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“There is no population met with more scorn or derision than a mother with opioid use disorder [OUD] who has a young child,” says Eileen Costello, MD, FAAP, Chief of Ambulatory Pediatrics at Boston Medical Center. Opioid-related deaths among women of reproductive age have rapidly increased in recent years, as have OUD among pregnant women…
According to a recent federal report, at least five of the top ten leading causes of death are associated with early childhood trauma. Reducing exposure to trauma during childhood, then, is a vital upstream strategy for improving lifelong health outcomes for children across the country. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are potentially traumatic events that can…
As we dive in to 2020, we’re sharing an update on policies and public programs that impact children’s health outcomes. We’ve included, important legislation to watch in the coming months, and a summary of vital public programs and funding included in FY2020 appropriations. By knowing what’s happened and what’s coming down the pike, children’s health…
Parents are children’s first and most important teachers. However, depending on daily stressors and their own life and childhood experiences, parents may need support from professionals in strengthening the parent-child bond and promoting their children’s social and emotional development. This is where positive, trusting, strength-based relationships among parents and healthcare providers can be helpful. …
Developmental screenings identify children at risk of having or developing developmental delays, with the goal of improving outcomes through early intervention and referral to supportive services. An effective developmental screening process includes conducting screenings from trained care providers; ensuring that families are referred to supportive services and interventions, such as evidence-based home visiting; maintaining a process for…
In 2016, Tabitha Williams sat in her hospital’s intensive care unit with her unresponsive 5-year old daughter; she had suffered a severe asthma attack brought on by exposure to lead dust in their home. Williams and her daughter live in Grand Rapids, Michigan; it’s just under a two hour drive west of Flint, Michigan, where…
Supporting young children’s social emotional development is just as important as supporting their cognitive capabilities and physical health. For children to succeed at school and build healthy relationships, they need to be able to express and experience emotions, self-regulate, and manage challenges and conflict. By working with families to support social emotional development, pediatric health…
Nearly 25 percent of young children in the U.S. are at risk for developmental delays. If not identified, these delays can hinder their ability to perform well in school, develop meaningful relationships, and reach their full potential. Universal developmental screenings can proactively identify children who are at risk of having or developing a delay so they’re…
Elaine DeaKyne was excited about her first pregnancy and, physically, she sailed through it without complications. Looking back, she recalls feeling anxiety during her third trimester, but she didn’t bring it up with her doctors because, as she says, “I didn’t know it was something I should talk about.” Her anxiety heightened after her daughter…
In the earliest years of life, a baby’s environment and experiences directly impact the rapidly developing brain, shaping the brain architecture itself. Research shows that strong parent-child relationships during those early years not only foster healthy brain development, but also protect the brain against the harmful effects of toxic stress that might arise from adverse…