On your mark, get set…
Parents, please join Help Me Grow Brevard in a race to screen at least 200 children in May and June to make sure they’re on track to meet developmental milestones.
“As we head into the summer months, we’re planning a sprint to end our fiscal year June 30 ahead of the previous year before COVID-19,” said Kara Bradley, Help Me Grow Brevard care coordinator.
“We’re putting the hurdles of the pandemic behind us and focusing on our goal of screening every child on Space Coast to ensure healthy development.”
Activities in the next two months will include a toddler story time on May 12 on Zoom with Help Me Grow Brevard pediatrician champion Dr. Preeti Bimbrahw and special “Books, Balls & Blocks” screening events on Facebook. Details about the events will be posted on the HMGB Facebook page.
Families who participate may earn books or toys that promote healthy mental and physical development, such as water coloring mats and hand-held mirrors that help children learn about emotions.
Help Me Grow Brevard facilitated 838 developmental screenings in fiscal year 2019-20. At the end of the third quarter of 2020-21, that number was 641, a difference of about 200.
“Children only grow up once, so we can’t forget about development while we deal with COVID-19,” Bradley said.
Children ages 2 months to 5½ years are eligible for the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ-3). The care coordinator may offer additional screenings, including the ASQ:SE-2, which tracks social-emotional health.
Children up to 8 years old may be screened using the Pediatric Symptom Checklist.
Help Me Grow Brevard is a coalition of nonprofit and government agencies led by 211 Brevard, which works to increase the number of young children who get routine developmental screenings.
2-1-1 Brevard is an affiliate of Help Me Grow Florida, a state-funded system designed to promote healthy development for every child.
The learning toys and books are courtesy of United Way of Brevard and the GFWC Viera Woman’s Club.
The Help Me Grow Brevard partnership includes 2-1-1 Brevard, Early Learning Coalition of Brevard, Healthy Start Coalition, Space Coast Early Steps, Brevard Health Alliance, Florida Department of Health in Brevard, Brevard Public Schools, Space Coast Health Foundation, Brevard Homeless Coalition and United Way of Brevard Healthy Families.
Help Me Grow Florida is sponsored by the Children’s Forum and the State of Florida, Office of Early Learning.
Learn more by:
Calling 2-1-1 and asking for Help Me Grow.
Visiting 211brevard.org/help-me-grow or helpmegrowfl.org
Going to www.facebook.com/helpmegrowbrevard.
