Welcome Guests and thank you for visiting our new, yet simple webpage. If you've heard our name around San Antonio and wondered who and what we are... well... As I Grow-San Antonio is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization formed in 2019 to provide developmental screenings, a much needed service for children of San Antonio and Bexar County. Developmental screening is our priority, but we provide other services.
Now, unfortunately, like businesses and nonprofits around the country, this pandemic impacted As I Grow - San Antonio (AIG-SA). We may not have had paid personnel, but our volunteers took a step back. We could not follow through on our scheduled events, or fundraise. We are not where we’d hope to be, but we hope to move forward come the new year.
Collaboration is key to our success. For now, we will brainstorm on how we can continue the work we started in 2019. Please visit our Facebook page. We post updates on activities and information relevant to families and children.
Thank you. Stay safe. Practice social distancing, wear a mask if required, recommended, or necessary. Thank you.
Irma Sides,
As I Grow - San Antonio, Director
It's the million dollar question!
During those infant and toddler years, parents and caregivers monitor their child's development. New parents wait with eager anticipation for that first smile, or that first coo. Rolling over, crawling, and that first step are milestones we never want to miss. Parents follow developmental milestone charts, to track progress, or as many parents tend to do they compare their child's development with another child of the same age, which is not really a good idea.
Children go through typical development, but there is a window of time in which a child can develop a certain skill and still be on track. When a child does not reach a certain milestone within that time frame that's when a formal developmental screening can provide insight to a child's development and whether he or she may need further testing.
And you might ask, "What is a developmental screening?
A Developmental screening takes a closer look at how a child is developing. Your child is given a brief questionnaire that asks questions about his or her development, including language, movement, thinking, behavior, and emotions. As the parent, or caregiver you can complete the same questionnaire about the child. No one knows a child's skills and abilities better than a parent or caregiver.
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends developmental and behavioral screening for all children during regular well-child visits at these ages:
In addition, AAP recommends that all children be screened specifically for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) during regular well-child visits at:
If your child is at higher risk for developmental problems due to preterm birth, low birthweight, environmental risks like lead exposure, or other factors, your healthcare provider may also discuss additional screening. Source: (CDC)
There is no visit to the doctor's office or signing up for parenting classes and home visits. Not that those services are not necessary, because they are. The purpose of AIG-SA is to offer parents convenient access to screening. Depending on the results of a developmental screening, AIG-SA makes recommendations and/or referrals. It is through these regular screenings that professionals and parents can decide if further evaluation and assessment is necessary. Early detection is key to addressing potential delays. Regular screening provides this and also provides parents and caregivers a glance at what to expect next.
This is our President, Alicia. She does a lot of community outreach. COVID-19 has halted our efforts to reach out. Our amazing Board members are committed to helping others. Think you would be a good fit? Get in touch for more information!
Seeing a need for additional support in ensuring the children of San Antonio and Bexar County are on track for reaching their developmental milestones, we formed As I Grow - San Antonio to provide a sensible solution. You can monitor our status by checking back. Follow us on Facebook.
We focus on making the maximum positive effort for the children in our community. Our members and volunteers provide the momentum that helps us affect change.
Equipping parents and caregivers with the "power of information" in areas essential to a child's wellbeing.