SBHC Salonga Behavioral Health Center - Morong Rizal

Every child grows in their own TIME, their own WAY, and their own BEAUTY. 💙

Let us choose PATIENCE over pressure, UNDERSTANDING over judgment, and LOVE over comparison. Every small step matters, and every child deserves to be celebrated for who they are becoming. ❤️❤️❤️

Happy Mother’s Day! Today, we honor the incredible love, resilience, and boundless strength of mothers and mother figures everywhere.

At Salonga Behavioral Health Center, we recognize that motherhood takes many beautiful forms. Whether you are a biological mother, an adoptive mom, a foster parent, a grandmother, or a mentor, your influence shapes the future.

We also want to acknowledge those navigating the day with mixed emotions—those honoring a memory, those waiting to become mothers, and those who provide "motherly" care in their professional and personal lives.

Your dedication is the foundation of growth and healing. Thank you for being the first teachers of empathy, the primary architects of support, and a constant source of inspiration.

Wishing you a day filled with the same kindness and care you so freely give to others. You are seen, you are appreciated, and you are celebrated.

Believe in your child more than the opinions of the world. ❤️😊❤️

Hindi lahat ng bata ay komportable agad sa eye contact, at mahalagang maintindihan na ang kakulangan nito ay hindi agad nangangahulugang may problema. Sa early development, may mga batang mas expressive sa ibang paraan tulad ng gestures, paglapit, o paggamit ng tunog kaysa sa direktang pagtitig. Gayunpaman, ang eye contact ay isang mahalagang bahagi ng social communication dahil dito nagsisimula ang connection, attention, at interaction.

Sa ilang bata mula sa neurodiverse population tulad ng Autism Spectrum Disorder, maaaring limitado o iwas ang eye contact dahil sa sensory sensitivity, hirap sa social processing, o discomfort sa direct gaze. Para sa kanila, ang eye contact ay hindi laging natural at maaari itong maging overwhelming, kaya hindi ito dapat pilitin sa paraang magdudulot ng stress.

Para sa mga magulang, mas mainam na hikayatin kaysa pilitin ang eye contact. Maaari itong gawin sa pamamagitan ng paglapit sa eye level ng bata, paggamit ng playful interaction tulad ng peek a boo, at paglalagay ng interesting objects malapit sa mukha upang natural na mapatingin ang bata. Mahalaga rin ang paggamit ng warm facial expressions at positive reinforcement kapag kusang nagkaroon ng eye contact kahit sandali lang.

Obserbahan din kung may kasamang ibang signs tulad ng hindi pag respond sa pangalan, kakulangan sa gestures, o hirap sa pakikipag interaction. Kung ito ay napapansin nang tuloy tuloy, makakatulong ang pag consult sa developmental pediatrician, child or developmental neuropsychologist, o rehab therapist (PT, OT, Speech, ABA) para sa mas maagang guidance.

Sa huli, ang goal ay hindi pilitin ang bata na tumingin, kundi tulungan siyang makipag connect sa paraang komportable at meaningful para sa kanya. Ang connection ay mas mahalaga kaysa sa simpleng eye contact.

And remember! Always practice kindness.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). DSM-5: Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). https://www.cdc.gov/autism

World Health Organization. (2023). Autism. https://www.who.int

Dawson, G., Webb, S. J., & McPartland, J. (2005). Face processing in autism. Developmental Neuropsychology, 27(3), 403–424.

Klin, A., Jones, W., Schultz, R., Volkmar, F., & Cohen, D. (2002). Visual fixation patterns in autism. Archives of General Psychiatry, 59(9), 809–816.

Kapag napapansin ng magulang na ang bata ay hindi lumilingon kapag tinatawag, lalo na sa konteksto ng mga “ausome” (children with autism), mahalagang maintindihan na hindi ito agad nangangahulugan na ayaw makinig o “pasaway” ang bata. Mas madalas, ito ay may kaugnayan sa paraan ng pagproseso niya ng tunog, atensyon, o social cues.

Sa mga batang may Autism Spectrum Disorder, maaaring:
• Nahihirapan silang i-filter ang sounds sa paligid (sensory processing differences)
• Hindi pa ganap ang development ng joint attention (pag-share ng attention sa tao)
• Mas naka-focus sila sa sariling ginagawa (deep focus)
• May delay sa receptive language (pag-intindi ng sinasabi)

Mahalagang i-rule out din ang hearing concerns, kaya kung paulit-ulit itong napapansin, mainam na magpa-check sa audiologist or pediatrician.

Ano ang maaaring gawin ng magulang?

1. Lumapit muna bago tumawag
Siguraduhing nasa line of sight ka ng bata. Mas effective ang pagtawag kung nakikita ka niya.

2. Sabayan ng visual cue
Habang tinatawag ang pangalan, mag-wave, tapikin nang marahan ang balikat, o magpakita ng bagay na gusto niya.

3. Gawing meaningful ang pagtawag
Ipares ang pangalan niya sa isang bagay na gusto niya (hal. “Miguel, may bubble!”). Para matutunan niyang may “reward” ang paglingon.

4. Practice short and fun activities
Gumamit ng games tulad ng:
• “Tawag + treat”
• Peek-a-boo na may pangalan
• Turn-taking games

5. Iwasan ang paulit-ulit na pagtawag nang walang response
Kapag paulit-ulit na tinatawag pero walang nangyayari, nawawala ang value ng pangalan. Mas mainam na kunin muna ang attention bago magsalita.

6. Mag-consult kung kinakailangan
Kung consistent ang concern, makakatulong ang assessment mula sa developmental pediatrician, psychologist, o speech therapist para mabigyan ng structured intervention.

Paalala sa mga magulang:
Ang hindi paglingon ay hindi kawalan ng pakialam—ito ay isang developmental signal. Sa tamang gabay, consistency, at patience, unti-unting matutunan ng bata ang pag-respond sa pangalan at pakikipag-connect sa iba

To all ausome parents, your strength and love never go unnoticed. You are doing something truly incredible every single day. 💙 Share your beautiful loved ones in the comment section and let us celebrate them together. ❤️😊❤️

Celebrating every child, every difference.
HAPPY WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY. ❤️❤️❤️

May the tireless spirit of the Horse carry you toward new horizons. May your path be cleared of obstacles, your vitality remain unshakable, and your prosperity grow as swiftly as a steady gallop. Wishing you a year of bold leaps and triumphant finishes.

From our SBHC Team to yours, Happy Lunar New Year!

❤️❤️❤️