FCSS screening tool can help parents

The early years of a child’s life are crucial in terms of a developmental standpoint.

But as a parent, how do you know your child is on the right path developmentally?

Family and Community Support Services utilizes a developmental-screening tool, the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, to help gather critical information and ensure children are off to the right start.

“From birth to about five years old, we know a child’s brain develops typically faster at this point than any other time in their life, and so the screening is kind of a quick check to make sure their child is developing on schedule,” said Kim Fehr, a Family

Support Worker for FCSS. “The results can show us the child’s strengths and areas that we can maybe support further.”

On the FCSS website, parents can find the ASQ-3 questionnaire, which covers important areas such as speech, physical ability, social skills and problem-solving skills, along with the ASQ:SE-2 questionnaire, that focuses on behavior and social-emotional development.

Once the questionaries are filled out, FCSS analyzes the results, follows up with the family and determines what level of support, if any, is recommended for the child.

“If we’re seeing a concern in speech or communication, we would refer them on to Children’s Allied Health Services,” said Janet Fekete, a Family Support Worker for FCSS.

Referrals to occupational therapists through Children’s Allied Health Services would be made in cases when delays are identified with gross motor or fine motor skills, for example. Children with social-emotional needs would be referred to Mental Health Services.

FCSS staff can also provide simple, fun activities that parents can do to support their child’s development, and to boost their parental skills.

“Sometimes, it is just that the parent didn’t think to try that with their child at that stage, and sometimes it’s just this reminder of, ’oh, I never thought to try that activity with my child,’ and once they start doing that and start practicing that skill, their child can catch on quite quickly,” said Petra DeBow, Family Services manager for FCSS.

“One example is in regard to screening fine motor skills. Around age 2-3 they ask you if their child can cut with scissors. And what we find there often is that the child has never had the opportunity to try scissors. That kind of helps the parent go, ’oh, maybe I should put that in my child’s repertoire.’ ”

She added often times, children being screened simply can’t do the things they haven’t tried.

“The screening tool is also a educational for parents to kind of give them ideas they haven’t thought of,” said DeBow.

The questionaries offer parents reassurance, and an opportunity to deal with potential issues at an early stage in their child’s development.

The early-intervention piece is critical in the process, DeBow added.

“The earlier a child can get intervention, the easier it is for them to get caught up to their peers,” she said. “That goes back to brain development and those critical years from zero to five, that if you can get them support within that timeframe, that’s absolutely best.”

The screening tool is also available for parents looking to enter their children into earlyeducation programs.

To access the ASQ forms, visit the FCSS website at https://fcss.ca/program/32

For more information, please contact Petra DeBow at 403795-3328.