Long Term Effects of Child Abuse and Neglect: Cost to Society and Individuals

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) recently released an article describing studies about the long term consequences of child maltreatment to the individual and to society.

Children who have experienced abuse or neglect are likely to experience many challenges as adults. These challenges include:

higher rates of unemployment and poverty in adulthood.

physical and mental health challenges in adulthood.

significantly higher use of social services than people without a history of childhood maltreatment.

Overall, adults who had experienced any type of maltreatment in childhood were twice as likely as non-victims to be unemployed. In terms of income, adults who had been physically abused as children were 60 percent more likely than non-victims to be living in poverty. The incidence rose to 180 percent for those who had experienced more than one type of childhood maltreatment.

Maltreatment was also linked to lower rates of health care coverage and greater use of social services such as Medicaid, especially among adults who had experienced childhood sexual abuse.

In the first comprehensive study of the long-term socioeconomic effects of abuse and neglect, Zielinski shows that childhood maltreatment carries significant costs to the individual and to society. Not only does the public share the burden in supporting maltreatment-related social services—such as child welfare services—but also those related to unemployment insurance, poverty-based public assistance, and publicly funded health insurance, such as Medicaid. Other societal impacts include the loss in employment productivity and tax revenues, from federal and state income taxes as well as state and local sales taxes.

Additional research has found that parents who were maltreated as children are more likely to abuse and neglect their own children than those without a history of maltreatment. Targeted assistance for maltreatment victims may help break this cycle.

To read the full article here.

Healthy Turkey Shaped Cookies Recipe

Graham Cracker Turkey Cookies

Looking for a healthy alternative at snack time? These tasty turkeys, made with the naturally sweet goodness of graham and whole wheat flours, cinnamon, vanilla, apple and banana, will be gobbled up at the Thanksgiving table. Your kids will love cutting out the cookies and decorating them.

Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened frozen apple juice concentrate
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 sliced banana
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup graham flour *
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
Turkey-shaped cookie cutter
* Graham flour is a kind of flour, just like the more common wheat flour. If you can't find it in your supermarket, try calling health food stores.

Cooking Instructions
Combine apple juice, oil, banana, vanilla, and cinnamon in a blender.
In a large bowl, mix together graham flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, and salt.
Add apple juice mixture to flour mixture and stir thoroughly.
Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut out with turkey shaped cookie cutter.
Use a fork to poke holes for eyes and feathers.
Bake at 350 degrees F for eight minutes.

This recipe was taken from Kaboose. Check out their website for fun cooking, crafts, and activity ideas for parents and caregivers!

Encourage Creativity while Fundraising for Your Child Care Program

The staff of Workshop on Wheels are always eager to promote children's creativity and expression in their artwork. As you're allowing children to learn and grow in the art center, it's also important to show them that you value what they create. The Arsonia website is a wonderful way to showcase your childrens' artwork, and it even has ways you can raise money for your program.

Artsonia is the world's largest kids art museum online. It's the newest way to celebrate creativity in the classroom and get families involved in art education!

Kids develop a new sense of pride and feel like famous artists published in a museum!

Family and friends view the artwork, join fan clubs and leave personal comments for the artists.

Schools earn 15% when parents purchase custom keepsakes with their child's artwork – a great fundraiser for your arts program!

Thousands of Art Project Lesson Plan Starters have been submitted by teachers just like you, and are available as a resource for your classroom!

Visit the website to find out more. And if you have questions about developmentally appropriate art experiences in child care programs, contact Workshop on Wheels!

Trick or Treat! Halloween Safety Tips

There are many ways to keep your child safe at Halloween, when they are more prone to accidents and injuries. The excitement of children and adults at this time of year sometimes makes them forget to be careful. Simple common sense can do a lot to stop any tragedies from happening.

Help your child pick out or make a costume that will be safe. Make it fire proof, the eye holes should be large enough for good peripheral vision.

If you set jack-o-lanterns on your porch with candles in them, make sure that they are far enough out of the way so that kids costumes won't accidentally be set on fire.

Make sure that if your child is carrying a prop, such as a scythe, butcher knife or a pitchfork, that the tips are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury if fallen on.

Kids always want to help with the pumpkin carving. Small children shouldn't be allowed to use a sharp knife to cut the top or the face. There are many kits available that come with tiny saws that work better then knives and are safer, although you can be cut by them as well. It's best to let the kids clean out the pumpkin and draw a face on it, which you can carve for them.

Treating your kids to a spooky Halloween dinner will make them less likely to eat the candy they collect before you have a chance to check it for them.

Teaching your kids basic everyday safety such as not getting into cars or talking to strangers, watching both ways before crossing streets and crossing when the lights tell you to, will help make them safer when they are out Trick or Treating.

Make Halloween a fun, safe and happy time for your kids and they'll carry on the tradition that you taught them to their own families some day!

Read the full article at: http://www.halloween-safety.com/halloween_safety_kids.html

Free Handwashing Poster

Handwashing can play a significant impact in reducing the spread of infection in childcare, and health experts are encouraging diligent handwashing to help prevent H1N1 (previously known as swine flu) influenza. Healthy Childcare has made available a free downloadable poster you can use to help children learn the importance of handwashing.

Visit the Healthy Childcare website to learn more about promoting healthy habits in young children.

The Latest Information on H1N1 for Child Care Providers

Children less than 5 years of age are at increased risk of complications from influenza (flu); the risk is greater among children less than 2 years old. Importantly, infants less than 6 months of age represent a particularly vulnerable group because they are too young to receive the seasonal or 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine; as a result, individuals responsible for caring for these children constitute a high-priority group for early vaccination. Influenza vaccination is the primary means of preventing flu. Additionally, infection control measures are recommended to reduce the spread of flu.

However, early childhood settings present unique challenges for infection control due to the highly vulnerable population, close interpersonal contact, shared toys and other objects, and limited ability of young children to understand or practice good respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene. Thus, parents, early childhood providers, and public health officials should be aware that, even under the best of circumstances, transmission of infectious diseases such as flu cannot be completely prevented in early childhood or other settings. No policy can keep everyone who is potentially infectious out of these settings.

Recommendations for early childhood programs for the 2009–2010 influenza season

Early childhood providers should examine and revise, as necessary, their current crisis or pandemic plans and procedures; develop contingency plans to cover key positions when staff are absent from work; update contact information for families and staff; and share their plans with families, staff, and the community. Early childhood providers should review and revise, if necessary, their sick leave policies to remove barriers to staff staying home while ill or to care for an ill family member. A doctor’s note should not be required for children or staff to validate their illness or to return to the early childhood setting.

Early childhood providers should frequently remind children, their families, and staff about the importance of staying home when ill; early treatment for people at higher risk for flu complications; hand hygiene; and respiratory etiquette. Educational materials (for example, posters) to enhance compliance with recommendations should be visible in the child care setting. Examples of these materials are available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/flyers.htm.

Stay home when sick: Children and caregivers with flu-like illness should remain at home and away from others until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8° C] or greater when measured orally), or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications. To the extent possible, sick individuals should stay at home and avoid contact with others until they have been without fever for 24 hours, except when necessary to seek medical care.

Conduct daily health checks: Early childhood providers conducting daily health checks should observe all children and staff and talk with each child’s parent or guardian and each child. He or she should look for changes in the child’s behavior, a report of illness or recent visit to a health care provider, and any signs or symptoms of illness. During the day, staff also should identify children and other staff who may be ill. Ill children and staff should be further screened by taking their temperature and inquiring about symptoms. An example of how to perform daily health checks can be found at: http://www.bmcc.edu/Headstart/Trngds/Diseases/pg91-108.htm.

Separate ill children and staff: Children and staff who develop symptoms of flu-like illness while at the early childhood program should promptly be separated from others until they can be sent home. While this may be challenging for some home-based providers, they should provide a space where the child can be comfortable and supervised at all times.

Encourage hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette of both people who are well and those who have any symptoms of flu: Wash hands frequently with soap and water when possible; keep hands away from your nose, mouth, and eyes; and cover noses and mouths with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or a shirt sleeve or elbow if no tissue is available). For children with emerging self-care skills, parents and caregivers should closely monitor their respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene and remind children not to share cups or eating utensils. Visit: www.cdc.gov/cleanhands for more information on hand hygiene and http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/covercough.htm for more information on respiratory etiquette.

Perform routine environmental cleaning: Areas and items that are visibly soiled should be cleaned immediately, and all areas should be regularly cleaned – with a particular focus on items that are more likely to have frequent contact with the hands, mouths, and bodily fluids of young children (for example, toys and play areas).

Consider selective early childhood program closures: If flu transmission is high, some communities or early childhood programs may consider temporary closures with the goal of decreasing the spread of flu among children less than 5 years of age. The decision to selectively close should be made locally in partnership with public health officials and should balance the risks of keeping the children in early childhood programs with the social and economic disruption that can result from closing these programs.

Excerpts are from an article at www.flu.gov. To read the full article: http://www.flu.gov/professional/school/childguidance.html

CDA Starts This Week!

Last chance to sign up for UCM Workshop on Wheels CCR&R's Child Development Associate (CDA) class for 2009-2010! Classes start Thursday, August 27 and will meet from 6 to 9 p.m. in the James C. Kirkpatrick Library on UCM's campus.

Up to nine hours of college credit is available with the class, or you may take it for clock hours only. Our CDA class provides all the clock hours you'll need to earn your CDA plus assistance to complete your Resource File, Autobiography, and Competency Statements. One of our staff members will even come visit your classroom to give you helpful feedback on how to make your final CDA Observation successful.

For more information, contact Jacki Turner at jturner@ucmo.edu or 660-543-8321 or 800-666-1461.

Back to School Tips!

BACKPACK SAFETY

Choose a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.

Pack light. Organize the backpack to use all of its compartments. Pack heavier items closest to the center of the back.

The backpack should never weigh more than 10 to 20 percent of the your child’s body weight.

Always use both shoulder straps. Slinging a backpack over one shoulder can strain muscles.

Consider a rolling backpack. This type of backpack may be a good choice for students who must tote a heavy load. Remember that rolling backpacks still must be carried up stairs, and they may be difficult to roll in snow.

TRAVELING TO AND FROM SCHOOL

Review the basic rules with your youngster:

School Bus

Wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb.

Do not move around on the bus.

Make sure to always remain in clear view of the bus driver.

Bike

Always wear a bicycle helmet, no matter how short or long the ride.

Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic.

Use appropriate hand signals.

Walking to School

Make sure your child's walk to a school is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection.

Be realistic about your child's pedestrian skills. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.

If your child is young or is walking to new school, walk with them the first week to make sure they know the route and can do it safely.

BULLYING

Bullying is when one child picks on another child repeatedly. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or social. It can happen at school, on the playground, on the school bus, in the neighborhood, or over the Internet.

When Your Child Is Bullied

Help your child learn how to respond by teaching your child how to:
1. Look the bully in the eye.
2. Stand tall and stay calm in a difficult situation.
3. Walk away.
Teach your child how to say in a firm voice.
1. "I don't like what you are doing."
2. "Please do NOT talk to me like that."
3. "Why would you say that?"

Teach your child when and how to ask for help.

Make sure an adult who knows about the bullying can watch out for your child's safety and well-being when you cannot be there.

When Your Child Is the Bully

Be sure your child knows that bullying is never OK.

Set firm and consistent limits on your child's aggressive behavior.

Be a positive role mode. Show children they can get what they want without teasing, threatening or hurting someone.

Use effective, non-physical discipline, such as loss of privileges.

When Your Child Is a Bystander

Encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying.

Help your child support other children who may be bullied. Encourage your child to include these children in activities.


BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CHILD CARE

During middle childhood, youngsters need supervision. A responsible adult should be available to get them ready and off to school in the morning and watch over them after school until you return home from work.

Children approaching adolescence (11- and 12-year-olds) should not come home to an empty house in the afternoon unless they show unusual maturity for their age.

If alternate adult supervision is not available, parents should make special efforts to supervise their children from a distance. Children should have a set time when they are expected to arrive at home and should check in with a neighbor or with a parent by telephone.

If you choose a commercial after-school program, inquire about the training of the staff. There should be a high staff-to-child ratio, and the rooms and the playground should be safe.

DEVELOPING GOOD HOMEWORK AND STUDY HABITS

Create an environment that is conducive to doing homework. Youngsters need a permanent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that offers privacy.

Establish a household rule that the TV set stays off during homework time.

Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do a child's homework for her.

If your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren't able to help her yourself, a tutor can be a good solution. Talk it over with your child's teacher first.

Read the full article at the American Academy of Pediatrics' Website!

Dr. Becky Bailey Coming to Lee's Summit!

Dr. Becky Bailey of Loving Guidance will be presenting a two hour session on "Preventing Power Struggles" for parents and providers! If you've seen Dr. Bailey before, you know what a treat this will be. If you haven't seen her yet, oh, you MUST! We promise you will be entertained and informed, and you'll come away with many useful strategies for building relationships with children.

When: September 17, 2009 6:00 to 8:00 pm
Where: Woods Chapel United Methodist Church, 4725 NE Lakewood Way, Lee's Summit, MO 64064
Cost: $20 per person, or $30 per couple

Seating is limited, so register soon! Register by visiting www.woodshchapelchurch.org. For more information contact Peggee Scwartz at 816-373-4904 or e-mail peggees@woodschapelchurch.org.

Take Action: Tell Your Story to Governor Nixon

Partnership for Children released this statement today:

Governor Nixon wants to cut an additional $60 million from the state budget – and 20% of these cuts are targeted to our kids! Child care assistance, adoption resource centers, early head start, and child abuse prevention are just some of the programs serving our most vulnerable children that are at risk. Click here to see a full list.

We need your help to show the real impact of these budget cuts. Email Governor Nixon today and share how these proposed budget cuts would impact you, your family, your organization, or the people you serve.

Child Development Associate Credential (CDA)

Now is the time to sign up for our 2009-2010 CDA class!

What is CDA?
CDA is the Child Development Associate National Credentialing Program. CDA helps candidates to define, evaluate, and recognize competent skills in themselves and their programs. Assessment and credentialing of child care providers was started in 1971 by the Council for Professional Recognition. More than 100,000 child care providers have earned their CDA certificates since 1975. This credential is required for child care licensing by 48 states and the District of Columbia.

CDA Certificates can be awarded for center-based care or family child care. Certificates are targeted for either infant/toddler care or preschool.

What is required to obtain my CDA?
A person with a CDA certificate has the skills necessary to provide quality child care. These skills have been honed through hands-on classroom experience and 120 hours of classroom instruction. Candidates complete a resource notebook which includes an autobiography and written statements of competency. Candidates must also complete an oral test and interview covering knowledge of six competency goals. Candidates are also observed in their child care setting.

A CDA certificate is valid for three years, and it may be renewed in five year increments.

How can Workshop on Wheels help me get my CDA?
Workshop on Wheels has been providing training for CDA candidates since 1976. Through our program candidates receive 120 clock-hours of instruction in the required subject areas. Throughout the class, instructors assist candidates in completing the resource file. Participants also receive technical assistance in the form of at least two classroom observations.

Can I get college credit for my CDA?
Candidates who complete their CDA coursework through Workshop on Wheels may choose to earn up to 9 hours of college credit through the University of Central Missouri. Additional fees apply.

Where and when are classes?
The Workshop on Wheels CDA class meets on Thursdays evenings from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm for approximately 9 months from August through May. Classes are currently held on the campus of University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. Participants must attend the full nine months to complete the program. Provisions are made for students who miss a limited number of classes due to excused absences.

How much does it cost?
Fees vary each year, and tuition assistance may be available. Call Workshop on Wheels for current fees.

Healthy Smiles at KMOS Kids Day

Workshop on Wheels was happy to participate in KMOS Kids Day on Saturday, June 20, 2009. Families visiting our booth learned how to keep their teeth healthy by first eating an Oreo, then looking at their "dirty" teeth in the mirror.

Then children (and some adults!) ate a slice of apple and observed how the healthier snack cleaned the cookie from their teeth. Except for a couple very neat eaters, the experiment was a huge success!

Children were given a choice of a free toothbrush or a free pack of dental flossers. These were generously donated by Dr. Suchman's office in Independence, MO.

Hundreds of "cool kids" from our corner of Missouri attended the event and participated in many fun and educational activities provided by KMOS and local area businesses and organizations.

Some PBS celebrities were even on hand during the day. We have connections with Clifford's "people."

Summer Safety from American Academy of Pediatrics

Experts advise that children play outside for at least one hour per day, weather permitting. This time of year, outdoor safety is critical, and we must consider things like sun protection, heat stress, water safety, and insect safety.

Here are a few outdoor safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays.
• Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours - between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• The intensity of activities that last 15 minutes or more should be reduced whenever high heat and humidity reach critical levels.
• Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.
• The current CDC and AAP recommendation for children over 2 months of age is to use insect repellent with 30 percent DEET. DEET should not be used on children under 2 months of age.
• Make sure metal slides are cool to prevent children's legs from getting burned.
• Never attach—or allow children to attach—ropes, jump ropes, leashes, or similar items to play equipment; children can strangle on these.
• Do not allow children to ride as passengers on ride-on mowers.

For more information, visit their website.

Water Play in Warrensburg!

Did you know that you can take your children on a field trip to the Nassif Aquatic Center in Warrensburg this summer?

Child Care Groups can attend Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon for a fee of $2.50 per child. There is a minimum of eight children, and one adult is admitted free oer eight children.

Reservations are required!

Contact Melissa Craig, Recreation Supervisor at melissa.craig@warrensburg-mo.com or 660-747-7178.

Congratulations to all our CDA students!

Thursday was the final class for our 2008-2009 Child Development Associate (CDA) class. It was another fabulous class, and we have really enjoyed getting to know each student and spending time in your programs. Congratulations to all of you!

We are lucky to be able to offer comprehensive help to our CDA students. In addition to the 120 clock hours required, Workshop on Wheels assigns each student a mentor who visits the student's classroom and offers suggestions for improvement. We help students complete their Resource File, and we are always available to answer questions about the CDA process.

If you are interested in obtaining a CDA Credential, now is the time to get on the list for our 2009-2010 class. Call Jacki at 660-543-8321 or 800-666-1461 to get on the list or to request more information about CDA class.

Messy Morning was a Blast!

Thank you for helping to make Our First Annual Messy Morning April 25, 2009 a huge success!
A total of 19 businesses and organizations cooperated to provide fun, educational, and messy activities for young children and their families. We had a total of 44 families participate, with 83 children ranging from infants through 12 years-old
The staff of Workshop on Wheels would like to thank Warrensburg Parks and Recreation, Applebee’s, Creative Castle Child Development Center, LLC, Delta Zeta, Early Childhood Opportunity Center, Johnson County Christian Academy, Johnson County Community Health Services, KMOS, Leeton Early Childhood Development Center, MO Volunteers, Monetti’s Pizzeria Ristorante, National Residence Hall Honorary, Scrappin’ Oasis, Trails Regional Library, UCM Bowling Team, UCM Chlld Development Lab, U.S. Toy, Whiteman Air Force Base

This Could Get a Little Messy!

Be sure and join Workshop on Wheels, Warrensburg Parks and Recreation, and several local businesses and organizations for MESSY MORNING this coming Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Community Center in Warrensburg!

Activities available will include painting, water play, seed planting, car seat safety checks, shaving cream activities, pizza dough, and more! Plan to bring your own children, and spread the word to families in your care!

Garden Projects for Kids

We've gotten a super response to Pam's article about gardening with young children in our latest newsletter. If you're looking for even more gardening ideas, you've come to the right place!

Make a toad house: Patrolling the garden at night, toads devour many of the insect pests that damage flowers and vegetables. Invite them to your yard with a snug little home. All you need to build one is a clay pot about four inches in diameter and a trowel for digging. Toads need a cool, moist place to rest in the daytime so choose a spot in the shade. Dig a couple of inches deep, making the hole a bit larger than the clay pot. Place the pot on its side in the hole and bury it about halfway. Use some damp leaves to create a nice bed inside the pot, then moisten the area with a little water to keep the pot in place. Because toads "drink" through their skin, place a small saucer or pie plate nearby and add an inch or so of water. If you're lucky, you won't have to wait too long before a toad comes to visit.

Grow a bean teepee: Pole beans growing on a simple frame will quickly create a shady hideaway for the kids. You'll need a packet of pole bean seeds, three to six six-foot-long bamboo stakes (from the garden center), a planting area about six feet square, straw for mulch and a two-foot length of string. Start our bean teepee around the time you would normally plant tomatoes - about two weeks after the last expected frost. Arrange stakes in a circle, sticking them into the ground 10 inches from bed edge, leaving a two-foot wide space, so kids can enter the teepee. Gather tops of stakes, wrap and tie them together with string. For quicker sprouting, soak bean seeds overnight then plant following packet directions in a circle outside of the base of teepee. Water well. Place a two- to three-inch layer of straw over the soil in the middle to keep weeds down. As the bean plants grow, tie the stems carefully to teepee stakes. In six to eight weeks, bean plants will cover the structure and kids can play inside.

Great plants for kids: When starting plants from seed, choose big, easy to handle and quick-to-germinate seeds such as beans, radishes, sunflowers, dwarf nasturtiums and zinnia. Kids also love the tiny and the giant, so plant miniature vegetables like grape tomatoes and dwarf sunflowers like 'Teddy Bear' or big plants like tall Russian sunflowers or pumpkins (one rambling pumpkin plant needs a six-foot-square area of ground). Also try unusual veggies - like purple carrots and beans, rainbow chard, heirloom tomatoes, or yellow scallop squash. Uniquely shaped flowers like snapdragons and bleeding hearts are fun to manipulate and dissect. Textured plants like soft lambs' ears, woolly thyme and plumed annual celosia beg to be touched, and strawflowers and purple coneflowers are cool customers because they're so prickly.

Grow a pizza garden: Kids can grow the fresh ingredients for pizza sauce - a couple of tomato plants, one each of basil, rosemary and oregano, plus half a dozen onions (use onion sets, which are small onion bulbs) and one green and one red pepper plant. Buy plants in spring, but don't transplant them into the garden until all danger of frost is past. Help kids prepare the soil. For fun, make the bed round or wedge shaped, and edge it with orange or yellow marigolds to resemble crust. At harvest time, buy plain pizza crust or pizza dough, and help kids cook up a sauce using garden fresh ingredients. Top the pizza crust with sauce, diced peppers and the usual pepperoni and cheese. How proud they will be to have grown their own pizza sauce!

Build a scarecrow: Collect adult-sized old clothing - an old plaid shirt, a vest or jacket, a pair of jeans, old gloves (for the hands), and boots or socks (for the feet). Use straw, leaves or rags as stuffing. For a frame, use two pieces of wood with one stake tall enough for the height of clothing and 1 ½ feet extra to pound into ground. Cut the shorter stake the length of the shirt with arms stretched out. Nail the boards in a cross-like form. Stuff a pillowcase for the head first and tie up the round part with string, then pull the open-ended pillow fabric over the vertical stake and secure the string. For facial features, kids can use waterproof markers, or help them sew on buttons for eyes and nose. Fasten a straw hat with safety pins. Put the shirt onto the frame, do up the buttons and add the stuffing, tying the shirt's waist so stuffing stays in place. Pin or tie ends of pants and stuff. Use a belt through the loops to attach jeans to the stake and shirt. Use safety pins if necessary. Prop leg ends into boots or stuffed socks and pin stuffed gloves to ends of the shirt arms. Presto! You have a fun scarecrow decoration for the kids' garden.

Theme gardens: Let the kids take the lead here. Some might be fascinated to learn about butterfly gardens and what plants attract first the caterpillars and then, later in the season, the nectar-seeking butterflies. Harry Potter fans could grow herbs and plants studied by Harry and his friends in herbology class. (Note: This is a project best suited to older kids as some of the plants in the books, such as monkshood, are poisonous.) A budding chef could research and grow gourmet vegetables. Other popular themes include color or fragrance. Theme gardens can be as varied as your child's imagination.

Grow the Tickle Me Plant: Try growing the plant that moves when your kids tickle it. It is the TickleMe Plant (Mimosa pudica). They are easy to grow and kids never forget the experience of seeing the leaves and branches of this sensitive plant move when they tickle it. TickleMe Plant seeds and growing kits can easily be found on the web, or in most science catalogs and science museums. I have grown them with my school children for many years!

This article and more great ideas can be found at http://www.kaboose.com/

Safely Handling Live Chicks and Ducklings

Many early childhood programs enjoy hatching eggs as a science activity during the springtime. Children also may receive chicks and ducklings as Easter gifts. As parents and providers, we must be aware that chicks and ducklings can place young children at risk for serious illness.

 Handling of chicks and ducklings has been linked to Salmonella illness.
 Children are less likely than adults to wash their hands after playing with the birds.
 Children have more frequent hand-to-mouth contact than adults.

What is Salmoella Illness?
Salmonella are a group of bacteria that can cause diarrheal illness. One of the most widespread pathogens in the world, Salmonella infection can cause mild to life-threatening illness in humans and other animals, including birds. Contaminated food is the most common way people become infected. Salmonella, however, can infect some pets and people who have had contact with pets or pet feces. Even chicks and ducklings that appear healthy can carry Salmonella on their feathers. In 2008, over 750 cases of human Salmonella illness were reported in Missouri.

How do I protect children from getting Salmonella?
 Do not let children under five handle baby chicks or other young birds.
 Pacifiers, toys, or other objects must not touch baby birds or their enclosures.
 If anyone touches the chicks or ducklings or their environment, make sure they wash their hands with soap and water immediately afterwards.

Important Information about Samonella:
Most people with Salmonella illness have diarrhea, fever, and stomach pain. Symptoms start one to three days after infection and illness usually lasts four to seven days. Young children and the elderly can develop more severe infections.

For more information about salmonellosis: http://www.dhss.mo.gov/Salmonellosis/

Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services
Office of Veterinary Public Health and the
Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention
Toll-free (866) 628-9891 or call your local public health department

Child Care and Biting

There’s nothing like predicting the inevitable. If your child is in child care, eventually one toddler is going to bite another toddler. And if it’s your child that is being bit, you are going to get upset. Even if your child is the biter, you are also going to be distressed. You can work with your child care provider to help keep biting to a minimum. You can also make sure procedures are in place to handle biting once it occurs.

Biting will happen – it is a stage that many toddlers go through. It is helpful to know that biting is not a predictor of later aggressive behavior, and it should not be grounds for expulsion from a child care program. Studies show that one out of 10 toddlers and 2-yearolds are biters. The occurrence of biting in child care is highest in September, lowest in the summer and usually
peaks around 10:00 a.m. Biting is most common when toddlers are under stress or going through a developmental change. Once your child can use words and has a little more control over his or her behavior, biting will be less of an
issue. It helps to understand why toddlers bite.

◗◗ Their back teeth are coming in. Their gums hurt.
◗◗ They still use their mouth to explore the world.
◗◗ They don’t have the words to tell you what they want.
◗◗ They don’t understand having to wait for something.
◗◗ They do understand there are things they want to do, but are unable or not allowed to do.
◗◗ They may not be getting enough oral stimulation in their diet.
◗◗ The setting may be overwhelming.

Biting is less common in a calm environment. Your child care provider should be doing as much as possible to avoid unnecessary commotion and competition for toys and adult attention. You should expect to see the following:

◗◗ Watchful adult supervision
◗◗ Teething toys (that are sanitized frequently)
◗◗ Children being taught to share, wait and use their words
◗◗ Daily activities that engage toddlers in sensory activities such as using straws, crunching on ice or blowing on a whistle
◗◗ Foods that have a variety of tastes, temperatures and textures that require sucking, gumming, munching, crunching and chewing
◗◗ Supervised use of toothbrushes and oral stimulation brushes that allow children to massage their gums
◗◗ Planning for individual children’s needs, interests and developmental levels
◗◗ Written policies that describe how the program handles biting
◗◗ Information for parents about how to prevent and respond to biting

Biting is scary for the whole group - for the child being hurt, the child doing the biting, and the group that witnesses the results. A good program will have procedures in place to deal with biting. You should expect your caregiver to respond calmly and take steps to minimize future incidents. If your child is bitten, you should expect your child to be comforted and given appropriate first-aid. You should receive a written injury report. When you hear your child has been bitten, stay calm. Let the caregiver explain what happened. Find out what steps are being put in place to reduce chances that this will happen again. Please note that your child care provider is legally not allowed to tell you who did the biting. If your child is repeatedly being bitten, and you think that your provider is not taking care of the problem, you should notify your local licensing office. For contact information, call Child Care Aware® at 1-800-424-2246 or visit www.childcareaware.org/en/.

If your child is the biter, you should expect your child to be comforted as well. It’s scary to lose control and bite. Once your child is calm, he or she should be helped to see that the child
who was bitten has been hurt. Then your child should be redirected to another activity.

The providers should consider the best strategies to use with your child to prevent future biting. Your child may need a teething toy, a different toy, or a reminder about learning to share or wait.

You and your child care provider should spend time watching and understanding your toddler.
Share positive techniques you have used at home to reduce the incidents of biting, hitting or other specific aggressive behaviors. Help your child care provider look for patterns in the biter’s environment and emotional state during each biting episode.

◗◗ Does the time of day make a difference?
◗◗ Was the child uncomfortable, sick, hungry, sleepy, bored or excited?
◗◗ How long has it been since the child last ate?
◗◗ Does the child feel crowded?
◗◗ Is the child over stimulated or under stimulated?
◗◗ Does the child always bite the same individual?
◗◗ Has there been a change at home or at the child care program that affects the child’s
stress level?

Consider which of the prevention strategies will be most successful in reducing your toddler’s urge to bite in the future. Make a plan to support the biter’s needs and help the child be successful. You and your provider can guide your child toward self-control and away from biting. The key is understanding - for adults and children alike.

For More Information:

American Academy of Pediatrics, www.aap.org/healthtopics/childcare.cfm, has a parenting section on its website that covers a variety of issues on raising children.

Talaris Research Institute, http://www.talaris.org/, provides research summaries for parents and the general public about a variety of child development and parenting topics.

Reprinted with permission from The Daily Parent, a newsletter for parents funded by the Citi Foundation and produced by NACCRRA. Copyright 2009, NACCRRA, Arlington, VA. All rights reserved.

Autism Clinic coming to UCM!

The Federal Omnibus Bill signed by President Barack Obama includes $285,000 for UCM's Midwest Clinic for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Phase I was funded in 2008, and allowed for planning and development of the clinic. The next phase will include needs assessments in area schools, working with teachers, and scheduling and performing clinical evaluations of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

For more information, please call 660-543-4272.
View the full article at: http://ucmo.edu/news/autism.funding.cfm

Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect Conference

Jacki and I spent last week at the Children's Trust Fund Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect Conference in Jefferson City. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet child advocates from all over the state, and to learn more about what child care providers can do to prevent child abuse.

One of our most informative sessions was on the link between child abuse and animal abuse. Did you know that people who are abusive toward animals are highly likely to also be abusive to children? However, the law in Missouri does not currently require child abuse investigators to report suspected animal abuse, and the law does not require animal control officers to report suspected child abuse. In fact, investigators are not supposed to share this information across agencies, as it would be a breech of confidentiality.

Stay tuned for information about what we can do to change this. Let's protect Missouri's children, and their pets!