4 These experiences have profound effects on a child’s development.įor this reason, interventions that help families provide a nurturing, healthy environment are absolutely critical. 3 Almost one in four children are exposed to at least one adverse childhood experience-such as income insecurity, the incarceration of a parent, neighborhood violence, or family mental illness-before they start school.
2 In the United States, about one in four infants and toddlers grow up in homes experiencing poverty. 1 When young children deal with poverty and other toxic stressors, it has a detrimental impact on both their short- and long-term development and leads to lifelong health disparities across socio-economic groups. During this period, children develop critical foundational capabilities in cognition, language and literacy, emotional growth, and reasoning. Children’s experiences before age 5 have dramatic and lasting impacts throughout their lives.
