We talk with foster parent and pediatric physical therapist Dr. Trevor Carlson about why early childhood development still affects our kids long after infancy. We walk through practical milestone windows, red flags, and simple ways we can help our kids build skills with hope and clarity.
• Why missed early milestones can show up later in regulation and connection
• When to talk with the pediatrician and ask about early intervention
• How to describe concerns when we do not have a full history
• Gross motor milestones to watch from rolling to walking
• Why crawling varies and what it can support later
• How prenatal drug exposure can affect brain arousal and sleep
• The difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy
• Clues that suggest a neurological issue, including asymmetry
• Why parent education and everyday play drive progress
• Where to find Dr. Carlson’s book, blog, email, and milestone checklist
Would you just take a minute to leave a review wherever you listen?

Baby Movement Milestones: A Simple Guide for Foster Parents to my website.

infantpt.com/fosterparentwell

Dr.Trevor Carlson:

trevor@infantpt.com

www.infantpt.com

Dr.Carlson's Book:

https://www.amazon.com/Tummy-Time-Walking-Building-Foundation/dp/B0DRK3WG5Z?crid=AR92ASCKUFH5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.51VlWH4zo3jSb2t4Mp3AKkwRnypcnRupeEwusdu8T9zhG6V-Uz5V8EngEDZ4duPoMlLFu3QDLahu4074wKTfib_FVi1F7OrrlWLCc0W-5qbamSVidgVuwV1vW--LtIBN_4l2GKLNaPfbrOzD-_D0MH40MkejBfVIj7CmjIpXRosuMOCffjC6pwVGG6al5tv4C5oJFYM9dOgqAxsstHbeIe_9IRkaohF1iAzhOU9L4ns.wTqjbg1EPHmN-0xOa2T03T0F0cWr-5r2MzeCWAPSt1U&dib_tag=se&keywords=tummy+time+to+walking+book&qid=1737383341&sprefix=tummy+time+to+walking,aps,185&sr=8-1&linkCode=sl1&tag=tummytimetowa-20&linkId=e3537184621b4a7be8126c6bd7b4beb0&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

Connect with me on Instagram:
@nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558410502165

Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/

We talk through what it really takes to advocate for foster and adoptive kids at school without turning every meeting into a battle. We share a trauma-informed lens for reading behavior, partnering with teachers, and building plans that support nervous systems instead of rewarding or punishing survival responses.
• why back-to-school transitions hit trauma-impacted kids harder
• Jennifer’s adoption story and how TBRI reshaped her parenting and school work
• the Four Rs of trauma-informed care and what “trauma-told” looks like
• why systems protect systems and how teacher constraints affect support
• fight flight freeze fawn fib as stress signals, not character flaws
• why home and school can see different behaviors from the same child
• co-regulation ideas to share with school staff and what to ask for
• scaffolding safe alternatives for unsafe behaviors without being permissive
• how progress often shows up as proximity frequency duration before intensity
• compassion fatigue in both parents and educators and how gratitude helps

Before we go, make sure you check the show notes for all the links that Jennifer mentioned today.

And hey, if you missed last week's episode on transition, go back and give it a listen.

TBRI: https://child.tcu.edu/tbri/

TBRI Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tbri-podcast/id1566206875

Empowered to Connect: https://empoweredtoconnect.org/

Empowered to Connect Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/empowered-to-connect-podcast/id1522355545

Robyn Gobbel: https://robyngobbel.com/

The Baffling Behavior Show: https://robyngobbel.com/podcast/

Dr Lori Desautels: https://revelationsineducation.com/

Connect with me on Instagram:
@nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558410502165

Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/

The fastest way to turn a peaceful day into chaos is a simple transition: shoes on, screens off, cleanup time, bedtime. For foster parents and adoptive families, those small pivots can hit like a tidal wave, and it’s easy to wonder why a child who seems “fine” suddenly spirals. We’re opening season four with a practical, hope-filled conversation on transitions and why trauma makes change feel so hard.

Dr. Brandy-Lea McCombs joins us with deep experience in education and trauma strategies, plus her own perspective as an adoptive mom. Together, we unpack what’s happening in the brain during transitions, including executive function demands and the role of the prefrontal cortex when kids have lived through stress, chaos, and loss of control. We also talk honestly about holidays, moves, school routines, and the long arc of growing up when a child’s developmental age doesn’t match the number on their birthday.

You’ll walk away with concrete, trauma-informed parenting tools you can use right away: pre-talk that doesn’t overwhelm, side-by-side “walk and talk” conversations, visual supports like calendars and checklists, countdowns and timers that build trust, predictable routines, color coding, and night-before prep to make mornings calmer. We also explore how to slowly scaffold independence without stripping away the supports that help kids succeed, and how faith can live alongside science when we’re setting expectations for obedience and regulation.

If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a foster or adoptive parent who needs steadier days, and leave a review so more families can find this support.

Ways to connect with Brandy:

Email: mccombsb@nsuok.edu Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stl234/

Connect with me on Instagram:
@nicoletbarlow https://www.instagram.com/nicoletbarlow/

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558410502165

Website: https://nicoletbarlow.com/