April 13, 2023 Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheets for Educators and Childcare Providers Anxiety disorders cause people to feel frightened, distressed, or uneasy during situations in which most people would not feel that way. Left untreated, anxiety disorders can make it hard for students to get schoolwork done or study. It may affect their relationships with peers and teachers, too. In some cases, students with anxiety disorders miss a lot of school days. Or they may avoid school altogether. Nemours KidsHealth has compiled common anxiety disorder facts sheets that affect children. Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheets Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). With GAD, children have many worries and worry much of the time. They may also have physical symptoms, like headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension, or tiredness. Phobias. A phobia is an intense, unrealistic fear of a specific thing. Some kids have a phobia of dogs. Others have a phobia of spiders or snakes. A child with a phobia will go to great lengths to avoid the thing they fear. Social anxiety. Kids and teens with social phobia have an intense fear of being judged. It affects them in social or other situations. They will avoid situations where they may have to meet new people or perform. Selective mutism. Some students are too fearful to talk at all in certain situations. Kids and teens with selective mutism are able to talk, and talk well. But they are too fearful to talk in some situations outside their home or with people other than friends. Panic disorder. Some students have panic attacks, a sudden and intense episode of fear. They can include physical symptoms like a pounding heart, shortness of breath, or dizziness. Panic attacks can happen unexpectedly. Separation anxiety. It’s normal for babies and very young children to have some separation anxiety when they are apart from a parent or caregiver. But when separation anxiety lasts beyond the early school age years, students may have trouble coming to school. Educators and child care providers can also access the Anxiety Disorder Fact Sheet information in Spanish.
August 25, 2022 Wellness Grant Opportunity for Child Care Providers The Pennsylvania Nutrition and Physical Activity Self-Assessment for Child Care (PA NAPSACC) program is seeking licensed child care providers to apply for a grant opportunity focused on children’s wellness. Applications are due by September 16, 2022. About the Grant Through the project, providers should help children form positive nutrition and physical activity habits while in their care. The PA NAPSACC program is a continuous quality improvement process focused on obesity prevention practices and policies within early care and education settings. The program utilizes Go NAPSACC, an online, evidence-based tool, to guide providers through self-assessment, action planning, implementation, policy development, re-self-assessment, and reflection. Programs will also be linked with a Child Care Health Consultant (CCHC) at no cost to the site. The CCHC will review current nutrition and physical activity practices and policies, assist with developing sustainable policies, and offer guidance for continuous quality improvement. Providers who participate and complete project requirements will receive up to $500 in grant funding to support staff time and/or any materials and resources needed. For STAR 3 and 4 programs, participation in all components of the PA NAPSACC Wellness Grant satisfies Keystone STARS performance standard LM.3.4.10 (utilizing a health care consultant to establish and maintain health policies above those required by certification) as well as bonus points area Partnerships with Families and Communities (participating in an organized effort to promote nutritional health for children). Apply Applications are due September 16, 2022, and chosen participants will be notified on September 30, 2022. Details are available on the Keystone Kids Go website. To apply, please complete and submit the electronic application. For more information, contact Lori McMonigal, Coordinator for Special Projects – Tuscarora Intermediate Unit, at 717.248.4942 x 112 or lmcmonigal@tiu11.org.
