Keeping Your Head Above Water
I purposefully avoid New Year’s resolutions. I am well aware of the fact that I will almost certainly have abandoned my new found decisions by February. That said, I have made it a goal to do a better job of writing more in 2021. I really do have the best of intentions when it comes to writing blog posts more frequently, but I sometimes also suffer from poor follow through on those commitments! I have asked Margaret Hopping to write a post about the effects we are seeing in children from COVID-19. We are all well aware of the drastic changes that have been implemented into pretty much every facet of our lives since March 13, 2020. Margaret and her team at neuroBridge are a great resource for BBS students, parents, AND teachers. We are thankful for the partnership we have with them to serve students on our campus, and also provide support for our teachers to help students succeed in the class every day. We were excited to have a dedicated space (our Learning Center in the new Hub) for them to serve our students this year. In the post below, Margaret shares some GREAT information that we must remember as we learn to deal with the “new normal” of living through a global pandemic. It is crazy to think that our children will probably always remember how our world has changed as a result of COVID.
Welcome to 2021! Who can relate to the saying “Keeping your head above water”? ME!! When I hear that phrase, I think back to many seasons in my life when I felt like I was either drowning or gasping for air. Now we’ve added, “parenting during a global pandemic” to the proverbial list of skill sets we need to support our children. These times are unprecedented for certain, and I believe we are all curious about the impact the pandemic will have long term on our children. The good news? Studies are showing that the resiliency of humankind, specifically of our children, will power us through the obstacles of the past 10 months.
While experts have seen evidence of some regression in our children socially, academically, and developmentally, they suspect that with basic support and protection children will show remarkable strength and hardiness. Diana Devecha, Ph.D. writes about kids, their support systems, and resiliency, saying, “Some children may need a little more attention and support than others because of their age or their sensitivities.”
So how do we know if a child needs extra support during this time? Consider some important developmental milestones. The Center for Disease Control Child Development Special Interest section says that children ages 3-6 are beginning to develop social skills needed to play and work with other children; beginning to test their physical, behavioral, and emotional limits; becoming more skilled at jumping, running, and throwing and catching; and being introduced to and becoming independent in tool use, including pencils and scissors for academic skills. Children ages 6-11 are developing at a rapid rate both cognitively and emotionally; showing more independence from family; thinking about the future and understanding one’s place in the world; wanting to establish friendships & be liked by friends; starting to form stronger, more complex friendships; becoming more aware of their body; engaging in more academic challenges; beginning to see others’ point of view, and having an increased attention span.
In 2020 we noticed children experiencing challenges in many areas of development:
Delayed fine motor skills including poor handwriting
Decreased gross motor skills including bilateral coordination and crossing midline
Delayed visual perceptual skills including decreased speed reading and writing
Increased dependence
Missing opportunities for learning & socialization
Worry about the world around them
Confusion
An overwhelming sense of uncertainty
Falling back to old behaviors
How can we help our kids at home and at school? They will benefit from structure and routine, such as consistent meal times and bedtime. Sharing the day’s schedule or having a family calendar can provide added predictability. Being in school allows them to safely maintain social connections. Provide opportunities to run, roll, and climb, and don’t forget fine motor skills!
neuroBridge provided over 130 free screenings in the fall of 2020. We will continue to work closely with teachers and your children while monitoring the children who were flagged in the fall and addressing new concerns from teachers and parents. Together we can give your children the support and skills they need to navigate school and home with confidence.
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. neuroBridge provides Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, and Clinical Psychology.
Margaret Hopping is the co-founder of neuroBridge.