Online Challenge Helps Parents Track Childhood Milestones

OSWEGO COUNTY – Integrated Community Planning of Oswego County’s (ICPOC) Early Childhood Alliance and Help Me Grow team up to offer an online Developmental Screening Challenge for families this summer.

Every child who has a screening completed on their behalf will be entered to win a basket full of fun and educational items, such as a bug catcher kit, water drawing mat, beehive toy and interactive flash cards. One basket will be awarded in each school district.

“We all enjoy watching our children and grandchildren grow and learn new things, especially in their early stages,” said Oswego County Legislature Chairman James Weatherup, District 9. “And, while we know that every child is different, it’s also important to keep track of certain milestones to make sure they don’t fall behind without getting the right support.”

Developmental screenings are a simple way for families to learn about their child’s strengths, identify any areas where additional support may be beneficial and make an early connection with resources if needed.

“While the Challenge is open to all Oswego County children from birth to age 5, our goal is to encourage families to start thinking about school readiness and help ensure their children are receiving the support they need before entering the classroom,” said Sidney Carter, coordinator for the Oswego County Early Childhood Alliance. “We urge parents to go online now and complete the Challenge to celebrate their child’s growth, development and milestones.”

Click on Developmental Screening Challenge to get started, then:

• Click “I am completing both the ASQ-3™ and ASQ:SE-2™ questionnaires.”
• Fill in your child’s date of birth, if it was a premature birth, the screening date and those assisting with the questionnaire. Then click “submit” at the bottom of the page.
• Click on the link to “print out the recommended questionnaire and return to this site to enter your responses at anytime.” It is recommended to do so within one week.
• Complete both questionnaires! Both ask for information about the child and the person completing the form. They each contain challenges to test the child’s gross and fine motor skills, communication and problem-solving abilities, and personal or social cues. Final questions allow for more detailed responses.
• Once the questionnaires are completed, return to the Challenge, repeat the first two steps, then click on “enter your results” at the bottom of the page.

“It’s important for parents to remember to complete both the ASQ:SE-2 and the ASQ-3 questionnaires,” said Carter. “The Oswego County Help Me Grow Program will receive the results within 24 hours after they are completed and entered online. One of our staff members will then reach out to the person who submitted the questionnaire to go over the results, answer any questions and discuss any potential next steps.”

ICPOC’s Child Care and Development Council of Oswego County, the Oswego County Early Childhood Alliance, Oswego County Help Me Grow and Oswego County Traffic Safety Board continue to partner with schools, early learning centers and community organizations across the county to promote child development, resilience and family engagement.

To learn more about the online Developmental Screening Challenge, email Sidney Carter at [email protected] or call 315-343-2344, ext. 113.