Infant and Toddler Development

In order to provide the optimum environment for healthy infant and toddler growth and development, it is essential to understand markers that characterize each stage of growth. If a number of these markers are absent or delayed, there may be an underlying physical or mental condition that needs to be addressed. Early identification of problems is vital to children's health. Teachers and child care workers may spot problems that parents have not noticed or have been afraid to acknowledge. They may also be able to identify abused or neglected children who exhibit abnormal development. Child development may vary according to culture and environment. Socioeconomic status also plays a major role in development. A child growing up in poverty may develop more slowly in response to nutritional deficiencies and a lack of social stimuli. Limited access to safe food and water and proper healthcare may also delay development.

Early in the 20th century, child development scholars in industrialized nations began to understand that children were not just “small adults” but were individuals with unique personalities and distinct needs. In 1933 during the Great Depression, the Society of Research in Child Development (SRCD) was established to apply this concept to improving the lives of America's children. The focus was on understanding how poverty and social deprivation affected development and on using that knowledge to design policies and programs to alleviate negative effects of poverty. In 1965, President Lyndon Johnson (1908–73) launched his War on Poverty, and Congress established the Head Start Program, which teaches reading and math skills to qualifying children from birth to three years to promote school readiness. Working under the auspices of the Department of Health and [Page 905]Human Services, the program also offers health, nutritional, and social support to children and families enrolled in the program.