Multiple early childhood intervention programs have been introduced to provide at-risk children with a better start in life. This is due to the recognition that early childhood experiences, both positive and negative, can affect the physical, mental, behavioral, and economic well-being of the child. A few of these programs have evaluated long-term outcomes and have demonstrated that the effects of interventions may still be apparent years after the intervention. Pediatricians need to become more aware of the information available about the impact of early childhood events and become more active in promoting proven best intervention practices at the local, state, and national level.
Bauman LJ, Silver EJ, Stein RECumulative social disadvantage and child health. Pediatrics . 2006;117: 1321-1328.
2.
Dong M., Anda RF, Felitti VJ, et al. Childhood residential mobility and multiple health risks during adolescence and adulthood: the hidden role of adverse childhood experiences . Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med.2005;159:1104-1110.
3.
Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D., et al. Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. Am J Prev Med.1998;14:245-258.
4.
Fergusson DM, Grant H., Horwood LJ, Ridder EMRandomized trial of the Early Start program of home visitation: parent and family outcomes. Pediatrics. 2006;117: 781-786.
5.
Karoly LA, Kilburn MR, Cannon JSEarly childhood interventions: proven results, future promise. Available at http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2005/RAND_MG341.pdf . Accessed Nov 17, 2006.
6.
McCormick MC, Brooks-Gunn J., Buka SL, et al. Early intervention in low birth weight premature infants: results at 18 years of age for the Infant Health and Development Program. Pediatrics. 2006;117:771-780.
7.
Olds DLPrenatal and infancy home visiting by nurses: from randomized trials to community replication. PrevSci.2002;3:153-172.
8.
Palfrey JS, Hauser-Cram P., Bronson MB, Warfield ME, Sirin S., Chan E.The Brookline Early Education Project: a 25-year follow-up study of a family-centered early health and development intervention. Pediatrics. 2005; 116: 144-152.
9.
Reynolds AJ, Temple JA, Robertson DL, Mann EAAge 21 cost-benefit analysis of the Title I Chicago Child Parent Center Program: executive summary, 2001. Available at http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/cls/cbaexecsum4.html . Accessed Nov 17, 2006.
Shonkoff JP, Phillips DAFrom Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development . Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 2000.
12.
Campbell FA , Ramey CT, Pungello E., Sparling J., Miller-Johnson S.Early childhood education: young adult outcomes from the Abercedarian Project. Appl DevelopSci.2002;6:42-57.
13.
Reynolds AJ , Temple JA, Robertson DL, Mann EALong-term effects of an early childhood intervention on educational achievement and juvenile arrest: a 15-year follow-up of low-income children in public schools. JAMA.2001;285:2339-2346.
14.
Schweinhart LJThe High/Scope Perry Preschool Study through age 40. Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press; 2006. Monograph of The High/Scope Perry Preschool Study, No. 8.
15.
Heckman JJInvesting in disadvantaged young children is an economically efficient policy . Available at http://www.ced.org/docs/report/report_2006prek_heckman.pdf. Accessed Nov 17, 2006.
Groze V., Ileana D.A follow-up study of children adopted from Romania. Child Adoles Soc Work J. 1996;13:541-565.
18.
Gunnar MREarly adversity and the development of stress reactivity and regulation. In: Nelson CA, ed. The Effects of Adversity on Neurobehavioral Development: Minnesota Symposium on Child Psychology. Vol. 31. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum; 2000 :163-200.
19.
Rutter M.Developmental catch-up, and deficit, following adoption after severe global early privation. English and Romanian Adoptees (ERA) Study Team. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1998;39:465-476.
20.
Anda RF, Felitti VJ, Bremner JD, et al. The enduring effects of abuse and related adverse experiences in childhood: A convergence of evidence from neurobiology and epidemiology . Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci.2006; 256:174-186.
21.
Dube SR, Anda RF, Felitti VJ, Chapman DP, Williamson DF, Giles WHChildhood abuse, household dysfunction, and the risk of attempted suicide throughout the life span: findings from the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study. JAMA.2001;286:3089-3096.
22.
Hillis SD, Anda RF, Dube SR, Felitti VJ, Marchbanks PA, Marks JSThe association between adverse childhood experiences and adolescent pregnancy, long-term psychosocial consequences, and fetal death. Pediatrics . 2004;113:320-327.
23.
Whitaker RC , Orzol SM, Kahn RSMaternal mental health, substance use, and domestic violence in the year after delivery and subsequent behavior problems in children at age 3 years. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006;63:551-560.
Garces E., Thomas D., Currie J.Longer term effects of Head Start. Available at: http://www.econ.ucla.edu/people/papers/Currie/Currie139.pdf. Accessed Nov 17, 2006.
26.
Puma M., Bell S., Cook R., Heid C., Lopez M.Head Start impact study: first year finds. Available at: www.nccic.org/poptopics/research-hs.html. Accessed Nov 17, 2006.
27.
Love JM, Kisker EE, Ross C., et al. The effectiveness of early head start for 3-year-old children and their parents: lessons for policy and programs. Dev Psychol . 2005;41:885-901.
28.
Barnett WS, Lamy C., Jung K.The effects of state prekindergarten programs on young children's school readiness in five states. 2005. Available at www.pewtrusts.com/pdf/final. Accessed Nov 17, 2006.
29.
Lamy C., Barnett WS, Jung K.The effects of early childhood four-year-old program on young children's school readiness. Available at www.pewtrusts.com/pdf/final . Accessed Nov 17, 2006.
30.
Rolnick A., Grunewald R.Early childhood development: Economic development with a high public return . Fedgazette. March 2003. Available at http://minneapolisfed.org/pubs/fedgaz/03-03/earlychild.cfm . Accessed Nov 17, 2006.
31.
Heckman JJ, Stixrud J., Urzua S.The effects of cognitive and noncognitive abilities on labor market outcomes and social behavior. J Labor Econom. 2006;24:411-482.
32.
Cone TEPediatrics comes of age. In: History of American Pediatrics . Boston, MA. Little, Brown, Co ; 1979:151.
