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Media Coverage: AAP Reports on Toxic Stress Generate Wide Media Interest

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:24:10 -0500

Harvard EdCast: “Toxic Stress in Early Childhood”
Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff discusses the impact of early childhood toxic stress on adult health in the January 23 EdCast, a weekly podcast interview conducted by Matt Weber at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Slate Magazine: “Tender Young Brains: What Kind of Childhood Stress Should Parents Actually Be Stressing About?”
A January 18 article from Slate cites the AAP reports on toxic stress as an important counterbalance to parents' unfounded worries that small stresses in a loving environment cause lasting damage, in contrast to the stress of serious early adversity without the buffering effect of supportive adult relationships.

The New York Times: “A Poverty Solution That Starts With a Hug”
New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof brings the impact of toxic stress to the forefront in a January 8 column, positing that the AAP policy statement's recommendations could have "revolutionary implications" for poverty, education, and health outcomes.

VIEW HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE >>

Upcoming Web Event: The Forum at HSPH To Host Webcast on Toxic Stress

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:23:13 -0500

The Forum at Harvard School of Public Health will host its next live broadcast event, "The Toxic Stress of Early Childhood Adversity: Rethinking Health and Education Policy," on February 7 in the Kresge Building at HSPH. A discussion with a live web audience, the event will feature expert participants, including Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff and Robert W. Block, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Launched in 2010, The Forum seeks to provide decision-makers with a global platform to discuss policy choices and scientific controversies.

Tues., Feb. 7, 2012, 3:00pm-4:00pm EST

Watch online & submit questions >>

Global Pediatrics Article: New Scientific Knowledge Can Inform Innovative Global Strategies

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:21:14 -0500

International discussions of child-related policies and practices often fail to make the vital connection between child survival, one of the developing world’s most pressing issues, and child development, an equally important prerequisite for productive and harmonious societies. However, an article in the February issue of Pediatrics co-authored by Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff posits that new knowledge in the biological and social sciences offers a unifying framework that can inform innovative strategies to improve both child survival and early development as well as adult outcomes in health, learning, and behavior. The article also calls for greater synergy across policy sectors related to child health and well-being, schooling, and economic development. The co-authors are Linda Richter of the Human Sciences Research Council and the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa; Jacques van der Gaag of the Center for Universal Education, Brookings Institution, and the Amsterdam Institute for International Development, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands; and Zulfiqar A. Bhutta of the Division of Women and Child Health, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.

READ FULL ARTICLE >>

American Academy of Pediatrics Calls for Action to Address Toxic Stress

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:28:55 -0500

American Academy of Pediatrics Calls for Action to Address Toxic Stress

The nation’s pediatricians have issued an urgent call to action to address the dangers of toxic stress experienced by children early in life.

Early adversity—including such experiences as physical or emotional abuse, chronic neglect, caregiver substance abuse or mental illness, exposure to violence, and/or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship—has long been known to increase the risks of disease and life-threatening behaviors later in life. Now, scientific advances provide solid evidence of how this occurs and underscore an urgent need to enhance existing strategies for promoting health and preventing disease across the lifespan.

In the policy statement that appears in the January 2012 issue of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) calls on “the entire pediatric community…to catalyze fundamental change in early childhood policy and services.” It urges a “greater focus on those interventions and community investments that reduce external threats to healthy brain growth.” Along with a technical report on the science of toxic stress, the policy statement marks the first time that the AAP, the premier U.S. organization of physicians who care for infants, children, adolescents and young adults, has highlighted toxic stress as a topic for urgent attention, and builds upon the cumulative work of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the Center on the Developing Child.

Read or download the full policy statement on the AAP Web site >>

Read or download the full technical report on the AAP Web site >>

RELATED RESOURCES

Internship Opportunity: Brazil Early Childhood Development Initiative

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:34:13 -0500

As part of its Global Children’s Initiative, the Center on the Developing Child has recently launched a major collaborative initiative in Brazil. Working with local experts, the Center seeks to improve life outcomes for Brazilian children through wise investment in effective early childhood policies and programs.

The Center is collaborating with the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies at Harvard University, Fundação Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal, the Faculty of Medicine at the University of São Paulo, and Insper. This project represents a unique opportunity for the Center to work with Brazilian scholars, policymakers, and civil society leaders to adapt the Center’s programmatic model for the local context in order to catalyze more effective policies and programs that will, ultimately, foster a more prosperous, sustainable, and equitable society.

Position Description

The Center on the Developing Child is seeking a highly motivated student to support the implementation of the Brazil Initiative, and in particular, the inaugural Executive Leadership Program in Early Childhood Development for Brazilian policymakers. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to attend the Executive Leadership Program, March 11th-16th.

Responsibilities will include:

Contributing to the design and develop of an online portal for participants in the upcoming Executive Leadership Program, including ongoing administration and monitoring of the portal

Assisting with the preparation and administration of the Executive Leadership Program, and post-event follow-up

Other duties as assigned

This position will be filled ASAP and will continue through the end of the 2011-2012 academic year, with the possibility of extension beyond. The successful candidate should be willing to dedicate 8-12 hours per week to the position. Duties can be conducted off-site but the successful candidate will be expected to be able to attend meetings at the Center from time to time. This is an unpaid position, but does offer the possibility of a small stipend for on-site duties performed during the week of the Program (March 11th -16th).

Required Education, Experience and Skills

Student with an interest in global child development or related social science field

Detail oriented, self motivated and able to work both independently and as part of a team

Interest in web-based applications and online community building

Additional Qualifications

Proven interest in Brazil and/or a working understanding of Portuguese

Please submit a letter of interest and CV to Jessica Mason at: jessica_mason@harvard.edu

Media Coverage: The New York Times, "A Poverty Solution That Starts With a Hug"

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:12:04 -0500

Columnist Nicholas D. Kristof brings the impact of toxic stress to the forefront in this column for The New York Times. Addressing the American Academy of Pediatrics' January 2012 policy statement, which features Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff as co-author, Kristof posits that the paper's recommendations could have "revolutionary implications" for poverty, education, and health outcomes. As Kristof quotes the report, "Protecting young children from adversity is a promising, science-based strategy to address many of the most persistent and costly problems facing contemporary society."

Upcoming Lecture: "The Biology of Adversity and the Early Childhood Roots of Impairments in Learning, Behavior, and Health"

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:20:00 -0500

Inaugural Conte-CBS Colloquium on Mental Health

The Biology of Adversity and the Early Childhood Roots of Impairments in Learning, Behavior, and Health

Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D.
Director, Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

Tuesday, January 31, 2012; 6:30 p.m.

Northwest Building, Room 243
52 Oxford Street, Cambridge, Mass.

View map >>

The Harvard University Conte Center, comprised of faculty in the Center for Brain Science (CBS) and led by Center affiliated faculty member Takao Hensch, is a basic research team focused on the developmental origins of mental illness. The Conte-CBS Colloquium on Mental Health will be a monthly, interdisciplinary series of talks focused on mental health research.

Refreshments will be served at 6:00 p.m. An extended discussion for undergraduates will be held at 7:15 p.m. This event is open to all Harvard University students, fellows, faculty and staff.

Job Opening: Center Deputy Director and Director, Finance and Administration

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:20:35 -0500

Job Opening: Center Deputy Director and Director, Finance
and Administration

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University views healthy child development as the foundation of economic prosperity, strong communities, and a just society, and our mission is to advance that vision by using science to enhance child well-being through innovations in policy and practice. Drawing upon the full breadth of intellectual resources available across Harvard University’s schools and affiliated hospitals, the Center generates, translates, and applies knowledge in the service of improving life outcomes for children in the United States and throughout the world.

Since its inception in 2006, the Center has expanded significantly – the portfolio of activities has grown exponentially and the budget has increased from $1.6 to 8.4 million; the staff has increased from 4 to 25; 30 affiliated faculty have been appointed; students, post-doctoral fellows, and visiting scholars have been engaged; and $30 million has been raised from a broadened and diversified donor base. As the Center transitions from a start-up to a mature organization, the range and complexity of its portfolio is expected to increase.

Within this context, the Finance and Administration (F&A) related activities at the Center must also evolve in order to effectively support the growing needs of a dynamic organization driving a high impact strategy. To that end, we are seeking an energetic and seasoned professional to join the Center’s Senior Management Team and lead the strategic thinking and future direction of our finance and administration dimensions.

The Center Deputy Director and Director, Finance and Administration reports to the Center’s Managing Director and is responsible for the active stewardship and efficient management of the financial, IT, human resources, and general administrative services of the Center.

As the Center Deputy Director (CDD) this person will serve on the 4-person senior management team (SMT) as the key advisor to the Director and Managing Director in setting strategic financial planning and administrative objectives for a rapidly evolving organization. The CDD also serves as an ambassador for the Center in building critical relationships with investors, consultants, and subcontractors as well as with colleagues within the University with whom he or she interacts on a regular basis.

As Chief Financial Officer (CFO) this person will be responsible for general oversight of all aspects of the Center’s finances including management of the budget, payroll administration, and pre- and post-award activities for sponsored and gift agreements. The CFO will be directly responsible for developing proposal-specific and Center-wide budgets, leading the annual update of both the business plan and the annual report to the University, and maintaining current financial forecasts and cash-flow analyses. The CFO currently oversees the work of two finance staff.

As Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) this person will be responsible for the strategic planning and general oversight of human resources, information technology support, space planning and utilization, as well as office operations and administrative services. Important dimensions of this role include the ability to promote the professional development of staff members as well as to address personnel-related concerns in the context of a highly dynamic and growing organization. Currently, the CAO oversees the work of three staff members who are responsible for the day-to-day management of these functions.

B.A. with eight or more years of progressively responsible experience at a senior level covering a broad range of financial and administrative activities that includes strategic financial planning; experience developing and managing budgets, and using related software required.

All application materials for this position must be submitted through the Harvard Employment Web site.
Apply for this position >>

Applicants invited to interview will be required to provide a cover letter.

Reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses will be considered for finalists.

Additional Qualifications: M.B.A. preferred; experience working in a finance role in a University or other non-profit setting preferred; familiarity and experience with the financial and programmatic requirements and practices of major foundations including gifts and grants required; strong interpersonal skills including demonstrated ability to supervise and lead; strong oral and written communications skills required; advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office programs, especially MS Excel.

Media Coverage: Harvard Gazette Features Center-Affiliated Faculty Members

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:46:53 -0400

An October 19 article in the Harvard Gazette featured Center-affiliated faculty members Charles A. Nelson III and Margaret Sheridan, who spoke at a seminar aimed at military veterans and members of the armed services, the first in a series by the Harvard College Veterans Engagement Initiative. Nelson and Sheridan, who are both on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, presented relevant research on child development, including the latest data on memory and attachment, to help inform military parents preparing for deployments and homecomings.

Distinguished Scholars Lecture Video: Lecture by Rockefeller University Scientist Now Online

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:02:02 -0400

Bruce S. McEwen, Ph.D., a member of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, presented "The Brain on Stress: How the Social Environment Gets Under the Skin" on September 27, as part of the Distinguished Scholars Lecture Series sponsored by the Center. Video of McEwen's 90-minute presentation, which examined how chronic stress can cause changes in the brain and body that lead to disease, is now available for viewing on the Center's Web site.

Faculty Spotlight: Michelle Albert

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:00:48 -0400

As part of an ongoing series of research profiles of Center-affiliated faculty members, a new feature on the Center's Web site focuses on Michelle Albert, M.D., M.P.H., Director of Behavioral and Neurocardiovascular Cardiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. In this article, Albert discusses how her research to understand biological mechanisms and risk factors in childhood helps to inform her work with adult disease and disparities in health.

Now Accepting Applications: Julius B. Richmond Fellowships

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:17:53 -0400

Applications are now being accepted for Julius B. Richmond Fellowships at the Center on the Developing Child. These one-year fellowships support the dissertation research of Harvard University doctoral students. Students receive a $10,000 stipend in support of independent research that aligns with the broader mission of the Center.

All Harvard University doctoral students from the biological and social sciences as well as the professional schools are eligible to apply. Award decisions will be made in March 2012, and the fellowship will begin in September.

The deadline for submitting applications is 5PM EST on Friday, December 16, 2011.

Read more about the Julius B. Richmond Fellowships & how to apply: http://developingchild.harvard.edu/activities/students_eld/fellowships/

New Video Series: "Three Core Concepts in Early Development"

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:55:04 -0400

This new, three-part video series from the Center and the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child depicts how advances in neuroscience, molecular biology, and genomics now give us a much better understanding of how early experiences are built into our bodies and brains, for better or for worse.

View the entires series as a YouTube playlist below:

1. Experiences Build Brain Architecture

2. Serve & Return Interaction Shapes Brain Circuitry

3. Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development

Video: Center Director Presents at NBC News' "Education Nation"

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:56:51 -0400

On Monday, September 26, 2011, Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D., presented at NBC News' Education Nation Summit in New York City. His talk, "Stimulating Minds and Protecting Brains," was part of a session featuring presentations on the science of early brain development and how that affects learning, behavior, and health for a lifetime. The two-day summit brought together educators, parents, policymakers, elected officials, business leaders, students and others to discuss pressing topics in American education.

Upcoming Lecture: The Brain on Stress: How the Social Environment “Gets Under the Skin”

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 11:06:33 -0400

Bruce S. McEwen, Ph.D.
Alfred E. Mirsky Professor
Head of the Harold and Margaret Milliken Hatch Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology
The Rockefeller University

Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 4:00-6:00PM

Fong Auditorium
Boylston Hall, Harvard Yard
Cambridge, Mass.

This event is free and open to the public.

New Journal Articles

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:12:51 -0400

COMMENTARY PROPOSES NEW THEORY OF CHANGE

In an August 19 commentary in Science, Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff makes the case for scientists, practitioners, and policymakers to work together to design and test creative new interventions that mitigate the harmful effects of significant adversity in early childhood. As Shonkoff states in the commentary, "New strategies will be needed to strengthen the capacities of parents and providers of early care and education (beyond the provision of additional information and supports) to help young children cope with stress."

IMPACT OF EARLY ADVERSITY DISCUSSED IN INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION

Early exposure to fear and anxiety can have lasting effects on learning and development, according to a recent article by Nathan A. Fox, a member of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and Director of the Child Development Laboratory at the University of Maryland College Park, and Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff. Abuse, maltreatment, and the persistent threat of violence are examples of circumstances that can disrupt the developing architecture of the brain. In the article, Fox and Shonkoff emphasize the importance of policies and programs taking children's developmental needs into account, particularly for those living under stressful circumstances. The article appears in the June 2011 issue of Early Childhood Matters, an international journal published biannually by the Bernard van Leer Foundation. This journal is available in both English and Spanish.

2011-2012 Julius B. Richmond Fellowships

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:11:52 -0400

To support the goal of creating a new generation of leaders who have a broad perspective on the promotion of healthy child development and who recognize the need to bring strong scientific knowledge to bear on policies and programs that support the well-being of children, the Center recently announced this year's recipients of its annual Julius B. Richmond Fellowships. In the fifth year for the program, the Center will fund the research of three Harvard students:

Todd Grindal is a 5th year doctoral student at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, where he studies the impact of public policies on young children and children with disabilities. His dissertation research is focused on the unionization of home child care providers and its impact on early education policy and practice. Prior to beginning his doctoral studies, he worked for six years as a teacher and school administrator at the preschool and elementary levels.

Sarah Hope Lincoln is a 4th year clinical psychology doctoral student in the Department of Psychology at the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. She is interested in developmental psychopathology, specifically the neurobiological mechanisms underlying severe mental illness in children and adolescents. Her research is focused on elucidating the neural mechanisms underlying social cognitive deficits that may relate to impairment in social functioning in children, adolescents, and young adults at risk for schizophrenia spectrum disorders.

Andrew Thorne-Lyman is a 4th year doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. He is interested in the potential of nutritional interventions during pregnancy and early childhood to improve neonatal and infant health and developmental outcomes. His doctoral research explores the effects of vitamin D and calcium on maternal and child health outcomes, including preterm delivery, preeclampsia, and infant growth and mortality in Tanzania and Denmark.

Follow the Center on Twitter

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:35:39 -0400

The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University is now on Twitter. Follow us at http://twitter.com/HarvardCenter

USAID Brief on Early Childhood Development: Center's Global Team Consults on International Report

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:49:58 -0400

The Center's Global Children's Initiative recently reviewed and contributed to a technical brief for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on the importance of incorporating early childhood development (ECD) into programming for children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. The brief was prepared as part of the AIDSTAR-One program, USAID's main global technical assistance program for HIV/AIDS. It is intended for use by USAID country missions around the world, and their implementing partners, to increase knowledge about the importance of ECD and critical elements of ECD programs and to provide guidance on how to begin incorporating ECD into current U.S. government HIV programming. It represents an important step in applying the science of ECD to guide on-the-ground programs for vulnerable children.

Frontiers of Innovation Convening: Workshop Forges Cross-Sector Connections

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:48:40 -0400

The Frontiers of Innovation (FOI) initiative and online community, developed by the Early Childhood Innovation Partnership, is designed to forge cross-sector collaborations and create high-impact strategies to foster innovation in the field of early childhood programs and practices. The community launched with an invitation-only conference at Harvard University on May 3-5, 2011, bringing together 61 participants, including policymakers and analysts, researchers, practitioners, and philanthropists from 23 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces.

A set of three videos created for the meeting to set the stage for innovative thinking are available for viewing on the Center's Web site.

Media Coverage: NPR Highlights Research of Center Affiliate

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:47:08 -0400

A June 2 story on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" highlighted research by Center-affiliated faculty member Charles A. Nelson III, Ph.D., into the early signs of autism. Nelson's work, which looks closely at electrical activity in the brains of infants, is also providing hints about which therapies are likely to help children with autism spectrum disorders. Nelson, who is a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Richard David Scott Chair of Pediatric Developmental Medicine Research at Children's Hospital Boston, is a member of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

Several other international media outlets, including The New Yorker, Time magazine, The Boston Globe, and Veja, a major publication in Brazil, have featured the research of Center affiliates in recent months. The full list of up-to-date media coverage, with descriptions and links to each article, can be found on the Center's Web site.

Neurons to Neighborhoods Available for Purchase Through iTunes

Mon, 27 Jun 2011 15:47:06 -0400

From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development is now available for digital purchase through iTunes. Originally published in 2000 by the National Academies Press, From Neurons to Neighborhoods presents important findings about the effects of genetics, environment, and early stress on brain architecture; the impact of politics on programs for children; and the costs and benefits of intervention. Edited by Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff and Council Contributing Member Deborah A. Phillips, From Neurons to Neighborhoods celebrated the 10th anniversary of its publication in October 2010. Materials from the anniversary workshop in Washington, DC, are available for viewing on the Board on Youth, Children, and Families Web site.

The digital book can be viewed using the iBooks application available on iTunes.

New Video: Brain Hero

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 13:30:41 -0400

In 2009, the Center launched a collaboration with the Interactive Media Division of the School of Cinematic Arts at the University of Southern California to develop and test new ways of communicating the science of early childhood development using interactive media. Depicting how actions by a range of people in the family and community impact child development, this 3-minute video adapts the visual sensibility of interactive game models to a video format.

New Profile Highlights International Research by Center-Affiliated Faculty Member Günther Fink

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:48:45 -0400

As part of an ongoing series of research profiles of Center-affiliated faculty members, a new feature on the Center's Web site focuses on Günther Fink, Ph.D., an assistant professor of international health economics at Harvard School of Public Health. In this article, Fink discusses his work in Zambia examining the effects of an anti-malaria campaign on child development and how he and his colleagues have developed a new assessment for measuring those effects.

InBrief Videos Now Available in Spanish

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:47:22 -0400

Three videos from the Center's InBrief series, including InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development, InBrief: The Impact of Adversity on Children's Development, and InBrief: The Foundations of Lifelong Health, are now available in Spanish on the Center's Web site. The translations of these videos were made possible with major support from the World Bank.

New Working Paper: Building the Brain's "Air Traffic Control" System: How Early Experiences Shape the Development of Executive Function

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:22:20 -0500

Being able to focus, hold, and work with information in mind, filter distractions, and switch gears is like having an air traffic control system at a busy airport to manage the arrivals and departures of dozens of planes on multiple runways. In the brain, this air traffic control mechanism is called executive functioning, a group of skills that helps us to focus on multiple streams of information at the same time and to revise plans as necessary. Acquiring the early building blocks of these skills is one of the most important and challenging tasks of the early childhood years, and the opportunity to build further on these rudimentary capacities is critical to healthy development through middle childhood and adolescence.

New Video: InBrief: The Foundations of LifelongHealth

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:00:28 -0500

This new video in the InBrief series explains how children's developing biological systems are affected by early experiences in ways that lay the groundwork for a lifetime of well-being or increased likelihood of disease and impairment. The video summarizes findings from The Foundations of Lifelong Health Are Built in Early Childhood, a report co-authored by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs.

InBrief: The Foundations of Lifelong Health from Center on the Developing Child on Vimeo.

New Journal Article: Child Development Article Underscores the Importance of Knowledge Translation for Policy and Practice

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:29:37 -0500

"Science Does Not Speak for Itself: Translating Child Development Research for the Public and Its Policymakers" is the topic of an article in the January/February issue of Child Development (Volume 82, Number 1, pages 17-32) co-authored by Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff and Susan Bales, President of the FrameWorks Institute. The article describes the work of a multiyear collaboration and underscores the need to view the translation of science into policy and practice as an important academic endeavor in its own right.
A subscription is required to read the article.

Julius B. Richmond Fellowship Applications: Harvard Doctoral Students Invited to Submit Applications for Richmond Fellowships

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:33:04 -0500

Applications are now being accepted for the Julius B. Richmond Fellowship program at the Center on the Developing Child. These one-year fellowships support the dissertation research of Harvard University doctoral students. Recipients are provided with a $10,000 stipend in support of independent research that aligns with the broader mission of the Center. All Harvard University doctoral students from the biological and social sciences as well as the professional schools are eligible to apply. The deadline for submitting applications is April 29, 2011. The fellowship awards will be announced in June, and the fellowship year will begin in September 2011.

Upcoming Lecture: W. Thomas Boyce, M.D., to Speak at Harvard School of Public Health

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 10:02:17 -0500

W. Thomas Boyce, M.D., a member of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, will speak at the Harvard School of Public Health on April 12 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. as part of the Center's Distinguished Scholars Lecture Series. His lecture will discuss why social class differences in early childhood adversity are among the most important and least understood determinants of human health and development.

April 12, 2011

4:00-6:00 p.m.

Kresge G2

Harvard School of Public Health

677 Huntington Avenue

Boston, Mass.

This event is free and open to all University students, faculty, and the general public.

Subscribe to the Center's YouTube Channel

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:36:57 -0500

The Center has launched its own YouTube channel. It currently features videos from the InBrief series, including the new InBrief: The Foundations of Lifelong Health. These videos are produced to provide concise summaries of recent scientific publications and expert presentations from the Center. Visit the Center's page to view and share the videos and subscribe to alerts about the addition of new content.

InBrief: The Foundations of Lifelong Health

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:20:42 -0400

InBrief: The Foundations of Lifelong Health is the fourth in a series of concise summaries of essential findings from recent scientific publications and presentations by the Center on the Developing Child. This new brief explains why a vital and productive society with a prosperous and sustainable future is built on a foundation of healthy child development. It presents a science-based framework for decisions about policies, systems, and practices that affect the healthy development of all young children and their families. The information in this brief is based on findings from the recent report, The Foundations of Lifelong Health Are Built in Early Childhood, co-authored by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs.

From Neurons to Neighborhoods 10th Anniversary Event

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:23:08 -0400

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development, the landmark report which laid the foundation for the Center's distinctive mission, by the National Academy of Sciences.

On Thursday, October 28, the Board on Children, Youth, and Families will convene a workshop to celebrate the anniversary of this report. The workshop, which will include a live webcast, will review advances in scientific research as well as opportunities to build on existing best practices and enhance the transition into a new era in early childhood policy. The workshop will feature presentations by Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff, chair of the original study, Deborah Phillips, the study director and contributing member to the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, and other researchers, government officials, and leaders in the field of early childhood health and development. The participants will focus on the progress made in integrating child development research, neuroscience, and molecular genetics as well as how science can be mobilized to promote innovation and shape public policy in the next decade. Register to attend or view the live webcast at http://www.bocyf.org/Neurons_to_Neighborhoods_Anniversary.html

Global Gathering in Moscow Puts Early Childhood Issues Front and Center: High-Level Conference To Feature Keynote by Center Director Jack Shonkoff

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:22:50 -0400

In 2000, the world’s governments established a set of ambitious international goals—such as ending extreme poverty and hunger, ensuring that every child worldwide completes at least a primary education, and reducing child mortality by two-thirds—to be achieved by 2015. While progress has been made towards these targets, known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 2015 is not so far away, and governments are struggling to meet their obligations.

Now, drawing upon a broad base of new scientific research in neuroscience, genomics, and other fields, high-level government leaders and other policymakers are to gather soon in Moscow in an historic attempt to put early childhood care and education (ECCE)—seen as key to meeting several of the MDGs—front and center as a human development policy imperative. The first-ever “World Conference on Early Childhood Care and Education: Building the Wealth of Nations,” will convene September 27-29, 2010. Organized by UNESCO, the Russian Federation, and the City of Moscow, the conference will feature a keynote address by Jack Shonkoff, director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

New Report: The Foundations of Lifelong Health Are Built in Early Childhood

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:30:37 -0400

A vital and productive society with a prosperous and sustainable future is built on a foundation of healthy child development. Health in the earliest years--beginning with the future mother's well-being before she becomes pregnant--lays the groundwork for a lifetime of vitality. When developing biological systems are strengthened by positive early experiences, children are more likely to thrive and grow up to be healthy adults. Sound health also provides a foundation for the construction of sturdy brain architecture and the achievement of a broad range of skills and learning capacities. This new report was co-authored by the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs.

Interactive Feature: How Early Experiences Get Into the Body: A Biodevelopmental Framework

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:17:18 -0400

A new interactive feature, also available in a downloadable "flip chart" format, on the Center Web site explains how early experiences are biologically embedded in the development of the brain and other organ systems and have lifelong impacts on learning, behavior, and both physical and mental health. It offers an organizing structure, or "biodevelopmental framework," for thinking about these biological and developmental processes and their long-term effects.

2010-11 Julius B. Richmond Fellowships: Three Harvard Doctoral Students Selected for Research Support

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:18:06 -0400

To support the goal of creating a new generation of leaders who have a broad perspective on the promotion of healthy child development and who recognize the need to bring strong scientific knowledge to bear on policies and programs that support the well-being of children, the Center is pleased to announce this year's recipients of its annual Julius B. Richmond Fellowships. In the fourth year of the program, the Center will help fund the research of three Harvard students:

Erin C. Dunn is a fifth-year doctoral student in the Department of Society, Human Development, and Health at the Harvard School of Public Health. Her research is focused on identifying risk and protective factors linked to the onset of mental health problems in children and adolescents. In this work, she adopts an ecological or multi-level perspective, examining the role of both individual and contextual determinants, including genetic factors and the influence of neighborhood and school environments. One of her three dissertation papers is focused on identifying gene-environment interactions with respect to depression in youth.

Sky Marietta is an advanced doctoral student in Human Development and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. A former elementary school teacher, Marietta is focusing her research on understanding variation in language and literacy development in low-income children. She is currently conducting a mixed-methods study that compares children in rural Appalachia with economically matched peers in New England.

Matthew Ranson is a fifth-year doctoral student in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is interested in a range of issues related to environmental and behavioral economics, particularly non-market valuation and risk assessment. During his fellowship year, his work will examine the effects of prenatal pollution exposure on children's cognitive ability.

New Book Honoring T. Berry Brazelton

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:18:51 -0400

In honor of long-time friend of the Center and noted pediatrician and author T. Berry Brazelton, a new book will be published by Wiley-Blackwell in September called Nurturing Children and Families: Building on the Legacy of T. Berry Brazelton. The book, edited by Barry M. Lester, Ph.D., and Joshua D. Sparrow, M.D., provides an overview of the field of child development and outlines the achievements of Brazelton and his lasting influence on continuing research, practice, and public policy. It features contributions from experts from a wide variety of fields, such as pediatrics, early education, and psychology. Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D., and Daniel Pederson, M.A., president of the Buffet Early Childhood Fund, contributed a chapter titled, "Translating the Science of Early Childhood Development into Policy and Practice."

New Working Paper: Early Experiences Can Alter Gene Expression and Affect Long-Term Development

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:33:55 -0400

New scientific research shows that environmental influences can actually affect whether and how genes are expressed. Thus, the old ideas that genes are "set in stone" or that they alone determine development have been disproven. In fact, scientists have discovered that early experiences can determine how genes are turned on and off and even whether some are expressed at all. Therefore, the experiences children have early in life - and the environments in which they have them - shape their developing brain architecture and strongly affect whether they grow up to be healthy, productive members of society. This new Working Paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child summarizes in clear language why this growing scientific evidence supports the need for society to re-examine the way it thinks about the circumstances and experiences to which young children are exposed.

Interactive Feature: New Online Slideshow Explains How Epigenetic Modification Can Shape Development

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:33:06 -0400

A new interactive feature on the Center's Web site describes and explains in simple terms how early experiences get into the body and change how genes are expressed, with lifelong consequences on developing organs, including the brain. Using an easy-to-follow slideshow format, this feature illustrates key scientific concepts from the Council's latest Working Paper, titled "Early Experiences Can Alter Gene Expression and Affect Long-Term Development," including how research has shown that environmental factors and early experiences have the power to chemically mark genes and control their functions.

Faculty Spotlight: Catherine Snow

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:32:19 -0400

As part of an ongoing series of profiles of Center-affiliated faculty members and researchers and their work, a new feature on the Center Web site focuses on Catherine Snow, Ph.D., the Patricia Albjerg Graham Professor of Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. In this article, Snow suggests that the preparation for preschool and primary teachers needs to broaden its traditional focus on how children acquire language and literacy skills to include an understanding of why.

Toxic Stress Response: The Facts

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:27:59 -0400

Learning how to cope with adversity is an important part of healthy child development. However, when that adversity is severe, frequent, or prolonged - and occurs in the absence of supportive adult relationships - it can induce a potentially damaging toxic stress response in a child's body and brain. A new page on the Center's Web site describes the toxic stress response; how it differs from two other stress responses, positive and tolerable; and how it can be prevented or even reversed. The page also answers frequently asked questions and provides a list of related reading.

General Education Course: Center to Offer First Undergraduate Course

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:25:59 -0400

For the first time in Fall 2010, the Center will offer a course for Harvard undergraduates, in addition to the two courses already available to graduate students. This new General Education course, titled "From Neurons to Nations: The Science of Early Childhood Development and the Foundations of a Successful Society," will introduce students to the biology of human development and explore how an understanding of core developmental concepts can inform beneficial social policies. The course will be taught by Center Director Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D.; Council member and Center-affiliated faculty member Charles A. Nelson III, Ph.D.; and Holly Schindler, Ph.D., a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and project director of the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs' meta-analytic database.

Council and Forum Members Honored: Professional Recognition for Two Center Affiliates

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:01:46 -0400

Greg Duncan, Ph.D., of the University of California, Irvine (UCI), who is a member of both the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs, was recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Duncan, who is Distinguished Professor of Education in the department of education at UCI, was recognized for "distinguished and continuing achievements in original research."

Meanwhile, Center-affiliated faculty member Hirokazu Yoshikawa, a professor of education at Harvard Graduate School of Education, has been appointed chair of a new committee for the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council Board on Children, Youth, and Families. The Committee on the Science of Research on Families will review relevant research studies that illustrate family characteristics, such as family structure, processes, relationships, and experiences, that affect children's health and development. Yoshikawa is also science director of the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs.

Questions & Answers: The Long Reach of Early Childhood Poverty

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:40:30 -0500

The long-run consequences of economic adversity in childhood show that when children experience poverty matters to their later-life outcomes, according to new data to be discussed at the 2010 AAAS Annual Meeting symposium, “The Long Reach of Early Childhood Poverty: Pathways and Impacts.” In this new Q&A, symposium panelists Drs. Greg Duncan and Katherine Magnuson, Tom Boyce, and Center Director Jack Shonkoff answer frequently asked questions regarding what exactly it is about poverty that causes problems, why serious adversity early in life can weaken the architecture of the developing brain, what innovation solutions can help, and more. Boyce, Duncan, and Shonkoff are members of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child, and Duncan, Magnuson, and Shonkoff are members of the National Forum on Early Childhood Policy and Programs.

New Working Paper: Persistent Fear and Anxiety Can Affect Young Children's Learning and Development

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 13:39:06 -0500

Ensuring that young children have safe, secure environments in which to grow, learn, and develop healthy brains and bodies is not only good for the children themselves but also builds a strong foundation for a thriving, prosperous society. Science shows that early exposure to circumstances that produce persistent fear and chronic anxiety can have lifelong consequences by disrupting the developing architecture of the brain. Unfortunately, many young children are exposed to such circumstances. This new report from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child examines why, while some of these experiences are one-time events and others may reoccur or persist over time, all of them have the potential to affect how children learn, solve problems, and relate to others.

Media Coverage: "How Childhood Trauma Can Cause Adult Obesity," by Maia Szalavitz (TIME, Jan. 5, 2010)

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 16:57:35 -0500

This article describes research linking stressful experiences early in life, including sexual abuse, to effects on health and behavior later on, from obesity to drug abuse. It quotes Jack P. Shonkoff, director of the Center on the Developing Child, about the significance of the findings.

New Maternal Depression Working Paper

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:52:48 -0500

The first joint Working Paper from the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child and the National Forum on Early Childhood Program Evaluation summarizes recent evidence on the potentially far-reaching harmful effects of chronic and severe maternal depression on families and children. When children grow up in an environment of mental illness, the development of their brains may be seriously weakened, with implications for their ability to learn as well as for their own later physical and mental health. This report, titled "Maternal Depression Can Undermine the Development of Young Children," examines why the continuing failure to address the consequences of depression for large numbers of vulnerable, young children presents a missed opportunity to help families and children in a way that could support the future prosperity and well-being of society as a whole.

Media Coverage: "The Science of Success," by David Dobbs (The Atlantic, December 2009)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:03:22 -0500

This article discusses a new theory of behavioral genetics and quotes pediatrician W. Thomas Boyce, of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and a member of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child.

Media Coverage: "Hub Lab Writing the Book on Face-Reading," by Patricia Wen (Boston Globe, Nov. 10, 2009)

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:01:29 -0500

The article describes research conducted at Children's Hospital Boston by Center-affiliated faculty member Charles A. Nelson III, a member of the National Scientific Council on the Developing Child. The project studies when and how babies and young children learn to identify faces and discern facial expression

Frequently Asked Questions: Using Media With Very Young Children

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:02:19 -0500

There are no credible scientific data to support the claim that specialized videos or particular music recordings have a positive, measurable impact on developing brain architecture in the first 2-3 years of life. The most important influence on brain development is what is known as the “serve and return” interaction with caring adults, as defined by back-and-forth interactions with attentive, nurturing humans.

News Release: Five Harvard Graduate Students Receive Julius B. Richmond Fellowships

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:37:49 -0500

Five Harvard graduate students have been awarded these dissertation grants from the Center on the Developing Child, it was announced on Aug. 27, 2009. The five, all doctoral students pursuing research related to child health or development, will each receive a $10,000 award from the Center to fund independent research during the 2009-10 academic year.