HEAD START®

Caring for Children with
Chronic Conditions

Training Guides for the Head Start Learning Community

Table of Contents | Preface | Introduction | Module 1 | Module 2 | Module 3
| Continuing Professional Development | Resources

MODULE 1: Activity 3 - Taking Development Into Account

Module 1 | Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3 | Activity 4 | Next Steps

Purpose: This activity helps participants understand how children's and families' development influences their experience of living with a chronic condition.

For this activity you will need:

• Handout E: Development and Chronic Conditions
  
  
• Handouts F-1: Infant; F-2: Toddler; and F-3: Preschooler
  
  
• Handout G: Kid Talk
  

Step 1: Explain that this activity uses what we know about child and family development to consider how children of various ages and their families might experience a chronic condition.

Step 2: Give out Handout E: Development and Chronic Conditions. Explain that this handout describes the relationship between development and chronic conditions for typically-developing children and their families. Since many chronic conditions can affect children's and families' development, however, the examples in the chart may be different for different children and families.

Step 3: Briefly review Handout E. Highlight how children and families develop through stages and how chronic conditions can affect both child and family development. Ask participants to describe another example from their own experience of how a chronic condition affected the development of an infant, toddler, preschooler, and family.

Step 4:Give out Handout F-1: Infant, and read the story aloud. Discuss the questions on the handout.

Repeat for Handout F-2: Toddler, and Handout F-3: Preschooler. Allow approximately 30 minutes to discuss the three stories.

Step 5: Ask participants:

• How did these stories help you understand the role of Head Start in facilitating the development of children with chronic conditions and their families?

Step 6: Give out Handout G: Kid Talk. Review the handout briefly. Ask participants if they have any additional tips, from their own experience, for talking with children and families about chronic conditions.

Points to Consider:

• Head Start plays a very important role in facilitating child and family development, particularly for children with chronic conditions and their families.
  
  
• Religious or spiritual ideas about chronic conditions are best left to the family. Head Start can support a family's beliefs but should not introduce religious or spiritual interpretations as they may be in conflict with those of the family.