Physical Development

The Linguistic Genius of Babies

3 month old BellaTEDxRainier

In this presentation (filmed in October 2010), Patricia Kuhl shares astonishing findings about how babies learn one language over another — by listening to the humans around them and “taking statistics” on the sounds they need to know. Clever lab experiments (and brain scans) show how 6-month-old babies use sophisticated reasoning to understand their world.

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How Early Experiences Shape Brain Development

 3 year old CasonCenter on the Developing Child  Harvard University

This article compares the executive functions of the brain, including the ability focus, hold, and work with information in the mind,  to the “air traffic control” at a busy airport.  It explains how these critical lifelong skills develop, how early experiences shape this development, and how supporting this development pays off in school and later in life.

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New Study Indicates Long-term Benefits of Early Education

Story time at Lakeside PreschoolScience Daily

A new study conducted by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health examines the impact of intensive early education programs on the health and health behaviors of low-income children.  The study used data from the well-known Carolina Abededarian Project (ABC), a randomized control study that enrolled 111 infants in the 1970s and continued to follow them through age 21.

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The Foundations of Lifelong Health are Built in Early Childhood

17 month old CameronCenter on the Developing Child  Harvard University

This topic, available in both PDF and video formats,  explores the impact of healthy development in the earliest weeks and years of life.  Postive early experiences can shape and strengthen developing biological systems which in turn can lead to a healthier and more productive life in adulthood. 

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Early Experiences Can Alter Gene Expression and Affect Long-Term Development

Gene Expression articleCenter on the Developing Child  Harvard University

A new report from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child examines how environmental influences impact gene expression. These findings illustrate that the experiences children have early in life shape their developing brain architecture and impact their growth and development.

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A Parents’ Guide to Safe Sleep (2008)

The American Academy of Pediatrics

SleepAn article written by the AAP to help parents reduce the risk of SIDS.

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