One of my first memories is of my mother putting on the soundtrack to Cats the musical. My siblings and I would crawl and climb around the house, pretending to be cats. It was a simple, silly activity, but it got us moving and using our imaginations. It also tired us out just in time for a nap. Physical health is vital to optimal early childhood development.
Alcohol, Pregnancy Add Up to Tragedy
February 11, 2013
The term fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) refers to the most severe permanent effects of a child's exposure to alcohol while in the mother's womb, including mental retardation, abnormal physical appearance and behavior, and extreme limitation of normal lifetime capabilities. Less extreme effects of fetal alcohol exposure may include permanent brain damage plus lifelong behavioral, educational and socialization problems; these are referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. (FASD)
All cities are working hard to answer challenges that face them, but the trick is to make sure the right questions are asked in the first place. The brain development of our youngest children in Memphis must be a top priority for our local agenda. We now have the conclusive scientific results to guide us and the in-depth knowledge to inform us, but to succeed, we need to mobilize a communitywide sense of urgency to give every child a fair start in life through maximum brain development.
As adults, we do many things instinctively, like having a conversation or working our way through a problem. Even activities as complex as flawlessly playing an instrument or learning a foreign language come very naturally to some.
History teaches us that there are significant events that are pivotal in shaping our future. In 2012, we believe the seeds were planted here in Memphis that have the power to shape the coming years for our community. It is the year that our message about brain development in early childhood gathered important momentum, took on a sense of urgency, and assumed its place as one of our top priorities in this community.
Childhood Beginnings
January 17, 2013
Memphis Connect recently published a great article summarizing a recent symposium organized by People First and the Early Success Coalition about how the health of children in our community is directly tied to the health of our community. If you haven't already, read it now. You can also read some of our articles on the subject of stress.