Tayloe believes in asset-building
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on March 8, 2004 1:56 PM
A Goldsboro pediatrician believes there is more to his job than taking care of sick children.
Dr. Dave Tayloe of Goldsboro Pediatrics said his office has access to many families that are raising children, but that doesn't assure good results in the community.
"I think we have become respected resources for our families but we need to go the next step," he said.
Typically, physicians see mothers throughout the nine months of pregnancy. Once a baby is born, follow-up visits are scheduled at two weeks, then at two, four, six, and nine months, one year, and then 15, 18 and 24 months. Thereafter, checkups are spread out to every year.
Tayloe said the frequent visits can be used as opportunities to help with the child-rearing process.
Tayloe has recently been involved in discussions with leaders of the American Academy of Pediatrics about the "asset-based" characteristics children need to become productive, happy, and self-supporting adults. He is also part of a local steering committee that is planning a conference in the community next month.
It is scheduled to be held on Thursday, April 22, from noon until 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church and is based on the 40 developmental assets from Search Institute.
There are about 40 assets recommended, among them family support, positive family communication, other adult relationships, a caring neighborhood, and service to others.
The featured speaker will be Paula Duncan, an administrator with the Department of Health and Human Services in Vermont. She has also been a general pediatrician and an elementary school teacher.
Tayloe said the information can be used by parents and others who come in contact with children and youth. He said Ms. Duncan has also worked to help pediatricians understand that the information can be incorporated into routine visits.
"I have plenty of opportunities to say, 'Have you thought about whether your kids are going to have these assets?' or 'Do you think your growing child has these assets?'" he said.
Tayloe said the national average is to have 18 of the 40 recommended assets. If one has 31 or better, though, the outcomes are better.
That is why his committee is taking the broad-brush approach, he said, involving as much of the local community as possible.
"A lot of people are aware of asset-building," he said. "We're trying to pull it together in a central fashion and move it out into the community."
He said it will be important for the public to buy into the idea.
"This is a positive thing," he said. "What can we all do to make sure our children have these assets?"
He said in order to break the concept down into manageable pieces, Ms. Duncan will probably focus on between five and 10 assets that are most important.
"Rather than overwhelm people, I would see us honing in on a finite number of assets that we think the community needs to incorporate," he said.
Tayloe said he would especially like to see churches, civic groups, and the school system get on board with the concept. WAGES and the Eastpointe have also indicated a desire to co-sponsor the April event, he said.
The bottom line is that it is not too soon to start, Tayloe said, maybe even before a child is born.