What was your most valuable takeaway from this weeks’ content?

[Meredith Pizzi]

Please reflect on your takeaway from this week’s material.

[Ann Dardis]

My biggest takeaway from this week’s content is understanding that at 18 months a child is not able to grasp the concept of sharing. I love that you said it’s better to say, “Let’s trade!” I hope I remember this the next time kids are fighting over instruments.

[Lauren Roberts]

As an MT-BC who is also recently NICU-MT, a large portion of this week’s material was a great review of previously learned information. My Type A personality loved having the milestones for each age group organized by domain as well. However, my Type A personality also had difficulty reading Music, Therapy, and Early Childhood: A Developmental Approach beginning with page 16. So, I started from the beginning, and my biggest take-away was actually in the earlier material! On page xii of the introduction it is stated that “in practice, these problems [physical ailments, cognitive deficits, emotional issues] are the outward surface of the real need of young children – the need to develop into a full person.” Then, as I was reading the developmental scales and checklists they became so much more than the to-do list of sorts that I had previously been viewing them as. Yes, it is important to achieve these milestones, but not merely for the sake of being able to say they have been achieved, but because they are the foundation of the full person who these young children are to become!

[Kristen Crouch]

I appreciated the “red flags” for each age as something to watch for and the important educational points for parents. I didn’t know that 6-9 mos respond to your negative emotions and may even imitate but that they don’t necessarily feel what you are feeling. You offered a lot of clarity about different milestones and what kids actually understand (I’m sorry; share; trade; make-believe vs reality).

[Katherine Sestrick]

There was so much valuable information in this module, but the one part that really “struck a chord” (ha, ha) with me was the reminder that babies between the ages of 3-6 months are beginning to fear strangers and that we should wait for the primary caregiver to introduce the baby to us. I think that it is our natural instinct to go up to a baby of that age, get right in his/her face, and start making faces and cooing at him/her. I can imagine that this would be very overwhelming for any baby and that we need to show a little more restraint when approaching babies that are unfamiliar with us.

[Kristina Rio]

Great reflections! I encourage you to keep notes and keep a copy of your responses on the forum in a folder to reference later. All of this information is so helpful to look back on if/when you do start your own program.

[Caitlin Kauffman]

There were so many takeaways from this module. I really enjoyed all of the information. I found myself writing endlessly and pausing and going back to get all the little nuggets I wanted to have written down for myself. The “red flag alerts” during most of the stages were big takeaways, as I have realized how unaware I was of what exactly were “normal” ages for developmental milestones. Knowing these, and now the ‘red flags’ as well, makes me feel more prepared to help families (at least with more studying and hands-on experience).

[Sarah Gagnon]

I found the use of the scarf as VERY helpful in breaking down the age-ranges. I learn well by doing and giving me something to use, touch and visualize was incredible. I’m finding that I can remember each section because of the movement of the scarf. The reminder to use simple directions, songs and melodies is very helpful in my work this week!

Is the book part of the course?
Beth, I love your voice!!

[Amy Dunlap]

While listening and taking notes, I was amazed at how very different one developmental period can be from the periods before and after. Just hearing Beth break down what is happening with each domain as the child develops was eye opening (it’s been a while since I took Childhood Development as a freshman in college). Specifically, the biggest takeaway for me deals with biting from 9-12 months. I never thought of biting as the infant’s way of seeking sensory input with his newly grown teeth, but it made perfect sense. I love the idea of placing a more appropriate object in the way of biting a friend or providing some other sort of sensory stimulation when a child is biting; I hope to be able to explain to parents and caregivers that behaviors that would be unacceptable for adults or children stem from curiosity in infants and should be guided, not harshly eliminated.

[Bernadette Skodack]

I have to echo the appreciation for the red flags and the “let’s trade” concepts. I also loved the reassurances. As someone who doesn’t have children (yet), I can see where a new parent could be uneasy or “freaked out” by some things. Having those reassurances and explanations is definitely valuable!

I also found myself longing for my Essential Guide to Brain Injury book in my office to compare the stages with typical brain development. It’s interesting too that some of the concepts are things I have to keep in mind when I work with my adults due to their injuries; things such as simple and clear explanations and even “let’s trade”. I think I’ll have to grab the book tomorrow and reference it during the rest of training!

[Kristina Rio]

Bernadette, I love that you are already applying this to your current work!

[Barb Blackburn]

I think the biggest “take – away” for me was the fact that 36-48 month old children don’t understand moral concepts such as “sorry”. I don’t have children of my own but I was previously a nanny and I struggled with the oldest girl (when she was two, and into three years) about saying sorry, even if it was an accident. She totally did not understand that! That was very interesting. I also found the biting very interesting! I had no idea that it was sensory input!

The red flags can be tricky though, I wouldn’t want to frighten a parent into thinking there may be a problem when there isn’t. An example: My younger siblings are twins and my sister could run before my brother could even crawl! Same with speaking, my brother had many speech problems at a young age. He had/has no delays and is currently a very successful web designer.

I also loved the “trading rather than sharing” concept. Sharing is difficult to do, even as children get past age five!

[Kasey Sollenberger]

The first valuable “takeaway” that comes to mind for me, is having the ability to assure parents that every child develops in their own time and that certain challenging actions/reactions from children (biting for example) are not reflections of ones parenting style. I took away so many bits of wisdom just from the developmental information and I can’t wait to dive into reading the book (Music, Therapy, and Early Childhood) I just received!

[Lauren Caso]

I would have to say the most valuable take away for me is the breakdown of what to expect within certain age groups or developmental levels. Learning about “red flags”, and how to present them to a parent or caregiver appropriately in conversation, is generally a new concept for me. I do, however, see the benefit of starting those conversations with caregivers, because we share the common goal of providing the best service possible for each and every child! I also must echo the emphasis of using “trading” instead of “sharing”, and was surprised to learn biting is more of a sensory experience for a baby, and does not necessarily have malicious intent. All good tidbits to know! The information presented here will only help us become better therapists and communicators with the adults involved. 🙂

[Brandy Jenkins]

**Late Entry as I am Catching Up on Posting**

My greatest takeaway from this week’s content is just what to look for overall. Perhaps the “red flags” were the most helpful. Actually, all of the developmental milestone information was wonderful. I appreciated the clear breakdown among ages. I do not have any children and so I feel behind, but this information helped me feel more adequate as a therapist for early childhood.

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