A child’s development is shaped by many influences, including genetic makeup, early interactions with parents or other caregivers, socioeconomic factors, and early childhood experiences in the family, at school, and in the community.
How children interact with their parents and other caregivers in their family or community results in neuronal connections that determine how the brain will be built over time. The quality of a child’s early 
experiences plays a significant role in their physical, social, emotional and intellectual development.
Children raised in nurturing and stimulating environments will develop trillions of neuronal connections and chemical reactions that support healthy development. However, children that are neglected, abused or raised in perilous surroundings develop far fewer neuronal connections, adverse chemical reactions and show sub-optimal development and poor health outcomes. The resulting damage to the brain can result in lifelong behaviour and learning problems that can be costly if not impossible to remediate.
The way that most parents respond to babies – the baby-talk, the back-and-forth smiling and gurgling, the repeating of sounds, words, gestures, the besotted rejoicing over every small step in the infant’s progress – all this does not lend itself easily to scientific analysis. Yet it is exactly this kind of intimate, loving one-to-one interaction that, along with adequate nutrition, constitutes the essential input to the child’s emotional, physical and cognitive development
To learn more visit:
Offord Centre for Childhood Studies. Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development http://www.knowledge.offordcentre.com/
Dr. Fraser Mustard/Margaret McCain The Early Years Study 2, 2007
http://www.frasermustardchair.ca/resources/why-are-the-early-years-so-important/
Dr. Fraser Mustard: Reversing the Brain Drain The Early Years Study, 1999
http://www.founders.net/ey/home.nsf/info/eyreport!opendocument
The Unicef Report Card 2008; The Child Care Transition http://www.unicef.ca/portal/Secure/Community/502/WCM/HELP/take_action/Advocacy/rc8.pdf
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Early Childhood Development — Did You Know?!
Safe, secure and child-centred neighbourhoods and communities are also important in a child’s development. On the national and international stage, it is important for nations to continuously improve living conditions for families. This involves addressing matters of economic security, flexible work schedules, information and support systems, health programs and quality child care.
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