This brief addresses the implications—both promising and troubling—of integrating adversity screening into child and family service settings that are not exclusively focused on mental health. It summarizes how the research has both informed work with vulnerable children and families, and inadvertently provided a rationale for a strategy that could do harm through the singular use of screening to address the negative effects of childhood adversity. It recommends steps to minimize the unintended consequences of screening and provide a more comprehensive, holistic response to children who have experienced adversity.

Physical activity is important for young children as it not only improves children’s body composition, bone density, and cardiovascular health, but it has also been linked to decreased rates of smoking and depression in later life. Here’s some recent news about what can help very young children to get more physical activity. A federally-commissioned study of child care centers found that children spent more time being active when staff members played with the children than when the adults did not participate in play. Learn more at https://hechingerreport.org/sedentary-child-care-workers-lead-to-sedentary-toddlers/?utm_source=pocket_mylist

This video clip discusses the impact of reading shame and reading avoidance.

This 2012 research brief from Child Trends provides data on the number and percentage of children identified as having a disability in the U.S., and for each of the states. It also presents information on the percentage of children with a disability living in poverty and data on health insurance status.

This working paper explains the importance of emotional experiences in early childhood development and its impact on the developing brain and the child’s long-term future. Policy implications and suggestions for programs are also discussed.

Since 1993, CTR has been the name of a systematic survey of children’s interactive media, with reviews written by “Picky Teachers” — reviewers with preschool or elementary classroom experience who have achieved inter-rater reliability on the same review instrument. The monthly electronic newsletter also notes trends in children's interactive media. Like the magazine Consumer Reports, the Flemington, N.J.-based newsletter takes no advertising.

This website offers guidelines, in English and Spanish, for choosing and using toys safely. Check out the box on the top right corner of the site for suggestions for infants, toddlers, and school-age children.