The Georgia

Learning Resources System and the local school system are

participating in a Child Find effort, looking for

children who are in need of special education services.

Children

develop a lot during their first five years and it is

very important that they develop to the best of their

abilities, according to education experts. Problems are

not uncommon, be they physical, emotional or learning.

These problems can often get in the way of development,

but the sooner they are identified, the easier they can

be to overcome.

Some

possible indications of a problem can be found in the

child's sight, speech or hearing. If children complain

that their eyes hurt, if their eyes droop, if the pupils

are uneven, if they excessively rub their eyes, or hold

their heads at an awkward angle when they look at

something, it could be indicating a disability. By the

age of 1, a child should be able to focus on a small

object and pick it up.

If your

child does not turn his head in the direction of a sound,

or always turns the same ear toward the sound, this may

indicate a problem. Other indicators are the child

talking either very loudly or quietly, as well as

complaints of a constant ear ache or a liquid

"running" from the ears.

Problems

with speech also can be an indicator of a developmental

problem. A child at the age of 1 should be able to say

basic words like "Mama" and "Dada."

of the family or toys. If by the age of 4 your child

cannot say short, complete sentences or cannot be

understood by people who are not used to his or her

speech patterns, it may signal a development disability.

Children do

not need to hit every mark perfectly to be developing

normally. The indicators mentioned before would most

likely be teamed up with other symptoms that would

indicate a problem more clearly. If you have questions

about the development of your child, contact your local

physician.

If you

would like more information about the resources available

for your child, call the Metro South Georgia Learning

Resource Center in Griffin at 770-412-4082.