has asthma. Sometimes new parents may not even recognize the symptoms, since many times the child will present with only a cough initially.

But if your child is having difficulty breathing or catching his breath you should contact your pediatrician or go to the emergency room as soon as possible…you may not actually hear your child wheezing but he may need emergency treatment.

Asthma is a chronic (long-term) inflammatory disease in which the airways become blocked or narrowed. This is usually temporary, but it causes shortness of breath, trouble breathing, and other symptoms. If asthma becomes severe, the person may need emergency treatment to restore normal breathing.

Colds and allergens are two of the most common triggers of asthma in kids. Children with who have asthma are usually evaluated after infancy.

If left untreated asthma in children can become very problematic especially when they have a cold…colds often go straight to their chests and they may experience wheezing and coughing particularly at night and the child may have difficulty sleeping because of it.

Although asthma can have multiple causes, it is not uncommon to see two or more causes present in one child. These kids can experience recurrent bouts with bronchitis, shortness of breath and wheezing, when exercising, weather can also factor into asthma as well as environmental causes.

Here are 7 Interesting Asthma Facts

If your young child is exposed to certain environmental factors, she may develop asthma.
Your child could have asthma even if he doesn’t wheeze.
A doctor might call your child’s symptoms “reactive airway disease” instead of asthma.
If your child had eczema as a baby, she is at higher risk for developing asthma later.
Asthma doesn’t need to limit your child’s activities.
Even if your child has only mild asthma, you shouldn’t let your guard down.
Your child’s treatment plan should be reevaluated every three to six months.

Asthma: 7 Surprising Things You Should Know.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America – Information About Asthma, Allergies, Food Allergies and More!.

Childhood Asthma | AAAAI.

Weekend Reading…a time to catch up!

Posted on February 1, 2013 by llpitlwp

Will You Teach Your Child to Drink Responsibly? | Jessica Gottlieb A Los Angeles Mom.

I did teach my kids about drinking when they were teenagers. I recommend a “field” trip to the liquor “supermarket” in your neighborhood with your teen and an honest discussion about responsible drinking. You might even recognize an aisle that is geared toward teen drinkers…see if you can find it without your teens help!

Taking the Lead on Child Rearing – Room for Debate – NYTimes.com.

This is a great debate between two NYTimes writers…a dad and a mom…it is wonderful check it out and see if you agree with either side in this discussion.

2013 Immunization Schedule | baby gooroo.

Immunizations can be a confusing issue for some parents…this post may provide some information on the new guidelines from American Academy of Pediatrics. I am in favor of vaccinations for children and adults too.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and thank you for stopping by!

Car seats and kids’ safety…

Posted on January 31, 2013 by llpitlwp

Buckle up…but remember these guidelines!

There is nothing more important than car seat safety and this information is so relevant in the winter months especially.

Please visit Car Seat Lady for answers to questions regarding car seats and your kids or grandkids.

Keeping kids WARM & SAFE in their car seats is not as simple as you might think. Winter coats & snowsuits are UNsafe as they create extra bulk that leaves the straps too loose in a crash – causing the child to come to a jolting stop (or in some cases to be ejected from their car seat).
Do the “magic coat trick” – dress your child in 3 thin, tight layers (for about 50 degree weather), buckle the child & get the straps snug, have the child hold out their arms and put the coat on BACKWARDS (over the straps). Now the child is safer AND more comfortable (when the car warms up, the child can pull the coat off to prevent overheating).
This and lots of other great tips are on this graphic we created with CafeMom – so please share with friends!
Also see here for more coat tricks: http://thecarseatlady.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/coats/

Family Dinner Time…important to children!

Posted on January 30, 2013 by llpitlwp

I have always loved dinner time thanks to my own grandmother. She always made it special and it was almost always delicious.

While raising my own family…we tried to have a sit down dinner at least 4 to 5 times every week…it was a time to get together and share food and stories. My own mother lived with us so we were lucky to have three generations at the table most nights.

Now that I am a grandmother, I still feel the importance of sharing meals together. Sometimes, my husband and I go out to share a meal and talk about whatever “empty nesters” talk about and sometimes we enjoy a dinner or lunch with our family.

What is it that you do? How is your mealtime? Has it morphed through time?

I would love to hear from you.

Parenting in the Loop

Category Archives: Kids