Reflection by Sarah Roehrich

Sarah Roehrich, MS, CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist who was worked at the Thom Anne Sullivan Early Intervention Center in Lowell, MA for 20 years.  Working independently and on

multi-disciplinary teams, Sarah has helped families teach their toddlers, with and without special needs to understand language, learn to communicate, and/or help develop their feeding skills. 

Sarah is the author of 2 blogs entitled “The Architecture of the Brain” and “Kuhl Constructs: How Babies Form Foundations for Language.”  Inspired by outstanding lectures in early child development, Sarah has developed an interest in early brain development and social interactions between infants and caretakers.  Certified in the Newborn Behavioral Observation System (NBO), Sarah hopes to continue to help parents bond with their infants using the NBO in the future

The Sandstone Cathedral

by Sarah Roehrich

The grandeur of a slot canyon

cannot escape the eye

Its towering walls,

gentle curves,

and portholes,

allow ribbons of light

to cascade

down waves of stone

like tiny waterfalls

A golden glow paints the walls

the warm tones of a sunset,

pale yellow,

peachy pink,

orange cream,

and dark chocolate

It is a sandstone cathedral

A majestic site

which inspires

wonder,

curiosity,

and awe

Like holding a baby

for the first time,

I am inspired to notice

everything!

A baby’s behavior is it’s language,

and you can trust that language,

said Dr. Brazelton

Using the Newborn Behavioral Observation System,

known as the NBO,

to nurture connections

between parents and babies,

I am enlightened by the hands that created it

and those who teach it

The baby whisperers of our time,

both past and present

Armed with a red ball, a small rattle, and a flashlight,

a willing parent, and a baby, 3 months or younger

I use my powers of observation, the NBO, and parent report

to answer questions, such as

Can this baby track faces and/or objects?

Does this baby look in the direction of a familiar voice?

Can she protect her sleep?

What is this baby’s temperament? Is she easy going or hypersensitive?

How does this baby express herself?

What helps her relax?

How does she interpret her world?

How do her parents respond to, and interpret her behaviors?

I am also curious to know

how this mother is feeling

Is she happy and tired,

and able to appreciate

her baby’s shining eyes

soft skin

and tiny toes?

Does she notice when her baby

looks for her voice,

gazes in her direction,

or smiles at her reflexively?

Or is this mom

anxious, withdrawn, and/or sad?

Life with a baby is not what she expected

She is exhausted and overwhelmed

She has not yet been able to sweep aside

her invisible veil of depression,

to notice her own strengths

or her baby’s gifts

She is not sure how things will go

Again, I ask myself,

How can I work with this family

to nurture their relationships,

recognize their strengths,

and help them address their baby’s needs?

The NBO provides us with

precious opportunities

to listen,

observe,

ask questions,

share insights,

and teach and learn from parents

The lessons from the NBO

can help build bridges of understanding and connection

between caretakers and babies,

caretakers and clinicians,

babies and their siblings,

and families and extended families

When using the NBO,

we can play an important role

in providing opportunities

for parents

to tell us their stories about their babies,

their families,

their culture,

their hopes and dreams,

and their fears

When using the NBO,

we have the privilege

of meeting families where they are

and creating a nurturing atmosphere

filled with smiles,

kindness,

humor,

wonder,

and compassion

When using the NBO,

we have the opportunity

to educate families

and provide them with

strategies and resources

to address their baby’s needs

When using the NBO,

we have the ability

to inspire caretakers

to open their eyes to new possibilities,

to recognize and appreciate their gifts,

to create micro moments of connection,

and to give caretakers

the wings to fly

towards the sunsets

of their hopes and dreams.

Reflection by Sarah Roehrich,

In the summer of 2019, our family toured secret antelope canyon, a beautiful slot canyon on a Navajo Indian reservation in Page, Arizona.  The sun was bright, the sky was blue, and it was hot.  We climbed into an open air bus with an English couple, an Italian family, and 2 expert tour guides. After a bumpy ride and a short hike through the desert, we arrived at the canyon entrance. 

Beautifully carved sandstone walls stood before us. Entering a narrow passage, I  noticed golden beams of sunlight cascading down the rocks like tiny waterfalls. As we walked towards the heart of the canyon, the walls glowed like the hues of a sunset.   The ridged layers of sandstone were smooth to the touch. The air was cool.  I felt as if I had entered one of nature’s cathedrals, a magnificent and holy place.

As we walked deeper into the canyon, we spotted a lone grasshopper, an eagle’s nest, and spider webs clinging to a wall.  Our guide pulled out his recorder and began to play a traditional Navajo song. The spiritual music rippled through the canyon like a soothing melody.  Listening, I paused, looked around, and wondered, “How have desert rains transformed this canyon over hundreds of years?  If I could watch the sun light up this canyon from dawn to dusk, what would I see?   If these walls could talk, what stories would they tell?”

Seeing this canyon and using the Newborn Behavioral Observation System (NBO) with families and babies, has filled me with a sense of awe, fine tuned my powers of observation, and challenged me to ask new questions about how nature is transformed over time by its environment. 

Over the last 10 years, I have had the opportunity to attend, and occasionally organize, wonderful

lectures on early child development, early brain development, infant-parent mental health, and on

social interactions between babies, young children, and their caretakers.  I consider myself blessed to have heard so many incredible speakers, including Dr. Berry Brazelton, Dr. Kevin Nugent, Dr. Jayne Singer,  Dr. Ed Tronick,  Dr. Claudia Gold, Dr. Alice Carter, Dr. Charles Nelson, Dr. Takao Hensch,

Dr. Patricia Kuhl, Dr. Jack Shonkoff, and many others.

As a speech-language pathologist in early intervention, I have primarily helped families help their 2 year-olds, who have speech delays or complex medical issues, learn to understand language and

communicate in ways that their caretakers understand.  When I became trained in the NBO, a few months before COVID swept across the country, I had the opportunity to help parents learn more about how to recognize and understand their babies cues, behaviors, and patterns.

The knowledge I have developed through attending lectures and trainings, watching videos, reading, and working as a speech-language pathologist in early intervention, has created a rich backdrop for

using the NBO professionally with families.  Working with the NBO has challenged me to consider

different perspectives, and repeatedly ask myself the questions, “What are this family’s strengths?  How is this baby responding to her environment?  How does this baby express herself?  How are this baby’s caretakers interpreting her behaviors? Is there anything I can do to inspire micro moments of connection and understanding between this baby and her parents?  Are there any resources I could

provide or point to that would be helpful in addressing this family’s needs?”

Overall, it has been a pleasure to work with families and babies with the NBO in early intervention.   I hope that the ideas of those who have made important discoveries about babies, baby-caretaker

interactions, and infant-parent mental health, will continue to inspire authors, researchers,

teachers, therapists, and parents to collaborate.  By working together, we will help future generations of families with young babies, overcome their challenges, and step towards fulfilling their hopes and dreams.

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