Arrowhead West Infant-Toddler Services

01/18/2026

01/15/2026

01/13/2026

Dodge City - Join our Infant-Toddler Services team in Dodge City as a Speech-Language Pathologist, LMSW Social Worker, or Early Childhood Special Educator and receive a $5,000 hiring bonus. Excellent benefits! EOE Apply online at https://form.jotform.com/232136576066155

01/13/2026

01/10/2026

01/09/2026

Lewis -Wondering how your infant or toddler is growing and learning? 👶🏻
Register for a FREE Developmental Screening Clinic with the early childhood development specialists from Arrowhead West Infant-Toddler Services and SCKSEC. The screening will be held in Lewis and is for children ages 0-5.
This is a great opportunity to check your child’s development, celebrate milestones, and receive helpful information to support their growth. 👣🤩

01/06/2026

Dodge City - Regístrese para la clínica de evaluación del desarrollo en https://form.jotform.com/222364515574154 y nos comunicaremos con usted de inmediato para programar su cita o llame al 620.227.8803.

01/06/2026

Dodge City - Sign your child up for the Free Developmental Screening for children ages birth to 36 months, which will be held in Dodge City on Friday, January 23rd. Register online at https://www.jotform.com/build/222364515574154 or call 620.225.5177.

12/25/2025

Happy Holidays from your friends at the Arrowhead West Infant-Toddler Services Team!

12/20/2025

💜 Adjusted Age vs. Actual Age: Understanding the Difference for Premature Babies 💜

If you’re a parent of a preemie, you’ve probably heard the terms actual age and adjusted age (also called corrected age)—and it can be confusing at first. Understanding the difference can help set realistic expectations and bring peace of mind during your child’s development.

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🌟 What Is Actual Age?

Actual age (also called chronological age) is the easiest to calculate.
👉 It’s simply the amount of time that has passed since your baby was born.

Example:
If your baby was born 9 months ago, their actual age is 9 months, regardless of how early they arrived.

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🌟 What Is Adjusted Age?

Adjusted age accounts for prematurity. It’s the age your baby would be if they had been born on their due date.

Doctors and therapists use adjusted age to evaluate:

Growth

Developmental milestones

Feeding progress

Motor skills

Speech and learning

This helps ensure preemies are not compared unfairly to babies who had a full 40 weeks to grow.

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🧮 How to Calculate Adjusted Age

Here’s a simple step-by-step method:

1️⃣ Start with your baby’s actual age
2️⃣ Subtract the number of weeks (or months) your baby was born early

Example:

Baby is 9 months old actual age

Baby was born 3 months early

➡️ Adjusted Age = 6 months

So while your baby is 9 months old on the calendar, developmentally they may be closer to a 6-month-old—and that is completely normal 💜

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💕 Why Adjusted Age Matters

Premature babies didn’t get the full time in the womb to grow and develop, so:

Milestones may come later

Growth may look different

Progress happens on their timeline

Most pediatricians use adjusted age until around 2 years old, when many preemies catch up to their peers.

🌈 A Gentle Reminder

Adjusted age is not a delay—it’s a more accurate way to honor your child’s journey. Every preemie’s path is unique, and progress is still progress, no matter the pace.

You’re doing an amazing job advocating for your little fighter 💜

12/15/2025

Many parents believe letting a baby “cry it out” teaches independence and self-soothing. Neuroscience shows a very different reality. When a baby is left to cry alone, their nervous system goes into high alert. Heart rate rises, breathing becomes shallow, and stress hormones flood the body. The silence afterward is not calm, it is exhaustion.

In 2019, over 700 Danish child psychologists warned against solitary sleep training. Their concerns focused on elevated stress hormones and weakened attachment. When babies are left alone, the amygdala, the brain’s fear center, learns that strong feelings are ignored. The vagus nerve, which helps regulate stress, misses the practice it needs to calm the body. Over time, this can affect emotional growth.

Soothing a baby is not spoiling. It provides safety, supports healthy brain development, and teaches emotional regulation. Just as babies are guided when learning to walk, they need guidance in handling big feelings. Calm, consistent comfort teaches the brain that distress is temporary and that help is reliable.

Responding to a baby’s cry strengthens attachment, reduces stress, and lays the foundation for emotional resilience. Research shows that babies who receive responsive care develop stronger brains, better emotional regulation, and healthier relationships throughout life.