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MA
Massachusetts Governor Signs Bill to Expand Pre-kindergarten
Gov. Deval Patrick has signed a bill designed to expand education
programs for the youngest Massachusetts residents.
The bill establishes a Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program to help provide
voluntary, universally accessible early education and care for
preschool-aged children. Patrick said the new law
will help Massachusetts better prepare young children with a solid
educational foundation before entering school. The
bill also includes a comprehensive overhaul of regulations setting health,
safety and quality standards for all licensed pre-kindergarten programs.
An earlier version of the bill was passed by lawmakers in 2006 but
vetoed by former Gov. Mitt Romney. [Source: Boston.com,
July 31, 2008]
Does
Your Baby
Have Autism? UF
Researchers' Book
Helps Provide
Answers
For years, the parents of some autistic children have said they knew
from shortly after their babies were born that there was something different
about them. Now two researchers at the University
of Florida, who have spent more than a decade studying the movements of
autistic babies, say they often learn to crawl and walk differently than
other babies.
Early
Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorders
A list of early signs of autism spectrum disorders from The Help Group -
a non-profit organization that runs a series of specialized schools in
California for children with autism spectrum disorders.
Long-Term
Payoff Seen From Early-Childhood Education
The latest analysis of a long-running early-childhood-education program
for children of low-income families in Chicago suggests economic payoffs
from such services that continue well into adulthood.
The
Happy Strap
“The Happy Strap is an innovative and exciting product. It effectively
and comfortably limits excessive abduction/internal
rotation (W-sitting) in the hips of young children with moderate to severe
low muscle tone. It is of great benefit in teaching these children to
sit and crawl correctly.” “Almost all children
with Down syndrome have low muscle tone (hypotonia) which affects their
walking. This modern, funky Happy Strap helps to
overcome walking with a wide base and improves general posture and
appearance.”
Free
Reproducible Language and Early Literacy Activities
To download materials go to
www.walearning.com and click on the purple
button that says "Free Parent Education Handouts" on the home page. Look for
the "On the Go" file to download the materials in PDF format.
The new materials are designed to encourage parents to interact with
their children while they are "On the Go" to facilitate language, early
literacy, and positive parent-child interactions. The materials include 14
activities as well as accompanying hints for each of the activities about
how to modify the activities to meet the specific developmental needs of the
child.
Artificial
Colorings as Harmful as
Leaded Petrol for
Children
Artificial colorings could be removed from hundreds of food products
after researchers found that they may be almost as harmful to children's
development as leaded petrol. The additives, found
in a host of sweets and soft drinks, have been linked to behavioral
problems.
Plastics
Chemical May Pose Risk to Children
A controversial, estrogen-like chemical in
plastic could be harming the development of children's brains and
reproductive organs, a federal health agency concluded in a report released
yesterday.
Childproofing
and Preventing Household Accidents
Is Your Home Safe? Although many people usually think of babies and
toddlers when they hear the words "babyproofing" or "childproofing,"
unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in kids 14 years old and
under, with more than a third of these injuries happening at home (also
available in Spanish).
Report:
Proven Benefits of Early Childhood Intervention
Recently
released research identifies the most effective practices and features of
early intervention programs, based on a literature review and analysis. The
study focused on diverse programs throughout the country that offered parent
education and support, including home visits, center-based visits, or a
combination. Information is available in three forms: The
200+ page report
is available for purchase, a
3-page research brief is available at no charge in
PDF, along with a
20-page summary, also free in PDF.
