Child Development Centre Website
Office Manager, Receptionists, Medical Secretaries They are the backbone of the administrative side of the CDC. They are involved in the storing and maintaining of client records, integrating new clients into the CDC and handling all external communication. The Paediatricians are responsible for reviewing the whole condition and preparing a plan of management. They examine each child with a view to making a diagnosis and detecting any associated problems, e.g. in the areas of hearing and vision. Appropriate investigations are arranged if considered necessary. With the establishment of a diagnosis the Paediatrician can tell parents the probable cause of the condition and what the outcome is likely to be in terms of the child’s development. They may arrange for prompt medical/surgical treatment, individual or group therapy, and statement of special educational needs. The clinic nurse is responsible for meeting you each time you come to the CDC. They weigh and measure your child and the paediatricians use this information in the assessment of your child. The Specialist Health Visitor at the Child Development Centre has additional training and experience working with children (and their families) with developmental difficulties. Referrals can bemade by any member of the CDC team and direct referral from parents/carers of the child attending the centre.The service is only available to the parent/carer of any child attending the centre. The aim of the health visiting service is to provide advice, information and support in relation to the child’s needs. The specialist health visitor will help in providing a better understanding of your child's
Initial contact may be at clinic or in the home. Following discussion with the parent/carer health visiting support can be offered in a way that the family may find helpful. Parents/carers may also have contact with the Health Visitor when their child is having an assessment or whilst attending small parent groups. Development of the ability to communication starts long before the child begins to speak. The Speech and Language therapist is interested in all aspects of communication – the child’s ability to respond to voices and his understanding of speech; the way he is able to express himself – i.e. vocabulary, sentence structure, content and production of speech sounds; the use of non-verbal communication such as gesture and facial expression. The therapists also advise when there are particular problems with feeding, e.g. difficulty in chewing. Physiotherapists focus on the development of children's movement skills. They will assess your child’s abilities and help you to understand any difficulties your child may have in posture, balance, movement and co-ordination. Physiotherapists work in collaboration with parents and may offer advice or individual treatment dependent upon your child's assessment findings. The Occupational Therapist pays particular attention to hand-eye co-ordination, perception and manipulative skills. This involves considering everyday activities such as feeding, dressing, toileting, bathing and play in younger children and writing skills in older children. They are able to advise on and provide suitable aids, such as special seating for home and school environment by liaising with appropriate Government agencies and charitable bodies to enhance the child’s and family’s ability to cope with daily activities. The Clinical Child Psychologists are concerned with the developmental progress of the child. Assessment takes into consideration the child’s intellectual development, emotional functioning, social skills and behaviour. The child may be seen in the Centre, at home, in nursery or play group. The Clinical Child Psychologists are able to offer support and advice to parents of children with behavioural difficulties and is also in a position to offer counselling and therapy for parents who may be finding it difficult to adjust to their child’s needs.
Children learn through play. The Play Therapists are particularly interested in the way in which each child plays and play situations that are most helpful to the particular child’s stage of development. The Play Therapist works with children from birth to five years and take referrals from consultants and other multi-disciplinary team members. They can help and advise parents or carers on appropriate play and toys for their child. The play therapist can provide:
In addition many other health professionals contribute to the work of the Child Development Centre, including:
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