Early ChildhoodFoundation Skills

Birth – 5 years

Where does this journey begin?

Rebecca Coakley, MAChildren’s Vision Rehabilitation

ProjectWest Virginia University Eye

Institute

Overview of the Journey

1) Dreams to Reality2) Reality to Education3) Education to Advocacy4) Advocacy to Intervention5) Intervention to

Independence

Dreams to Reality

Acceptance

Dreams to Reality

• Fears

• Guilt

• Anger

• Pity

Dreams to Reality

• Normal to “New Normal”

• Expectations should not change

• The avenue in which to achieve may!

Reality in Education

• Trip to Holland

Reality to EducationFact Finding Mission

• Physicians• Medications• Surgeries• Research

• Educators• Therapist• Agencies• Support Groups

Education to Advocacy

Education to Advocacy

• Base of Knowledge• Case Manager• Developing professional

relationships

Advocacy toIntervention

Advocacy to Intervention

• Case Manager• Advocate for child

• Transition to Child

Intervention toIndependence

Interventions

• Milestones• Allow child to explore• Allow child to fail• Require child to communicate

needs• Letting go• Nurture new relationships• Create safe environment

Interventions

It takes a village…

Create strong community• Grandparents• Agencies• Physicians• Educators

Interventions

• Create opportunities for learning• Play! Play! Play!• Success/failure• Basic concepts – Don’t Assume!• Use multi-sensory approach• May need adaptation or

individualized instruction

Interventions

• Social Skills• Direct fact to voice• Head up posture• Body Language

• Press, poke & rock

Interventions

• Sensory Integration• Touch

• Sense of body awareness (shoe)

• Cueing• Sound

• Vacuum cleaner• Garage door

Interventions

• Sensory Integration• Smell

• Food kitchen• Roses garden

• Taste• Sight

• Light perception• Increase visual interest

Interventions

• Moving on• Motivation

• Reach to Roll

• Balance – sit

Interventions

• Moving on• Crawling

• Exploration

• Relationship to space

• Increases upper body and hand strength

Interventions• Moving on

• Upright position• Supported

• Unsupported

• Safety

• Bruises

• Confidence

Intervention to Independence

• Language/Communication• Cries adult response

• Consistency with language

• Replace with vocalization, signs or gestures

• Cause/Effect

• Meaningful use of words

Interventions

• Strong foundation leads to:• Smooth Transition

• Sitters

• School

• College

• Jobs

A house of success is built one brick at a

time.

Success is a journey…not a destination