Frequently Asked Questions
Question:
My 2 1/2 year old is not talking as well as other children his age. Will he catch up himself?
Answer:
Children who are slow to talk are a mixed group. A few will catch up with their peers before they enter kindergarten. A few may improve a lot but will still have some delays and this negatively
impacts on their ability to cope at school; socially and academically. They need help with speech and language development in the preschool years. It is a good idea to have your child assessed by a
Speech-Language Pathologist as soon as possible, rather than leaving it until entering school.
Question:
My child has behaviour problems. Will he need to see a speech and language pathologist?
Answer:
Children with behavioural problems are more likely to have a language problem. The speech and language pathologist will be able to determine if communication is a factor in the behaviour and provide
strategies to reduce frustration regarding communication.
Question:
My child does not appear to listen although a hearing test showed normal hearing. Can a Speech-Language Pathologist help?
Answer:
Children can have problems with listening in spite of perfect hearing acuity. These children have auditory processing disorders and they are more likely to have trouble learning to read and spell when
they enter school. These children are often looked upon as children with behavioural problems. It is a good idea to address this problem in the pre-school years to provide the child with listening
skills to cope with learning.
Question:
My child is 3 years old and stutters. Is this a concern?
Answer:
Most toddlers go through an unfluent period. Whether it is a concern, depends on a number of factors. A Speech-Language Pathologist will be able to help you with strategies to encourage fluent speech
and prevent development of stuttering.
Question:
Do you offer any groups?
Answer:
Yes, Infant Massage for newborns up to age 1, Parent/Child Mother Goose
Program for children birth to age 2 and Parents and Tots for 2 and 3 year
olds.
Question:
What does the Infant Development Program do?
Answer:
- We provide support for/on development of your child
- Use assessments and screening tools to monitor your child's
development.
- Do home and office visits independently or with other
professionals to help support the family
- We can make further referrals to community agencies or share
information on other services
- Help you establish goals and strategies to support your child's
development.
Question:
Is my child developing o.k.?
Answer:
Children all develop at their own rates and they can be below their age
level or above in different areas. Sometimes one area of development
will develop more while other areas plateau such as gross motor with
walking. We review what your child is doing with an assessment or
screening tool.
Question:
When will my child walk?
Answer:
Typically, children start to walk between 9 and 15 months of age.
At this age their movement skills are changing a lot in a very short
time. Since there is a wide range of normal, a great difference in
abilities can appear between two children of the same age. If your
child is active and crawling don't worry if they aren't quick to walk -
the crawling is very good exercise for muscle development.
Information on typical development is available at the Child Development
Centre and if you have concerns you can request a consultation regarding
the development of your child's movement.
Question:
My toddler has flat feet. Should he be wearing special shoes ?
Answer:
All children start off with flat feet. The arches start to
develop about 2 to 3 years old and are fully developed by 6 to 8 years
old. For most children no special footwear is required. Shoes
provide warmth and protection and should fit well (ample room for the foot
and toes). It is also important to play safely each day barefoot
since the sensory input improves walking and postural skills
Sometimes, however, the ankle joints can be lax and roll
inwards. These children can benefit from more supportive shoes and
possibly shoe inserts to hold the heel bone in a good position. If
you are concerned, a physiotherapy consultation is available through the
Child Development Centre.
Question:
How do I refer my child for Occupational Therapy Services?
Answer:
Children are eligible for School-Aged Occupational Therapy services if
they are between 5 to 18 years of age, and reside in Quesnel and/or the
surrounding district. All requests for services are to go through
the child's School-Based Team, where a working team meeting will take
place to determine the child's needs and priority for service. The
School-Based Team will draft the referral and the primary caregiver will
complete the referral package.
Question:
What type of service can I expect?
Answer:
School-Aged Occupational Therapy Services are primarily consultative in
nature. This means that the therapist will typically observe and
assess the child, and provide recommendations based on the observations
and assessment results. Implementation of the recommendations is the
responsibility of caregiver and the School-Based Team. The therapist
will collaborate closely with the School-Based Team to monitor and
re-evaluate the child's progress as necessary.
Question:
How do I know if my child could be on the Supported Child Development
Program?
Answer:
A child with developmental delays aged 0 to 12 years old who attends a
childcare or community program can qualify for the Supported Child
Development program. If you or your childcare provider are concerned
about your child, call the Child Development Centre. The intake
committee will ask some questions and the Supported Child Development
program may assess your child to see if he or she qualifies.
Question:
Does the Supported Child Development Program cost anything?
Answer:
The Ministry of Child and Family Development fund the Supported Child
Development Program. Therefore it does not cost families to access
our services. Families are required to pay their own childcare
fees. There are Ministry of Child and Family subsidy funds that
families can apply for, if their child is on the Supported Child
Development Program. Please contact the Child Development Centre for
more information.
Question:
My child is turning 12 years old. Can the Supported Child
Development Program still help us?
Answer:
If your child is 12 to 18 years old, with special needs, we may be able
to support him/her in a community program. Call the Child
Development Centre for more information.
Question:
The daycare provider has concerns about my child but I don't see the
problem - can the Supported Child Development Program help them?
Answer:
Yes, we can help. Sometimes children act differently when they
are away from their parents. Supported Child Development can assist
the childcare provider in finding ways to help the child do well. We
mostly work with children in their childcare programs - not very often in
the child's home, however we keep in touch with the parents regularly and
include parents to be part of their child's team.
Question:
Is the Pregnancy Outreach Program just for young single girls?
Answer:
No, women of all ages are able to participate in our program.
Partners and friends are welcome to attend with you as well.
Question:
Can I enter the program after my baby is born even if I never attended
while I was pregnant?
Answer:
Yes, you can fully participate in the program for up to six months
after the baby is born.
Question:
I've had a baby before - is there any point in me being on your
program?
Answer:
Of course! Every pregnant Mom has things to share and learn!
|
