Anonymous wrote:It's interesting. What we have seen at our center is that kids who have come in with significant delay have actually progressed quickly because of all the social interaction and hearing all the speech and language in the classroom.

Hi, thanks for sharing your experience. That is interesting and great to hear.

It's interesting. What we have seen at our center is that kids who have come in with significant delay have actually progressed quickly because of all the social interaction and hearing all the speech and language in the classroom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have noticed a significant delay in speech as well as articulation problems. My DD has been examined by the city for early intervention and diagnosed with more than 20% delay. The therapist noted she was seeing a significant increase in speech problems in the 2-4 age range and there aren’t enough providers to render services. I have an older child too who was at the same daycare precovid who did not suffer from a delay or any speech impediments.

ok ....well we dont really have a choice.

There are PLENTY of in home daycares where the provider and kids don’t mask. Including ours. It’s not required so you can just keep looking for one that doesn’t.

A center that doesn’t follow state requirements is not a place I would leave my child. What other rules do they ignore?

You don’t know what you speak of. The state only requires masks for kids over 5, and the state does not require masks on in home daycare workers. I don’t know the rules for centers but I do not believe they are required to wear a mask either.

THIS. I'm grateful my kids have had a normal experience at their small in-home daycare with a woman who loves them like they are her own kids. They both also go to pre-school/PreK but "hate" their "stupid masks" so we are likely going to pull them soon to give them more normalcy. This is in NoVA I should mention.

Maryland is 2 years plus. It's insane.

No, Maryland is 5 and up. Some counties and the state might use words like “strongly recommended” but that doesn’t mean they have to. They also say it has to be well fitting and properly worn. Under 5 rarely does.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have noticed a significant delay in speech as well as articulation problems. My DD has been examined by the city for early intervention and diagnosed with more than 20% delay. The therapist noted she was seeing a significant increase in speech problems in the 2-4 age range and there aren’t enough providers to render services. I have an older child too who was at the same daycare precovid who did not suffer from a delay or any speech impediments.

ok ....well we dont really have a choice.

There are PLENTY of in home daycares where the provider and kids don’t mask. Including ours. It’s not required so you can just keep looking for one that doesn’t.

A center that doesn’t follow state requirements is not a place I would leave my child. What other rules do they ignore?

You don’t know what you speak of. The state only requires masks for kids over 5, and the state does not require masks on in home daycare workers. I don’t know the rules for centers but I do not believe they are required to wear a mask either.

THIS. I'm grateful my kids have had a normal experience at their small in-home daycare with a woman who loves them like they are her own kids. They both also go to pre-school/PreK but "hate" their "stupid masks" so we are likely going to pull them soon to give them more normalcy. This is in NoVA I should mention.

Maryland is 2 years plus. It's insane.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have noticed a significant delay in speech as well as articulation problems. My DD has been examined by the city for early intervention and diagnosed with more than 20% delay. The therapist noted she was seeing a significant increase in speech problems in the 2-4 age range and there aren’t enough providers to render services. I have an older child too who was at the same daycare precovid who did not suffer from a delay or any speech impediments.

ok ....well we dont really have a choice.

There are PLENTY of in home daycares where the provider and kids don’t mask. Including ours. It’s not required so you can just keep looking for one that doesn’t.

A center that doesn’t follow state requirements is not a place I would leave my child. What other rules do they ignore?

You don’t know what you speak of. The state only requires masks for kids over 5, and the state does not require masks on in home daycare workers. I don’t know the rules for centers but I do not believe they are required to wear a mask either.

THIS. I'm grateful my kids have had a normal experience at their small in-home daycare with a woman who loves them like they are her own kids. They both also go to pre-school/PreK but "hate" their "stupid masks" so we are likely going to pull them soon to give them more normalcy. This is in NoVA I should mention.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have noticed a significant delay in speech as well as articulation problems. My DD has been examined by the city for early intervention and diagnosed with more than 20% delay. The therapist noted she was seeing a significant increase in speech problems in the 2-4 age range and there aren’t enough providers to render services. I have an older child too who was at the same daycare precovid who did not suffer from a delay or any speech impediments.

ok ....well we dont really have a choice.

There are PLENTY of in home daycares where the provider and kids don’t mask. Including ours. It’s not required so you can just keep looking for one that doesn’t.

are the providers vaccinated and boosted? Are the parents of kids their vaccinated?

I don't think it's my business to know the vaccination status of the other parents but I did encourage our provider to get vaccinated because her husband is older and vulnerable.

For emotional/social stuff — this is also kid-dependent, OP. My toddler absolutely lights up at me (when I am masked) at pickup and is very expressive herself and has no trouble reading adult moods from facial expressions. and not just mine since she had no issues with mother who came to visit over Christmas either. She’s been in daycare with masked caregivers since she was 10 months old. Not trying to say some kids aren’t struggling but just wanted to give you hope it’s not all or a guaranteed issue.

Anonymous wrote:My kid is 3. He mostly spent the year from 1-2 home with us. His language exploded when he went back to daycare (with masked caretakers). He was speaking fine and hitting milestones with us at home but he kind of spoke his own version of a lot of words. Within a month his speaking was much clearer and saying the correct words.

I'm in no way doubting some kids have an issue, just reporting that it had no impact on my kid's language.

Same for us. My kid was at home with a nanny. She spoke, but only our family understood her for the most part. We started her at daycare/preschool at 2 years 10 months. There was a almost immediate language explosion very soon after starting daycare and now her speech is clear. They are masked all day every day.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have an under 2 in class. I wish he could see his caretakers faces. For me I am less concerned about speech because we get that at home, and more about long term wiring to recognize faces and emotions. I worry he will not know to look at faces and discern how people are feeling. He has only been in care a few months but at this drags on I will be deciding if it makes sense to go elsewhere.

yea this is what I am concerned about which I tried to articulate. Perhaps I should have explained it differently. But they will also learn that at home, no? What other options would you look at - a place that doesn't have masked caregivers? That seems like it might be hard to find

Yeah I know. I do think they get this at home too, but I also think the amount matters. I see how my kid looks at me when I briefly have a mask on and his face does not register in the same way. It is heart wrenching for me when I see him staring blankly at my masked face even just at pickup time. I hate it. So as for what to do… I expect to play it by ear frankly. A lot of pressure will start building to unmask as we head to spring. If national and local health policy does not loosen up at all then I will have to consider in home care, nanny share, or my husband taking unpaid leave for a few months (his job is better suited to leaving and coming back than mine). I am hopeful that national and state and county guidelines will begin to shift though. The options are not great. If vaccine availability plus the data on omicron is not enough for policies to start changing in this area then that’s the point at which I will realize drastic moves are needed for me personally.

Good luck. I don’t know what will happen but I do want to look back and know I was trying to do the best I could, which to me =/= accepting the status quo.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have noticed a significant delay in speech as well as articulation problems. My DD has been examined by the city for early intervention and diagnosed with more than 20% delay. The therapist noted she was seeing a significant increase in speech problems in the 2-4 age range and there aren’t enough providers to render services. I have an older child too who was at the same daycare precovid who did not suffer from a delay or any speech impediments.

ok ....well we dont really have a choice.

There are PLENTY of in home daycares where the provider and kids don’t mask. Including ours. It’s not required so you can just keep looking for one that doesn’t.

A center that doesn’t follow state requirements is not a place I would leave my child. What other rules do they ignore?

You don’t know what you speak of. The state only requires masks for kids over 5, and the state does not require masks on in home daycare workers. I don’t know the rules for centers but I do not believe they are required to wear a mask either.

Anonymous wrote:I have an under 2 in class. I wish he could see his caretakers faces. For me I am less concerned about speech because we get that at home, and more about long term wiring to recognize faces and emotions. I worry he will not know to look at faces and discern how people are feeling. He has only been in care a few months but at this drags on I will be deciding if it makes sense to go elsewhere.

yea this is what I am concerned about which I tried to articulate. Perhaps I should have explained it differently. But they will also learn that at home, no? What other options would you look at - a place that doesn't have masked caregivers? That seems like it might be hard to find

I have an under 2 in class. I wish he could see his caretakers faces. For me I am less concerned about speech because we get that at home, and more about long term wiring to recognize faces and emotions. I worry he will not know to look at faces and discern how people are feeling. He has only been in care a few months but at this drags on I will be deciding if it makes sense to go elsewhere.

My kid is 3. He mostly spent the year from 1-2 home with us. His language exploded when he went back to daycare (with masked caretakers). He was speaking fine and hitting milestones with us at home but he kind of spoke his own version of a lot of words. Within a month his speaking was much clearer and saying the correct words.

I'm in no way doubting some kids have an issue, just reporting that it had no impact on my kid's language.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have noticed a significant delay in speech as well as articulation problems. My DD has been examined by the city for early intervention and diagnosed with more than 20% delay. The therapist noted she was seeing a significant increase in speech problems in the 2-4 age range and there aren’t enough providers to render services. I have an older child too who was at the same daycare precovid who did not suffer from a delay or any speech impediments.

ok ....well we dont really have a choice.

There are PLENTY of in home daycares where the provider and kids don’t mask. Including ours. It’s not required so you can just keep looking for one that doesn’t.

are the providers vaccinated and boosted? Are the parents of kids their vaccinated?