May 7, 2020 Keeping Our Children Well During COVID-19 Join former American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) president, Colleen Kraft, MD, FAAP, for a discussion on how early care and education (ECE) providers can support families’ medical care during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. About ECE programs can support families’ access to needed medical care. The AAP recommends children under 24 months maintain their Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) immunization schedule to prevent the breakout of communicable diseases. Many pediatricians are conducting well-child visits through telehealth appointments. However, families may be struggling to access these services. To learn how ECE providers can support families’ medical care during the pandemic, register to attend this webinar. Registration To register, visit the event webpage. The registration link can be used for both the live event and on-demand viewing. The recording will be available to watch on-demand starting 30 minutes after the live event ends, until May 31, 2020. Because access to the live event is limited and the session may be full, event hosts recommend watching the webinar on-demand. A version with English closed captions will also be posted on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) in the future.
June 4, 2019 Empowering and Strengthening Relationships Across Early Childhood Settings Join the Harvard Graduate School of Education on June 27 and 28 for “Empowering and Strengthening Relationships Across Early Childhood Settings,” a new program intended for early education leaders, principals, program directors, administrators, and teacher leaders. About “Empowering and Strengthening Relationships Across Early Childhood Settings” is offered as part of the Zaentz Professional Learning Academy, featuring the tools and resources of “Simple Interactions,” a collaboration between the Fred Rogers Center on Early Learning and Children’s Media and the Zaentz Initiative. Led by Faculty Co-Chairs Junlei Li, Nonie Lesaux, and Stephanie Jones, this two-day on-campus institute offers participants a combination of practice-based learning experiences, research and theoretical insights from both within and beyond the early childhood field, and community-supported problem-solving. Program Objectives Participants will: Define what is a developmental human interaction and how such interactions contribute to the full range of child development goals from language to social and emotional learning; Envision and plan how to support the development of young children’s helpers and empower adult-child human interactions; and Engage in practice-based conversations for professional learning settings and re-examine early childhood systems with a relationship-focused lens. Program Costs The program will be hosted on campus and will require a $199 tuition payment per person. Special rates are available for Program, Community, District, and Network Teams. Participants will receive a certificate of participation and a letter confirming clock hours of instruction. Tuition includes all instructional materials, however, participants will have to pay for associated travel expenses and hotel accommodations. For more information, visit their Payment page. Registration Registrations must be submitted by June 20, 2019, via the event website. More Information For more information, visit the event webpage or email ppe@gse.harvard.edu. Share this flyer with your network.
April 15, 2019 Sign-On to Support Families Impacted by Postpartum Depression Understanding the Need Postpartum depression can strike any new mother. Research shows that approximately 15 percent of new mothers suffer from postpartum depression. In Pennsylvania, this means about 21,000 infants and moms are affected each year. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that when a mother suffers from postpartum depression, both mothers and babies experience negative effects, including: adverse effects on the baby’s brain and development, increased danger of child abuse and neglect, and increased medical care costs. Will you sign-on to support Pennsylvania’s mothers and infants? What is #StrongMomStrongBaby? #StrongMomStrongBaby is a statewide effort to amend the existing early intervention law (Act 212 of 1990) to add postpartum depression as an at-risk condition allowing infants to undergo assessments, parents to receive assistance in bonding with their babies, and if needed, Early Intervention services to ensure moms and babies have the best start together. To learn more and stay up-to-date, follow the campaign’s Facebook page. Take Action Show your support for Pennsylvania’s mothers and infants by adding your name to the #StrongMomStrongBaby petition.
March 29, 2019 Hello Robo: Early STEM Robotics Robots provide unseen services across industries, including transportation, medical, and manufacturing. Early learners need the foundational STEM skills that allow them to imagine and build the robots of the future. About the Event Join the Carnegie Science Center Teaching Excellence Academy for a professional development workshop where participants will use resources from NAEYC and other STEM experts to examine developmentally appropriate concepts to prepare students for robotics technologies. Educators will discover hands-on, standards-aligned activities they can do right away, even if they don’t have a robot — yet! This professional development opportunity is for pre-K through 2nd-grade teachers. About the Academy Carnegie Science Center’s Teaching Excellence Academy offers opportunities for educators in all grade levels, with specific workshops in STEM, early learner education, and digital fabrication. Act 48 credit is provided upon successful completion of each workshop. In addition to onsite workshops, the Science Center offers multiple opportunities for professional development to be delivered at local sites throughout the academic year. For more information, visit their website. Registration & Questions To register or ask questions, contact Toni Stith at StithT@CarnegieScienceCenter.org or 412.237.1616.
November 19, 2018 2018 Child Passenger Safety Recommendations Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of death for children four years and older. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated the Child Passenger Safety policy statement and technical report based on new evidence gathered over the past 10 years. The documents will be published in the November issue of Pediatrics. The updated guidance advises children to ride rear-facing as long as possible. Two years of age is no longer a specific age criterion when a child changes from a rear- to a forward-facing car safety seat. View the AAP New article. Recommendations Angela Osterhuber, Ed.M., Director, PA Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, PA Traffic Injury Prevention Project (TIPP) offers this advice: Secure infants and toddlers in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the manufacturer of the car seat. In Pennsylvania, children younger than two years must be secured in a rear-facing car seat. Never place a rear-facing car seat in the front seat that has an active passenger-side front airbag. If the airbag inflates, it will hit the back of the car seat, right where the baby’s headrests, and could cause serious injury or death. Traveling rear-facing is safer than forward-facing. Call TIPP at 800/CAR-BELT x24 (in PA) for help with questions about the new recommendations. Additional Tips Car seats must be used correctly to properly protect your child in a crash. The AAP’s parent magazine, HealthyChildren.org, has an article titled Car Seat Checkup with other car seat tips for families, such as: The safest place for all children younger than 13 years to ride is in the back seat regardless of weight and height. If an older child must ride in the front seat, putting the child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness may be the best choice. Be sure you move the vehicle seat as far back from the dashboard (and airbag) as possible. Information provided by NAEYC.
