Thumb sucking: Is it a true issue for young children? An interview with Dr. Michele Saysan, a Riley Hospital for Children pediatrician, answers questions about thumb sucking that are common among parents and licensed daycare providers.

Q: Is thumb sucking harmful for children?

A: Thumb sucking can be bad for children. Children who continue to suck their thumb may have dental problems.  Their teeth may be pushed outward or be poorly aligned which is called malocclusion.  The longer thumb sucking persists, the greater likelihood the child will need orthodontic treatment to fix the teeth.  Some children may have difficulty talking who have prolonged thumb sucking.  Some children may get skin infections of their thumb from thumb sucking.
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Parent-teacher conferences are important in the daycare and preschool environment. Child care providers should be the experts in Early Childhood Development and have the ability to direct parents so that children have the proper developmental foundation.

What is the purpose of a parent-teacher concert in the daycare or child care setting?  A large part of jobs in child care center around supporting the child’s development socially, emotionally, physically and academically.

Early information about a child’s development can lead to early intervention. Preschool teachers can recognize speech issues, fine and gross motor development, social appropriateness and basic learning styles. If parents have an objective understanding of how their child is developing they can go forward and make better choices for their child’s future.

Parents and teachers should have at least two scheduled conferences: (more…)

Does your daycare center participate in developmental screening? Screening is the process by which a brief, well-validated, standardized tool is administered among young children to aid in the identification of children who may be at risk of a delay or disorder. Most screening tools take only 10-20 minutes to administer per child.

A child in your daycare center will undergo screening if there is some concern about their development. Typically, parents notice developmental problems. For example, they may notice their child is not walking by a certain age or that there are language development issues. Preschools and daycare centers may also recommend to a parent that their child be screened due to concerns about behavior, language or socialization.

Not all children are evaluated. A child is referred for a developmental screening only when there is a concern regarding a delay in development. Preschool evaluations typically occur when a child is between 3 and 5 years of age.

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