Research That Benefit Families

If I could choose one topic to research in the early childhood field and not worry about the current day restrictions it would be the topic of Autism.  In my current program we have a couple of children who has been diagnosed with autism.  The problem is it took their mothers 5 years to decide to get them tested for autism.  Although I am not a doctor I was able to recognize that the children had some type of autism and pleaded with the parents to talk to their pediatrician about it.  I am glad that they were finally diagnosed because we can now understand their needs better.  

A child’s autism diagnosis affects every member of the family in different ways. Parents and caregivers must place their primary focus on helping the child with autism, which may put stress on their marriage, other children, work, finances, and personal relationships and responsibilities. Parents have to shift their resources of time and money towards providing treatment and interventions for their child, to the exclusion of other priorities. The needs of a child with autism complicates family relationships, especially with siblings.I think that by trying to find the causes of autism and maybe ways to help children and families cope with it better would be a great accomplishment for the early childhood field.

My Personal Research Journey

The topic I choose for my research paper is ways play promotes healthy child development.  I choose this topic because since I’ve been enrolled at Walden I have been introduced to several new websites and resources that have talked about the importance of play.  In my current early childhood program I want to be able to educate my staff and families on the importance of play.  

I believe that play is an essential component of early childhood development. I feel that it not only entertains children, but it also helps build their skills for the rest of their lives.  I believe that play is key to the development of children's intellectual, social and interpersonal skills and helps keep kids healthy.

I would appreciate any assistance that anyone can give me about this topic. Creditable resources and examples of how play has played a big role in your life or the lives of your children or children you work with.