OPTIMAL CHILD HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT
A child’s developing brain is most flexible during the earliest months and years of life. This flexibility provides a window of opportunity for establishing a lifelong trajectory for health and wellbeing.
Three outcomes illustrate factors that predict and reflect children’s healthy development:
- Breastfeeding,
- Immunizations, and
- Child maltreatment rates.
Based on comprehensive reviews of the most rigorous evidence available, the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center identified 12 effective solutions that foster the nurturing environments infants and toddlers need. Eight policies and strategies have demonstrated effectiveness at improving optimal child health and development.
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For additional information on the optimal child health and development policy goal, see the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Clearinghouse.