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News & Events Calendar of Events |
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Rotary Clubs Donate
The Rotary Clubs of California and Charleroi, two volunteer service organizations comprised of a broad cross-section of local business professionals, have teamed up to benefit Mon Valley community parents by providing a user-friendly parental resource book on infant and early childhood brain development. “The Brain Game” is an 80-page infant and early childhood brain development book that breaks down complex brain development research findings into a user-friendly educational guide, which explains to parents why and how their child is learning and developing. The book includes specific activities, songs, and suggested behaviors that parents can engage in to help foster their child's intellectual and social development. Recently, scientists have discovered how truly important the first three years of a child's life are in the brain development process. Moreover, research has demonstrated that with proper education, parents can greatly enhance their child's brain development by engaging in specific behaviors such as touching, talking, and reading to their baby. Unfortunately, most current medical research is very technical and difficult for the average new parent to understand. Therefore, there is a strong need to get the information out to parents in a format that is accessible, applicable and easy to understand. The project was an example of a truly collaborative initiative that incorporated the efforts and expertise of numerous organizations and individuals. Charles Keller and Cherie Sears from the California Rotary Club approached Donna Ramusivich, President of the Charleroi Rotary Club to join them in the initiative. They then solicited matching funds from Rotary District 7330. “The Brain Game” was distributed by other Rotary Clubs across the nation and received strong parental support. “Rotarians have always encouraged literacy projects and this book will serve as a valuable educational tool that parents, child care, educational, and medical professionals can utilize to help ensure that children receive the support and stimulation they need to develop to their potential,” Ramusivich said. “When the California Rotary asked us to participate, we were very excited. Both clubs currently distribute dictionaries to all third grade students in our respective school districts and we saw this as a way to expand our literacy efforts in the community.” “The Brain Game” is designed for a wide audience of parents ranging from young, first-time, single mothers, to experienced parents with several children. In addition to serving as an educational resource for parents, the book will also serve as a tool to facilitate communication between the parents and their obstetrician, pediatrician or nurse practitioner. Using donations from the California and Charleroi Rotary Clubs and District Rotary 7330, copies of “The Brain Game” are now available to area parents. They will be distributed during Baby Care classes provided by Monongahela Valley Hospital through Valley Women’s Health. The baby care classes take place bimonthly on select Mondays throughout the year at the Mon-Vale HealthPLEX on Rt. 51 in Rostraver. The class is a very important, informative class for parents-to-be. They learn baby care basics that include car seat safety, immunizations, SIDS, childhood illnesses, home safety, infant feeding and bathing and diapering instruction. All parents who attend the baby care classes will be given a copy of “The Brain Game” to take home with them. Valerie Homanics, RN, coordinates all classes through MVH and Valley Women’s Health. In addition to the baby care classes, she also offers pre-natal and breastfeeding classes. “This book is a great asset for parents. It will enhance the lessons from the classes and covers information that is taught no where else,” she said. “It’s a fun way to ensure that your baby’s mind grows and develops properly.” “The Brain Game” includes aged-based segments where parents can record their child’s immunizations, and medical and developmental milestones. At each check-up, health care professionals can walk through the appropriate sections of the book with parents to ensure accurate record keeping and to discuss any questions or concerns parents may have regarding their child’s development. In an effort to address the need to better educate parents on the specific steps they can take to facilitate their baby's brain development, the community partners involved in this project solicited the expertise of pediatricians, early childhood educators, and nurse practitioners to condense the available research findings into an applicable, convenient, and enjoyable resource for parents. For more information about any classes or the book, call 724-258-BABY (2229).
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