# CDGC > Child Development & Guidance Center ## Posts - [The Importance of Self-Care: Taking Care of Yourself as a Parent or Caregiver of a Child with Additional Needs](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/the-importance-of-self-care-taking-care-of-yourself-as-a-parent-or-caregiver-of-a-child-with-additional-needs/): Living with a child with additional needs can be frustrating and tiring. It can also be very rewarding when your child makes progress, especially when you have worked so hard to help your child achieve this. All parents feel tired, angry and frustrated at times and need to find ways to relax. When a parent or caregiver experiences burnout, it doesn’t just negatively impact them. It can also have negative impacts on the child. Burnout reduces the quality and quantity of care that a person is able to give to a child. Children are more sensitive to our mood than we […] - [STOP Screen Time](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/stop-screen-time/): At the Child Development and Guidance Centre, we stress to parents that they need to stop screen time. Most of our brain development occurs by the age of 5. When children have too much screen time during these formative years, it can lead to impairments such as speech delays and social communication delays.1 When children are already experiencing developmental delays, screen time can worsen/intensify the challenges. Screen time should also not be used as a way to calm a child down. The device then becomes a crutch, and they are not learning any self-regulation techniques. This makes dealing with tantrums and […] - [Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): Myths Versus Facts](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/autism-spectrum-disorder-asd-myths-versus-facts/): MYTH #1 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a disease or mental illness.1 Fact: ASD is a difference in brain functioning that differs from the “norm,” which can present challenges in everyday life.1 MYTH #2 All people with ASD are intellectually impaired, or not as smart as their peers.2 Fact: There are two things to unpack here. Firstly, it is wrong to lump all people with ASD into one category, and make assumptions/generalizations about all of them.1 Secondly, ASD is not a direct indicator of intelligence. While some children with ASD may be intellectually impaired, not all of them are.2 MYTH #3 […] - [General Information for Parents and Caregivers of Children with Social Communication Delays / Autism Spectrum Disorder](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/general-information-for-parents-and-caregivers-of-children-with-social-communication-delays-autism-spectrum-disorder/): What is a social communication delay? Children with social communication delays have difficulties with social interaction, social communication and have restricted or repetitive behaviours or impaired imagination. Social understanding and imagination help us to understand and predict other people’s behaviours, make sense of abstract ideas and imagine solutions outside of our daily routines. How can I help my child to interact better? How can I help my child to communicate better? How can I develop my child’s imagination and reduce restricted behaviours? What about preschool? Sensory Processing Difficulties Children with social communication delays often have sensory processing difficulties. Processing sensory information […] - [Global Developmental Delays (GDD) General Information](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/global-developmental-delays-gdd-general-information/): What is GDD? Global Developmental Delay (GDD) describes the presence of at least two delays out of four core developmental areas: A delay signifies that a child is not reaching certain milestones at the same rate as their peers, according to the expected timeline.2 GDD vs. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) GDD and ASD are NOT the same. Treatment/Interventions It is possible for children to catch up to their developmental milestones. This can depend on how early they receive support, and the severity of the delays. Here are some types of intervention for children with GDD: For more information: Resources: November 24, […] - [Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) General Information](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-general-information/): What is ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder which presents inattentive/disorganized behaviours and/or hyperactive/impulsive behaviours.1 Types of ADHD There are 3 types of ADHD: Other Important Information How to Support a Child with ADHD For more information: Resources November 17, 2025 – Jorja Mederick - [Train the Trainers UNICEF](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/hello-world/): On June 27th 2025, CDGC kicked off it’s Train the Trainer’s Series in Saint Lucia. The Series is also taking place virtually in Montserrat. Train the Trainers is spearheaded by Dr. Keisha Lindsay – a speech and language therapist from Trinidad, and Dr. Kim Gardner – a paediatrician and the director of CDGC. It’s also supported by Mona Gardner-Gordon – a speech and language therapist from Antigua and Barbuda; Monique D. Puckerin – a speech and language therapist and literacy tutor from Trinidad; Aliya Drakes – an occupational therapist from Trinidad; and Zanique Edwards – an occupational therapist from Saint Lucia. […] ## Pages - [Current Team](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/current-team/): Home / Page Meet the dedicated professionals behind the CDGC. Our multidisciplinary team works together to assess, support, and empower children across Saint Lucia to reach their full potential. - [Donations & Partnerships](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/donations-partnerships/): Home / Page Our Partnerships Donations How to apply Available Positions Partnering with us We work with other organizations and companies to receive funding/grants. These grants are used for a variety of purposes including: capacity building in the Health Care and Education sectors, provision of direct early intervention for registered CDGC clients and for financial support for registered families to cover preschool fees, food items and developmental equipment/tools. For more information Contact Us. Support the CDGC with a Donation As a non-profit, the fees for our services are non-mandatory. No child is denied services. Small donations can help to support our […] - [Blog](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/blog/): Home / Page Stay informed with the latest updates, insights, and resources from the Child Development and Guidance Centre. Our blog shares expert guidance on child development, early intervention, parenting support, and community initiatives across Saint Lucia. - [Other Supports](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/other-supports/): Home / Page Our work is strengthened through meaningful partnerships with government ministries, healthcare providers, educators, and community organizations across Saint Lucia. - [Documents](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/documents/): Home / Page Helpful guides and practical tools created specifically for parents and caregivers. These resources offer clear, easy-to-understand information on child development milestones. - [Appointment Info](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/bookings-resources/): Home / Page Our Booking Appointments Active Caseload Missing Appointments Missing Initial Assessment Valid Reasons Cost of Appointment Booking an Appointment Initial Assessments: Once you have been referred to the centre, we will reach out to you, generally two weeks in advance, to book your child’s Initial Assessment. Due to the large number of referrals, the wait time for an Initial Assessment is 4-6 months. Other appointments: To book future appointments after an Initial Assessment, CDGC will reach out to you via telephone or WhatsApp to book your appointments with the centre. The appointments to be booked are based on our […] - [Referrals](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/referrals/): Home / Page Our Referral Info Make a Refrral Making a Referral Wait Times Due to the number of children being referred to CDGC, the wait time for an initial appointment is 4-6 months. Disclaimer Referrals can only be made by a Paediatrician, Doctor, Nurse, or Teacher/School that has seen the child being referred in an official capacity. If you do not fall under this category, but are having developmental concerns about a child, please take the child to a Paediatrician or Health Centre for a developmental evaluation in order for them to be referred.  You should also do this if […] - [About Us](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/about-us/): Home / Page Our About Us History Projects About Us The Child Development and Guidance Centre (CDGC) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that operates the national screening, referral, and early intervention system in St. Lucia. This system functions in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Equity.  The CDGC continues to function as the only multidisciplinary developmental assessment centre on the island of St. Lucia. Our team is made up of a Paediatrician, Child Psychiatrist, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, volunteer Speech and Language Therapists, and Intervention Assistants. At the CDGC, children from birth […] - [Contact Us](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/contact-us/): Home / Page Have Questions? Get in touch! Email Us cdgc.slu@gmail.com Fill the form Call Us 1 (758) 450-0240 1 (758) 726-7033 Address Gordon Avenue, La Clery Castries Saint Lucia West Indies Support the CDGC with a Donation As a non-profit, the fees for our services are non-mandatory. No child is denied services. Small donations can help to support our organization, especially since many parents are financially unable to pay for appointments. Donate to CDGC Send us a Message - [Home](https://childdevelopmentstlucia.org/): Helping your child reach their Fullest Potential. The Child Development and Guidance Centre is committed to supporting your child’s development. Scroll Down Donate to CDGC Who we are We are CDGC We provide early intervention for children under 5 years old with developmental delays, disabilities or at-risk development. The CDGC is a registered Non-Profit organization, located in Castries, St. Lucia. CDGC is a medical facility that provides Comprehensive Developmental Assessments, Early Intervention and Therapeutic Services. Providing support since 1997. Established as a non-profit in 2001. We provide early intervention to children under 5. What we do Explore Our Services Volunteers Interested […] ## Optional - [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/childdevelopmentstlucia.org/mcp) [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)