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Your Child's Development

We all recognize the rapid physical growth that happens in the first years of life. What may not be as obvious is the social, emotional and intellectual development that occurs. There is growing evidence about how critical the early years are to a child's development. Research has shown a relationship between nature (genetics) and nurture (environment) in sculpting the brain during these early years. It is now recognized that the first five years of a child's life is a key time in brain development. In other words, early experiences influence the way children learn, think, and behave for the rest of their lives.

As a parent, you may be wondering whether or not your child is developing appropriately for his or her age. Stages of development, or "milestones", generally occur in a predictable sequence. However, all children are unique and will develop at their own pace.

Other Helpful Resources
Web sites
A Guide for Positive Child Development

Ages and Stages
Information on what to expect and how you can help, as your child grows and develops from the Invest in Kids Web site.

Nipissing District Developmental Screen
Developmental milestones describe what most children are capable of doing at a particular point in time. The Nipissing District Developmental Screen is a screening tool for parents or caregivers with children between the ages of 1 month and 6 years of age. It is a series of checklists designed to help parents identify problem areas in their child's development early. The site provides information on the screening tool, its development, evaluation and a sample Screen is also available for viewing.

Ontario Early Years Centre/Perth Care for Kids
You and your child can visit the Perth-Middlesex Ontario Early Years Centre for a range of free services including:

• Early learning and literacy programs for parents and their children;


• Parenting programs that support parents and caregivers of young children in all aspects of early child development;


• Information and training for new parents about pregnancy and parenting;


• Information and referrals to link families to other services.

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If you have a concern about access to our services, please let us know. We want to help!

For more information, contact Health Line at 519-271-7600 ext 267.
Listowel area residents call 1-877-271-7348.