Access to high-quality infant and toddler care

The most rapid phase of a child’s development occurs in their first (three) years of life. While the early period in children’s development is absolutely critical to their future success, it is also where public investments are lowest.

(As parents, you have a choice for your own baby - to invest or not to invest in the critical first years of rapid brain development.)

When young children lack basic nutrition in the prenatal period, (language stimulation & social interaction) during infancy and in early childhood, the effects on their brain development can be devastating and long-lasting.

Facts & Figures
By the first nine months, disparities in cognitive, social, behavioral and health outcomes are already evident, and they widen by the time the child is 24 months old.

Policy Recommendations
Improve and increase access to high-quality infant and toddler care. Source: http://www.childrennow.org/index.php/learn/early_learning_and_development/

Children Now is a non-profit organization in California. Copy and paste the web address to check the graph which shows the rapid brain growth in the first 3 years. A baby needs rich language environment and social interaction to stimulate brain growth and the development of languages during the critical period.