(Photo courtesy of Healthy Beginnings)
What parent doesn’t have questions? Is your child’s speech and development on track? Will their smile last a lifetime and can they hear and see okay? Healthy Beginnings can help you answer these questions and more – because health and development from birth through age five is critical to your child’s success.
Healthy Beginnings will be offering THREE of its FREE 12-Point Kid Inspections in August
– August 11 in Warm Springs
– August 11 in Madras
– August 26 in Bend
All children birth to kindergarten are welcome. At these screening clinics, each child receives nearly $3,000 worth of assessment services at no cost to the family. There are no eligibility requirements and all families are welcome to attend.
Healthy Beginnings screens young children in hearing, speech and language, motor skills, cognitive development, vision, health and safety, dental, behavior and nutrition, information regarding early literacy and car seat safety is also provided. Access to professionals and trained volunteers in all these essential core areas is available at the time of the screening.
Parents and children birth through five meet one-on-one with as many as 12 health and development professionals and families are encouraged to attend regardless of insurance coverage. Referrals are made for any child identified in need of additional services with community resources provided to all families. Healthy Beginnings can even provide information and assistance with Oregon’s health insurance application process. Parents will also learn about Vroom, an interactive app that empowers parents and caregivers to play a proactive role in their children’s early brain development.
According to the Center for Disease Control, nearly eight in every 10 children miss a developmental screening. To receive adequate preventative care, the CDC recommends that all young children have developmental screenings at least 3 times prior to entering kindergarten. Additional screenings are recommended for autism spectrum disorder at 18 months and at either 24 or 30 months. The CDC also recommends hearing screenings as well. A Healthy Beginnings screening covers all this and much more. It serves as an important first step for caring, concerned parents and one stop shopping for community resources for hundreds of families every year.
Healthy Beginnings, a unique program available only in Central Oregon, works to assure parents that their children are developing appropriately or if needed, the program makes referrals for in-depth evaluation and further treatment. Parenting information and community resources are provided free as well. Every family attending a Healthy Beginnings screening receives extensive information on the health and development of their child. In addition, early literacy information and kindergarten readiness as well as parent education are also provided.
Don’t miss this opportunity, appointments are being accepted these screenings. The hours of this screening will be 9 am to 1 pm. Appointments are recommended but walk-ins are welcome. Call 541-383-6357 or visit www.myhb.org to schedule your appointment today.
Healthy Beginnings is one of many programs offered in partnership with the High Desert Education Service District. Additional support is provided Deschutes County United Way. Please visit our website at www.myhb.org for a full listing of screening dates and cities as well as detailed information about our program, volunteer, and donation opportunities. Community links to additional services can also be found on our website.
These screenings brought to you in part by a generous donation from the Pacific Power Foundation.
