This course provides content on supporting development within the specific domain of adaptive behavior. Topics covered in this course include: developmental trajectory of adaptive behavior, assessment in the adaptive domain, common delays and disabilities observed in self-care skills, outcome development and service planning to address concerns in the adaptive domain, and evidence-based intervention strategies.
Course Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe terms, components, and the elements of adaptive development in young children.
- Identify common conditions that impact adaptive development and self-care skills.
- Increase knowledge of current practice and approaches to communicating about and supporting the development of self-care skills in young children.
- Discuss tools and practices appropriate for evaluation and assessment of adaptive development.
- Develop functional, relationship-based outcomes based on the needs identified through a developmental assessment and a family interview.
- Describe appropriate, evidence-based intervention practices that may be used to promote overall adaptive development and to address concerns with self-care skills.
Topics Covered in Each Two-Week Lesson Cycle
Weeks 1-2: Introduction to Adaptive Development and Self-Care Skills
- Explain the meaning of relevant terms, including “adaptive development” and “self-care skills”
- Identify important family, environmental, and cultural factors that influence a young child’s adaptive development, including the role, values, expectations, and practices of the parent(s) that are unique to acquisition of self-care skills
- Discuss how delays in development and different specific disabilities may influence a child’s adaptive development and self-care skills
Weeks 3-4: Sleeping
- List typical amount, cycles, and stages of sleep in young children (birth to 36 months) and the influence of early development on sleep patterns
- Identify sleep concerns that require referral to relevant professionals and family-professional teaming
- Explain intervention strategies and environmental factors (e.g., relationship-based, routines-based, proper positioning, adaptations, preferences) to support healthy sleep routines for young children
Weeks 5-6: Feeding, Self-Feeding, and Oral-Motor Skills
- List the typical milestones of young children (birth to 36 months) in the development of drinking and eating skills
- Identify feeding and eating concerns that require referral to relevant professionals (e.g., physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech and language pathologist) and family-professional teaming
- Discuss the range of intervention strategies for families (e.g., relationship-based, routines-based, proper positioning, adaptations, preferences) as they support the development of eating skills during every day routines
Weeks 7-8 : Bathing, Using the Toilet, and Personal Hygiene
- List the typical milestones and readiness behaviors of young children (18 to 36 months) in the development of dressing, toileting, and personal hygiene (e.g., bathing, washing hands, brushing teeth, blowing noses, covering coughs and sneezes)
- Identify dressing, toileting, and personal hygiene concerns that require referral to relevant professionals and family-professional teaming
- Explain intervention strategies (e.g., relationship-based, routines-based, proper positioning, adaptations, preferences) that promote the development of dressing, toileting, and personal hygiene skills of young children
Weeks 9-10: Bringing It All Together to Address Adaptive Development Through Early Start
- Discuss the development of adaptive skills with parents during the assessment process in order to identify family concerns and explain assessment findings in family-friendly language
- Compose meaningful, functional child and family outcomes addressing concerns in the domain of adaptive development based on needs identified through family and developmental assessments
- Describe strategies for providing services across disciplines in natural environments to address child and family outcomes addressing concerns in the domain of adaptive development