We link children and their families to services and support in your community.
When parents know, children grow.
Help Me Grow is a Free service that connects families to health and developmental resources to help children, up to 5 years old, have the best possible start in life.
Our system addresses the needs for early identification of developmental, behavioral, and/or social concerns. Through developmental screenings, we assess a child's needs and link them with the appropriate resources in their community.
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to needed servicesNationwide it is estimated that approximately 12-16% of American children experience multiple developmental, educational, behavioral, and emotional delays or problems. Experts agree that early detection and treatment of these delays offers the best hope for optimal outcomes.
Often services and programs that help these children and families prove difficult to identfy due to lack of knowledge of availability, eligibility requirements, and transportation restrictions. Help Me Grow is a FREE service that bridges the gap between child healthcare, early care, education, and family support to offer comprehensive physician and community outreach, centralized information, and access to referral centers for families and Health Care and Service providers.
Why Use Help Me Grow?
We answer questions like:
- Is my baby eating enough?
- When should my baby start crawling?
- Should my child be sleeping more?
- When should my baby start crawling?
- Are these tantrums normal at this stage?
- And more about your child's language, feeding, walking, behavior, and playing
We can
- Screen a child by simply playing and asking caregivers a few questions
- Track abilities by keeping a close eye on how the child is doing
- Educate caregivers on child development and behavior
- Refer caregivers to providers in their local area
We are a connection point for the following needs:
- Education/ Childcare
- Basic Needs
- Medical
- Emotional/ Behavioral
- Developmental
- Speech Therapy
What is Developmental Screening?
Screening is a snapshot of a child's development at a single point in time. It complements ongoing observation, and can help you keep track of your child's development from birth until age 5 in scheduled intervals. The screening used by Help Me Grow is a tested, valid, and reliable tool used by many health care providers. You can complete a screening by answering six simple questions in the five areas listed below, appropriate for your child's age. Answers help show your child's strengths and areas where he or she may need support. Screenings are not used as a diagnostic tool for a health or behavioral related diagnosis.
What is measured in Developmental Screening?
Communication
verbal abilities, which includes comprehension and expression
Gross Motor Skills
the use of arms, legs and other large muscle groups, to sit, crawl, walk, run, and other activities
Fine Motor Skills
the coordination and movements of hands and fingers
Problem Solving
how toys are played with and problems are solved
Personal-Social
abilities to help self and interact with other people
Learn the signs. Act early.
Why Developmental Screening?
Do you wonder what your child should be doing at this age? Developmental screening can help highlight
important developmental milestones children achieve as they grow and is a great way to learn more about typical child development, identify your child’s strengths and uncover any areas of concern. Doing a screening is as simple as playing with your child!
Tools Used in Developmental Screening
Help Me Grow uses the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 in English and Spanish. The questionnaires include questions about your child's ability to calm down, take direction and follow rules, communicate, perform daily activities (e.g. eating, sleeping), act independently, demonstrate feelings, and interact with others.
The Ages & Stages Questionnaires®-Third Edition (ASQ-3)
The ASQ-3 is a great tool for you that helps to reveal your child's strengths, uncover any areas of concern, and determine if there are community resources or services that may be useful for your child or your family.
Ages and Stages Questionnaires®: Social Emotional- Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2)
The ASQ:SE-2 is a questionnaire focusing on behavior and social-emotional development in young children, and makes sure they are on schedule. It helps you celebrate milestones while addressing any concerns as early as possible.
There are two ways to get a developmental screening through Help Me Grow:
- Attend a public or private screening put on by our screening experts
- Complete a screening yourself, and we will be in contact with more information
If you would like to screen your child yourself, please click the button below and complete the questionnaire.
We will be in touch with more information.
Screenings are not used as a diagnostic tool for a health or behavioral related diagnosis.
Public Screening Days & Events
Screening days and event information can be found on our calendar. Some public screenings require an RSVP.
Private Screening Days for Organizations
Click the button below to schedule a private screening day for your organization. 10 screenings minimum. Please request a screening day at least 30 days in advance. Space is needed to schedule a screening. If screening location is outside of a 50 mile radius of Jackson, there is a 20 person screening minimum.
Partners
Head Start & Early Head Start
Head Start is an early childhood development program with services to meet your child’s individual needs. From disability services to family literacy, Hinds County Human Resource Agency Project Head Start provides quality services for low-income families in Hinds County.
Jackson Hinds Comprehensive Health Center (JHCHC) is the largest community health center in central Mississippi. Since its inception, JHCHC has grown from a “one-bus-and-Sunday school-classroom” operation to become a multi-site, multi-disciplinary provider of health services in Hinds, Warren, and Copiah counties. Jackson- Hinds is one of only two federally qualified health center (FQHC) in the state operating a clinic for the homeless and the only FQHC operating a HUD housing complex for low-income elderly and disabled residents.
