Over the years, I have observed that as our technology has become more sophisticated, parents are allowing their young children to interface more with their smart phones and tablet devices. I frequently see parents wanting to placate their energetic children in the waiting room by handing them mobile devices to play with.  While it may be surprising to watch a three year old child adeptly navigating through a cell phone, he is missed out on the important language, motor, and development skills that can be gained from interpersonal and even individual screen-free play time. 

Limiting screen time enables children to be inquisitive and use their mind/body interaction to make important, long lasting connections in their brain. It is important to be wary of videos that are marketed as educational and targeted towards the under two year old demographic, as evidence has not shown educational validity in such a young age group.  Physical play time is richer in the positive effects that it has on your baby’s brain. It allows them to use problem solving skills, and become stimulated by different textures, colors, and movements. Not only does limiting screen time help to improve bonding between a parent and child, but it will also prevent your child from being sedentary. According to HealthyChildren.org, a website powered by the American Academy of Pediatrics, children who are exposed to more than 2 hours of TV every day have an increased likelihood of obesity as adults. 

Instead of having your child play with your smart phone or tablet, allow them to engage in independent playtime with simple, child-proof objects. This interaction can make a tremendous impact in the road to their life-long learning.

Campaigns such as the “Let’s Move” initiative by First Lady Michelle Obama, have brought to light an important topic: there are a resounding number of American children that obtain very limited amounts of daily exercise. However, what many parents may not know is that physical activity is important even for your newborn.  Simple activities such as “tummy time”, which involves placing your newborn on his stomach while you are watching him, enables your baby to strengthen muscles in his back, neck, and arms. For instance, allowing your six month old child to bear weight on their legs while you hold her upright will help to strengthen her body so that she becomes balanced and stable when several months later she begins to cruise and then eventually to walk. These simple activities help to improve your child’s motor skills and muscle memory. The earlier these habits are introduced the greater the likelihood your child will develop a strong foundation for a healthy, active, and prosperous future.

Surveys have shown that almost one in three American children is overweight or obese, and the epidemic has more than tripled over the last thirty years. The alarming rate of obesity in our country can have lasting effects on the health and wellbeing of our children. Obesity in children has been shown to place them at risk for diabetes, liver damage, high cholesterol levels, and even sleep apnea to name a few.  Moreover, the emotional benefits of exercise through the release of endorphins are a natural way for children to increase their level of happiness. It is never too early to engage your child in healthy physical activity.  Speak with your pediatrician about helpful tips to keep your child active at every age. 

The first few steps or words that a parent witnesses their child taking can be precious moments. However for some children, they may not come on time.

Surveillance and screening during routine pediatric visits are essential in being able to catch developmental delays early and act on them quickly by referral to educational programs that can help. The typical screening months for developmental delay are during the 9, 18, and the 24 or 30 month visits for general developmental screening. The 18 and 24 month visits are recommended for autism specific screening. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire, as well as the Child Development Inventory are two of the recommended screening tools by the American Academy of Pediatrics to be used for developmental assessment. These questionnaires are simple and effective surveillance tools that you and your pediatrician can go through together.

Just as it is important to not miss your child’s vaccination scheduling, it is also vitally important to not miss opportunities for developmental screening. Your pediatrician as well as early childhood educators are important resources in identifying delays when they are present.

If you are concerned about your child’s development, I recommend scheduling a pediatric visit solely for the purposes of focusing on your child’s growth and milestones.  Your doctor will be able to spend more time with you tuning in on your child’s development.

The relationship that children have with their caregivers from an early age, as well as the stimuli that surround them, are integral to their overall developmental success and have been shown to have positive effects on mental health and wellbeing as they age. Research has shown that educational achievement and productivity in adulthood is impacted by early childhood experiences.

Children are constantly absorbing information from their experiences, and interpreting them. Whether it is observing their parents cope with adversity in a positive fashion or watching them eat nutritiously and exercise regularly, these experiences will help to engrain these behaviors so that when the child is faced with similar circumstances they are more likely to emulate these actions.  It is also important for you to have regularly scheduled visits with your own physician to ensure that your health, including your emotional wellbeing, are being supported. Seeking help for yourself is a contribution to your child’s successful development.

Executive Functioning is the brain’s ability to filter, prioritize, and focus one’s thinking. According to the Center for the Developing Child at Harvard University the experiences and interactions that children have during a crucial window of development help shape their executive functioning for the rest of their lives. The “Serve and Return Interaction”, described by the Center, is one of the primary ways that children’s brains become molded and shaped to activate and develop neuronal connections that will become continual. For example, young children “serve” by gazing and focusing on a specific object, and adults “return” this attentive behavior by saying and repeating the name of the object. In due time the child will make connections in her brain which will enable her to instantaneously recall the name of the object.

It is important to engage your child in stimulating activities during the early stages of their development.  The simple act of reading to your child, even as early as two months of age, can have enduring effects on a baby’s mind. Not only does the physical act of reading to your child bring you closer together, but the action helps to solidify and strengthen the emotional parent-child bond. For example, the playful sing-song voice of a mother reciting the words and allowing her 6 month old child to grasp the pages of a hard paperbound book, feel them underneath her fingers and flip the pages, engage the child and allow connections in her brain to ignite.

The relationships that children have with their parents and caretakers are vital in enabling them to reach their full developmental potential. While our genes may lay down the foundation, it is the experiences that children have that are the true building blocks and the mortar for them to be able to establish important connections within the brain and grow. The stimuli that a child is exposed to during their early development helps to form lifelong connections in the brain that shape the way they process, associate and prioritize information.

Delays in development can be subtle and are sometimes difficult to detect by parents.  Quite strikingly, in our population an estimated 12-16% of children have developmental disorders.

Children who may be developmentally delayed can be significantly helped by important state-regulated programs that can target areas of need and maximize important skills during a vital period of brain development and growth. It is important that developmental delays are identified during this important window of time, where the most success can be achieved through multidisciplinary therapy.

One of the most dynamic and important resources is a state funded program called Early Intervention, which provides family centered plans geared to help children with developmental delays. In addition to the integral speech, occupational, and physical therapy, there are also social workers, nutritional therapists, and both nurses and physicians who provide their services to this fantastic program. Moreover, these services are provided at no cost to the family. Ensure that your child is being regularly followed by their pediatrician and early educators so that they can pick up any early signs of developmental delays if they are present.  If you have concerns about your child’s development be sure to raise them with your child’s healthcare provider. If you continue to have concerns or are unable to follow with your physician, you can contact early intervention directly.