After birth, newborns and their caregivers are seen routinely and frequently in pediatric primary care settings. The close succession of visits in the first few months of life puts pediatric primary care professionals in a unique position to enhance infant mental health by developing strong relationships with caregivers, supporting babies and…

Pregnancy is a time of heightened risk for domestic violence and of increased vulnerability to traumatic events. In this article, the authors explain how the experience of domestic violence during pregnancy threatens the newborn's healthy development as well as the parent-child relationship. San Francisco General Hospital's Perinatal Child-Parent…

Becoming a parent after experiencing infertility can pose unique challenges to early parenthood. Parents may struggle with the normal anxiety and fatigue, as well as possible depression, that accompany new parenthood, but with added guilt or shame because of how much they wanted a child and how hard they worked to become parents. These feelings…

The experience of trauma has an effect on how women experience pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. This article summarizes current research on perinatal posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), providing information about its prevalence, detection, diagnosis, and potential consequences for early parenting and infant well-being. The authors…

Postpartum depression (PPD) has an impact on the entire family. The authors describe a model of intervention that emphasizes the family system and includes mothers, fathers, and children in the treatment of PPD. The intervention is provided by a multidisciplinary team consisting of a psychiatrist, social worker, child psychologist, and therapists.…

Women with severe psychiatric illness face numerous risks and challenges during pregnancy and as parents. Mental health professionals can help these mothers and their infants by supporting the attachment relationship and by providing the external supports that are necessary for successful parenting. The authors describe a hospital-based…

Latino children in immigrant families are less likely than their peers to participate in early schooling programs, which puts them at increased risk for learning problems and school failure. Factors such as family structure and size, parental education, and income are strongly associated with early learning experiences, participation in early…

Policies and policymakers have an enormous impact on how we as individuals and communities are able to meet the needs of infants and toddlers. All systems must work together to change how communities are able to support families with very young children. The author shares practical lessons about creating system change by focusing on collaboration…

Researchers and practitioners both have important roles to play in the study and understanding of early childhood development. However, the cultures of the different professional fields can lead to a gap in what we know and what we do to promote healthy child development. The evidence-based practice movement in the early childhood field provides…

This article describes the process of enhancing early childhood mental health awareness and skills in non-mental health staff. The author describes a pilot training model, conducted the U.S. Army's Early Intervention Services, that involved: (a) increasing early childhood mental health knowledge through reflective readings, (b) enhancing…

Comprehensive, integrated services for infants, toddlers, and families are essential for optimal child development, and collaboration across systems is increasingly important to maximize limited resources. The authors describe three successful initiatives in Oklahoma that use a collaborative systems approach to providing direct services to young…

The Early Childhood Action Network (ECAN) provides an example of successful state systems building in New Mexico. The far-reaching scope of ECAN's coalition and accomplishments identifies promising collaborative leadership practices that have relevance for early childhood leaders in other states. The author describes the accomplishments of ECAN's…

The authors describe a survey of 284 dependency court judges which examined four areas of judicial practice: (a) the extent of the judges' knowledge of infant and toddler development, (b) court capacity to initiate and sustain systems change, (c) the use of judicial authority to initiate systems change, and (d) the barriers judges face in taking…

Early Head Start/Head Start teachers and staff encounter parents who have wrestled with depression and other adversities every day. This article describes an innovative program of trainings for and consultation to Early Head Start/Head Start staff to help them effectively deal with mental heath challenges faced by parents and children. The program…

In this updated version of their chapter from "Children's Play: The Roots of Reading" (published by ZERO TO THREE in 2004), the authors describe the recent attack on play, in both early childhood and elementary education. They provide a historical overview of the contentious relationship between play and cognitive development. The authors stress…