Early Childhood Birth to Five
Early Childhood
Early childhood is a pivotal period of child development that begins before birth through age five. This period is one of the most impactful due to the rapid brain development that occurs during this developmental stage. Infants begin learning from the moment they are born and undergo significant brain changes in their early years of life. The basic structure and function of the human brain is developed by age two (Gilmore et al., 2018). By age three, a baby's brain has reached almost 90 percent of its adult size (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2023). Neuroplasticity, which is the capacity of the brain to learn from experiences, make new connections, and change, is the greatest early in life and decreases with age.
A child’s environment, relationships, and early experiences affect the developing brain and physiological systems. All of these connected systems are responsible for the lifelong health and well-being of a child. Early childhood is an especially vital time period for supporting caregiver’s capacity and capabilities to meet children’s needs. Nurturing, consistent, and responsive interactions with a caregiver promotes healthy brain development. Young children depend on caregivers for survival and protection and are vulnerable to the effects of trauma.
Unfortunately, our youngest children are maltreated at higher rates than older children (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2023) and have the highest number of child fatalities. In 2019, 70.3% of children who died due to child abuse or neglect were younger than three years old (Williams & Sepulveda, 2019). In addition, once in foster care, infants and toddlers stay longer. Infants entering care before three months of age spend 50 percent more time in care than older children (Wulczyn et al., 2011).
Early Childhood Trauma
When a caregiver neglects or abuses an infant or child the effects can be devastating. Children who have suffered early abuse or neglect may later present with significant behavior challenges including emotional instability, depression, and aggression or violence towards others (American Academy of Pediatrics et al., 2008).
Early childhood trauma has also been associated with a reduction in the size of the brain cortex, which may affect IQ, the ability to regulate emotions, and increase vulnerability for developmental delays (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, n.d.). The exposure to prolonged adversity like, physical abuse, emotional abuse, chronic neglect, exposure to domestic violence, without adequate adult support can lead to toxic stress. Toxic stress experienced by infants has been shown to affect development in several domains: emotions, behavior, cognitive functioning, and physical health. Early intervention is imperative as trauma is especially impactful for children ages zero to five years old due to the rapid brain development that occurs during this developmental stage.
The California Department of Social Services and the University of California, Davis Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice (RCFFP) recognizes the importance of early childhood in setting the foundation for lifelong physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
RCFFP courses are open for enrollment for child welfare county agency staff, mental health providers, parent partners, community partners/stakeholders who work with children ages 0-5 within or at risk of involvement in the child welfare system. Please see specific course enrollment policies for more information.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics, Stirling Jr., J., Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect and Section on Adoption and Foster Care, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amaya-Jackson, L., National Center for Child Traumatic Stress. (January 2009) Understanding the Behavioral and Emotional Consequences of Child Abuse. Pediatrics, 122 (3), 667–673. Understanding the behavioral and emotional consequences of child abuse - PubMed (nih.gov)
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (2023). Child maltreatment and brain development: A primer for child welfare professionals. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Children's Bureau. https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/issue-briefs/braindevelopment
Gilmore, J. H., Knickmeyer, R. C., & Gao, W. (2018). Imaging structural and functional brain development in early childhood. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 19(3), 123–137. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2018.1
The Annie E. Casey Foundation. (2022, May 16). Child Welfare and Foster Care Statistics. https://www.aecf.org/blog/child-welfare-and-foster-care-statistics
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.) Early Childhood Trauma Effects. Effects | The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (nctsn.org)
Williams S. C., Sepulveda, K. (2019, March 11). Child Trends. https://www.childtrends.org/infants-and-toddlers-are-more-likely-than-older-children-to-enter-foster-care-because-of-neglect-and-parental-drug-abuse
Wulczyn F., Ernst, M. & Fisher, P. (2011). Who Are the Infants in Out-of-Home Care? An Epidemiological and Developmental Snapshot. Chicago: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago