Increase Understanding of Early Brain Development

Return to ZOOM MAP--Enhance Early Brain Development in Infants & Toddlers       Top Level Strategy Map

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Brief Description

A child's early years are very important for developmental health in the future. The brain grows at an accelerated rate before birth until early childhood. The first 8 years of life builds a foundation for health and future learning possibilities, and the positive and negative experiences of a child’s early years can have long lasting effects.

 

Tools and Resources

To support early brain development, proper nutrition is required during pregnancy, decreased exposure to infections and increased monitoring of a child’s interaction with the environment . In addition, parents should take turns playing and talking with their children, and make an effort to build on their interests and skills . Through understanding a child’s needs and responding to their cues protects the child’s brain from unnecessary stress .

The Basics is an organization that supports children's brain development from birth to age 3 through advocating for cognitive, emotional and social skill development . The Basics’s principles cover 5 key broad domains of childhood growth: maximize love and manage stress, talk, sing and point, count, group and compare, exploring through movement and play, read and discuss stories .

Promising Practices and Case Studies

Examples from communities that have implemented tools focused on this objective

Scorecard Building

Possible Objective Details

Possible Measures

Actions to Take

Actions for Coalitions

Actions for Individuals