On the Infant Toddler Temperment Tool: Handy tool for understanding adult and child similarities and differences

The Infant Toddler Temperament Tool (IT3) was developed for the Center for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, an Innovation and Support Project funded by the Office of Head Start. The Infant Toddler Temperament Tool includes a short online survey that allows parents and caregivers of infants and toddlers to recognize and explore their own temperament traits and those of a child for which they provide care. The IT3 generates results which support parents and caregivers in understanding how adult and child similarities and differences in temperament traits may affect “goodness of fit.” Along with these results, the IT3 generates simple best practice tips adults can use to foster the unique temperament of each child within their care.

Infant Toddler Temperament Tool (IT3)

Handy tool. -gw

To use the IT³ click here:

For Infants
(birth up to 18 months)
For Toddlers
(18 months up to 36 months)

On an Unhealthy Diet's Impact On Externalizing and Internalizing Problems of Your Children: Study results

Here are the results of a study looking at impact of diet on early childhood mental health. -gw

Higher intakes of unhealthy foods during pregnancy predicted externalizing problems among children, independently of other potential confounding factors and childhood diet. Children with a high level of unhealthy diet postnatally had higher levels of both internalizing and externalizing problems. Moreover, children with a low level of postnatal healthy diet also had higher levels of both internalizing and externalizing problems.

Maternal and Early Postnatal Nutrition and Mental Health of Offspring by Age 5 Years: A Prospective Cohort Study

On Looking At the Numbers for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: Oklahoma in 2012 as an example

It seems helpful to see how other states handle the task of early childhood mental health consultation. It's helpful to look at their numbers. How many centers are served? How many referrals? How many hours of service are provided per referral -- that sort of thing. For example, the average time devoted to each referral in Oklahoma during 2012 was 11.11 hours. That seems quite substantial, enough time that actual behavioral change can occur and be supported -- a reduction in the challenging behavior of the child by changing the behavior of the caregivers and altering the environment. -gw

http://www.ok.gov/health2/documents/MHC%20FY12.pdf

On Another Way To Put It: Transdisciplinary infant-family and early childhood mental health practitioner

I love generic terms. How is this for one?  Transdisciplinary infant-family and early childhood mental health practitioner. Is that you? -gw

They are a group of highly skilled practitioners from multiple health and human service, developmental, and educational disciplines, including early intervention, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech and language pathology, special education, human development, audiology, social work, and pediatrics. They provide direct services to pregnant women, infants, toddlers and preschoolers and their families. These practitioners have the most frequent contact with infants and very young children and their families and are the most likely individuals to provide promotion and preventive mental health interventions.

http://cacenter-ecmh.org/professional-development/categories/transdisciplinary-mental-health-practitioner-tmhp-and-mental-health-specialist-mhs/

And check this out, the California Training Guidelines and Personnel Competencies for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health, Revised. It defines the universe of competencies assumed necessary to do the work. -gw

MATRICES AND GUIDELINES FOR THE TRANSDISCIPLINARY INFANT-FAMILY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER

On the Three Surprises for DSM-5 Users: If you work with kids

Do you like surprises? Some people do, some don't. -gw

The first of several surprises: DSM-5 includes only Axis I Disorders. Axes II, III, IV and V are eliminated and replaced by a developmental conceptualization and organization throughout the manual. ...

Another surprise, and most controversial, is the new diagnostic name, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). ...

A third surprise, Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), a new Depressive Disorder, describes children up to age 18 years with “persistent irritability and extreme behavioral dyscontrol”.

http://cacenter-ecmh.org/dsm-5-a-concise-review-of-the-changes-with-a-special-focus-on-young-children/

On the Long-Lasting Effects of PCIT: Cited in CHADD publication

Outcomes of parent child interaction therapy: mothers; reports of maintenance three to six years after treatment.

Parens maintain skills 3 to 6 years after PCIT treatment? That's long lasting -- and duly noted by National Resource Center on AD/HD, a program of CHADD. -gw

On Project Launch: Helping children soar

Welcome to the Project LAUNCH Web site. Project LAUNCH, a grant program of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), seeks to promote the wellness of young children birth to age eight. Project LAUNCH focuses on improving the systems that serve young children with the goal of helping all children reach physical, social, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive milestones. This Web site is a resource for Project LAUNCH grantees and others interested in learning about how to promote young child wellness.

http://projectlaunch.promoteprevent.org/

Washington State was included in this initiative for 2008. The evidence-based programs that were funded were: Parents as Teachers, Strengthening Multi-Ethnic Families and Communities Program, Incredible Years, Positive Behavior Supports (Iowa Model), and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. The existence of the Peninsulas Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation group is the result of a conference that was funded by the last program mentioned, I  believe. You can check out the origins of our group in a 2008 initiative described in this blog post. -gw

For children to thrive in school and beyond, it is essential to invest in the physical and emotional health of young children. Project LAUNCH, a grant program of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), seeks to do just that by promoting the wellness of young children birth to age eight. Using a public health approach, Project LAUNCH focuses on improving the systems that serve young children and address their physical, emotional, social, cognitive and behavioral growth.

 http://ncssle.airprojects.org/events/early-childhood-prevention-project-launch

On Improving Mental Health Care of Young Children In California: Grounded in evidence-based practices

This from WestEd, the "research, development, and service agency [that] works with education and other communities to promote excellence, achieve equity, and improve learning for children, youth, and adults," whose roots "go back to 1966, when Congress funded regional laboratories across the country to find practical ways to improve the education of our nation’s children."

This article examines how the California Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health has developed evidence-based practices that focus on assessing the state of the infant-parent relationship and working with the family in culturally and socially sensitive ways to strengthen it.

http://www.wested.org/resources/early-childhood-mental-health-raising-awareness-taking-action/

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On $1.25 Million for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: In Massachusetts

Massachusetts is investing $1.25 million in grant funds for the Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Services Program. 

Jointly supported by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) and the Department of Mental Health (DMH), the program provides “social and emotional development supports for early education programs serving young children,” according to an EEC press release from earlier this summer. 

The plan is to boost educators’ “core competencies, skills and abilities to assess children’s social and emotional progress and to respond to children in behavioral distress,” the press release explains. Doing so can help children and families overcome behavioral challenges and also reduce unnecessary suspensions and expulsions in early education and care settings.

http://eyeonearlyeducation.com/2013/08/15/improving-early-childhood-mental-health/

What can Washington State learn from Massachusetts' example? - gw

On Planting the Seeds of the Future: Annual KAEYC conference is schedule for February 2014

The Kitsap Association for the Education of Young Child is holding is annual "Planting the Seeds of the Future" Conference on Saturday, February 22, 2014 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Olympic College in Bremerton. For over 20 years this conference has supported numerous early childhood educators in meeting the needs of young children. For further information you can contact KAEYC at P.O. Box 5214, Bremerton WA 98312, or via email to hlanoue@ oc.ctc.edu. -gw