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(Growing Hands-On Kids) Preschool Development Warning Signs – with Heather Greutman

    If you’re concerned if your preschoolers are on track with their development, and you want to know what developmental delay warning signs you should look out for, then join us today as we discuss developmental milestones for children ages 3-5.

    Heather Greutman is a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant who writes at Growing Hands-On Kids. She loves to encourage independence, one activity at a time. In this episode, we did a detailed discussion on the things every teacher or parent has to keep an eye on for their growing toddler.

    How Heather Began

    Heather dreamed of being a teacher. Working with kids has been a dream job for her! When her husband told her about a position as Occupational Therapist, she knew right away that it was a path she would love.. Being a graphic designer at that time, she wanted more interaction with people.

    Heather got her dream position and school system and ultimately ended up working in three different districts. Pre-school is her favorite age group to handle because work feels like play!

    Keeping a Close Eye on Your Three-Year-Old

    Some first-time mommies or teachers might not be keen enough yet to notice red flags. But Heather tells us that the best time to start paying closer attention is when the child is almost three years old. This is the age where observing is most important.

    Her job as an Occupational Therapist focuses more on the child’s fine motor skills, but that doesn’t mean they don’t look after the gross motor skills. Gross motor skills are the big movements such as crawling, walking, and running. They are essential building blocks so they can fine-tune their way to fine motor skills. Great examples for this are writing, eating, and handling scissors.

    The best way to develop all these skills? It all boils down to play.

    Heather reminds us that early child development is best achieved through playing. Containing babies inside closed spaces such as playpens may not be the best idea. The more the child can explore, the better the playing experience is.

    What About Speech Problems?

    Speech is not the area of expertise for Occupational Therapists like Heather. However, she does encourage us to ask for a doctor’s help when we suspect speech issues through a speech and language evaluation.

    Early intervention is still the best answer for any possible development issue the child might be going through.

    Gross Motor Skills Milestones

    Bilateral movements or any activity involving arms or legs together are essential skills to start on by age three. You can look out for movements like jumping up and down with their feet together, jumping forward, walking up and down the stairs, or simply running without tripping too often.

    Of course, some children develop a little bit later than the rest. But what is a healthy timeline for us to set to know that it’s time to intervene?

    Heather tells us that if your toddler still does not hit milestones for his age after three to six months, it should be time to ask for your doctor’s advice. This is not being too watchful – remember that early intervention will set them up for success.

    On Drawing: Why Bigger Is Not Better

    It’s common for parents to think that chunkier crayons and pencils are ideal for their toddlers. We believe that because they’re bigger, they are easier to grip and write with. While this holds true and sensible for three-year-olds with fisted grasps, this is not the case for four to five-year-olds. 

    When a child is holding a bigger pencil or marker, they are actually going to have a more challenging time controlling with their fingers, and they end up making their arms and hands do much of the work. You want your four-year-old to use more of their finger muscles, so give them the smaller drawing utensils!

    You might squirm at the thought of breaking crayons on purpose to give them a smaller writing material, but smaller is better at this point!

    Conclusion: Early Intervention!

    It is essential to watch out for the milestones that your child should tick off. But it is more important to remember that a doctor’s evaluation is best done right away when we see delays or problems. The earlier the intervention, the easier it will be for both the parent and child to cope.

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