hydeparkgroup
Thu, 12 Oct 2006 11:21:12 -0700
Hi Parents, Did you know that a recent national survey showed nearly two-thirds of new parents miss critical infant development al milestones? With more than 400,000 children at risk, there has been a national effort urging parents to identify and seek treatment for developmental delays.
Only 36 percent of parents recognize the critical early motor milestones for 3-month-old infants being able to raise their head and push up on their forearms by the end of three months -- and only 5 percent would seek help if their baby failed to meet the first critical milestones, reports a recent national survey sponsored by Pathways Awareness Foundation. Failure to meet these first milestones is the first indication of possible early motor delays, which could mean children have trouble walking, talking and eating, and are caused by a wide range of neuromuscular conditions. More than 400,000 children a year are at risk for early motor delays, but most delays are treatable with physical, occupational or speech therapy, and treatment is most effective when started right away. "Acting early can make a big difference in children's most basic life skills moving, using their hands, walking, talking, and eating." said Dr. Michael Msall, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital and member of the Committee on Children with Disabilities for the American Academy of Pediatrics. "Many parents simply don't know what to look for, or that they should take their child in for an evaluation as soon as possible." Early motor delays are delays in children's ability to meet critical physical milestones in the first months and years of life how well and soon they move and interact with their environment. A wide range of circumstances can lead to early motor delays, including premature birth, substance abuse during pregnancy, and difficulties during the birthing process. An estimated 400,000 babies born each year in the U.S. are at risk for some form of neuromuscular condition, and 1 in 40 are actually born with an early motor delay. In fact, the incidence for early motor delays is extremely high when compared to other childhood conditions such as autism, which has a 1 in 166 incidence in live births. Parents are key to recognizing these milestones. Several studies show that parents, when they know what to look for, are often the best judges of their babies' development because they see them every day in a variety of situations. Pediatricians and physical therapists agree that parent reports are helpful and reliable, so parents should have the confidence to bring issues as soon as possible to the attention of professionals. "Babies' abilities to adapt and learn on their own is truly amazing," says Gay Girolami, executive director and head therapist with Pathways Center, a leading pediatric therapies clinic located in Chicago. "If they have a delay, they will naturally try to compensate with compromised and atypical movements. But therapy helps babies with delays get up to speed as quickly and easily as possible. The only thing waiting does is make it harder for the child in the long run." The national survey showed only 36 percent of mothers were even aware that the first milestones should be met by the end of three months. In contrast, awareness rose steadily for later milestones, with 55 percent of parents aware of the six-month milestones, 78 percent of the 9-month milestones and 90 percent aware of the 12 and 15-month milestones. Intent to seek help immediately also correlated with later milestones. About the Survey The survey was sent to a national sample of 423 adults reflecting the demographic balance of parents with at least one child less than 36 months old. The survey assessed the age by which parents would expect children to meet key milestones (illustrated), and the age by which they would seek help if their child did not meet each milestone. Survey demographics were balanced to reflect gender, income, ethnicity, age, and the geography of this population. All results reported are significant at the 95% confidence level. About Pathways Awareness Foundation Established in 1988, Pathways Awareness Foundation is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the benefits of detecting early motor delays and encouraging physical therapy in very young children. The Foundation's critical infant milestones literature has been recognized and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics as the definitive resource concerning early motor delays. Their activities are based upon the expertise of the Pathways Medical Round Table, comprised of leading physicians, clinicians, nurse practitioners and lay advisors, and 20+ years of clinical experience with Pathways Center, one of the nation's leading pediatric therapy facilities. Pathways Awareness Foundation believes that through early detection, intervention, inclusion and increased public awareness, children with early motor delays can look forward to a brighter future. For more information, visit their web site: www.pathwaysawareness.org For more information, please contact Pathways Awareness Foundation at (800) 955-2445. ### Pathways Awareness Foundation 150 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 2100 Chicago, IL 60601 (800) 955-2445 National Survey Findings Methodology The survey was sent to a national sample of 423 adults reflecting the demographic balance of parents with at least one child less than 36 months old. Survey demographics were balanced to reflect gender, income, ethnicity, age, and the geography of this population. All results reported are significant at the 95% confidence level. Parental Awareness of Milestones and Intent to Act If Milestones Missed 3 Month Milestones . Little more than one-third (36%) of parents were aware a child should be able to lift its head and push up by three months. The average age cited was 5.06 months. . Only 5% would take action by three months if a child did not meet that milestone. One third of respondents would wait to take action until six months of age, the average being 6.79 months. 6 Month Milestones . Slightly more than half of parents (55%) accurately recognized the six-month milestone. The average age cited was 6.79 months. . 15% of parents said they would take action at six months if a child did not meet the milestone. The average response was 9.02 months. 9 Month Milestones . 78% of parents were aware of the nine-month milestone, with the average response actually coming in early at 8.22 months. . 43% of parents would report a concern by nine months. The average age by which parents would take action if a child failed to meet this milestone was 10.28 months. 12 Month Milestones . 91% of parents were aware of the 12-month milestone, with the average response again coming in a bit early at 10.18 months. . 50% of parents would take action by twelve months if a child did not meet this milestone, the average age of action being 12.66 months. 15 Month Milestones 90% of parents were aware of the 15-month milestone, with an average ahead of the curve at 12.89 months. 51% of parents would take action at 15 months, with the average at 16.2 months. Parental Awareness of Therapies Parents responding indicated relatively high levels of familiarity with speech (81% very or somewhat familiar), occupational (55%) and physical (91%) therapies. Speech Therapy . Parents with post-doctoral educational experience were significantly more likely to be aware of speech therapy than parents with high school education or less (90% vs. 72%). . Parents with high school or less education were significantly less likely to be familiar with speech therapy than their more educated counterparts (28% responded not sure or not at all vs. 18% among 18-34 year olds and 10% among post-doctoral parents.) . Likewise, post-doctoral parents were significantly more likely to be very or somewhat familiar. Occupational Therapy . Both post-doctoral and masters-level educated parents were significantly more familiar with occupational therapy (76% and 56%) compared to high school or less (35%). . Parents who were between the ages of 35 and 44, who were married, and who had college or post-doctoral experience were significantly more likely than their counterparts to be very or somewhat familiar with occupational therapy. Physical Therapy . The same significant difference held true with physical therapy also (98% and 91% vs. 86%). . A surprisingly high 19% of parents answered that infants can benefit from physical therapy at birth. Responses were spread across the age options provided otherwise, with spikes at 6 months (12 %) and 1 year (13 %), and 17 % responding "any age." . Similar educational biases (higher education correlating to higher awareness) were true, but less markedly, for physical therapy as were seen for speech and occupational therapies. Where Would Parents Turn? . When asked how likely they would be to seek information or help from various sources, 79% said they would be very likely to call their pediatrician or family practitioner, and 68% said they would be very likely to look it up online. . 53% also said they would be very likely to ask their childcare provider. . When asked which among the multiple choices they were most likely to do, 44% chose calling a pediatrician or family practitioner, and 25% chose looking information up online. Visit Baby World! http://www.homestead.com/babyworld Baby info, contests, links, a cute baby photo contest and more! Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BabyClub/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BabyClub/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/