Colorado Early Childhood Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colorado State Dept. of Education, Denver. Planning and Evaluation Unit.

The Colorado State Board of Education allocated Title IV-V funds in 1975 for a study of the status of early childhood education in Colorado. The purposes of the study were to: (1) gather data relevant to early childhood education on the status of all children from birth through age 5; (2) identify needs of children of this age within the state;…

Childhood Immunization: A Key Component of Early Childhood Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Messonnier, Nancy

2017-01-01

Physical health is a key component of early childhood development and school readiness. By keeping children healthy and decreasing the chances of disease outbreaks, immunizations help early childhood programs create a safe environment for children. While overall vaccination rates are high nationally for most vaccines routinely recommended for…

Early Childhood Education in Taiwan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barclay, Lisa K.

1989-01-01

Describes early childhood education in Taiwan, focusing on living patterns and child care arrangements, the position of the individual within the family and community, and the application of cultural norms to early childhood education. Compares the behavior of Chinese preschool children to that of American preschool children. (RJC)

Children's cortisol responses to a social evaluative laboratory stressor from early to middle childhood.

PubMed

Leppert, Katherine A; Kushner, Marissa; Smith, Victoria C; Lemay, Edward P; Dougherty, Lea R

2016-12-01

This study examined the stability of children's cortisol responses to a social evaluative laboratory stressor from early to middle childhood. Ninety-six children (51 males) completed stress-inducing laboratory tasks and provided five salivary cortisol samples in early (W1) and middle (W2) childhood. Although W1 cortisol responses did not predict W2 cortisol responses, children's cortisol responses demonstrated change: compared to their W1 cortisol responses, children's W2 cortisol responses demonstrated an increased slope and more negative quadratic curvature. Furthermore, child psychiatric symptoms at W1 moderated the stability of children's cortisol responses. Children with fewer preschool psychiatric symptoms demonstrated greater inter-individual and intra-individual stability, whereas children with higher preschool psychiatric symptoms and comorbidity demonstrated systematic inter-individual and intra-individual instability in cortisol responses over time. Findings suggest a developmental shift toward increasing cortisol stress responses from early to middle childhood and highlight preschool psychopathology as a moderator of stability in children's cortisol responses over time. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Early Childhood Systems: Transforming Early Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kagan, Sharon Lynn, Ed.; Kauertz, Kristie, Ed.

2012-01-01

In this seminal volume, leading authorities strategize about how to create early childhood systems that transcend politics and economics to serve the needs of all young children. The authors offer different interpretations of the nature of early childhood systems, discuss the elements necessary to support their development, and examine how…

Early Childhood Educators' Understanding of Early Communication: Application to Their Work with Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brebner, Chris; Jovanovic, Jessie; Lawless, Angela; Young, Jessica

2016-01-01

Young children need rich learning experiences to maximize their potential. Early childhood educators (ECEs) working in childcare have knowledge of individual children as well as skills and professional knowledge that afford opportunities to provide language-rich environments for learning. To successfully work in partnership with ECEs,…

Clarifying Parent-Child Reciprocities during Early Childhood: The Early Childhood Coercion Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scaramella, Laura V.; Leve, Leslie D.

2004-01-01

Consistent with existing theory, the quality of parent-child interactions during early childhood affects children's social relationships and behavioral adjustment during middle childhood and adolescence. Harsh parenting and a propensity toward emotional overarousal interact very early in life to affect risk for later conduct problems. Less…

Early Childhood Dental Caries. Building Community Systems for Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Platt, Laurence J.; Cabezas, Maritza C.

As part of a series of reports designed to support the implementation of Proposition 10: The California Children and Families Act and to provide comprehensive and authoritative information on critical issues concerning young children and families in California, this report describes the scope and severity of early childhood caries (ECC), a…

Antimicrobial peptides in saliva of children with severe early childhood caries.

PubMed

Colombo, Natália H; Ribas, Laís F F; Pereira, Jesse A; Kreling, Paula F; Kressirer, Christine A; Tanner, Anne C R; Duque, Cristiane

2016-09-01

Controversies exist regarding the relationship between the concentrations of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and presence of dental caries in children. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine levels of AMPs in saliva of caries-free (CF), early childhood caries (ECC) and severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) children to determine if the levels of these salivary peptides individually or in combinations were related to caries severity and mutans streptococci levels. 36 to 60 month-old children were selected to participate in this study. Children were grouped into CF group (n=29), ECC group (n=25) and S-ECC group (n=29). Saliva was collected from children for microbiological analysis by culture. Salivary concentrations of cathelicidin LL-37, human β-defensin 2 (hBD-2), human β-defensin 3 (hBD-3) and histatin-5 (HTN-5) were determined by ELISA. Salivary concentrations of AMPs did not differ among CF, ECC and S-ECC groups. Data showed positive correlations between mutans streptococci levels and salivary hBD-2 or HTN-5. Positive correlations were found between hBD-2, hBD-3, LL-37 and HTN-5. Combinations among AMPs, mainly LL-37, were positively associated with caries levels. Salivary concentrations of AMPs individually were not associated with the severity of early childhood caries. The stimulus of caries appears to trigger a biological response, however, with a combination of these peptides. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing Thai Early Childhood Teachers' Knowledge of Inclusive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agbenyega, Joseph S.; Klibthong, Sunanta

2014-01-01

An ever-increasing number of children with and without disabilities are attending early childhood programmes and learning together. Early childhood inclusion considers all children with and without disabilities, and their families as full members of the early childhood community. Although many early childhood teachers accept the educational rights…

Young Children's Enactments of Human Rights in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quennerstedt, Ann

2016-01-01

This paper explores ways in which human rights become part of and affect young children's everyday practices in early childhood education and, more particularly, how very young children enact human rights in the preschool setting. The study is conducted in a Swedish preschool through observations of the everyday practices of a group of children…

Interprofessional Work in Early Childhood Education and Care Services to Support Children with Additional Needs: Two Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Sandie; Press, Frances

2017-01-01

In Australia, over 900,000 children attend some type of early childhood education and care service. Many of these children have learning difficulties and early childhood teachers play a significant role in identifying children's needs and working with other professionals to instigate and/or implement appropriate interventions. When educators and…

Children's Participation Rights in Early Childhood Education and Care: The Case of Early Literacy Learning and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunphy, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

This position article argues that educators' knowledge of young children's perspectives on aspects of early learning, including literacy learning, and subsequent interpretations of the ways that these perspectives can inform and shape pedagogy are key to promoting children's participation rights in early childhood education and care. Drawing on…

Combating Violence against Children: Jordanian Pre-Service Early Childhood Teachers' Perceptions towards Child Abuse and Neglect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fayez, Merfat; Takash, Hanan Mahmoud; Al-Zboon, Eman Khleif

2014-01-01

Early childhood teachers play major roles in defying child abuse and neglect and alleviating its detrimental effects on young children. Therefore, this study aimed at exploring how Jordanian pre-service early childhood teachers define and perceive violence against children and their role in child abuse detection and prevention. Furthermore, the…

Literacy Outcomes of Children with Early Childhood Speech Sound Disorders: Impact of Endophenotypes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Barbara A.; Avrich, Allison A.; Freebairn, Lisa A.; Hansen, Amy J.; Sucheston, Lara E.; Kuo, Iris; Taylor, H. Gerry; Iyengar, Sudha K.; Stein, Catherine M.

2011-01-01

Purpose: To demonstrate that early childhood speech sound disorders (SSD) and later school-age reading, written expression, and spelling skills are influenced by shared endophenotypes that may be in part genetic. Method: Children with SSD and their siblings were assessed at early childhood (ages 4-6 years) and followed at school age (7-12 years).…

Early Childhood Special Education and Early Intervention Personnel Preparation Standards of the Division for Early Childhood: Field Validation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cochran, Deborah C.; Gallagher, Peggy A.; Stayton, Vicki D.; Dinnebeil, Laurie A.; Lifter, Karin; Chandler, Lynette K.; Christensen, Kimberly A.

2012-01-01

Results of the field validation survey of the revised initial and new advanced Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Division for Early Childhood (DEC) early childhood special education (ECSE)/early intervention (EI) personnel standards are presented. Personnel standards are used as part of educational accountability systems and in teacher…

Confronting Invisibility: Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers' Beliefs toward Homeless Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jinhee

2013-01-01

Children make up half of the homeless population in the US, and of those, almost 50 percent are under age six. Homeless children face many different challenges in school. These children and their families have been invisible in school due to the indifference and stereotypes about them. This article focuses on early childhood pre-service teachers'…

At-Risk Children and Otitis Media with Effusion: Management Issues for the Early Childhood Special Educator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medley, Lynn P.; And Others

1995-01-01

This article describes the implications of otitis media with effusion (OME) for children with disabilities who are already at risk for speech, language, and learning difficulties. The results of a survey of 189 early childhood special educators on management of young children with OME and the role of the early childhood special educator are…

Moving beyond Colorblindness in Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boutte, Gloria Swindler; Lopez-Robertson, Julia; Powers-Costello, Elizabeth

2011-01-01

Countering the position that colorblindness is desirable for teachers and children, this article encourages early childhood education teachers to engage in conversations about race and racism with young children. We discuss why the early childhood years are important for interrupting racism and make suggestions for helping children develop tools…

Refugee Children's Adaptation to American Early Childhood Classrooms: A Narrative Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prior, Megan A.; Niesz, Tricia

2013-01-01

Researchers have suggested that a paucity of research exists on refugee youth in early childhood education settings. Arguing that children's stories provide educators a valuable resource for understanding the meaning children make of initial cross-cultural experiences, this article presents a narrative inquiry into the stories and artwork of three…

Children's Risk-Taking Behaviour: Implications for Early Childhood Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Helen

2006-01-01

The safety of children as they learn and develop is of prime concern for parents, teachers and legislators alike. Legislation governing the provision of early childhood services provides guidelines and procedures for reducing the likelihood of children being exposed to injuries and unsafe environments. Such strategies, however, only take account…

Re-Emphasizing Character Education in Early Childhood Programs: Korean Children's Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Guang-Lea

2013-01-01

Character education efforts are influenced by the cultures in which they are implemented. This article describes the character education provided to children in Korea, both in school and at home. The author explores how the Korean early childhood education system strives to ensure positive character development among children. These discussions…

The Early Childhood Education of Disadvantaged Children in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Zhanmei; Zhu, Jiaxiong; Xia, Zhuyun; Wu, Xin

2014-01-01

Since 2010, the Chinese government has adopted a series of services and policies to provide early childhood education for disadvantaged children. The rapid economic development and urbanisation process since the mid-1980s have led to great changes in social structure and demographics in China. This creates new challenges for the education of…

Why Do Children of the Caribbean Need Programmes of Early Childhood Education and Development?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Sian

This paper examines the needs of young children in the Caribbean region with an emphasis on early childhood development programs in addition to early childhood education. The paper maintains that the first 3 years of life are critical for brain development; parents and caregivers should be enabled to provide appropriate experiences, and children…

Early Childhood Workforce Index, 2016

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitebook, Marcy; McLean, Caitlin; Austin, Lea J. E.

2016-01-01

The State of the Early Childhood Workforce (SECW) Initiative is a groundbreaking multi-year project to shine a steady spotlight on the nation's early childhood workforce. The SECW Initiative is designed to challenge entrenched ideas and policies that maintain an inequitable and inadequate status quo for early educators and for the children and…

Early Childhood Trauma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Child Traumatic Stress Network, 2010

2010-01-01

Early childhood trauma generally refers to the traumatic experiences that occur to children aged 0-6. Because infants' and young children's reactions may be different from older children's, and because they may not be able to verbalize their reactions to threatening or dangerous events, many people assume that young age protects children from the…

Rethinking Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pelo, Ann, Ed.

2008-01-01

"Rethinking Early Childhood Education" is alive with the conviction that teaching young children involves values and vision. This anthology collects inspiring stories about social justice teaching with young children. Included here is outstanding writing from childcare teachers, early-grade public school teachers, scholars, and parents.…

Exceptional Children Conference Papers: Curriculum, Methods, and Materials in Early Childhood Education Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council for Exceptional Children, Arlington, VA.

Thirteen papers on early childhood education are presented on the following topics: stimulation and cognitive development of infants and younger children, curriculum development for young handicapped children, a rationale for sequencing instructional activities for preschool handicapped children, observation of educational activities and…

Promoting Children's Sustainable Access to Early Schooling in Africa: Reflections on the Roles of Parents in Their Children's Early Childhood Care and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngwaru, Jacob Marriote

2014-01-01

Sub-Saharan Africa has predominantly rural populations unable to offer children sustainable access to early literacy and childhood care and education. Children's literacy development starts very early in life through participation and experiences in the home and preschool. My research in rural Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania shows that the…

Impact of early childhood caries on oral health-related quality of life of preschool children.

PubMed

Li, M Y; Zhi, Q H; Zhou, Y; Qiu, R M; Lin, H C

2015-03-01

Child oral health-related quality of life (COHRQoL) has been assessed in developed areas; however, it remains unstudied in mainland China. Studies on COHRQoL would benefit a large number of children in China suffering from oral health problems such as dental caries. This study explored the relationship between COHRQoL and early childhood caries, adjusted by socioeconomic factors, in 3- to 4-year-old children in a region of southern China. In this study, 1062 children aged 3-4 years were recruited by cluster sampling and their oral health statuses were examined by a trained dentist. The Chinese version of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) and questions about the children's socioeconomic conditions were completed by the children's parents. A negative binomial regression analysis was used to assess the prevalence of early childhood caries among the children and its influence on COHRQoL. The total ECOHIS scores of the returned scale sets ranged from 0 to 31, and their average scores was 3.1±5.1. The negative binomial analysis showed that the dmfs indices were significantly associated with the ECOHIS score and subscale scores (P<0.05). The multivariate adjusted model showed that a higher dmft index was associated with greater negative impact on COHRQoL (RR = 1.10; 95% CI = 1.07, 1.13; P < 0.05). However, demographic and socioeconomic factors were not associated with COHRQoL (P>0.05). The severity of early childhood caries has a negative impact on the oral health-related quality of life of preschool children and their parents.

Early Childhood Diplomacy: Policy Planning for Early Childhood Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vargas-Barón, Emily; Diehl, Kristel

2018-01-01

Children who are well nurtured, appropriately cared for, and provided with positive learning opportunities in their early years have a better chance of becoming healthy and productive citizens of nations and of the world. This article reviews the art and science of policy planning for early childhood development (ECD) from a diplomacy perspective.…

Wyoming Early Childhood Readiness Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyoming State Dept. of Education, Cheyenne.

Because children entering kindergarten come with a variety of preschool and home experiences, and accordingly, with varying levels of school readiness, the Wyoming Early Childhood Readiness Standards have been developed to provide a more consistent definition of school readiness. The goal for the Standards is to provide early childhood educators…

Interventions and Adaptations for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodzeller, Katharine L.; Ottley, Jennifer R.; Jung, Jeesun; Coogle, Christan G.

2018-01-01

The inclusive education of children with disabilities is considered best practice, yet many early childhood educators feel unprepared to deliver appropriate instruction for children with disabilities and often require supports to successfully meet the children's unique needs. Young children experiencing autism spectrum disorder are being diagnosed…

The Black Baby Doll Doesn't Fit the Disconnect between Early Childhood Diversity Policy, Early Childhood Educator Practice, and Children's Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacNevin, Maggie; Berman, Rachel

2017-01-01

This article explores how multicultural policy approaches, which mandate the inclusion of culturally and ethnically "diverse" play materials in early childhood classrooms influence the pedagogical practice of educators and, in turn, children's play and social interactions. Using data collected through participant observation of…

Early Attachment Relationships and the Early Childhood Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cortazar, Alejandra; Herreros, Francisca

2010-01-01

This article explores the relationship between attachment theory and the early childhood curriculum. During the first years of life children develop early attachment relationships with their primary caregivers. These attachment relationships, either secure or insecure, will shape children's socio-emotional development. In the USA, the predominant…

Timeliness of Receipt of Early Childhood Vaccinations Among Children of Immigrants - Minnesota, 2016.

PubMed

Leeds, Maureen; Muscoplat, Miriam Halstead

2017-10-27

Receiving recommended childhood vaccinations on schedule is the best way to prevent the occurrence and spread of vaccine-preventable diseases (1). Vaccination coverage among children aged 19-35 months in the United States exceeds 90% for most recommended vaccines in the early childhood series (2); however, previous studies have found that few children receive all recommended vaccine doses on time (3). The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), using information from the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC) and the MDH Office of Vital Records, examined early childhood immunization rates and found that children with at least one foreign-born parent were less likely to be up-to-date on recommended immunizations at ages 2, 6, 18, and 36 months than were children with two U.S.-born parents. Vaccination coverage at age 36 months varied by mother's region of origin, ranging from 77.5% among children born to mothers from Central and South America and the Caribbean to 44.2% among children born to mothers from Somalia. Low vaccination coverage in these communities puts susceptible children and adults at risk for outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, as evidenced by the recent measles outbreak in Minnesota (4). Increased outreach to immigrant, migrant, and refugee populations and other populations with low up-to-date vaccination rates might improve timely vaccination in these communities.

Early Childhood Special Music Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darrow, Alice-Ann

2011-01-01

The process of early intervention is a critical component of Early Childhood Special Music Education. Early intervention is the process of providing services, education, and support to young children who have disabilities or to children who are at-risk of developing needs that may affect their physical, cognitive, or emotional development. The…

Maternal depressive symptoms across early childhood and asthma in school children: findings from a Longitudinal Australian Population Based Study.

PubMed

Giallo, Rebecca; Bahreinian, Salma; Brown, Stephanie; Cooklin, Amanda; Kingston, Dawn; Kozyrskyj, Anita

2015-01-01

There is a growing body of evidence attesting to links between early life exposure to stress and childhood asthma. However, available evidence is largely based on small, genetically high risk samples. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between the course of maternal depressive symptoms across early childhood and childhood asthma in a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study of Australian children. Participants were 4164 children and their biological mothers from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Latent class analysis identified three trajectories of maternal depressive symptoms across four biennial waves from the first postnatal year to when children were 6-7 years: minimal symptoms (74.6%), sub-clinical symptoms (20.8%), and persistent and increasing high symptoms (4.6%). Logistic regression analyses revealed that childhood asthma at age 6-7 years was associated with persistent and increasing high depressive symptoms after accounting for known risk factors including smoking during pregnancy and maternal history of asthma (adjusted OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.61-3.45), p.001). Our findings from a nationally representative sample of Australian children provide empirical support for a relationship between maternal depressive symptoms across the early childhood period and childhood asthma. The burden of disease from childhood asthma may be reduced by strengthening efforts to promote maternal mental health in the early years of parenting.

Teaching the Teachers of Our Youngest Children: The State of Early Childhood Higher Education in New York, 2015

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, University of California at Berkeley, 2015

2015-01-01

In an effort to reexamine the status of early childhood higher education offerings in New York, the New York Early Childhood Advisory Council (ECAC) with its partner members, New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute and the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children engaged the Center for the Study of Child…

Parenting Behaviours and Children's Development from Infancy to Early Childhood: Changes, Continuities and Contributions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutman, Leslie Morrison; Feinstein, Leon

2010-01-01

This study investigated trajectories of parenting behaviours and children's development from infancy to early childhood, associations between parenting behaviours and children's development and how these associations vary according to socioeconomic indicators. Mothers and children were examined from an ongoing longitudinal study of families…

Striving for Quality in Early Childhood Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brancato, Kimberly

2013-01-01

An essential component of best practice in the field of early childhood special education is the inclusion of children with disabilities in typical early childhood settings. As the practice of inclusion has increased in recent years it has become imperative to ensure that children with disabilities attend quality programs. The main purpose of this…

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Early Childhood Obesity.

PubMed

Isong, Inyang A; Rao, Sowmya R; Bind, Marie-Abèle; Avendaño, Mauricio; Kawachi, Ichiro; Richmond, Tracy K

2018-01-01

The prevalence of childhood obesity is significantly higher among racial and/or ethnic minority children in the United States. It is unclear to what extent well-established obesity risk factors in infancy and preschool explain these disparities. Our objective was to decompose racial and/or ethnic disparities in children's weight status according to contributing socioeconomic and behavioral risk factors. We used nationally representative data from ∼10 700 children in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort who were followed from age 9 months through kindergarten entry. We assessed the contribution of socioeconomic factors and maternal, infancy, and early childhood obesity risk factors to racial and/or ethnic disparities in children's BMI z scores by using Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analyses. The prevalence of risk factors varied significantly by race and/or ethnicity. African American children had the highest prevalence of risk factors, whereas Asian children had the lowest prevalence. The major contributor to the BMI z score gap was the rate of infant weight gain during the first 9 months of life, which was a strong predictor of BMI z score at kindergarten entry. The rate of infant weight gain accounted for between 14.9% and 70.5% of explained disparities between white children and their racial and/or ethnic minority peers. Gaps in socioeconomic status were another important contributor that explained disparities, especially those between white and Hispanic children. Early childhood risk factors, such as fruit and vegetable consumption and television viewing, played less important roles in explaining racial and/or ethnic differences in children's BMI z scores. Differences in rapid infant weight gain contribute substantially to racial and/or ethnic disparities in obesity during early childhood. Interventions implemented early in life to target this risk factor could help curb widening racial and/or ethnic disparities in early childhood obesity

Early Childhood Intervention: Shaping the Future for Children with Special Needs and Their Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eidelman, Steven, Ed.; Kaczmarek, Louise A., Ed.; Maude, Susan P., Ed.

2011-01-01

This eye-opening set looks at young children with special needs, their families, and the laws, policies, programs, and services designed to help them. It is scientifically known that early childhood is a time of significant brain development. That makes it especially crucial that children with special needs be recognized early so that appropriate…

Literacy outcomes of children with early childhood speech sound disorders: impact of endophenotypes.

PubMed

Lewis, Barbara A; Avrich, Allison A; Freebairn, Lisa A; Hansen, Amy J; Sucheston, Lara E; Kuo, Iris; Taylor, H Gerry; Iyengar, Sudha K; Stein, Catherine M

2011-12-01

To demonstrate that early childhood speech sound disorders (SSD) and later school-age reading, written expression, and spelling skills are influenced by shared endophenotypes that may be in part genetic. Children with SSD and their siblings were assessed at early childhood (ages 4-6 years) and followed at school age (7-12 years). The relationship of shared endophenotypes with early childhood SSD and school-age outcomes and the shared genetic influences on these outcomes were examined. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that oral motor skills, phonological awareness, phonological memory, vocabulary, and speeded naming have varying influences on reading decoding, spelling, spoken language, and written expression at school age. Genetic linkage studies demonstrated linkage for reading, spelling, and written expression measures to regions on chromosomes 1, 3, 6, and 15 that were previously linked to oral motor skills, articulation, phonological memory, and vocabulary at early childhood testing. Endophenotypes predict school-age literacy outcomes over and above that predicted by clinical diagnoses of SSD or language impairment. Findings suggest that these shared endophenotypes and common genetic influences affect early childhood SSD and later school-age reading, spelling, spoken language, and written expression skills.

Literacy Outcomes of Children With Early Childhood Speech Sound Disorders: Impact of Endophenotypes

PubMed Central

Lewis, Barbara A.; Avrich, Allison A.; Freebairn, Lisa A.; Hansen, Amy J.; Sucheston, Lara E.; Kuo, Iris; Taylor, H. Gerry; Iyengar, Sudha K.; Stein, Catherine M.

2012-01-01

Purpose To demonstrate that early childhood speech sound disorders (SSD) and later school-age reading, written expression, and spelling skills are influenced by shared endophenotypes that may be in part genetic. Method Children with SSD and their siblings were assessed at early childhood (ages 4–6 years) and followed at school age (7–12 years). The relationship of shared endophenotypes with early childhood SSD and school-age outcomes and the shared genetic influences on these outcomes were examined. Results Structural equation modeling demonstrated that oral motor skills, phonological awareness, phonological memory, vocabulary, and speeded naming have varying influences on reading decoding, spelling, spoken language, and written expression at school age. Genetic linkage studies demonstrated linkage for reading, spelling, and written expression measures to regions on chromosomes 1, 3, 6, and 15 that were previously linked to oral motor skills, articulation, phonological memory, and vocabulary at early childhood testing. Conclusions Endophenotypes predict school-age literacy outcomes over and above that predicted by clinical diagnoses of SSD or language impairment. Findings suggest that these shared endophenotypes and common genetic influences affect early childhood SSD and later school-age reading, spelling, spoken language, and written expression skills. PMID:21930616

Early Childhood Caries

PubMed Central

Kawashita, Yumiko; Kitamura, Masayasu; Saito, Toshiyuki

2011-01-01

Dental caries is one of the most common childhood diseases, and people continue to be susceptible to it throughout their lives. Although dental caries can be arrested and potentially even reversed in its early stages, it is often not self-limiting and progresses without proper care until the tooth is destroyed. Early childhood caries (ECC) is often complicated by inappropriate feeding practices and heavy infection with mutans streptococci. Such children should be targeted with a professional preventive program that includes oral hygiene instructions for mothers or caregivers, along with fluoride and diet counseling. However, these strategies alone are not sufficient to prevent dental caries in high-risk children; prevention of ECC also requires addressing the socioeconomic factors that face many families in which ECC is endemic. The aim of this paper is to systematically review information about ECC and to describe why many children are suffering from dental caries. PMID:22007218

Including Young Children With "New" Chronic Illnesses in an Early Childhood Education Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fauvre, Mary

1988-01-01

Presents suggestions for successfully including young children with "new" life-threatening, chronic illnesses -- various types of cancer, heart, liver, and kidney diseases -- in early childhood education classes. (BB)

Identifying Common Practice Elements to Improve Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Outcomes of Young Children in Early Childhood Classrooms.

PubMed

McLeod, Bryce D; Sutherland, Kevin S; Martinez, Ruben G; Conroy, Maureen A; Snyder, Patricia A; Southam-Gerow, Michael A

2017-02-01

Educators are increasingly being encouraged to implement evidence-based interventions and practices to address the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of young children who exhibit problem behavior in early childhood settings. Given the nature of social-emotional learning during the early childhood years and the lack of a common set of core evidence-based practices within the early childhood literature, selection of instructional practices that foster positive social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes for children in early childhood settings can be difficult. The purpose of this paper is to report findings from a study designed to identify common practice elements found in comprehensive intervention models (i.e., manualized interventions that include a number of components) or discrete practices (i.e., a specific behavior or action) designed to target social, emotional, and behavioral learning of young children who exhibit problem behavior. We conducted a systematic review of early childhood classroom interventions that had been evaluated in randomized group designs, quasi-experimental designs, and single-case experimental designs. A total of 49 published articles were identified, and an iterative process was used to identify common practice elements. The practice elements were subsequently reviewed by experts in social-emotional and behavioral interventions for young children. Twenty-four practice elements were identified and classified into content (the goal or general principle that guides a practice element) and delivery (the way in which a teacher provides instruction to the child) categories. We discuss implications that the identification of these practice elements found in the early childhood literature has for efforts to implement models and practices.

Canadian Early-Childhood Educators' Perceptions of Children's Gendered Shy, Aggressive, and Prosocial Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Heather; Bosacki, Sandra; Coplan, Robert J.

2016-01-01

Early childhood educators' (ECE) perceptions of gender roles may contribute to the development of children's own gender-role identities. This qualitative study examined 40 Canadian female ECEs' perceptions of gender and children's shy, aggressive, and prosocial behaviors. Content analysis of extensive interviews revealed three themes: (1) shyness…

Ready, Steady, Learn: School Readiness and Children's Voices in English Early Childhood Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Elspeth; Murray, Jane

2018-01-01

Internationally, school readiness is increasingly the rationale for early childhood education and care (ECEC). This is the case in England, yet the statutory English Early Years Foundation Stage framework for children 0-5 years also requires practitioners to listen to children's voices: discourse indicates dissonance between school readiness and…

Latin American immigrant parents and their children's teachers in U.S. early childhood education programmes.

PubMed

Crosnoe, Robert; Ansari, Arya

2015-12-01

For many immigrants, their children's schools offer their first sustained interaction with the major societal institutions of their new countries, and so exploring the ways in which immigrant parents manage their children's educational experiences offers insight into how they adapt to new cultural norms, customs and expectations and how they are treated in return. This study delved into the involvement of Latin American immigrant parents in U.S. education, shifting the traditional focus down from elementary and secondary school to early childhood education. Statistical analysis of nationally representative data revealed that Latina immigrants had lower frequencies of most home- and community-based involvement behaviours than U.S.-born and foreign-born parents of varying racial/ethnic backgrounds but higher frequencies of involvement behaviours requiring participation in early childhood education programmes. As a window into these national patterns, qualitative data from an early childhood programme in an immigration-heavy state revealed that Latina immigrant mothers and their children's teachers often talked about each other as partners in supporting children's educational experiences but that their actual interactions tended to socialise mothers into being more passive recipients of teachers' directives. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

Breaking Bread: Spirituality, Food and Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bone, Jane

2005-01-01

The spiritual aspect of early childhood education is supported by the early childhood curriculum in Aotearoa New Zealand, "Te Whariki". Research in three different early childhood settings presents new perspectives on the everyday experiences of children in terms of spirituality. Each setting formed a case study that included the voices…

Early Childhood Training Workbook [and Videos].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magna Systems, Inc., Barrington, IL.

This early childhood training workbook and three accompanying video series provide instruction for early childhood caregivers and teachers in the areas of guidance and discipline, math, and diversity. The video series "Guidance and Discipline" demonstrates the ways in which teachers help children become self disciplined. The three videos…

Quality Early Childhood Education for Disadvantaged Children: An Investigation in the MCD Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chopra, Neelima

2016-01-01

Schools run by Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) play a pivotal role in providing early childhood education to young children belonging to marginalized sections of Delhi. However, literature review reveals that low learning outcomes are common among children attending these schools. Low levels of learning are often associated with poor quality…

Computer Training for Early Childhood Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Specht, Jacqueline; Wood, Eileen; Willoughby, Teena

Recent research in early childhood education (ECE) centers suggests that some teacher characteristics are not at a level that would support computer learning opportunities for children. This study identified areas of support required by teachers to provide a smooth introduction of the computer into the early childhood education classroom.…

Pedagogy for Early Childhood Gifted Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaplan, Sandra; Hertzog, Nancy B.

2016-01-01

Federal attention is focused currently on investing and improving the quality of early childhood education, so that children's potential and talent development can be used as a natural resource for the future of our country. This article engages readers in transitioning their thinking about early childhood gifted education from a traditional…

Early Childhood Inclusion in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blackburn, Carolyn

2016-01-01

A policy-to-practice paper is presented of early childhood inclusion in England. The article aims to report the benefits of early intervention services and early childhood inclusion for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), document the chronology of policy development, and discuss research evidence about…

Building on People's Strengths: Early Childhood in Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Ruth; And Others

This report describes early childhood development (ECD) in Africa and the Bernard van Leer Foundation's strategies for early childhood programs in African nations. Chapter 1 examines the context in which Africa's children are growing up, focusing on the hardships that many children face, as well as the efforts made by families, communities, and…

Improving Latino Children's Early Language and Literacy Development: Key Features of Early Childhood Education within Family Literacy Programmes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Youngok; Zuniga, Stephen; Howes, Carollee; Jeon, Hyun-Joo; Parrish, Deborah; Quick, Heather; Manship, Karen; Hauser, Alison

2016-01-01

Noting the lack of research on how early childhood education (ECE) programmes within family literacy programmes influence Latino children's early language and literacy development, this study examined key features of ECE programmes, specifically teacher-child interactions and child engagement in language and literacy activities and how these…

Children of Two to Three Years of Age in France: Early Childhood Settings and Age Divisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garnier, Pascale; Rayna, Sylvie; Brougère, Gilles; Rupin, Pablo

2017-01-01

In a French early childhood care and education system that is strongly divided by age and institution, the current research studies the collective life of children at the pivotal age of two to three years of age in four different early childhood settings: (1) a group of "grands" (nursery) in a "crèche" (daycare centre), (2) a…

Multiracial Children and Poverty: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of Kindergartners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bratter, Jenifer; Kimbro, Rachel Tolbert

2013-01-01

Despite the recent growth in multiracial children among American children, we know very little about their well-being. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class (N?=?17,706), we evaluated the likelihood of living in poverty and near poverty for multiracial and monoracial children. Most multiracial groups have poverty or near…

Early Childhood Inclusion: A Joint Position Statement of the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young Exceptional Children, 2009

2009-01-01

Today an ever-increasing number of infants and young children with and without disabilities play, develop, and learn together in a variety of places--homes, early childhood programs, neighborhoods, and other community-based settings. The notion that young children with disabilities and their families are full members of the community reflects…

Early Childhood Education: Training for the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honig, Alice S.

1996-01-01

Discusses the future training of early childhood educators, focusing on techniques for teachers to build prosocial skills, develop aesthetic appreciation, inculcate acceptance and inclusion, and develop a curiosity for learning among children. Also discusses the political status of early childhood education. (MDM)

Child Maltreatment and Children's Developmental Trajectories in Early- to Middle-Childhood

PubMed Central

Font, Sarah A.; Berger, Lawrence M.

2014-01-01

Associations between experiencing child maltreatment and adverse developmental outcomes are widely studied, yet conclusions regarding the extent to which effects are bidirectional, and whether they are likely causal, remain elusive. This study uses the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being study, a birth cohort of 4,898 children followed from birth through age 9. Hierarchical linear modeling and structural equation modeling are employed to estimate associations of maltreatment with cognitive and social-emotional well-being. Results suggest that effects of early childhood maltreatment emerge immediately, though developmental outcomes are also affected by newly occurring maltreatment over time. Additionally, findings indicate that children's early developmental scores predict their subsequent probability of experiencing maltreatment, though to a lesser extent than early maltreatment predicts subsequent developmental outcomes. PMID:25521556

Personal and Professional Emotional Characteristics of Early Childhood Teachers and Their Proneness to Communicate with Parents and Colleagues about Children's Emotions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ciucci, Enrica; Baroncelli, Andrea; Toselli, Monica; Denham, Susanne A.

2018-01-01

Background: Early childhood teachers represent important socializers of children's emotions providing professional practices, such as communication about children's emotions, influencing children's development. According to an ecological framework, early childhood teachers' emotional practices are guided by both their personal and professional…

Ethical Behavior in Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G.; Ward, Evangeline H.

This booklet contains two essays on ethics for early childhood educators. The first essay discusses the meaning of a code of ethics, the importance of a code of ethics for working with preschool children, ethical conflicts in day care and preschool work, and steps which may be taken to help early childhood workers resolve these conflicts. Ethical…

Why Relationships Matter: Parent and Early Childhood Teacher Perspectives about the Provisions Afforded by Young Children's Relationships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Degotardi, Sheila; Sweller, Naomi; Pearson, Emma

2013-01-01

This study investigated the perspectives of early childhood teachers and parents regarding the importance of provisions afforded by child-teacher and peer relationships in early childhood centres. Participants were 200 parents and 71 teachers of children aged 0-5 years who responded to an online survey containing a series of relationship function…

EARLY CHILDHOOD PREDICTORS OF LOW-INCOME BOYS' PATHWAYS TO ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR IN CHILDHOOD, ADOLESCENCE, AND EARLY ADULTHOOD.

PubMed

Shaw, Daniel S; Gilliam, Mary

2017-01-01

Guided by a bridging model of pathways leading to low-income boys' early starting and persistent trajectories of antisocial behavior, the current article reviews evidence supporting the model from early childhood through early adulthood. Using primarily a cohort of 310 low-income boys of families recruited from Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Supplement centers in a large metropolitan area followed from infancy to early adulthood and a smaller cohort of boys and girls followed through early childhood, we provide evidence supporting the critical role of parenting, maternal depression, and other proximal family risk factors in early childhood that are prospectively linked to trajectories of parent-reported conduct problems in early and middle childhood, youth-reported antisocial behavior during adolescence and early adulthood, and court-reported violent offending in adolescence. The findings are discussed in terms of the need to identify at-risk boys in early childhood and methods and platforms for engaging families in healthcare settings not previously used to implement preventive mental health services. © 2016 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

The Impact of Breastfeeding on Early Childhood Obesity: Evidence From the National Survey of Children's Health.

PubMed

Hansstein, Francesca V

2016-03-01

To investigate how breastfeeding initiation and duration affect the likelihood of being overweight and obese in children aged 2 to 5. Cross-sectional data from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health. Rural and urban areas of the United States. Households where at least one member was between the ages of 2 and 5 (sample size 8207). Parent-reported body mass index, breastfeeding initiation and duration, covariates (gender, family income and education, ethnicity, child care attendance, maternal health and physical activity, residential area). Partial proportional odds models. In early childhood, breastfed children had 5.3% higher probability of being normal weight (p = .002) and 8.9% (p < .001) lower probability of being obese compared to children who had never been breastfed. Children who had been breastfed for less than 3 months had 3.1% lower probability of being normal weight (p = .013) and 4.7% higher probability of being obese (p = .013) with respect to children who had been breastfed for 3 months and above. Study findings suggest that length of breastfeeding, whether exclusive or not, may be associated with lower risk of obesity in early childhood. However, caution is needed in generalizing results because of the limitations of the analysis. Based on findings from this study and others, breastfeeding promotion policies can cite the potential protective effect that breastfeeding has on weight in early childhood. © The Author(s) 2016.

Considerations for Developing State Policy and Guidance on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cate, D.; Dell, P.; Thompson, V.

2017-01-01

The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center created this resource based on the "U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U. S. Department of Education Policy Statement on Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs." It is intended as a tool for States to develop policy/guidance in order to…

Early Childhood Research & Practice: An Internet Journal on the Development, Care, and Education of Young Children, Fall 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G., Ed.; Rothenberg, Dianne, Ed.

2002-01-01

Early Childhood Research & Practice (ECRP), a peer-reviewed, Internet-only journal sponsored by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC/EECE), covers topics related to the development, care, and education of children from birth to approximately age 8. The journal emphasizes articles reporting on…

Korean Early Childhood Educators' Perceptions of Importance and Implementation of Strategies to Address Young Children's Social-Emotional Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heo, Kay H.; Cheatham, Gregory A.; Hemmeter, Mary Louise; Noh, Jina

2014-01-01

In South Korea, there has been a rapid increase in challenging behaviors and other social-emotional difficulties at the early childhood level. Korean early childhood educators' perspectives and strategies to address young children's social-emotional competencies and challenging behaviors were investigated. Overall, results suggest that many Korean…

Early Childhood Teachers' Misconceptions about Mathematics Education for Young Children in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Joon Sun; Ginsburg, Herbert P.

2009-01-01

In this article we discuss nine common misconceptions about learning and teaching mathematics for young children that are widespread among prospective and practicing early childhood teachers in the United States. These misconceptions include: 1. Young children are not ready for mathematics education; 2. Mathematics is for some bright kids with…

Early Childhood Research & Practice: An Internet Journal on the Development, Care, and Education of Young Children, Spring 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G., Ed.; Rothenberg, Dianne, Ed.

2000-01-01

Early Childhood Research and Practice (ECRP), a peer-reviewed, Internet-only journal sponsored by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC/EECE), covers topics related to the development, care, and education of children from birth to approximately age 8. ECRP emphasizes articles reporting on practice-related…

Early Childhood Research & Practice: An Internet Journal on the Development, Care, and Education of Young Children, Fall 1999.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G., Ed.; Rothenberg, Dianne, Ed.

1999-01-01

Early Childhood Research & Practice (ECRP), a peer-reviewed, Internet-only journal sponsored by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC/EECE), covers topics related to the development, care, and education of children from birth to approximately age 8. ECRP emphasizes articles reporting on practice-related…

Teachers' perceptions about children's movement and learning in early childhood education programmes.

PubMed

Gehris, J S; Gooze, R A; Whitaker, R C

2015-01-01

Efforts to improve the academic skills of preschool-aged children have resulted in approaches that tend to limit children's movement. However, movement experiences have long been considered important to children's learning and have received increased attention because of the obesity epidemic. Early childhood educators are important sources of information about if and how to promote learning and school readiness through movement, but little effort has been made to understand teachers' views on this topic. We conducted six focus groups with 37 teachers from a Head Start programme with centres in three cities in eastern Pennsylvania. We inquired about: (1) how movement influences children's learning; (2) what types of movement experiences are most beneficial for children; (3) what settings best support children's movement; and (4) challenges related to children's movement. To identify key themes from the focus groups, transcripts were analysed using an inductive method of coding. Teachers' views were expressed in four major themes. First, young children have an innate need to move, and teachers respond to this need by using movement experiences to prepare children to learn and to teach academic concepts and spatial awareness. However, teachers wanted more training in these areas. Second, movement prepares children for school and for life by building children's confidence and social skills. Third, teachers and children benefit from moving together because it motivates children and promotes teacher-child relationships. Finally, moving outdoors promotes learning by engaging children's senses and promoting community interaction. More training may be required to help early childhood educators use movement experiences to teach academic concepts and improve children's spatial awareness. Future interventions could examine the impacts on children's movement and learning of having teachers move with children during outdoor free play and including more natural features in the

Early Childhood Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Edgar, Ed.

1989-01-01

Focused on early childhood development, this "UNICEF Intercom" asserts that developmental programs should aim to give children a fair chance at growth beyond survival. First presented are moral, scientific, social equity, economic, population, and programatic arguments for looking beyond the fundamental objective of saving young lives.…

Building Competency for Providers in the Early Childhood Mental Health Field: An Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement®

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paradis, Nichole; Eidson, Faith; Weatherston, Deborah J.

2017-01-01

Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement® (ECMH-E®) offers a credential for those whose work with or on behalf of children 3-6 years old and their families is informed by infant and early childhood mental health principles. Those who have earned ECMH-E demonstrate completion of specialized education, work, in-service training, and reflective…

Social-Emotional Problems in Early Childhood and the Development of Depressive Symptoms in School-Age Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meagher, Susan M.; Arnold, David H.; Doctoroff, Greta L.; Dobbs, Jennifer; Fisher, Paige H.

2009-01-01

Research Findings: The present longitudinal study investigated whether a range of social-emotional difficulties in early childhood predict the development of depressive symptoms in middle childhood. Participants were 56 children and their teachers. Teachers' reports of internalizing and externalizing behaviors were obtained during preschool, and…

Advancing Early Childhood Development: from Science to Scale 1

PubMed Central

Black, Maureen M; Walker, Susan P; Fernald, Lia C H; Andersen, Christopher T; DiGirolamo, Ann M; Lu, Chunling; McCoy, Dana C; Fink, Günther; Shawar, Yusra R; Shiffman, Prof Jeremy; Devercelli, Amanda E; Wodon, Quentin T; Vargas-Barón, Emily; Grantham-McGregor, Sally

2018-01-01

Early childhood development programmes vary in coordination and quality, with inadequate and inequitable access, especially for children younger than 3 years. New estimates, based on proxy measures of stunting and poverty, indicate that 250 million children (43%) younger than 5 years in low-income and middle-income countries are at risk of not reaching their developmental potential. There is therefore an urgent need to increase multisectoral coverage of quality programming that incorporates health, nutrition, security and safety, responsive caregiving, and early learning. Equitable early childhood policies and programmes are crucial for meeting Sustainable Development Goals, and for children to develop the intellectual skills, creativity, and wellbeing required to become healthy and productive adults. In this paper, the first in a three part Series on early childhood development, we examine recent scientific progress and global commitments to early childhood development. Research, programmes, and policies have advanced substantially since 2000, with new neuroscientific evidence linking early adversity and nurturing care with brain development and function throughout the life course. PMID:27717614

Early Childhood Research & Practice: An Internet Journal on the Development, Care, and Education of Young Children, Spring 2001.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G., Ed.; Rothenberg, Dianne, Ed.

2001-01-01

Early Childhood Research and Practice (ECRP), a peer-reviewed, Internet-only journal sponsored by the ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (ERIC/EECE), covers topics related to the development, care, and education of children from birth to approximately age 8. The journal emphasizes articles reporting on practice-related…

Early Childhood Research & Practice: An Internet Journal on the Development, Care, and Education of Young Children, Spring 2003.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G., Ed.; Rothenberg, Dianne, Ed.; Preece, Laurel

2003-01-01

Early Childhood Research and Practice (ECRP), a peer-reviewed Internet-only journal sponsored by the Early Childhood and Parenting (ECAP) Collaborative at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, covers topics related to the development, care, and education of children from birth to approximately age 8. The journal emphasizes articles…

Nutrition Education Needs of Early Childhood Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forsythe, Hazel; Wesley, Myrna

This study sought to determine the needs of early childhood teachers in Kentucky for education to help them manage children's nutrition in early childhood programs. The study also sought to determine whether formal classes, self-study via computer, or site-based inservice workshops is the most desirable format for teacher nutrition education. A…

Predicting Individual Differences in Low-Income Children's Executive Control from Early to Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raver, C. Cybele; McCoy, Dana Charles; Lowenstein, Amy E.; Pess, Rachel

2013-01-01

The present longitudinal study tested the roles of early childhood executive control (EC) as well as exposure to poverty-related adversity at family and school levels as key predictors of low-income children's EC in elementary school ("n" = 391). Findings suggest that children's EC difficulties in preschool and lower family income from…

Responding to Children's Answers: Questions Embedded in the Social Context of Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bateman, Amanda

2013-01-01

This article presents analysis of question-answer sequences during problem inquiry between a teacher and two children in an early childhood crèche in New Zealand. Conversation analysis is used to reveal which questions the teacher asks, how children answer the questions, and the teacher's responses to the child's answers. Although adults'…

Child maltreatment and children's developmental trajectories in early to middle childhood.

PubMed

Font, Sarah A; Berger, Lawrence M

2015-01-01

Associations between experiencing child maltreatment and adverse developmental outcomes are widely studied, yet conclusions regarding the extent to which effects are bidirectional, and whether they are likely causal, remain elusive. This study uses the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a birth cohort of 4,898 children followed from birth through age 9. Hierarchical linear modeling and structural equation modeling are employed to estimate associations of maltreatment with cognitive and social-emotional well-being. Results suggest that effects of early childhood maltreatment emerge immediately, though developmental outcomes are also affected by newly occurring maltreatment over time. Additionally, findings indicate that children's early developmental scores predict their subsequent probability of experiencing maltreatment, though to a lesser extent than early maltreatment predicts subsequent developmental outcomes. © 2014 The Authors. Child Development © 2014 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Leadership Competencies in U.S. Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Service Systems: A National Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruns, Deborah A.; LaRocco, Diana J.; Sharp, Olga L.; Sopko, Kim Moherek

2017-01-01

In 2015, the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children released a position statement on leadership in early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). Division for Early Childhood emphasized the importance of developing and supporting high-quality leadership within and across all levels of EI/ECSE…

Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education. Yearbook in Early Childhood Education, Volume 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spodek, Bernard, Ed.; Saracho, Olivia N., Ed.

As classrooms have become more culturally and linguistically diversified, the theories and methods of teaching reading to young children have changed. Early childhood educators must explore new methods of instruction in order to involve and expand the language abilities of young children and must provide engaging activities that will create more…

Managing Asthma in the Early Childhood Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graville, Iris

2011-01-01

Asthma, one of the most common chronic disorders in childhood, affects more than seven million children in the United States, and is the third leading cause of hospitalization for children. Statistics like these make planning and preparing for asthma in the early childhood setting a high priority. With the high rates of asthma in the U.S. today,…

Early Childhood Indicators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartlett, Kathy; Zimanyi, Louise

2001-01-01

Recognizing the need to identify the level, nature, and impact of Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) programs on children and their families, this theme issue of "Coordinators' Notebook" seeks to complement and further the international efforts at collecting information on ECCD for use at national and international levels.…

Creativity in Music and Early Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hildebrandt, Carolyn

1998-01-01

Discusses ways for early childhood educators to encourage young children's creativity in music. Argues that teachers often present music as a teacher-guided activity used to control children, and that musical education can be facilitated by allowing children to guide their own musical explorations. (JPB)

Second-Language Learning in Early Childhood: Some Thoughts for Practitioners.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, Barry

There is much that can be done in early childhood education programs to foster second language learning in young children. The research literature on early childhood bilingualism clearly indicates that children can learn two languages simultaneously without apparent effort, without cognitive strain or interference in learning either language…

Diversity and Difference in Early Childhood Education: Issues for Theory and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Kerry; Diaz, Criss Jones

2005-01-01

Early childhood professionals are often required to work with children and families from a range of diverse backgrounds. This book goes beyond simplistic definitions of diversity, encouraging a much broader understanding and helping early childhood educators develop a critical disposition towards assumptions about children and childhood in…

Empirically Based Profiles of the Early Literacy Skills of Children With Language Impairment in Early Childhood Special Education.

PubMed

Justice, Laura; Logan, Jessica; Kaderavek, Joan; Schmitt, Mary Beth; Tompkins, Virginia; Bartlett, Christopher

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to empirically determine whether specific profiles characterize preschool-aged children with language impairment (LI) with respect to their early literacy skills (print awareness, name-writing ability, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge); the primary interest was to determine if one or more profiles suggested vulnerability for future reading problems. Participants were 218 children enrolled in early childhood special education classrooms, 95% of whom received speech-language services. Children were administered an assessment of early literacy skills in the fall of the academic year. Based on results of latent profile analysis, four distinct literacy profiles were identified, with the single largest profile (55% of children) representing children with generally poor literacy skills across all areas examined. Children in the two low-risk categories had higher oral language skills than those in the high-risk and moderate-risk profiles. Across three of the four early literacy measures, children with language as their primary disability had higher scores than those with LI concomitant with other disabilities. These findings indicate that there are specific profiles of early literacy skills among children with LI, with about one half of children exhibiting a profile indicating potential susceptibility for future reading problems. © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2013.

Children, Mathematics, and Videotape: Using Multimodal Analysis to Bring Bodies into Early Childhood Assessment Interviews

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parks, Amy Noelle; Schmeichel, Mardi

2014-01-01

Despite the increased use of video for data collection, most research using assessment interviews in early childhood education relies solely upon the analysis of linguistic data, ignoring children's bodies. This trend is particularly troubling in studies of marginalized children because transcripts limited to language can make it difficult to…

Early Childhood Educators and Children with Challenging Behaviors: Implications for Teacher Preparation and Training Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Holly Kirkland

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine what beliefs, knowledge, skills, and early childhood education teachers should acquire to effectively teach and work with children who exhibit challenging behaviors. A significant body of literature demonstrates a connection between behavioral difficulties for children and negative academic,…

Explorations in Early Childhood Education: The Mount Druitt Early Childhood Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braithwaite, John; And Others

This book concerns the Mt. Druitt Early Childhood Project, which was developed to provide quality educational programs for disadvantaged children living in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. In order to set the subsequent discussion in broader perspective, chapter 1 addresses several key issues influencing project development. Chapter 2…

The Development of Self-Regulation across Early Childhood

PubMed Central

Montroy, Janelle J.; Bowles, Ryan P.; Skibbe, Lori E.; McClelland, Megan M.; Morrison, Frederick J.

2016-01-01

The development of early childhood self-regulation is often considered an early life marker for later life successes. Yet little longitudinal research has evaluated whether there are different trajectories of self-regulation development across children. This study investigates the development of behavioral self-regulation between the ages of three and seven, with a direct focus on possible heterogeneity in the developmental trajectories, and a set of potential indicators that distinguish unique behavioral self-regulation trajectories. Across three diverse samples, 1,386 children were assessed on behavioral self-regulation from preschool through first grade. Results indicated that majority of children develop self-regulation rapidly during early childhood, and that children follow three distinct developmental patterns of growth. These three trajectories were distinguishable based on timing of rapid gains, as well as child gender, early language skills, and maternal education levels. Findings highlight early developmental differences in how self-regulation unfolds with implications for offering individualized support across children. PMID:27709999

Socio-behavioural factors and early childhood caries: a cross-sectional study of preschool children in central Trinidad.

PubMed

Naidu, Rahul; Nunn, June; Kelly, Alan

2013-07-09

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a public health problem due to its impact on children's health, development and well being. Little is known about early childhood oral health in the West Indies or the influence of social and behavioural factors on the prevalence and severity of early childhood caries in this preschool population. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence and severity of ECC in preschool children in a region of central Trinidad and to explore its relationship with social and behavioural factors. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken on children aged 3-5 years-old from a random sample of preschools in central Trinidad. Oral health examinations were conducted for children for whom parental consent was given, using WHO criteria (visual diagnosis / cavitation at d3). A self-reported questionnaire was distributed to all parents and caregivers. Variables included socio-demographics, oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, visible caries experience and treatment need. 251 children were examined, 50.2% were male with a mean age of 3.7 years (SD 0.67) and 71% were of Indian ethnicity. The prevalence of ECC was 29.1% and the prevalence of severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) was 17.5%. 29.9% of children had some treatment need, with 12% in need of urgent care or referral. Poisson generalized linear mixed model analysis found a higher rate of visible caries experience for children who ate sweet snacks more than twice a day (p < 0.001), had poorer parental dental health ratings (p < 0.0001), a previous dental visit (p < 0.0001) and difficulty finding dental care (p < 0.001). The prevalence and severity of ECC in central Trinidad was related to oral health behaviours and access to dental care. Oral health promotion should include more supportive and practical advice for parents and caregivers of preschool children along with improved access to dental care to enable primary prevention and management of ECC.

Are Early Childhood Disparities Narrowing? The Changing Nature of Early Childhood and Its Link to Narrowing School-Entry Achievement Gaps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassok, Daphna; Finch, Jenna; Lee, RaeHyuck; Reardon, Sean F.; Waldfogel, Jane

2016-01-01

To date, no studies have documented how much early childhood experiences have changed over time. In the current study, researchers use two large, nationally representative datasets of kindergarten entrants to document the following: (1) How have children's early childhood experiences changed between 1998 and 2010?; (2) To what extent have…

"Race" and Early Childhood Education: An International Approach to Identity, Politics, and Pedagogy. Critical Cultural Studies of Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mac Naughton, Glenda, Ed.; Davis, Karina, Ed.

2009-01-01

This book explores the prominence of "race" in the lives of young children and their early childhood educators. It critiques the often presumed racial innocence of young children and shows instead how young children actively engage with the politics of race as they form their own identities. It challenges early childhood educators to engage with…

Training Early Childhood Educators to Promote Peer Interactions: Effects on Children's Aggressive and Prosocial Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Girard, Lisa-Christine; Girolametto, Luigi; Weitzman, Elaine; Greenberg, Janice

2011-01-01

Research Findings: This study examined the effects of educators' participation in an in-service training program on the aggressive and prosocial behaviors of preschool-age children. Seventeen early childhood educators were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. A total of 68 preschool children, 4 from each educator's classroom, also…

Parents' and Early Childhood Educators' Attitudes and Practices in Relation to Children's Outdoor Risky Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFarland, Laura; Laird, Shelby Gull

2018-01-01

This study contributes to the understanding of early childhood educators' and parents' attitudes and practices in relation to outdoor risky play for children. This study included 26 early childhood educators and 112 parents in rural and metropolitan areas of Australia and the United States. Participants completed an online survey about their…

Dominant Discourses of Teachers in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebrahim, H. B.

2010-01-01

This article examines the dominant discourses teachers in early childhood education (ECE) used to produce understandings of children and educational practice for them. Seven teachers from two early childhood centres in urban KwaZulu-Natal participated in this qualitative study. Data were produced through semi-structured interviews and…

Impact of Culture Context on Perceptions of Arab and Jewish Early Childhood Education Students Regarding Early Childhood Education and Care

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimet, Gila Russo; Gilat, Itzhak

2017-01-01

The study examined intuitive perceptions of early childhood education students regarding education and care of children from birth to age 3 in Jewish and Arab societies. Research included 182 education students majoring in early childhood at three Israeli colleges. Data were collected via a questionnaire covering five topics: What is the most…

FUNdamental Movement in Early Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Linley

2001-01-01

Noting that the development of fundamental movement skills is basic to children's motor development, this booklet provides a guide for early childhood educators in planning movement experiences for children between 4 and 8 years. The booklet introduces a wide variety of appropriate practices to promote movement skill acquisition and increased…

HIV/AIDS and Early Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanssen, Elizabeth, Ed.; Zimanyi, Louise, Ed.

2002-01-01

The Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development is increasingly concerned with the lack of attention to children affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. This theme issue of "Coordinators' Notebook" examines issues related to ensuring that orphans and vulnerable children under 5 years receive attention in the international,…

Sibling conflict in middle childhood predicts children's adjustment in early adolescence.

PubMed

Stocker, Clare M; Burwell, Rebecca A; Briggs, Megan L

2002-03-01

Associations between sibling conflict in middle childhood and psychological adjustment in early adolescence were studied in a sample of 80 boys and 56 girls. Parents and children provided self-report data about family relationships and children's adjustment. Parents' hostility to children was assessed from videotaped interactions. Results showed that sibling conflict at Time 1 predicted increases in children's anxiety, depressed mood, and delinquent behavior 2 years later. Moreover, earlier sibling conflict at Time 1 accounted for unique variance in young adolescents' Time 2 anxiety, depressed mood, and delinquent behavior above and beyond the variance explained by earlier maternal hostility and marital conflict. Children's adjustment at Time 1 did not predict sibling conflict at Time 2. Results highlight the unique significance of the earlier sibling relationship for young adolescents' psychological adjustment.

Early Childhoods in a Changing World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Margaret M., Ed.; Tucker, Stanley, Ed.

2010-01-01

This book challenges taken for granted views of early childhood across the globe. It deepens and broadens our understanding of what it means to be a child today and of the challenges children face in different parts of the world. It will be essential reading for all who work with young children or are students of early years education and…

Online Professional Development: Choices for Early Childhood Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Heather; Donaldson, Ana J.; Hudson, Susan D.

2010-01-01

Early childhood educators are responsible for providing young children with the best possible early care and education. Research on child care workers' education has shown that professional preparation makes a significant impact on children's cognitive and emotional development (National Association for the Education of Young Children [NAEYC],…

Building Community Systems for Young Children: Early Childhood Education. Building State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Series, Number 11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bassok, Daphna; Stipek, Deborah; Inkelas, Moira; Kuo, Alice

2005-01-01

This report examines the importance and funding sources of early child care and education (ECE), and the ways in which the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (SECCS) Initiative improves early childhood outcomes. Section I presents what is known about the importance of ECE, quality and access. Section II describes the current funding…

Children's Self-Regulation in the Context of Participatory Pedagogy in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kangas, Jonna; Ojala, Mikko; Venninen, Tuulikki

2015-01-01

Research Findings: Research has shown that self-regulation can support child development in the areas of children's attentional flexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control for excluding impulsive responses. How this is actually related in everyday pedagogical early childhood education (ECE) activities has rarely been studied in detail. In…

In utero and early childhood exposure to arsenic decreases lung function in children

PubMed Central

Recio-Vega, Rogelio; Gonzalez-Cortes, Tania; Olivas-Calderon, Edgar; Lantz, R. Clark; Gandolfi, A. Jay; Gonzalez-De Alba, Cesar

2016-01-01

Background The lung is a target organ for adverse health outcomes following exposure to arsenic. Several studies have reported a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms and diseases in subjects highly exposed to arsenic through drinking water, however, most studies to date has been performed in exposed adults, with little information on respiratory effects in children. The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between urinary levels of arsenic and its metabolites with lung function in children exposed in utero and in early childhood to high arsenic levels through drinking water. Methods A total of 358 healthy children were included in our study. Individual exposure was assessed based on urinary concentration of inorganic arsenic. Lung function was assessed by spirometry. Results Participants were exposed since pregnancy until early childhood to an average water As concentration of 152.13 μg/L. The mean urinary arsenic level registered in the studied subjects was 141.2 μg/L and only 16.7% had a urinary concentration below the national concern level. Forced vital capacity was significantly decreased in the studied population and it was negatively associated with the percent of inorganic arsenic. More than 57% of the subjects had a restrictive spirometric pattern. The urinary As level was higher in those children with restrictive lung patterns when compared with the levels registered in subjects with normal spirometric patterns. Conclusion Exposure to arsenic through drinking water during in utero and early life was associated with a decrease in FVC and with a restrictive spirometric pattern in the children evaluated. PMID:25131850

Abusive early child rearing and early childhood aggression.

PubMed

Herrenkohl, R C; Russo, M J

2001-02-01

Childhood aggression is significant for children, their families, and the society because aggressive children often become violent adolescents. This article examines the relationship between maltreatment and early childhood aggression. Data are from a longitudinal study of maltreated and nonmaltreated children assessed as preschoolers and again at school age. The dependent variable is the child's teacher's rating of aggression at school age. The independent variables are from preschool and school age observations of the mother-child interaction and the mother's report of physical discipline practices. Using structural equation modeling, harshness of interaction at preschool age but not school age and severity of physical discipline at school age but not preschool age, relate to aggression at school age. Results suggest a difference in the developmental stage at which different features of harsh child rearing exert their influence. Strategies for intervening to prevent the development of childhood aggression are suggested.

Preservice Early Childhood Educators' Pedagogical Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Di Santo, Aurelia; Timmons, Kristy; Lenis, Angelike

2017-01-01

Preservice early childhood educators begin postsecondary programs with established beliefs about children, children's learning, and their roles as future educators. The present study examined 26 first-year students' beliefs about children, classroom practice, and guiding children's behavior. Participants completed the Teacher Beliefs Q-Sort…

Early Childhood Inclusion in Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ljubešic, Marta; Šimleša, Sanja

2016-01-01

This article explains early childhood inclusion in Croatia from its beginnings up to challenges in current policy and practice. The first preschool education for children with disabilities dates back to the 1980s and was provided in special institutions. In the last 10 years, mainstream kindergartens have been enrolling children with disabilities…

Early Childhood Intervention in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Yuzhu; Maude, Susan P.; Brotherson, Mary Jane

2015-01-01

With rapid economic development and increasing awareness of the importance of early childhood intervention (ECI), China is re-examining its social and educational practices for young children with disabilities. This re-examination may have a significant impact on young children with disabilities in China. It may also set an example for other…

The Effects of Early Childhood Classroom Size and Duration on Development of Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canbeldek, Merve; Isikoglu Erdogan, Nesrin

2017-01-01

Purpose: The numbers of early childhood education programs are dramatically increasing throughout Turkey, and the regulations to ensure quality are frequently changing. A very limited number of studies have examined the quality of Turkish ECE programs on children's development. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the effects of…

The Social Experience of Early Childhood for Children with Learning Disabilities: Inclusion, Competence and Agency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nind, Melanie; Flewitt, Rosie; Payler, Jane

2010-01-01

This paper tells of the social experiences of three four-year-old children with learning disabilities as they negotiate their daily lives in their homes and early education settings in England. We apply a social model of childhood disability to the relatively unexplored territory of young children and use vignettes drawn from video observation to…

Effect of Male and Female Early Childhood Education Teacher's Educational Practices on Children's Social Adaptation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Besnard, Thérèse; Letarte, Marie-Josée

2017-01-01

It is believed children stand to benefit from a greater male teacher presence in early childhood education (ECE) where, internationally, the vast majority of ECE teachers are female. This study (N = 180) examines the relationship between children's social adaptation and the educational practices of 53 ECE teachers, 23 (44%) of which were male.…

A Preliminary Evaluation of Reach: Training Early Childhood Teachers to Support Children's Social and Emotional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conners-Burrow, Nicola A.; Patrick, Terese; Kyzer, Angela; McKelvey, Lorraine

2017-01-01

This paper describes the development, implementation and preliminary evaluation of the Reaching Educators and Children (REACH) program, a training and coaching intervention designed to increase the capacity of early childhood teachers to support children's social and emotional development. We evaluated REACH with 139 teachers of toddler and…

Test Review: C. K. Conners. Conners Early Childhood Manual

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, Colby P.; Wedeking, Travis; Galindo, Addy M.

2013-01-01

This article reviews the Conners Early Childhood (Conners EC; Conners, 2009), a behavior and development rating scale intended to assess children in early childhood, specifically defined as ages 2 to 6 years. Using multiple informants across multiple settings, the Conners EC is administered for the purpose of early identification of disorders or…

Early Childhood Education and Care for Native Hawaiian Children in Hawai'i: A Brief History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grace, Donna J.; Ku'ulei Serna, Alethea

2013-01-01

This study provides a brief overview of the history of early childhood education and care for Native Hawaiian children in Hawai'i. Data sources include a literature review, examination of archival documents, and interviews with a sample of Native Hawaiian parents and community members. We trace the emergence of outside-the-home early childhood…

Transactional relations between caregiving stress, executive functioning, and problem behavior from early childhood to early adolescence

PubMed Central

LaGasse, Linda L.; Conradt, Elisabeth; Karalunas, Sarah L.; Dansereau, Lynne M.; Butner, Jonathan E.; Shankaran, Seetha; Bada, Henrietta; Bauer, Charles R.; Whitaker, Toni M.; Lester, Barry M.

2016-01-01

Developmental psychopathologists face the difficult task of identifying the environmental conditions that may contribute to early childhood behavior problems. Highly stressed caregivers can exacerbate behavior problems, while children with behavior problems may make parenting more difficult and increase caregiver stress. Unknown is: (1) how these transactions originate, (2) whether they persist over time to contribute to the development of problem behavior and (3) what role resilience factors, such as child executive functioning, may play in mitigating the development of problem behavior. In the present study, transactional relations between caregiving stress, executive functioning, and behavior problems were examined in a sample of 1,388 children with prenatal drug exposures at three developmental time points: early childhood (birth-age 5), middle childhood (ages 6 to 9), and early adolescence (ages 10 to 13). Transactional relations differed between caregiving stress and internalizing versus externalizing behavior. Targeting executive functioning in evidence-based interventions for children with prenatal substance exposure who present with internalizing problems and treating caregiving psychopathology, depression, and parenting stress in early childhood may be particularly important for children presenting with internalizing behavior. PMID:27427803

The development of self-regulation across early childhood.

PubMed

Montroy, Janelle J; Bowles, Ryan P; Skibbe, Lori E; McClelland, Megan M; Morrison, Frederick J

2016-11-01

The development of early childhood self-regulation is often considered an early life marker for later life successes. Yet little longitudinal research has evaluated whether there are different trajectories of self-regulation development across children. This study investigates the development of behavioral self-regulation between the ages of 3 and 7 years, with a direct focus on possible heterogeneity in the developmental trajectories, and a set of potential indicators that distinguish unique behavioral self-regulation trajectories. Across 3 diverse samples, 1,386 children were assessed on behavioral self-regulation from preschool through first grade. Results indicated that majority of children develop self-regulation rapidly during early childhood, and that children follow 3 distinct developmental patterns of growth. These 3 trajectories were distinguishable based on timing of rapid gains, as well as child gender, early language skills, and maternal education levels. Findings highlight early developmental differences in how self-regulation unfolds, with implications for offering individualized support across children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Early Childhood Adventures in Peacemaking: A Conflict Resolution Activity Guide for Early Childhood Educators. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kreidler, William J.; Whittall, Sandy Tsubokawa

This early childhood curriculum (ages 3-6) uses games, music, art, drama, and storytelling to teach young children effective, nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts and provides caregivers with tools for helping young children develop key conflict resolution skills. Following an introductory chapter, Chapter 2 provides guidance in assessing the…

Parents, Participation, Partnership: Problematising New Zealand Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Angel; Ritchie, Jenny

2016-01-01

This article interrogates notions of teacher "partnership with parents" within early childhood care and education settings in the context of Aotearoa (New Zealand). "Te Whariki," the New Zealand early childhood curriculum, clearly positions children's learning and development as being fostered when their families' cultures and…

An Evaluation of Partnerships for Early Childhood Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shamblin, Sherry R.

2013-01-01

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (ECMHC) has been linked to increased teacher competence and efficacy, as well as increased social skills and decreased challenging behaviors for participating children (Green, 2009). Partnerships for Early Childhood Mental Health ("Partnerships") is an ECMHC program in Southeastern Ohio. This…

The "Othering" of Men in Early Childhood Education: Applying Covey's Seven Habits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, Kevin

2016-01-01

How do early childhood educators, parents, and administrators really feel about men working with young children? Should men work as teachers of young children from birth through 8 years of age? Is this women's work? Does explicitly and implicitly excluding men from the early childhood education workforce benefit the early childhood community's…

In utero and early childhood exposure to arsenic decreases lung function in children.

PubMed

Recio-Vega, Rogelio; Gonzalez-Cortes, Tania; Olivas-Calderon, Edgar; Lantz, R Clark; Gandolfi, A Jay; Gonzalez-De Alba, Cesar

2015-04-01

The lung is a target organ for adverse health outcomes following exposure to As. Several studies have reported a high prevalence of respiratory symptoms and diseases in subjects highly exposed to As through drinking water; however, most studies to date has been performed in exposed adults, with little information on respiratory effects in children. The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between urinary levels of As and its metabolites with lung function in children exposed in utero and in early childhood to high As levels through drinking water. A total of 358 healthy children were included in our study. Individual exposure was assessed based on urinary concentration of inorganic As. Lung function was assessed by spirometry. Participants were exposed since pregnancy until early childhood to an average water As concentration of 152.13 µg l⁻¹. The mean urinary As level registered in the studied subjects was 141.2 µg l⁻¹ and only 16.7% had a urinary concentration below the national concern level. Forced vital capacity was significantly decreased in the studied population and it was negatively associated with the percentage of inorganic As. More than 57% of the subjects had a restrictive spirometric pattern. The urinary As level was higher in those children with restrictive lung patterns when compared with the levels registered in subjects with normal spirometric patterns. Exposure to As through drinking water during in utero and early life was associated with a decrease in forced vital capacity and with a restrictive spirometric pattern in the children evaluated. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evidence-Based Practices: Providing Guidance for Early Childhood Practitioners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farley, Kristin S.; Brock, Matthew E.; Winterbottom, Christian

2018-01-01

Early childhood education represents a pivotal opportunity to improve the developmental trajectories of young children, and evidence-based practices (EBPs) are scientifically proven to improve these outcomes. Furthermore, federal law mandates that early childhood practitioners implement EBPs. However, because EBP has not been clearly defined in…

Promoting Health in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rossin-Slater, Maya

2015-01-01

Children who are healthy early in life--from conception to age five--not only grow up to be healthier adults, they are also better educated, earn more, and contribute more to the economy. The United States lags behind other advanced countries in early childhood health, threatening both the health of future generations and the nation's long-term…

Media Culture and Media Violence: Making the Television Work for Young Children, Early Childhood Educators, and Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eastman, Wayne

This paper provides an overview of the impact of television on young children, with a special emphasis on the relationship among TV, childhood, and violence, and on developmentally appropriate television. Further, the paper provides strategies for parents and early childhood educators to use in taking control of the television. The paper is…

Investing in Michigan's Future: Meeting the Early Childhood Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schweinhart, Lawrence J.; Fulcher-Dawson, Rachel

2006-01-01

This report presents results from research into the effects of early childhood programs on their participants, particularly low-income and at-risk children. The studies described offer evidence on the long-term effects of high quality early childhood programs. Such programs can have long-lasting positive effects on children and their families,…

Determination of Preservice Special Education Teachers' Views on Early Childhood Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baglama, Basak; Demirok, Mukaddes Sakalli

2016-01-01

Experiences in early childhood have a great influence on a child's physical and mental development. Early childhood interventions are widely accepted as an effective way to prevent learning difficulties and to promote healthy development for children with special needs. For this reason, it is important for teachers who will work with children with…

Toy Play in Infancy and Early Childhood: Normal Development and Special Considerations for Children with Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1994

This paper presents a review of the literature on toy play in infancy and early childhood, with an emphasis on both normal development and special considerations for young children with disabilities. Specifically, it describes children's encounters with toys within a developmental framework, identifies characteristics of the child and aspects of…

Widening the Circle: Including Children with Disabilities in Preschool Programs. Early Childhood Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odom, Samuel L., Ed.

Based on a groundbreaking 5-year research study conducted by the Early Childhood Research Institute on Inclusion, this book explores the barriers to and influences on inclusive education settings for young children. Topics covered include individualized instruction, family perceptions of inclusion, and cultural and linguistic diversity. The…

Early Childhood Pedagog"ies": Spaces for Young Children to Flourish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Jane

2015-01-01

This paper introduces the Special Issue of "Early Child Development and Care" focused on "Early Childhood Pedagogy." It opens by considering past and present discourses concerning early childhood pedagogy, and focus is given to established philosophical underpinnings in the field and their translation to contemporary guidance,…

Mental Health Consultation in Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernzweig, Jane; Ramler, Malia; Alkon, Abbey

2009-01-01

Early childhood mental health consultation is a relationship-based intervention that promotes children's social and emotional development. Benefits include improved childhood behaviors, improved staff self-efficacy, and lowered parental stress. Child care center directors are more likely to be satisfied with consultation when they are involved in…

Differentiating early-onset persistent versus childhood-limited conduct problem youth.

PubMed

Barker, Edward D; Maughan, Barbara

2009-08-01

Among young children who demonstrate high levels of conduct problems, less than 50% will continue to exhibit these problems into adolescence. Such developmental heterogeneity presents a serious challenge for intervention and diagnostic screening in early childhood. The purpose of the present study was to inform diagnostic screening and preventive intervention efforts by identifying youths whose conduct problems persist. The authors examined 1) the extent to which early-onset persistent versus childhood-limited trajectories can be identified from repeated assessments of childhood and early-adolescent conduct problems and 2) how prenatal and early postnatal risks differentiate these two groups. To identify heterogeneity in early-onset conduct problems, the authors used data from a large longitudinal population-based cohort of children followed from the prenatal period to age 13. Predictive risk factors examined were prenatal and postnatal measures of maternal distress (anxiety, depression), emotional and practical support, and family and child characteristics (from birth to 4 years of age). Findings revealed a distinction between early-onset persistent versus childhood-limited conduct problems in youths. Robust predictors of the early-onset persistent trajectory were maternal anxiety during pregnancy (32 weeks gestation), partner cruelty to the mother (from age 0 to 4 years), harsh parenting, and higher levels of child undercontrolled temperament. Sex differences in these risks were not identified. Interventions aiming to reduce childhood conduct problems should address prenatal risks in mothers and early postnatal risks in both mothers and their young children.

First Steps: Stories on Inclusion in Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Paris (France).

This publication presents papers from 13 nations that describe the integration of children with disabilities into early childhood education programs. The compilation of case studies will serve as a reference document for the International Consultation on Early Childhood Education and Special Educational Needs, organized by UNESCO in collaboration…

Young Children Who Experience Domestic Violence: An Important Issue for Early Childhood Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Jennifer; And Others

This study examined the psychosocial adjustment of young children who were living in families where domestic violence had occurred, and presented implications for early childhood teachers. The research data were collected in a structured interview with 54 mothers who had at least 1 child between 3 and 6 years of age. These women had left a violent…

Transitional Practice: Teachers and Children In-between Classrooms in One Early Childhood Centre

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fincham, Emmanuelle N.; Fellner, Amanda R.

2016-01-01

Transitions from one classroom to the next as children reach a certain age or achieve certain milestones seem inevitable; however, this taken-for-granted practice in early childhood centers has not been looked at closely in research. This article considers what happens when we look more in depth at these day-to-day experiences of teachers and…

Maternal Filarial Infection Influences the Development of Regulatory T Cells in Children from Infancy to Early Childhood.

PubMed

Bal, Madhusmita; Ranjit, Manoranjan; Achary, K Gopinath; Satapathy, Ashok K

2016-11-01

Children born from filarial infected mothers are comparatively more susceptible to filarial infection than the children born to uninfected mothers. But the mechanism of such increased susceptibility to infection in early childhood is not exactly known. Several studies have shown the association of active filarial infection with T cell hypo-responsiveness which is mediated by regulatory T cells (Tregs). Since the Tregs develop in the thymus from CD4+ CD25hi thymocytes at an early stage of the human fetus, it can be hypothesized that the maternal infection during pregnancy affects the development of Tregs in children at birth as well as early childhood. Hence the present study was designed to test the hypothesis by selecting a cohort of pregnant mothers and children born to them subsequently in a filarial endemic area of Odisha, India. A total number of 49 pregnant mothers and children born to them subsequently have been followed up (mean duration 4.4 years) in an area where the microfilariae (Mf) rate has come down to <1% after institution of 10 rounds of annual mass drug administration (MDA). The infection status of mother, cord and children were assessed through detection of microfilariae (Mf) and circulating filarial antigen (CFA). Expression of Tregs cells were measured by flow cytometry. The levels of IL-10 were evaluated by using commercially available ELISA kit. A significantly high level of IL-10 and Tregs have been observed in children born to infected mother compared to children of uninfected mother at the time of birth as well as during early childhood. Moreover a positive correlation between Tregs and IL-10 has been observed among the children born to infected mother. From these observations we predict that early priming of the fetal immune system by filarial antigens modulate the development of Tregs, which ultimately scale up the production of IL-10 in neonates and creates a milieu for high rate of acquisition of infection in children born to infected

Maternal Filarial Infection Influences the Development of Regulatory T Cells in Children from Infancy to Early Childhood

PubMed Central

Bal, Madhusmita; Ranjit, Manoranjan; Achary, K. Gopinath; Satapathy, Ashok K.

2016-01-01

Background Children born from filarial infected mothers are comparatively more susceptible to filarial infection than the children born to uninfected mothers. But the mechanism of such increased susceptibility to infection in early childhood is not exactly known. Several studies have shown the association of active filarial infection with T cell hypo-responsiveness which is mediated by regulatory T cells (Tregs). Since the Tregs develop in the thymus from CD4+ CD25hi thymocytes at an early stage of the human fetus, it can be hypothesized that the maternal infection during pregnancy affects the development of Tregs in children at birth as well as early childhood. Hence the present study was designed to test the hypothesis by selecting a cohort of pregnant mothers and children born to them subsequently in a filarial endemic area of Odisha, India. Methodology and Principal finding A total number of 49 pregnant mothers and children born to them subsequently have been followed up (mean duration 4.4 years) in an area where the microfilariae (Mf) rate has come down to <1% after institution of 10 rounds of annual mass drug administration (MDA). The infection status of mother, cord and children were assessed through detection of microfilariae (Mf) and circulating filarial antigen (CFA). Expression of Tregs cells were measured by flow cytometry. The levels of IL-10 were evaluated by using commercially available ELISA kit. A significantly high level of IL-10 and Tregs have been observed in children born to infected mother compared to children of uninfected mother at the time of birth as well as during early childhood. Moreover a positive correlation between Tregs and IL-10 has been observed among the children born to infected mother. Significance From these observations we predict that early priming of the fetal immune system by filarial antigens modulate the development of Tregs, which ultimately scale up the production of IL-10 in neonates and creates a milieu for high rate

Vicissitudes of Children's Mathematical Knowledge: Implications of Developmental Research for Early Childhood Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sophian, Catherine

2013-01-01

Hachey's (2013) article celebrates a revolution that is taking place in early childhood mathematics education, fueled in part by developmental research demonstrating the mathematical capabilities of young children. At the same time, Hachey notes that the mathematics revolution she describes is not yet complete. In this commentary, the author…

Academy Update (Early Childhood Professionals Collaborating for Quality), 1986-1992.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academy Update, 1992

1992-01-01

This document consists of the first 15 consecutive issues of a newsletter published by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs (The Academy), a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The newsletter focuses on providing information and feedback on early childhood programs for early childhood…

Conceptions of and Early Childhood Educators' Experiences in Early Childhood Professional Development Programs: A Qualitative Metasynthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Christopher P.; Englehardt, Joanna

2016-01-01

Policy makers and early childhood stakeholders across the United States continue to seek policy solutions that improve early educators' instruction of young children. A primary vehicle for attaining this goal is professional development. This has led to an influx of empirical studies that seek to develop a set of best practices for professional…

Early Childhood Folio 3: A Collection of Recent Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Judith, Ed.; Podmore, Valerie, Ed.

This booklet is a collection of articles addressing current issues in early childhood education. The first article, "Would You Like to Pack Away Now?: Improving the Quality of Talk in Early Childhood Programs," (Laurie Makin) addresses how teachers talk to children. The second article, "Persistence When It's Difficult: A Disposition…

Child Abuse and Its Implications for Early Childhood Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gootman, Marilyn E.

1996-01-01

This article discusses how schools can facilitate the normal development of young abused/neglected children; examines how research can provide schools with the sensitivity and tools for accomplishing this task; and addresses the early childhood curriculum, the treatment of dysfunctional behavior, and the role of the early childhood teacher. (CR)

New Hampshire Early Childhood Professional Development System: Guide to Early Childhood Careers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonnell, Tessa, Ed.

The community of child care providers in New Hampshire has adopted the Early Childhood Professional Development System as an initial step toward assuring quality care and education for children. This guide describes the components of that system and is presented in eight sections. Section 1 of the guide introduces the system based on a set of two…

Early childhood cortisol reactivity moderates the effects of parent-child relationship quality on the development of children's temperament in early childhood.

PubMed

Kopala-Sibley, Daniel C; Dougherty, Lea R; Dyson, Margret W; Laptook, Rebecca S; Olino, Thomas M; Bufferd, Sara J; Klein, Daniel N

2017-05-01

Positive parenting has been related both to lower cortisol reactivity and more adaptive temperament traits in children, whereas elevated cortisol reactivity may be related to maladaptive temperament traits, such as higher negative emotionality (NE) and lower positive emotionality (PE). However, no studies have examined whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, as measured by cortisol reactivity, moderates the effect of the quality of the parent-child relationship on changes in temperament in early childhood. In this study, 126 3-year-olds were administered the Laboratory Temperament Assessment Battery (Lab-TAB; Goldsmith et al., 1995) as a measure of temperamental NE and PE. Salivary cortisol was collected from the child at 4 time points during this task. The primary parent and the child completed the Teaching Tasks battery (Egeland et al., 1995), from which the quality of the relationship was coded. At age 6, children completed the Lab-TAB again. From age 3 to 6, adjusting for age 3 PE or NE, a better quality relationship with their primary parent predicted decreases in NE for children with elevated cortisol reactivity and predicted increases in PE for children with low cortisol reactivity. Results have implications for our understanding of the interaction of biological stress systems and the parent-child relationship in the development of temperament in childhood. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Early Childhood Depression and Alterations in the Trajectory of Gray Matter Maturation in Middle Childhood and Early Adolescence.

PubMed

Luby, Joan L; Belden, Andy C; Jackson, Joshua J; Lessov-Schlaggar, Christina N; Harms, Michael P; Tillman, Rebecca; Botteron, Kelly; Whalen, Diana; Barch, Deanna M

2016-01-01

The trajectory of cortical gray matter development in childhood has been characterized by early neurogenesis and volume increase, peaking at puberty followed by selective elimination and myelination, resulting in volume loss and thinning. This inverted U-shaped trajectory, as well as cortical thickness, has been associated with cognitive and emotional function. Synaptic pruning-based volume decline has been related to experience-dependent plasticity in animals. To date, there have been no data to inform whether and how childhood depression might be associated with this trajectory. To examine the effects of early childhood depression, from the preschool age to the school age period, on cortical gray matter development measured across 3 waves of neuroimaging from late school age to early adolescence. Data were collected in an academic research setting from September 22, 2003, to December 13, 2014, on 193 children aged 3 to 6 years from the St Louis, Missouri, metropolitan area who were observed for up to 11 years in a longitudinal behavioral and neuroimaging study of childhood depression. Multilevel modeling was applied to explore the association between the number of childhood depression symptoms and prior diagnosis of major depressive disorder and the trajectory of gray matter change across 3 scan waves. Data analysis was conducted from October 29, 2014, to September 28, 2015. Volume, thickness, and surface area of cortical gray matter measured using structural magnetic resonance imaging at 3 scan waves. Of the 193 children, 90 had a diagnosis of major depressive disorder; 116 children had 3 full waves of neuroimaging scans. Findings demonstrated marked alterations in cortical gray matter volume loss (slope estimate, -0.93 cm³; 95% CI, -1.75 to -0.10 cm³ per scan wave) and thinning (slope estimate, -0.0044 mm; 95% CI, -0.0077 to -0.0012 mm per scan wave) associated with experiencing an episode of major depressive disorder before the first magnetic resonance

Transition to School from Pacific Islands Early Childhood Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sauvao, Le'autuli'ilagi M.; Mapa, Lia; Podmore, Valerie N.

Noting the need for additional information on the transition of children from Pacific Islands early childhood services to primary school, this exploratory study was designed to provide an account of the experiences of children, parents, and teachers, focusing on language and other aspects of children's move from Pacific Islands early childhood…

Interculturalism: Addressing Diversity in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ponciano, Leslie; Shabazian, Ani

2012-01-01

Early childhood educators work with children and families from a range of diverse backgrounds. As society becomes increasingly multiracial, multilingual, and multicultural, so too grows the need for educators' abilities to support children's development by instilling in them the tools they need to live together respectfully and stand up to…

A Question of Quality: Do Children from Disadvantaged Backgrounds Receive Lower Quality Early Childhood Education and Care?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambaro, Ludovica; Stewart, Kitty; Waldfogel, Jane

2015-01-01

This paper examines how the quality of early childhood education and care accessed by 3- and 4-year-olds in England varies by children's background. Focusing on the free entitlement to early education, the analysis combines information from three administrative datasets for 2010-2011, the Early Years Census, the Schools Census and the Ofsted…

Inclusion of Children with Special Needs in Early Childhood Education: What Teacher Characteristics Matter

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Frances Lai Mui; Yeung, Alexander Seeshing; Tracey, Danielle; Barker, Katrina

2015-01-01

Whereas the inclusion of children with special needs in regular classrooms has gained increasing advocacy, teachers' attitudes vary. Previous studies examining teacher attitudes have focused on primary and secondary schools in the Western world, and little is known about early childhood settings in Eastern countries. This study used MANOVA to…

Promoting School and Life Success through Early Childhood Family Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swick, Kevin J.

2009-01-01

Early childhood family literacy programs have great potential to positively influence children and families. This article presents the core values and key components of high quality early childhood family literacy programs. The benefits and cost effectiveness of these programs are also discussed.

Classroom Effects of an Early Childhood Educator Professional Development Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Algozzine, Bob; Babb, Julie; Algozzine, Kate; Mraz, Maryann; Kissel, Brian; Spano, Sedra; Foxworth, Kimberly

2011-01-01

We evaluated an Early Childhood Educator Professional Development (ECEPD) project that provided high-quality, sustained, and intensive professional development designed to support developmentally appropriate instruction for preschool-age children based on the best available research on early childhood pedagogy, child development, and preschool…

Issues and Realities in Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spodek, Bernard

This paper investigates three issues vital to early childhood education: (1) sources of curriculum, (2) sources of financial support, and (3) the relationship between racism and compensatory education. "Natural" childhood and child development theories are discussed, and their use as a source of curriculum for young children is questioned, as is…

The continuity of psychopathology from early childhood to preadolescence: a prospective cohort study of 3-12-year-old children.

PubMed

Pihlakoski, Leena; Sourander, Andre; Aromaa, Minna; Rautava, Päivi; Helenius, Hans; Sillanpää, Matti

2006-10-01

To study the continuity of psychopathology from the age of 3-12 years. In a population-based birth cohort, children's emotional and behavioral problems were assessed at age 3 using the Child Behavior Checklist 2-3 (CBCL 2-3), and at age 12 by parents using the CBCL 11-18, and the Youth Self Report (YSR) completed by the children. Behavioral ratings were obtained from 800 subjects at both time points. externalizing problems at age 3 predicted both externalizing and internalizing problems among both genders in preadolescence. In girls, internalizing behavior at age 3 predicted parent-reported internalizing behavior, and associated negatively with externalizing behavior in self-reports at age 12. Aggressive behavior was found to be remarkably stable, and both aggressive and destructive behavior independently predicted a wide range of later externalizing and internalizing problems. Parent ratings of withdrawal showed stability from early childhood to preadolescence in both genders. Somatic complaints of 3-year-old girls independently predicted both externalizing and internalizing problems. The results show the complexity of pathways in psychopathology from early childhood to preadolescence. In particular, aggressive and destructive behaviors in very early childhood predict later problems and necessitate early recognition and possible intervention at an early age. An instrument like the CBCL 2-3 is valuable in the early detection of children at risk of long-term problems.

Families' Perceptions of Early Childhood Educators' Fostering Conversations and Connections by Sharing Children's Learning through Pedagogical Documentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Bronwyn; Duff, Katia

2016-01-01

"Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia" emphasises that families have an important role in their children's learning and it recognises that their earliest development is influenced through these relationships and adds that partnerships can be fostered with families by early childhood educators…

Physical Fitness and the Early Childhood Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pica, Rae

2006-01-01

The state of children's fitness is the responsibility of all who are involved with children. As early childhood professionals, they have a duty to educate the whole (thinking, feeling, "moving") child. Moreover, teachers of preschoolers can be more realistic than parents in their assessment of children's physical inactivity levels, and preschool…

Making the Case for Early Childhood Investments: Three Arguments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

2011-01-01

Tamar Manuelyan Atinc, vice president of The World Bank, introduces a World Bank report, "Investing in Young Children: An Early Childhood Development Guide for Policy Dialogue and Project Preparation". This report, which is a must for inclusion in every advocate's make the case for investing in early childhood services. It defines three arguments…

Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early Childhood Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curtis, Deb; Carter, Margie

While the early childhood field has formed standards to help in recognizing quality programs for children, practitioners seldom use values to guide in selection of materials or to help plan early childhood environments. This book draws on a variety of educational approaches, including Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia, to outline hundreds of…

Assessment Practices and Training Needs of Early Childhood Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banerjee, Rashida; Luckner, John L.

2013-01-01

Assessment plays a critical role in the planning and delivery of quality services for young children and their families. The purpose of this study was to identify the current assessment practices and training needs of early childhood professionals. A large sample of early childhood professionals responded to a comprehensive survey. The most…

Impact of Low Maternal Education on Early Childhood Overweight and Obesity in Europe.

PubMed

Ruiz, Milagros; Goldblatt, Peter; Morrison, Joana; Porta, Daniela; Forastiere, Francesco; Hryhorczuk, Daniel; Antipkin, Youriy; Saurel-Cubizolles, Marie-Josèphe; Lioret, Sandrine; Vrijheid, Martine; Torrent, Maties; Iñiguez, Carmen; Larrañaga, Isabel; Bakoula, Chryssa; Veltsista, Alexandra; van Eijsden, Manon; Vrijkotte, Tanja G M; Andrýsková, Lenka; Dušek, Ladislav; Barros, Henrique; Correia, Sofia; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Taanila, Anja; Ludvigsson, Johnny; Faresjö, Tomas; Marmot, Michael; Pikhart, Hynek

2016-05-01

Comparable evidence on adiposity inequalities in early life is lacking across a range of European countries. This study investigates whether low maternal education is associated with overweight and obesity risk in children from distinct European settings during early childhood. Prospective data of 45 413 children from 11 European cohorts were used. Children's height and weight obtained at ages 4-7 years were used to assess prevalent overweight and obesity according to the International Obesity Task Force definition. The Relative/Slope Indices of Inequality (RII/SII) were estimated within each cohort and by gender to investigate adiposity risk among children born to mothers with low education as compared to counterparts born to mothers with high education. Individual-data meta-analyses were conducted to obtain aggregate estimates and to assess heterogeneity between cohorts. Low maternal education yielded a substantial risk of early childhood adiposity across 11 European countries. Low maternal education yielded a mean risk ratio of 1.58 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34, 1.85) and a mean risk difference of 7.78% (5.34, 10.22) in early childhood overweight, respectively, measured by the RII and SII. Early childhood obesity risk by low maternal education was as substantial for all cohorts combined (RII = 2.61 (2.10, 3.23)) and (SII = 4.01% (3.14, 4.88)). Inequalities in early childhood adiposity were consistent among boys, but varied among girls in a few cohorts. Considerable inequalities in overweight and obesity are evident among European children in early life. Tackling early childhood adiposity is necessary to promote children's immediate health and well-being and throughout the life course. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Early Childhood Education: Pathways to Better Health. Preschool Policy Brief Issue 25

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman-Krauss, Allison; Barnett, W. Steven

2013-01-01

The potential health benefits of early childhood education programs are quite large, especially for children living in poverty. In this report, authors Allison Friedman-Krauss and Steve Barnett set out the evidence regarding the short and long term health benefits to children from early childhood education programs, identify the features of…

Ecological influences of early childhood obesity: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Boonpleng, Wannaporn; Park, Chang Gi; Gallo, Agatha M; Corte, Colleen; McCreary, Linda; Bergren, Martha Dewey

2013-07-01

This study aims to determine the contributing factors for early childhood overweight/obesity within the contexts of the child's home, school, and community, and to determine how much each of the ecological contexts contributes to childhood overweight/obesity. The framework was developed from Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory. Data for 2,100 children from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort, were used in a series of multilevel modeling analyses. There was significant variation in childhood overweight/obesity by school and community. The majority of variation in childhood overweight/obesity was explained by the child and family factors in addition to school and community factors. Explained variance of childhood overweight/obesity at the school level was 27% and at the community level, 2%. The variance composition at children's family level alone was 71%. Therefore, overweight/obesity prevention efforts should focus primarily on child, family, and school factors and then community factors, to be more effective.

Healthy Eating Index Is a Predictor of Early Childhood Caries

PubMed Central

Nunn, M.E.; Braunstein, N.S.; Krall Kaye, E.A.; Dietrich, T.; Garcia, R.I.; Henshaw, M.M.

2009-01-01

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a preventable form of dental caries that affects very young children, particularly among low-income families and certain racial/ethnic minorities. The current study examined the relationship of dietary quality, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), to the prevalence of ECC in 2- to 5-year-old children. Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were used for the study. We used logistic regression to compute adjusted odds ratios (OR) for ECC and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Children with the best dietary practices (uppermost tertile of the HEI) were 44% less likely to exhibit severe ECC compared with children with the worst dietary practices (lowest tertile of the HEI). A healthy eating pattern geared for promotion of optimal child development and prevention of chronic disease in later life may also reduce the risk of early childhood caries, particularly severe early childhood caries. PMID:19407158

Early Childhood Education: History, Theory, and Practice. Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgan, Harry

2010-01-01

Harry Morgan lays the foundations of what early childhood education is by integrating the history of the field with the philosophy and theories behind this discipline. From birth to age eight, when children become integrated into society through their education at school and at home, "Early Childhood Education" examines the education of this age…

Physical Education in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stork, Steve; Sanders, Stephen W.

2008-01-01

This article examines the incidence and quality of physical activity instruction during early childhood. Although the positive effect of physical activity on the cognitive, social, and physical development of young children is generally acknowledged, there is little emphasis nationally on ensuring appropriate physical educational experiences…

Early Sprouts: Cultivating Healthy Food Choices in Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalich, Karrie; Bauer, Dottie; McPartlin, Deirdre

2009-01-01

Plant lifelong healthy eating concepts in young children and counteract the prevalence of childhood obesity with "Early Sprouts." A research-based early childhood curriculum, this "seed-to-table" approach gets children interested in and enjoying nutritious fruits and vegetables. The "Early Sprouts" model engages…

The Si Huan Playgroup: An Initiative to Provide Non-Formal Early Childhood Education Experiences to Children of Migrants in Beijing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nyland, Berenice; Nyland, Chris; Gao, Yang; Ng, Josephine; Zeng, Xiaodong

2016-01-01

This paper is about an experiment in non-formal early childhood education for migrant children in Beijing. The Si Huan Playgroup was set up by a group of volunteers in 2004 and is built on ideas of early childhood pedagogy, equity, life-long learning and non-formal education. Non-formal education has implications for policy makers as this is a…

Early Childhood Education in Ireland: Change and Challenge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Rosaleen

2015-01-01

Early childhood care and education in Ireland has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years, as a result of public concern about standards in some early years services. Services for children before they enter primary school are largely the responsibility of the department of health, while children in the formal school system are the…

Children's Elicitation of Changes in Parenting during the Early Childhood Years

PubMed Central

Ansari, Arya; Crosnoe, Robert

2015-01-01

Using a subsample of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B; n = 1,550), this study identified parents who engaged in more developmentally problematic parenting—in the form of low investment, above average television watching, and use of spanking—when their children were very young (M = 24.41 months, SD = 1.23) but changed their parenting in more positive directions over time. Latent profile analysis and other techniques revealed that parents who demonstrated less optimal parenting behaviors when their children were 2 years old were more likely to be African American, from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and experiencing greater depressive symptoms. Approximately half of such parents, however, made positive changes in their parenting practices, with 5% in the profile characterized by high investment and low use of spanking by the time that their children were in elementary school. These positive changes in parenting behavior were more likely to occur among parents whose children were already demonstrating early reading skills and less problem behavior. These potential “child effects”, suggesting that children elicited improvements in parenting, were more pronounced among higher income families but did not vary according to parents’ educational attainment. Findings from this study have important implications for intervention programs, suggesting that children's academic and behavioral skills can be leveraged as one means of facilitating positive parenting. PMID:26124539

Children's Elicitation of Changes in Parenting during the Early Childhood Years.

PubMed

Ansari, Arya; Crosnoe, Robert

Using a subsample of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort (ECLS-B; n = 1,550), this study identified parents who engaged in more developmentally problematic parenting-in the form of low investment, above average television watching, and use of spanking-when their children were very young ( M = 24.41 months, SD = 1.23) but changed their parenting in more positive directions over time. Latent profile analysis and other techniques revealed that parents who demonstrated less optimal parenting behaviors when their children were 2 years old were more likely to be African American, from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and experiencing greater depressive symptoms. Approximately half of such parents, however, made positive changes in their parenting practices, with 5% in the profile characterized by high investment and low use of spanking by the time that their children were in elementary school. These positive changes in parenting behavior were more likely to occur among parents whose children were already demonstrating early reading skills and less problem behavior. These potential "child effects", suggesting that children elicited improvements in parenting, were more pronounced among higher income families but did not vary according to parents' educational attainment. Findings from this study have important implications for intervention programs, suggesting that children's academic and behavioral skills can be leveraged as one means of facilitating positive parenting.

Supporting Early Childhood Teachers to Promote Children's Social Competence: Components for Best Professional Development Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Heejeong Sophia

2014-01-01

There is a growing recognition that young children's social competence is critical because it is positively associated with their school readiness and academic success. However, professional development (PD) opportunities for early childhood teachers to enhance their roles in promoting young children's social competence are limited. In…

Early Childhood Poverty: A Statistical Profile.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Younghwan; Lu, Hsien-Hen

Noting that young children in poverty face a greater likelihood of impaired development because of their increased exposure to a number of risk factors associated with poverty, this report presents statistical information on the incidence of poverty during early childhood. The report notes that the poverty rate for U.S. children under age 3…

Powerful Allies: Arts Educators and Early Childhood Educators Joining Forces on Behalf of Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baum, Angela C.

2017-01-01

Arts educators and early childhood educators espouse similar philosophies and purposes surrounding young children's educational lives, yet continue to function in largely separate worlds. This article calls for the creation of intentional alliances between the two disciplines, by first recognizing and embracing these alignments. In addition, this…

Where It All Begins: The Impact of Preconceptional and Prenatal Care on Early Childhood Development. Building Community Systems for Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Michael C.; Bragonier, Robert; Silver, Ellen R.; Bemis-Heys, Rose

In 1998, California voters approved Proposition 10, the Children and Families First Act, which placed an additional tax on cigarette sales; monies generated will be used to improve early childhood development for birth to five. In terms of early childhood development, the starting point is not birth but long before; care of women of reproductive…

A Mixed Methods Study of Early Childhood Preservice Teachers: Beliefs about Poverty, Perceived Learning from Specific Instructional Strategies, and Preparedness to Serve Children and Families in Poverty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Schagen Johnson, Amy

2016-01-01

A large number of young children experiencing poverty are receiving some type of formal early care and education. Effective early childhood teachers are an important component to providing high quality early childhood education. Yet, limited research has examined from the preservice teacher perspective how early childhood teacher preparation…

Patterns and Predictors of School Readiness and Early Childhood Success among Young Children in Black Immigrant Families

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosby, Danielle A.; Dunbar, Angel S.

2012-01-01

Policy and academic interest in young children has grown substantially in recent years, prompted in part by advancements in the scientific understanding of early childhood and mounting evidence of the importance of early experiences for later development. Of particular concern is the finding that achievement disparities among different racial,…

Mid-childhood fruit and vegetable consumption: The roles of early liking, early consumption, and maternal consumption.

PubMed

Kong, Kai Ling; Gillman, Matthew W; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Wen, Xiaozhong

2016-10-01

Previous studies have shown that early liking, early consumption, and maternal consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V) each predict children's F&V consumption, but no one has examined the independent contributions of these three correlated factors. We aim to examine the extent to which each of these 3 factors is associated with F&V consumption in mid-childhood after accounting for the other 2 in the analysis. We analyzed data from 901 mother-child dyads from Project Viva, a prospective pre-birth cohort study. Mothers reported their child's early liking and consumption of F&V at age 2 years and later consumption at mid-childhood (median age 7.7 years). They also reported their own consumption of F&V at 6 months postpartum. We used multivariable linear regression models to examine the independent associations of these 3 factors with mid-childhood consumption, adjusting for socio-demographic, pregnancy, and child confounders. At 2 years, 53% of the mothers strongly agreed that their child liked fruit and 25% strongly agreed that their child liked vegetables. F&V consumption was 2.5 (1.3) and 1.8 (1.1) times/d at age 2 y and 1.5 (1.1) and 1.3 (0.8) times/d in mid-childhood. Maternal F&V consumption was 1.4 (1.1) and 1.5 (1.0) times/d, respectively. Children's early consumption played the most predominant role. For every 1 time/d increment in children's early consumption of F&V, mid-childhood consumption was higher by 0.25 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.19, 0.30) times/d for fruits and 0.21 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.26) times/d for vegetables, adjusted for confounders plus the other 2 exposures. In conclusion, children's early F&V consumption has the most significant influence on children's later consumption. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

In Early Childhood: What's Language about?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mozere, Liane

2007-01-01

This paper argues that in daycare centres in France, where children are cared for from four months to age three, the competence of female staff members is usually denied and unvalued vis a vis the expert opinions. The paper highlights empirical research on early childhood and gender, providing pragmatic access to children's languages of desire, a…

Aesthetic Discourses in Early Childhood Settings: Dewey, Steiner, and Vygotsky

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Booyeun

2004-01-01

Early childhood, when young children are already capable of undergoing aesthetic experience, must be the starting point for aesthetic education. Despite increasing attention to the significant values of the arts in early childhood classrooms, no theoretical framework to support aesthetic education has been established. This article introduces the…

Literacy in Early Childhood and Primary Education: Issues, Challenges, Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLachlan, Claire; Nicholson, Tom; Fielding-Barnsley, Ruth; Mercer, Louise; Ohi, Sarah

2012-01-01

Literacy in Early Childhood and Primary Education provides a comprehensive introduction to literacy teaching and learning. The book explores the continuum of literacy learning and children's transitions from early childhood settings to junior primary classrooms and then to senior primary and beyond. Reader-friendly and accessible, this book equips…

Recent Trends and Innovations in the Early Childhood Education Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saracho, Olivia N.; Spodek, Bernard

2003-01-01

Examines recent trends in early childhood education practice: the education of all children in inclusive classes, the management of vertical and horizontal transitions, the emergence of early childhood education and care programs, the development of school-family-community partnerships, the emphasis on language learning and emergent literacy, the…

Congruence of Goals for Early Childhood Between Head Start Parents and Experts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis, Mary Summers

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a difference in opinion between early childhood professionals and low income parents of young children as to what the goals of early childhood programs should be. Three hundred forty parents in local Head Start centers were asked to list goals for their preschool children, and a…

Early Childhood Stress and Child Age Predict Longitudinal Increases in Obesogenic Eating Among Low-Income Children.

PubMed

Miller, Alison L; Gearhardt, Ashley N; Retzloff, Lauren; Sturza, Julie; Kaciroti, Niko; Lumeng, Julie C

2018-01-31

To identify whether psychosocial stress exposure during early childhood predicts subsequent increased eating in the absence of hunger (EAH), emotional overeating, food responsiveness, and enjoyment of food. This was an observational longitudinal study. Among 207 low-income children (54.6% non-Hispanic white, 46.9% girls), early childhood stress exposure was measured by parent report and a stress exposure index calculated, with higher scores indicating more stress exposure. Eating behaviors were measured in early (mean, 4.3; standard deviation, 0.5 years) and middle (mean, 7.9; standard deviation, 0.7 years) childhood. Observed EAH was assessed by measuring kilocalories of palatable food the child consumed after a meal. Parents reported on child eating behaviors on the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Child weight and height were measured and body mass index z score (BMIz) calculated. Multivariable linear regression, adjusting for child sex, race/ethnicity, and BMIz, was used to examine the association of stress exposure with rate of change per year in each child eating behavior. Early childhood stress exposure predicted yearly increases in EAH (β = 0.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.002, 0.27) and Emotional Overeating (β = 0.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.008, 0.27). Stress exposure was not associated with Food Responsiveness (trend for decreased Enjoyment of Food; β = -0.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.002, -0.26). All child obesogenic eating behaviors increased with age (P < .05). Early stress exposure predicted increases in child eating behaviors known to associate with overweight/obesity. Psychosocial stress may confer overweight/obesity risk through eating behavior pathways. Targeting eating behaviors may be an important prevention strategy for children exposed to stress. Copyright © 2018 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Challenges and Gaps in Children's Transition from Early Childhood Development to Grade One in Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chikwiri, E.; Musiyiwa, J.

2017-01-01

The study focused on challenges and gaps faced by children during the transition period from early childhood development (ECD) to primary education and possible solutions to them. It adopted the qualitative methodological approach through the use of Focus Group Discussions with councillors, education officials, child care workers, chiefs, parents…

Towards a Framework for the Validation of Early Childhood Assessment Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldstein, Jessica; Flake, Jessica Kay

2016-01-01

American early childhood education is in the midst of drastic change. In recent years, states have begun the process of overhauling early childhood education systems in response to federal grant competitions, bringing an increased focus on assessment and accountability for early learning programs. The assessment of young children is fraught with…

Current Issues in Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Lilian G.

If present trends in family life and education continue into the next decade, most children under five will spend substantial proportions of their early years in various types of early childhood programs, most five- to six-year-olds will attend all-day kindergarten, and during their elementary school years they will spend much of their time before…

IDEA and Early Childhood Inclusion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Barbara J.; Rapport, Mary Jane K.

This paper discusses 1997 amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that promote the inclusion of children with disabilities in general early childhood education settings. The evolution of inclusion policy is explored and changes in disability terminology are described. Amended provisions are then explained and include:…

The Early Childhood Coaching Handbook

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rush, Dathan D.; Shelden, M'Lisa L.

2011-01-01

Evidence-based and highly effective, "coaching" helps early childhood practitioners support other professionals and families as they enhance existing knowledge, develop new skills, and promote healthy development of young children. This hands-on guide shows professionals how to conduct skillful coaching in any setting--home, school, or community.…

Family Strategies to Support and Develop Resilience in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taket, A. R.; Nolan, A.; Stagnitti, K.

2014-01-01

Early childhood is an important time for the development of resilience. A recently completed study has followed three cohorts of resilient children and young people living in disadvantaged areas in Victoria, Australia, through different transitions in their educational careers. This paper focuses on the early childhood cohort, where we have…

The Role of Staff in Quality Improvement in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Margaret; Waniganayake, Manjula

2015-01-01

There is international recognition of the importance of high quality services for young children with a consensus that three pillars contribute to quality improvement: adult: child ratios, staff qualifications and group size. In Australia over the past 5 years, early childhood policy has attempted to drive improvements in early childhood service…

Early Childhood Caries: A Review.

PubMed

Alazmah, Abdulfatah

2017-08-01

To review and update the current knowledge about early childhood caries (ECC) and its etiology, prevalence, risk factors, management, and preventive strategies. Early childhood caries is a disease affecting significantly both well-developed and industrial nations. The ECC can significantly affect the child's quality of life, as it may lead to infection, swelling, pain, and other symptoms. The ECC affects children after eruption of primary teeth until age of around 5 years. The ECC affects all parts of the tooth including the smooth surface. Upper anterior teeth and primary molars are usually affected. The lower anterior teeth are less likely affected. The risk factors for ECC are diet, bacteria, and host susceptibility. The additional factors, such as presence of enamel defect and the feeding practices also contribute to the initiation and progress of ECC. Dentists must focus on utilizing existing techniques to distinguish indications of right on time and propelled caries and give guidance on the best way to counteract and control caries in children. Approaches should be directed to preventive caries control strategies among children. Preventing and controlling the development of ECC among children is important to maintain effective eating, speech development, and formation of a positive self-image.

Transition to Early Childhood Education: Parents' Use of Coping Strategies in Dealing with Children's Adjustment Difficulties in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Mei Seung

2014-01-01

The transition from home to early childhood education can be stressful for both children and parents. How parents cope with this potentially stressful event affects both the children's adaptation and the parents' lives during the preschooler stage of the family lifecycle. This paper examines how parents respond to their children's adjustment…

Where Do the Children Play?: An Investigation of the Intersection of Nature, Early Childhood Education and Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Jeanne M.; Kaye, Candace

2017-01-01

What is the role of early education and care in advocating and providing for nature play in an era when children's exposure to nature play and risk is threatened? This review deconstructs the word "nature," as well as discusses nature's role in centuries of theorists and early childhood care pioneers. The article concludes with some…

Rigidity in Gender-Typed Behaviors in Early Childhood: A Longitudinal Study of Ethnic Minority Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halim, May Ling; Ruble, Diane; Tamis-LeMonda, Catherine; Shrout, Patrick E.

2013-01-01

A key prediction of cognitive theories of gender development concerns developmental trajectories in the relative strength or rigidity of gender typing. To examine these trajectories in early childhood, 229 children (African American, Mexican American, and Dominican American) were followed annually from age 3 to 5 years, and gender-stereotypical…

Analyzing the Impact of Gender on Depictions of Touch in Early Childhood Textbooks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbert, Andrew; Williams, Shane

2008-01-01

Early childhood contexts often enact "common-sense identities" that create and sustain the notion that teachers of young children are expressly female and heterosexual. It has also been argued that touch is a key difference between men and women in early childhood classrooms. This exploratory study examined 10 early childhood textbooks to…

The Social Networks of Children With and Without Disabilities in Early Childhood Special Education Classrooms.

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Lin, Tzu-Jung; Justice, Laura; Sawyer, Brook

2017-09-01

Interaction with peers is an important contributor to young children's social and cognitive development. Yet, little is known about the nature of social networks within preschool inclusive classrooms. The current study applied a social network analysis to characterize children's peer interactions in inclusive classrooms and their relations with children's disability status. The participants were 485 preschoolers from 64 early childhood special education (ECSE) inclusive classrooms. Results from teachers' report of children's social networks showed that children with disabilities formed smaller play networks compared to their typically developing peers in the classroom, but no evidence indicated that children with disabilities engaged in more conflict networks than their counterparts. Children's play and conflict networks were segregated by children's disability status.

Analysis of the Developmental Functioning of Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education Populations in Oregon. Issues & Answers. REL 2009-078

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nave, Gary; Nishioka, Vicki; Burke, Arthur

2009-01-01

This study reports on the developmental functioning levels of children from birth through age 2 in early intervention services and children ages 3-5 in early childhood special education services at the time of entry into services, using data from the Oregon Early Childhood Assessment System. The assessment system contains data on the assessed…

Respecting but Not Sustaining Play: Early Childhood Educators' and Home Childcare Providers' Practices That Support Children's Play

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemay, Lise; Bigras, Nathalie; Bouchard, Caroline

2016-01-01

This study examined and compared the extent to which early childhood educators' (ECEs) and home childcare providers' (HCPs) practices supported children's play. The sample included 50 ECEs and 20 HCPs in settings that care for 70 children at 18, 24, and 36 months old. At each time point, the childcare process quality was observed using the…

Early childhood feeding practices and dental caries in preschool children: a multi-centre birth cohort study.

PubMed

Arora, Amit; Scott, Jane A; Bhole, Sameer; Do, Loc; Schwarz, Eli; Blinkhorn, Anthony S

2011-01-12

Dental caries (decay) is an international public health challenge, especially amongst young children. Early Childhood Caries is a rapidly progressing disease leading to severe pain, anxiety, sepsis and sleep loss, and is a major health problem particularly for disadvantaged populations. There is currently a lack of research exploring the interactions between risk and protective factors in the development of early childhood caries, in particular the effects of infant feeding practises. This is an observational cohort study and involves the recruitment of a birth cohort from disadvantaged communities in South Western Sydney. Mothers will be invited to join the study soon after the birth of their child at the time of the first home visit by Child and Family Health Nurses. Data on feeding practices and dental health behaviours will be gathered utilizing a telephone interview at 4, 8 and 12 months, and thereafter at 6 monthly intervals until the child is aged 5 years. Information collected will include a) initiation and duration of breastfeeding, b) introduction of solid food, c) intake of cariogenic and non-cariogenic foods, d) fluoride exposure, and e) oral hygiene practices. Children will have a dental and anthropometric examination at 2 and 5 years of age and the main outcome measures will be oral health quality of life, caries prevalence and caries incidence. This study will provide evidence of the association of early childhood feeding practices and the oral health of preschool children. In addition, information will be collected on breastfeeding practices and the oral health concerns of mothers living in disadvantaged areas in South Western Sydney.

Early Childhood Educator's Nutrition Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Christine; And Others

This nutrition handbook is designed to provide enough information on nutrition and food habits to enable early childhood educators to add a nutrition dimension to children's learning activities. Topics covered are the role of nutrition in growth during the preschool years; nutrients and their functions; selecting a healthy diet; common nutritional…

Early childhood development: putting knowledge into action.

PubMed

2000-11-01

As part of its continuing mission to serve trustees and staff of health foundations and corporate giving programs, Grantmakers In Health (GIH) convened a select group of grantmakers and national experts who have made a major commitment to improve the health and well being of young children. The roundtable explored the latest research examining early childhood development, as well as public and private programs serving families with young children. The discussion ultimately centered upon the importance of grantmaker involvement to improve early childhood development, including the services delivered to young children and their families, training for professionals, and continued research and evaluation. This report brings together key points from the day's discussion with factual information on demographic, health and human services, and public policy trends drawn from a background paper prepared for the meeting. When available, recent findings, facts, and figures have been incorporated.

Early Childhood Gifted Assessment and Intervention Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Michelle; Fleischmann, Charles; Kenner, Emily; McCobin, Allison; McGoey, Kara

2017-01-01

In the area of early childhood gifted education and effective interventions for young children identified as intellectually gifted, there appears to be a persistent lack of research. There is also very little research on the characteristics and social-emotional development of young gifted children, particularly those of preschool age. The small…

Through a spiritual lens: early childhood inclusive education in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Zhang, Kaili Chen

2014-12-01

The main purpose of this research was to explore early childhood education teachers', principals', and parents' perceptions of the role of spirituality in the lives of children with special needs, and how educators and schools can support the spiritual development of these children. Three preschools, the Buddhist, Christian, and Waldorf schools, were purposefully selected on the basis that each of them reflects a philosophy that includes the spiritual. Three themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) the influence of the schools' religion and/or spiritual orientations on inclusion; (b) support provided for the spiritual development of children with special needs; and (c) the role of spirituality in the lives of children with special needs. By drawing attention to and offering a preliminary study on early childhood inclusion and spirituality, I hope to encourage more scholars and educators to engage with research and debate on this important yet under-studied dimension of early childhood education.

Talking Everyday Science to Very Young Children: A Study Involving Parents and Practitioners within an Early Childhood Centre

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lloyd, Eva; Edmonds, Casey; Downs, Celony; Crutchley, Rebecca; Paffard, Fran

2017-01-01

The acquisition of everyday scientific concepts by 3-6-year-old children attending early childhood institutions has been widely studied. In contrast, research on science learning processes among younger children is less extensive. This paper reports on findings from an exploratory empirical study undertaken in a "stay and play" service…

45 CFR 1304.21 - Education and early childhood development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... as art, music, movement, and dialogue; (iii) Promoting interaction and language use among children... DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH AND... early childhood development. (a) Child development and education approach for all children. (1) In order...

45 CFR 1304.21 - Education and early childhood development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... as art, music, movement, and dialogue; (iii) Promoting interaction and language use among children... DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH AND... early childhood development. (a) Child development and education approach for all children. (1) In order...

45 CFR 1304.21 - Education and early childhood development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... as art, music, movement, and dialogue; (iii) Promoting interaction and language use among children... DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH AND... early childhood development. (a) Child development and education approach for all children. (1) In order...

45 CFR 1304.21 - Education and early childhood development.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... as art, music, movement, and dialogue; (iii) Promoting interaction and language use among children... DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN, YOUTH AND... early childhood development. (a) Child development and education approach for all children. (1) In order...

"We Don't Allow Children to Climb Trees": How a Focus on Safety Affects Norwegian Children's Play in Early-Childhood Education and Care Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandseter, Ellen Beate Hansen; Sando, Ole Johan

2016-01-01

The authors point out a basic contradiction: On one hand, we want to keep children as safe as possible; On the other, they suggest, learning to take risks is a normal part of childhood and child development. In Norway, research has shown that early-childhood education and care (ECEC) practitioners have, in the past, taken a permissive approach to…

Early childhood risk and resilience factors for behavioural and emotional problems in middle childhood.

PubMed

Cabaj, Jason L; McDonald, Sheila W; Tough, Suzanne C

2014-07-01

Mental disorders in childhood have a considerable health and societal impact but the associated negative consequences may be ameliorated through early identification of risk and protective factors that can guide health promoting and preventive interventions. The objective of this study was to inform health policy and practice through identification of demographic, familial and environmental factors associated with emotional or behavioural problems in middle childhood, and the predictors of resilience in the presence of identified risk factors. A cohort of 706 mothers followed from early pregnancy was surveyed at six to eight years post-partum by a mail-out questionnaire, which included questions on demographics, children's health, development, activities, media and technology, family, friends, community, school life, and mother's health. Although most children do well in middle childhood, of 450 respondents (64% response rate), 29.5% and 25.6% of children were found to have internalising and externalising behaviour problem scores in the lowest quintile on the NSCLY Child Behaviour Scales. Independent predictors for problem behaviours identified through multivariable logistic regression modelling included being male, demographic risk, maternal mental health risk, poor parenting interactions, and low parenting morale. Among children at high risk for behaviour problems, protective factors included high maternal and child self-esteem, good maternal emotional health, adequate social support, good academic performance, and adequate quality parenting time. These findings demonstrate that several individual and social resilience factors can counter the influence of early adversities on the likelihood of developing problem behaviours in middle childhood, thus informing enhanced public health interventions for this understudied life course phase.

Early Childhood Inclusion in Aotearoa New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster-Cohen, Susan H.; van Bysterveldt, Anne K.

2016-01-01

Early childhood education is encouraged for all 3- to 5-year-old children in New Zealand (known in the Maori language as Aotearoa) and is supported by a well-constructed bicultural curriculum (Te Whariki) and reasonably generous government funding. However, a number of factors mitigate against inclusion of children with developmental delays and…

Bullying Prevention Strategies in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saracho, Olivia N.

2017-01-01

Bullying is a serious problem that affects the young children's well being. Early childhood educators find it difficult to manage bullying in the classroom. Preschool is the first environment outside of the home setting where children encounter difficulties when they socially interact with their peers. Based on the principles of protecting and…

Recent Coverage of Early Childhood Education Approaches in Open Access Early Childhood Journals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keskin, Burhanettin

2016-01-01

A content analysis of the coverage of the major approaches to early childhood education in the early childhood research journals, published between 2010 and 2014, that are early childhood research oriented and have free online access were investigated. Among 21 journals in early childhood education, two journals were selected for the content…

Using Intervention Mapping for child development and wellbeing programs in early childhood education and care settings.

PubMed

O'Connor, Amanda; Blewitt, Claire; Nolan, Andrea; Skouteris, Helen

2018-06-01

Supporting children's social and emotional learning benefits all elements of children's development and has been associated with positive mental health and wellbeing, development of values and life skills. However, literature relating to the creation of interventions designed for use within the early childhood education and care settings to support children's social and emotional skills and learning is lacking. Intervention Mapping (IM) is a systematic intervention development framework, utilising principles centred on participatory co-design methods, multiple theoretical approaches and existing literature to enable effective decision-making during the development process. Early childhood pedagogical programs are also shaped by these principles; however, educators tend to draw on implicit knowledge when working with families. IM offers this sector the opportunity to formally incorporate theoretical, evidence-based research into the development of early childhood education and care social and emotional interventions. Emerging literature indicates IM is useful for designing health and wellbeing interventions for children within early childhood education and care settings. Considering the similar underlying principles of IM, existing applications within early childhood education and care and development of interventions beyond health behaviour change, it is recommended IM be utilised to design early childhood education and care interventions focusing on supporting children's social and emotional development. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy on the counts of salivary Streptococcus mutans in children with severe early childhood caries.

PubMed

Fekrazad, Reza; Seraj, Bahman; Chiniforush, Nasim; Rokouei, Mehrak; Mousavi, Niloofar; Ghadimi, Sara

2017-06-01

Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a novel technique for reduction of pathogenic microorganisms in dentistry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of aPDT on Streptococcus mutans reduction in children with severe early childhood caries. Twenty-two children with severe early childhood caries aged 3-6 years were treated with toluoidine blue O (TBO) for 1min and irradiated by a Light Emitting Diode (LED; FotoSan, CMS Dental, Denmark) with the exposure time of 150s. Saliva samples were collected at baseline, 1h and 7 days after treatment. S. mutans counts were determined using the Dentocult SM Strip mutans. The counts of S. mutans in saliva decreased significantly after 1h (P<0.001). However, the difference in reduction of S. mutans counts in saliva was not significant between the baseline and 7 days after treatment (P>0.05). aPDT seems to be efficient to reduce salivary S. mutans immediately after treatment in children with severe early childhood caries. However, further research is needed to evaluate different doses and frequency of irradiation in combination with restoring carious teeth to find more durable results. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Survey on Early Childhood Advisory Councils. NGA Center for Best Practices Backgrounder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Governors Association, 2007

2007-01-01

During fall 2007, the NGA Center surveyed states regarding the presence and nature of state early childhood coordinating councils, which may exist as Early Learning Councils, Task Forces, Children's Cabinets, Interagency Coordinating Councils, etc. For brevity, these coordinating entities are referred to below as Early Childhood Advisory Councils…

Early Childhood Teachers' Efficacy in the US Rural Midwest: Teaching Culturally Diverse Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Atiles, Julia Teresa; Douglas, Jonathan Robert; Allexsaht-Snider, Martha

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore early childhood teachers' sense of efficacy for working with immigrant children. In addition, this study examined the relationship of early childhood teachers' sense of efficacy to their multicultural attitudes. Design/methodology/approach: Ninety early childhood teacher participants completed a…

Where Are the Early Years of School in Contemporary Early Childhood Education Reforms? An Historical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krieg, Susan; Whitehead, Kay

2015-01-01

Although international definitions of early childhood repeatedly refer to a birth-8 age span, there are complex, institutional divides within this age range. This paper explores the divide between pre-compulsory and compulsory early childhood institutions. In countries such as Finland this divide is not such an issue because children do not begin…

The Reasoning behind the Scene: Why Do Early Childhood Educators Use Computers in Their Classrooms?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Suzy

2005-01-01

In recent times discussion surrounding the use of computers in early childhood education has emphasised the role computers play in children's everyday lives. This realisation has replaced early debate regarding the appropriateness or otherwise of computer use for young children in early childhood education. An important component of computer use…

The Relationship of Severe Early Childhood Caries and Body Mass Index in a Group of 3- to 6-year-old Children in Shiraz.

PubMed

Edalat, A; Abbaszadeh, M; Eesvandi, M; Heidari, A

2014-06-01

Early childhood caries can cause pain, discomfort and also inability to have a healthy nutrition .Malnutrition can be characterized when there is a weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) deficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the severe early childhood caries (based on the dmft index) and BMI in pre-school children in Shiraz. A descriptive analytical cross-sectional study was enrolled on 202 healthy preschool children with the age range of 3-6 years recruited from the kindergartens of different socio- economical parts of Shiraz, Iran. The Anthropometric measurements, weight and height were evaluated. The Z-scores were calculated employing WHO Anthro software (www.who.int/childgrowth/software/en/ index.html) to elucidate the subject's status on the age- and sex-specific growth chart. Every Child who has received two Z-scores under the normal value (< -2) was considered as abnormal. The relationship between dmft index and BMI was then investigated. The mean of dmft was 4.13. From children with severe early childhood caries, 12.5%were under weight, 5% had height deficiency and 19.5% had BMI deficiency, however, there was no significant relationship between increasing dmft and the height, weight and BMI deficiency. There was not a linear correlation between severe early childhood caries and BMI, height, and weight deficiency. An incidence of 55% was yielded for severe early childhood caries which was an additional finding of this study.

Integration of Nutrition-Related Components by Early Childhood Education Professionals into Their Individual Work with Children at Risk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shor, Ron; Friedman, Adina

2009-01-01

Poor nutrition is a major risk factor affecting proper development of children. However, there is limited knowledge about the way in which this subject is being integrated into professionals' work in early childhood education programs dealing with situations of children-at-risk. A study on this subject was conducted with 60 professionals who…

34 CFR 674.58 - Cancellation for service in an early childhood education program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Cancellation for service in an early childhood... Cancellation § 674.58 Cancellation for service in an early childhood education program. (a)(1) An institution... addresses the children's cognitive (including language, early literacy, and early mathematics), social...

34 CFR 674.58 - Cancellation for service in an early childhood education program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... addresses the children's cognitive (including language, early literacy, and early mathematics), social... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Cancellation for service in an early childhood... Cancellation § 674.58 Cancellation for service in an early childhood education program. (a)(1) An institution...

Course of Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder From Early Childhood to Early Adolescence.

PubMed

Guyon-Harris, Katherine L; Humphreys, Kathryn L; Fox, Nathan A; Nelson, Charles A; Zeanah, Charles H

2018-05-01

Disinhibited social engagement disorder (DSED) is poorly understood beyond early childhood. The course of DSED signs in a sample of children who experienced severe, early deprivation from early childhood to early adolescence was examined using variable-centered (linear mixed modeling) and person-centered (growth mixture modeling) approaches. The study included 124 children with a history of institutional care from a randomized controlled trial of foster care as an alternative to institutional care and 69 community comparison children matched by age and sex. DSED signs were assessed at baseline (mean age 22 months), 30, 42, and 54 months of age, and 8 and 12 years of age using a validated caregiver report of disturbed attachment behavior. Variable-centered analyses based on intent-to-treat groups indicated that signs of DSED decreased sharply for children randomized to foster care and decreased slightly but remained high for children randomized to care as usual. Person-centered analyses showed 4 profiles (i.e., elevated, persistent modest, early decreasing, and minimal). Elevated and persistent modest courses were associated with greater placement disruptions (F 3,99  = 4.29, p = .007, partial eta-squared [η 2 ] = 0.12), older age at placement into foster care (F 3,56  = 3.41, p < .05, partial η 2  = 0.16), and more time in institutional care (F 3,115  = 11.91, p < .001, partial η 2  = 0.24) compared with decreasing and minimal courses. Early and sustained placement into families after deprivation is associated with minimal or decreasing signs of DSED across development. Shortening the amount of time children spend in institutions and preserving placements could help decrease signs of DSED into early adolescence in previously institutionalized children. Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Guia para los padres sobre educacion preescolar (A Parents' Guide to Early Childhood Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodge, Diane Trister; Phinney, Joanna

This handbook, entirely in Spanish, was originally intended for parents whose children attend programs which use "The Creative Curriculum for Early Childhood" (CCEC), but the information is also useful to parents whose children attend early childhood programs using other curriculum models based on child development theories. The purpose…

Tensions in Incorporating Global Childhood with Early Childhood Programs: The Case of South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebrahim, Hasina

2012-01-01

Global childhood as a concept privileges western ideals of how young children experience growing up, how adults educate them, and how priorities are set for them. Ways of knowing and doing early childhood are backed by Euro-American knowledge, international conventions and scientific evidence which gives a semblance of the truths for intervening…

Taming the Wild: Approaches to Nature in Japanese Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Rachael S.

2014-01-01

The Japanese early childhood curriculum provides ample opportunities for children to interact with nature and to learn about natural phenomena. However, using Kalland (1995) and Martinez's (2008) theories about Japanese constructions of nature, this paper argues that most Japanese early childhood experiences do not constitute direct contact with…

A Study of the Relationship between Early Childhood Program Attributes and Early Childhood Reading Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington, Novella M.

2012-01-01

This quantitative correlational study focuses on the relationship between early childhood program attributes and early childhood reading success. Data will be gathered from early childhood sites with grades prekindergarten through second grade in which early childhood program attributes exist and early childhood reading is measured by the…

Early Literacy and the ESL Learner: Participants' Manual. For Early Childhood Educators Working with Children from Language Backgrounds Other Than English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Language Australia, Melbourne (Victoria).

This volume is a professional development resource for early childhood educators, especially designed for those working with children from language backgrounds other than English. This resource is designed to fill a gap in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education that has neglected the professional development needs of teachers of preschool…

In Search of the Rainbow: Pathways to Quality in Large-Scale Programmes for Young Disadvantaged Children. Early Childhood Development: Practice and Reflections Number 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woodhead, Martin

Those involved in early childhood development must recognize that many of their most cherished beliefs about what is best for children are cultural constructions. This book focuses on quality in large-scale programs for disadvantaged young children in a variety of cultural settings. Chapter 1, "Changing Childhoods," discusses issues…

Principle-Centered Leadership in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Victoria; Johnson, Lawrence J.; Corkwell, Connie

2009-01-01

One of the most important aspects of any early childhood setting is the quality of its leadership. Leaders set the tone and are critical to the development of a nurturing environment that supports families and staff, who then encourage children to flourish. A principle-centered leadership approach is an effective model for early childhood…

Frameworks for Response to Intervention in Early Childhood: Description and Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Communication Disorders Quarterly, 2014

2014-01-01

In February, 2013, the Division of Early Childhood, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the National Head Start Association released a collaborative paper to provide clarification and assistance regarding the relationship of response to intervention (RTI) with the field of early childhood (EC). In addition to…

Early childhood feeding practices and dental caries in preschool children: a multi-centre birth cohort study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Dental caries (decay) is an international public health challenge, especially amongst young children. Early Childhood Caries is a rapidly progressing disease leading to severe pain, anxiety, sepsis and sleep loss, and is a major health problem particularly for disadvantaged populations. There is currently a lack of research exploring the interactions between risk and protective factors in the development of early childhood caries, in particular the effects of infant feeding practises. Methods/Design This is an observational cohort study and involves the recruitment of a birth cohort from disadvantaged communities in South Western Sydney. Mothers will be invited to join the study soon after the birth of their child at the time of the first home visit by Child and Family Health Nurses. Data on feeding practices and dental health behaviours will be gathered utilizing a telephone interview at 4, 8 and 12 months, and thereafter at 6 monthly intervals until the child is aged 5 years. Information collected will include a) initiation and duration of breastfeeding, b) introduction of solid food, c) intake of cariogenic and non-cariogenic foods, d) fluoride exposure, and e) oral hygiene practices. Children will have a dental and anthropometric examination at 2 and 5 years of age and the main outcome measures will be oral health quality of life, caries prevalence and caries incidence. Discussion This study will provide evidence of the association of early childhood feeding practices and the oral health of preschool children. In addition, information will be collected on breastfeeding practices and the oral health concerns of mothers living in disadvantaged areas in South Western Sydney. PMID:21223601

Preventive child health care findings on early childhood predict peer-group social status in early adolescence.

PubMed

Jaspers, Merlijne; de Winter, Andrea F; Veenstra, René; Ormel, Johan; Verhulst, Frank C; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2012-12-01

A disputed social status among peers puts children and adolescents at risk for developing a wide range of problems, such as being bullied. However, there is a lack of knowledge about which early predictors could be used to identify (young) adolescents at risk for a disputed social status. The aim of this study was to assess whether preventive child health care (PCH) findings on early childhood predict neglected and rejected status in early adolescence in a large longitudinal community-based sample. Data came from 898 participants who participated in TRAILS, a longitudinal study. Information on early childhood factors was extracted from the charts of routine PCH visits registered between infancy and age of 4 years. To assess social status, peer nominations were used at age of 10-12 years. Multinomial logistic regression showed that children who had a low birth weight, motor problems, and sleep problems; children of parents with a low educational level (odds ratios [ORs] between 1.71 and 2.90); and those with fewer attention hyperactivity problems (ORs = .43) were more likely to have a neglected status in early adolescence. Boys, children of parents with a low educational level, and children with early externalizing problems were more likely to have a rejected status in early adolescence (ORs between 1.69 and 2.56). PCH findings on early childhood-on motor and social development-are predictive of a neglected and a rejected status in early adolescence. PCH is a good setting to monitor risk factors that predict the social status of young adolescents. Copyright © 2012 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Flame Retardant Exposures in California Early Childhood Education Environments

EPA Science Inventory

Infants and young children spend as much as 50 hours per week in child care and preschool centers. Although approximately 13 million children, or 65% of all U.S. children, spend a portion of each day in early childhood education (ECE) facilities, little information is available a...

Identification of Special Educational Needs for Early Childhood Inclusive Education in Ghana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mensah, Florence Akua; Badu-Shayar, Jeremiah

2016-01-01

Early Childhood Education is a key element for the growth and development of every country. This paper, provides a summary of reviewing the impact of early childhood special educational assessment on children to be "at risk" of developing special educational needs. It was identified mainly that early identification of at-risk factors for…

Improving Urban Student Achievement Through Early Childhood Reform: What State Policymakers Can Do. Issue Paper. Early Childhood Reform Issue Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kagan, Sharon Lynn

2004-01-01

For over four decades, American policymakers have focused their attention on readying young children for school. Despite noble policy efforts, durable investments and a persistent belief in the ability of early childhood education to offset social inequities, significant challenges exist for America's urban young children as they enter school.…

Assessing policy effects on enrollment in early childhood education and care.

PubMed

Greenberg, Joy Pastan

2010-01-01

Although the number of children enrolled in early childhood education and care has risen dramatically over past decades, low-income children are less likely than their more affluent counterparts to participate. Public funding for early education can play an important role in increasing enrollment levels among low-income children. This study utilizes National Household Education Survey data for a 14-year period to examine the effects of public funding on the enrollment of low-income children in early childhood education and care. It also considers the effects of funding on the type of care they use. Results suggest that public funding, particularly child-care subsidies and prekindergarten funding, increases the likelihood that low-income children, even those under 3 years of age, will attend nonparental care, including center-based care. These findings indicate that public funding can help close the gap in enrollment between low- and higher-income children.

Auditory-neurophysiological responses to speech during early childhood: Effects of background noise

PubMed Central

White-Schwoch, Travis; Davies, Evan C.; Thompson, Elaine C.; Carr, Kali Woodruff; Nicol, Trent; Bradlow, Ann R.; Kraus, Nina

2015-01-01

Early childhood is a critical period of auditory learning, during which children are constantly mapping sounds to meaning. But learning rarely occurs under ideal listening conditions—children are forced to listen against a relentless din. This background noise degrades the neural coding of these critical sounds, in turn interfering with auditory learning. Despite the importance of robust and reliable auditory processing during early childhood, little is known about the neurophysiology underlying speech processing in children so young. To better understand the physiological constraints these adverse listening scenarios impose on speech sound coding during early childhood, auditory-neurophysiological responses were elicited to a consonant-vowel syllable in quiet and background noise in a cohort of typically-developing preschoolers (ages 3–5 yr). Overall, responses were degraded in noise: they were smaller, less stable across trials, slower, and there was poorer coding of spectral content and the temporal envelope. These effects were exacerbated in response to the consonant transition relative to the vowel, suggesting that the neural coding of spectrotemporally-dynamic speech features is more tenuous in noise than the coding of static features—even in children this young. Neural coding of speech temporal fine structure, however, was more resilient to the addition of background noise than coding of temporal envelope information. Taken together, these results demonstrate that noise places a neurophysiological constraint on speech processing during early childhood by causing a breakdown in neural processing of speech acoustics. These results may explain why some listeners have inordinate difficulties understanding speech in noise. Speech-elicited auditory-neurophysiological responses offer objective insight into listening skills during early childhood by reflecting the integrity of neural coding in quiet and noise; this paper documents typical response properties

Validation of the Early Childhood Ecology Scale-Revised: A Reflective Tool for Teacher Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flores, Belinda Bustos; Casebeer, Cindy M.; Riojas-Cortez, Mari

2011-01-01

Given increasing numbers of young culturally and/or linguistically diverse (CLD) children across the United States, it is crucial to prepare early childhood teachers to create high-quality environments that facilitate the development of all children. The Early Childhood Ecology Scale-Revised (ECES-R) has been developed as a reflective tool to help…

Artistic Learning in Relation to Young Children's Chorotopos: An In-Depth Approach to Early Childhood Visual Culture Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trimis, Eli; Savva, Andri

2009-01-01

The paper reports on a study of young children and the nature of their art learning based on the in-depth approach and in the context of "chorotopos" (space-place, area, landscape, region, village or town). The sample includes 50 children drawn from three classrooms in three early childhood settings in the area of Thessaloniki and…

Illinois' Early Childhood Innovation Zones: A New Model for State Policy? IERC 2017-1. Research Highlights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Bradford R.; Colaninno, Carol E.; Doll, Mimi; Lewandowski, Holly

2017-01-01

The Early Childhood Innovation Zones initiative was established by Illinois Action for Children (IAFC), with guidance from the Illinois Governor's Office for Early Childhood Development. Funded by a Race to the Top--Early Learning Challenge grant, this initiative supported capacity building efforts for organizations working with young children in…

Early Childhood Educators' Perspectives and Practices about Inclusion of Children with Special Needs in Botswana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chhabra, Simmi; Bose, Kabita; Chadha, Neerja

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate perspectives of Early Childhood Educators (ECEds) about inclusion of Children With Special Needs (CWSN) by examining their attitudes, training needs, and inclusive practices used in the inclusive classroom. One hundred twenty-eight ECEds completed a questionnaire that included the Scale of Teachers'…

Bullying in Early Childhood and the Construction of Young Children as Premoral Agents: Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims-Schouten, Wendy

2015-01-01

Bullying continues to be common, despite extensive research and policy focus. With few studies concentrating specifically on early childhood, there are indications that more research is needed to establish the different mechanisms related to direct and relational victimisation in young children. The current paper sets out to analyse parents' and…

Socioeconomic gradients in early childhood health: evidence from Bangladesh and Nepal.

PubMed

Devkota, Satis; Panda, Bibhudutta

2016-05-16

A large literature has developed researching the origins of socioeconomic gradients in child health in developed countries. Particularly, this research examines the age at which these gradient effects emerge and how they change across different stages of childhood. However, similar research on developing countries is limited. This paper examines the socioeconomic gradients in early childhood health in two developing countries, Bangladesh and Nepal using the 2011 Demographic and Health Surveys. The paper separately studies two measures of household socioeconomic status: household wealth and maternal educational attainment. Two anthropometric measures of early childhood health, height-for-age and weight-for-age Z scores for 0-59 months of children, are used for our empirical exercise. The paper uses both non-parametric and multivariate ordinary least squares approaches to examine at what age socioeconomic disparities in health emerge, and investigates if these disparities increase with age in early childhood. The paper provides significant evidence of age-specific socioeconomic gradients in early childhood health in both countries. Health disparities in household wealth exist in both countries. This disparity emerges in the first 11 months of life, and is particularly severe for children from the poorest quintile. On the other hand, while the emergence of maternal education gradients during the first 11 months is sensitive to the choice of childhood health measure, the study finds the children of mothers with higher education to enjoy significantly higher health outcomes in comparison to those with lower education. However, controlling for father's education weakens the effects of maternal education on child health in both countries. Further, the paper does not find statistically significant evidence where socioeconomic gradients in health increase with age in early childhood. Our study concludes that socioeconomic disparities in health outcomes exist even in very

Sociocultural Perspectives on Transition to School from Pacific Islands Early Childhood Centres.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Podmore, Valerie N.; Sauvao, Le'Autuli'ilagi M.; Mapa, Lia

2003-01-01

Summarizes research investigating children's transition to primary school from Pacific early childhood centers in New Zealand. Key issues emerging from the review include continuity of Pacific Islands languages and culture between home, early childhood center, and school; home-school partnership; teachers' and parents' expectations regarding…

Early Childhood Assessment: Recommended Practices and Selected Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Steven Lynn, Ed.; Rundall, Dick, Ed.

This manual, developed from an Early Childhood Institute on the Assessment of Young Children conducted in 1981, acquaints education and counseling professionals with a variety of assessment instruments for young handicapped children and assists them in understanding how to adapt instruments to a child's unique disability. Information to facilitate…

An Intervention to Increase Early Childhood Staff Capacity for Promoting Children's Social-Emotional Development in Preschool Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Beth L.; Malsch, Anna M.; Kothari, Brianne Hood; Busse, Jessica; Brennan, Eileen

2012-01-01

This article describes the development, implementation, and outcomes of a pilot intervention designed to enhance preschool programs' ability to support children's social-emotional development. Working with two Head Start programs, the intervention included (1) restructuring existing early childhood mental health consultation services; (2) engaging…

Early Childhood Diarrhea Predicts Cognitive Delays in Later Childhood Independently of Malnutrition.

PubMed

Pinkerton, Relana; Oriá, Reinaldo B; Lima, Aldo A M; Rogawski, Elizabeth T; Oriá, Mônica O B; Patrick, Peter D; Moore, Sean R; Wiseman, Benjamin L; Niehaus, Mark D; Guerrant, Richard L

2016-11-02

Understanding the complex relationship between early childhood infectious diseases, nutritional status, poverty, and cognitive development is significantly hindered by the lack of studies that adequately address confounding between these variables. This study assesses the independent contributions of early childhood diarrhea (ECD) and malnutrition on cognitive impairment in later childhood. A cohort of 131 children from a shantytown community in northeast Brazil was monitored from birth to 24 months for diarrhea and anthropometric status. Cognitive assessments including Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI), coding tasks (WISC-III), and verbal fluency (NEPSY) were completed when children were an average of 8.4 years of age (range = 5.6-12.7 years). Multivariate analysis of variance models were used to assess the individual as well as combined effects of ECD and stunting on later childhood cognitive performance. ECD, height for age (HAZ) at 24 months, and weight for age (WAZ) at 24 months were significant univariate predictors of the studies three cognitive outcomes: TONI, coding, and verbal performance (P < 0.05). Multivariate models showed that ECD remained a significant predictor, after adjusting for the effect of 24 months HAZ and WAZ, for both TONI (HAZ, P = 0.029 and WAZ, P = 0.006) and coding (HAZ, P = 0.025 and WAZ, P = 0.036) scores. WAZ and HAZ were also significant predictors after adjusting for ECD. ECD remained a significant predictor of coding (WISC III) after number of household income was considered (P = 0.006). This study provides evidence that ECD and stunting may have independent effects on children's intellectual function well into later childhood. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Early Childhood Diarrhea Predicts Cognitive Delays in Later Childhood Independently of Malnutrition

PubMed Central

Pinkerton, Relana; Oriá, Reinaldo B.; Lima, Aldo A. M.; Rogawski, Elizabeth T.; Oriá, Mônica O. B.; Patrick, Peter D.; Moore, Sean R.; Wiseman, Benjamin L.; Niehaus, Mark D.; Guerrant, Richard L.

2016-01-01

Understanding the complex relationship between early childhood infectious diseases, nutritional status, poverty, and cognitive development is significantly hindered by the lack of studies that adequately address confounding between these variables. This study assesses the independent contributions of early childhood diarrhea (ECD) and malnutrition on cognitive impairment in later childhood. A cohort of 131 children from a shantytown community in northeast Brazil was monitored from birth to 24 months for diarrhea and anthropometric status. Cognitive assessments including Test of Nonverbal Intelligence (TONI), coding tasks (WISC-III), and verbal fluency (NEPSY) were completed when children were an average of 8.4 years of age (range = 5.6–12.7 years). Multivariate analysis of variance models were used to assess the individual as well as combined effects of ECD and stunting on later childhood cognitive performance. ECD, height for age (HAZ) at 24 months, and weight for age (WAZ) at 24 months were significant univariate predictors of the studies three cognitive outcomes: TONI, coding, and verbal performance (P < 0.05). Multivariate models showed that ECD remained a significant predictor, after adjusting for the effect of 24 months HAZ and WAZ, for both TONI (HAZ, P = 0.029 and WAZ, P = 0.006) and coding (HAZ, P = 0.025 and WAZ, P = 0.036) scores. WAZ and HAZ were also significant predictors after adjusting for ECD. ECD remained a significant predictor of coding (WISC III) after number of household income was considered (P = 0.006). This study provides evidence that ECD and stunting may have independent effects on children's intellectual function well into later childhood. PMID:27601523

Evaluation of Young Children for Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Diana

This technical assistance document provides guidelines for child assessment and eligibility determination for early intervention and early childhood special education programs in Oregon. An overview of the assessment process explains screening, eligibility evaluation, and assessment for the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). Legal requirements…

Childhood Fears: What Children Are Afraid of and Why.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crosser, Sandra

1995-01-01

It is important for early childhood professionals to learn about childhood fears so that they can help children cope with them. Children's fears are normal, the nature of preschoolers' fears is related to their cognitive development, and a child's temperament and sense of autonomy may influence the extent of and manner of reaction to a fearful…

Challenges Facing Early Childhood Programs Worldwide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neugebauer, Roger

2008-01-01

In this article, the author presents the challenges faced by early childhood education in 29 countries, according to the World Forum National Representatives and Global Leaders for Young Children. The countries represented in these responses include: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Fiji, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan,…

Fostering Social Expertise in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porath, Marion

2009-01-01

Social competence is an essential capability to bring to school because of its relationship to academic success. Development and consolidation of social understanding in early childhood ensures that young children have a solid foundation of social expertise when they begin formal schooling. Social expertise, conceptualized within the framework of…

The Examination of Teacher Stress among Turkish Early Childhood Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erdiller, Z. B.; Dogan, Ö.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the level of teacher stress experienced by Turkish early childhood education teachers working in public and private preschools serving children from three to six years of age. The participants of the study include 1119 early childhood education teachers gathered through simple random sampling. The data are…

Preschool psychiatric disorders: homotypic and heterotypic continuity through middle childhood and early adolescence.

PubMed

Finsaas, Megan C; Bufferd, Sara J; Dougherty, Lea R; Carlson, Gabrielle A; Klein, Daniel N

2018-01-16

Many preschool-age children meet criteria for psychiatric disorders, and rates approach those observed in later childhood and adolescence. However, there is a paucity of longitudinal research examining the outcomes of preschool diagnoses. Families with a 3-year-old child (N = 559) were recruited from the community. Primary caregivers were interviewed using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment when children were 3 years old (n = 541), and, along with children, using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime Version when children were 9 and 12 years old. Rates of disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) decreased from preschool to middle childhood and early adolescence, whereas rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increased. Rates of any psychiatric disorder and depression increased from preschool to early adolescence only. Preschoolers with a diagnosis were over twice as likely to have a diagnosis during later periods. Homotypic continuity was present for anxiety disorders from preschool to middle childhood, for ADHD from preschool to early adolescence, and for DBD through both later time points. There was heterotypic continuity between preschool anxiety and early adolescent depression, and between preschool ADHD and early adolescent DBD. Dimensional symptom scores showed homotypic continuity for all diagnostic categories and showed a number of heterotypic associations as well. Results provide moderate support for the predictive validity of psychiatric disorders in preschoolers. Psychopathology in preschool is a significant risk factor for future psychiatric disorders during middle childhood and early adolescence.

Otitis Media in Early Childhood and Its Relationship to Later Phonological Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Joanne Erwick; And Others

1988-01-01

Examination of 55 socioeconomically disadvantaged children found no significant relationship between otitis media in early childhood and number of common phonological processes or consonants in error used during preschool years. However, otitis media in early childhood was associated with total number of phonological processes used by children…

Nurturing care: promoting early childhood development.

PubMed

Britto, Pia R; Lye, Stephen J; Proulx, Kerrie; Yousafzai, Aisha K; Matthews, Stephen G; Vaivada, Tyler; Perez-Escamilla, Rafael; Rao, Nirmala; Ip, Patrick; Fernald, Lia C H; MacMillan, Harriet; Hanson, Mark; Wachs, Theodore D; Yao, Haogen; Yoshikawa, Hirokazu; Cerezo, Adrian; Leckman, James F; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2017-01-07

The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide a historic opportunity to implement interventions, at scale, to promote early childhood development. Although the evidence base for the importance of early childhood development has grown, the research is distributed across sectors, populations, and settings, with diversity noted in both scope and focus. We provide a comprehensive updated analysis of early childhood development interventions across the five sectors of health, nutrition, education, child protection, and social protection. Our review concludes that to make interventions successful, smart, and sustainable, they need to be implemented as multi-sectoral intervention packages anchored in nurturing care. The recommendations emphasise that intervention packages should be applied at developmentally appropriate times during the life course, target multiple risks, and build on existing delivery platforms for feasibility of scale-up. While interventions will continue to improve with the growth of developmental science, the evidence now strongly suggests that parents, caregivers, and families need to be supported in providing nurturing care and protection in order for young children to achieve their developmental potential. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research in Early Childhood Music and Movement Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stellaccio, Cherie K.; McCarthy, Marie

Because intuitive aptitude for music stabilizes at about age 9 years, the early childhood years are critical to the development of children's potential for comprehending and producing music. This literature review centers on studies that have expanded knowledge of how young children perform, perceive, and create music and thus develop their…

Socioeconomic status, infant feeding practices and early childhood obesity.

PubMed

Gibbs, B G; Forste, R

2014-04-01

Children from low socioeconomic households are at greater risk of obesity. As breastfeeding can protect against child obesity, disadvantaged infants are less likely to breastfeed relative to more advantaged children. Whether infant feeding patterns, as well as other maternal characteristics mediate the association between social class and obesity has not been established in available research. Examine the impact of infant feeding practices on child obesity and identify the mechanisms that link socioeconomic status (SES) with child obesity. Based on a nationally representative longitudinal survey (ECLS-B) of early childhood (n = 8030), we examine how breastfeeding practices, the early introduction of solid foods and putting an infant to bed with a bottle mediate the relationship between social class and early childhood obesity relative to the mediating influence of other maternal characteristics (BMI, age at birth, smoking, depression and daycare use). Infants predominantly fed formula for the first 6 months were about 2.5 times more likely to be obese at 24 months of age relative to infants predominantly fed breast milk. The early introduction of solid foods (< 4 months) and putting the child to bed with a bottle also increased the likelihood of obesity. Unhealthy infant feeding practices were the primary mechanism mediating the relationship between SES and early childhood obesity. Results are consistent across measures of child obesity although the effect size of infant feeding practices varies. The encouragement and support of breastfeeding and other healthy feeding practices are especially important for low socioeconomic children who are at increased risk of early childhood obesity. Targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged mothers for breastfeeding support and for infant-led feeding strategies may reduce the negative association between SES and child obesity. The implications are discussed in terms of policy and practice. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatric

Early Childhood Professionals' Beliefs and Practices regarding the Rights of Young Children to Express Views and to Be Heard

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels-Simmonds, Laura

2009-01-01

An online survey of early childhood professionals who were employed by a national child care company examined beliefs and practices regarding the rights and abilities of young children to express views and be heard. Participants represented seven US regions, and comprised a sample of 107 preschool professionals working directly with children ages…

Influence of behavioral concerns and early childhood expulsions on the development of early childhood mental health consultation in Colorado.

PubMed

Hoover, Sarah D; Kubicek, Lorraine F; Rosenberg, Cordelia Robinson; Zundel, Claudia; Rosenberg, Steven A

2012-05-01

This article examines how the Colorado study Children With Social, Emotional and Behavioral Concerns and the Providers Who Support Them (S.D. Hoover, 2006) was used to advance a statewide agenda for early childhood mental health consultation in Colorado. The study involved a survey of licensed childcare providers throughout the state asking about the behavior of children in their care and their responses to that behavior. Exclusion of children from early care and education settings due to challenging behavior was found to be a significant problem taking a toll on families, children, and early care and education providers. Importantly, results from the survey indicated that the rate of exclusion of children from care due to challenging behavior was lower for family childcare providers who had access to mental health consultation. Recommendations are offered regarding the infrastructure needed to sustain mental health consultation capacity in early care and education settings, and related policies and practices. Copyright © 2012 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

Turkana Children's Sociocultural Practices of Pastoralist Lifestyles and Science Curriculum and Instruction in Kenyan Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ng'asike, John Teria

2010-01-01

This dissertation discusses the findings of an ethnographic exploratory study of Turkana nomadic pastoralist children's sociocultural practices of their everyday lifestyles and science curriculum and instruction in Kenyan early childhood curriculum. The study uses the findings from Turkana elders to challenge the dominant society in Kenya that…

Constructivism and Jewish Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Meir

2013-01-01

Having an educational theory as a school's foundation is a key component in successful educational endeavors. However, many Jewish early childhood programs do not commonly use educational theory to support methods of instruction. In this study 14 children from a constructivist-based Jewish kindergarten class are interviewed to determine how they…

Early Childhood Inclusion: Focus on Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guralnick, Michael J., Ed.

Early childhood inclusion is a field characterized by a philosophy and practice that encourages full participation of children with disabilities and their families in everyday activities with their typically developing peers. Noting that success in inclusion endeavors requires substantial changes in the way our society thinks, feels, and acts,…

Assessing Vocabulary Learning in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Jessica L.; Teale, William H.; Paciga, Kathleen A.

2014-01-01

There is widespread agreement with in the field of early childhood education that vocabulary is important to literacy achievement and that reading aloud can support vocabulary growth. However, there are unexplored and significant problems with the ways we assess young children's vocabulary learning from read-alouds. This paper critically reviews…

Investing in Early Childhood Education: A Global Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnett, W. S.; Nores, M.

2012-01-01

The last several decades have seen growing global interest in the potential for public investments in early childhood care and education (ECCE) to improve the development of young children, especially those from socially disadvantaged groups. This interest is based on evidence of the importance of environmental influences on early cognitive and…

The Development of Self-Regulation across Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montroy, Janelle J.; Bowles, Ryan P.; Skibbe, Lori E.; McClelland, Megan M.; Morrison, Frederick J.

2016-01-01

The development of early childhood self-regulation is often considered an early life marker for later life successes. Yet little longitudinal research has evaluated whether there are different trajectories of self-regulation development across children. This study investigates the development of behavioral self-regulation between the ages of 3 and…

Influence of first-time mothers' early employment on severe early childhood caries in their child.

PubMed

Plutzer, Kamila; Keirse, Marc J N C

2012-01-01

Aim. To examine whether mothers' early employment status is related to the development of severe early childhood caries in their child. Methods. Questionnaire survey of 429 first-time mothers in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia, and dental examinations of their child at 20 months of age. Results. At 20 ± 2.5 months of age, 5.6% of children exhibited caries defined as one or more demineralized or cavitated lesions on the upper incisors. Of the mothers, 52.2% had no paid employment, 39.6% were part-time and 8.2% full-time employed. Overall, mothers' participation in the workforce had no influence on the frequency of severe early childhood caries in their child, but there was a significant interaction with family structure. For mothers without employment there was no difference between single, and two-parent families, but children with an employed single mother more frequently had caries than those with a working mother in a two-parent family (P < 0.04). However, there were no significant differences in children's reported general health. Conclusions. The data indicate a need to explore strategies that may assist single mothers and especially those in the workforce to prevent severe early childhood caries in their child.

Early Childhood Policy Focus: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. Early Childhood Highlights. Volume 2, Issue 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphey, David; Mackintosh, Bonnie; McCoy-Roth, Marci

2011-01-01

The importance of good nutrition and exercise is well known, and parents have long worried about their children's diets and envied their high energy levels. Like so many life style habits, patterns of nutrition and exercise behaviors are typically established in early childhood. Poor diet and lack of exercise contribute to obesity, which has been…

Financing Early Childhood Initiatives: Making the Most of Proposition 10. Building Community Systems for Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Cheryl D.

How early childhood funds are channeled to communities significantly affects what supports and services are available, how they are provided, how well they are linked to other resources in the community, and who benefits from them. As pressure mounts for states and communities to strengthen their commitment to families with young children and meet…

76 FR 12978 - Advisory Committee on the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Evaluation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-09

... Administration for Children and Families Advisory Committee on the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home...: Advisory Committee on the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Evaluation. Date and... and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Evaluation will meet for its first session on Wednesday...

Napping Reduces Emotional Attention Bias during Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cremone, Amanda; Kurdziel, Laura B. F.; Fraticelli-Torres, Ada; McDermott, Jennifer M.; Spencer, Rebecca M. C.

2017-01-01

Sleep loss alters processing of emotional stimuli in preschool-aged children. However, the mechanism by which sleep modifies emotional processing in early childhood is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that a nap, compared to an equivalent time spent awake, reduces biases in attention allocation to affective information. Children (n = 43;…

Preliminary Rural Analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study--Kindergarten Cohort. Rural Early Childhood Brief Number 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Center for Rural Early Childhood Learning Initiatives - Mississippi State University Early Childhood Institute, 2005

2005-01-01

This brief introduces the first results from a rural analysis of selected national datasets. Provided are key findings concerning kindergarten readiness of rural children from an analysis of the Kindergarten Cohort of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS). Future briefs will summarize the findings concerning the health of the Kindergarten…

76 FR 12977 - Advisory Committee on the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program Evaluation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-09

... Administration for Children and Families Advisory Committee on the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home... for Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice to announce the establishment of the Advisory Committee on the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home...

Teacher Responses to Learning Cycle Science Lessons for Early Childhood Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraemer, Emily N.

Three learning cycle science lessons were developed for preschoolers in an early childhood children's center in Costa Mesa, California. The lessons were field tested by both novice and experienced teachers with children ranging from three to five years old. Teachers were then interviewed informally to collect feedback on the structure and flow the lessons. The feedback was encouraging remarks towards the use of learning cycle science lessons for early childhood educators. Adjustments were made to the lessons based on teacher feedback. The lessons and their implications for preschool education are discussed.

The Decision-Making Processes of Early Childhood Teachers When Working with Children Experiencing Parental Separation and Divorce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahony, L.; Lunn, J.; Petriwskyj, A.; Walsh, K.

2015-01-01

In this study, the pedagogical decision-making processes of 21 Australian early childhood teachers working with children experiencing parental separation and divorce were examined. Transcripts from interviews and a focus group with teachers were analysed using grounded theory methodology. The findings showed that as teachers interacted with young…

Move to Learn, Learn to Move: Prioritizing Physical Activity in Early Childhood Education Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Chunlei; Montague, Brandi

2016-01-01

The global childhood trend towards obesity and unhealthy lifestyles is a growing concern. Childcare settings have been identified as the most influential factors for children's physical activity, and physical activity habits are better formed and maintained if started in early childhood. As a result, early childhood education environments are in…

Travelling Policy Reforms Reconfiguring the Work of Early Childhood Educators in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nuttall, Joce; Thomas, Louise; Wood, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Interventions in the field of early childhood education policy, drawn from global policy flows, are reconfiguring the work of early childhood educators in Australia. One such intervention is the requirement to designate an "educational leader" (EL) in each service for young children and their families. This policy intervention has its…

Storytelling Dramas as a Community Building Activity in an Early Childhood Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Cheryl; Diener, Marissa L.; Kemp, Jacqueline Lindsay

2013-01-01

Healthy social-emotional development is promoted by building a safe, secure and respectful environment in an early childhood setting with positive and consistent relationships among adults, children, and their peers. This study explored storytelling dramas as an opportunity to build community within the context of one early childhood classroom.…

Early Childhood Investment Zones: A Learning Approach for Authentic Community Partnership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vermilya, Lois; Kerwin, Dorothy

2017-01-01

Many professionals in the early childhood field are inspired by community-driven initiatives that hold great promise for transforming outcomes for the youngest children and their families. However, most collective impact efforts are mobilized in large urban areas, where early childhood professionals and civic leaders take the lead. New Mexico has…

BEST in CLASS: A Classroom-Based Model for Ameliorating Problem Behavior in Early Childhood Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vo, Abigail; Sutherland, Kevin S.; Conroy, Maureen A.

2012-01-01

As more young children enter school settings to attend early childhood programs, early childhood teachers and school psychologists have been charged with supporting a growing number of young children with chronic problem behaviors that put them at risk for the development of emotional/behavioral disorders (EBDs). There is a need for effective,…

International Perspectives on Early Childhood Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberhuemer, Pamela

2005-01-01

The early years of childhood are receiving increased public policy attention in many countries around the world. Debates on providing quality services and ensuring a good foundation for lifelong learning are generating a new interest in curriculum issues. What understandings do we have of young children? How do they access and construct knowledge…

Deconstructing Teacher Quality in Urban Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Jemimah L.; Butler, Bettie Ray; Dolzhenko, Inna N.; Ardrey, Tameka N.

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to deconstruct the extant scholarship on quality in early childhood education and to emphasize the importance of extending the literature to explore the potential influence that a teachers' educational background may have on kindergarten readiness for African American children in urban early learning settings.…

Priorities for Developmental Areas in Early Childhood Education: A Comparison of Parents' and Teachers' Priorities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sackes, Mesut

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine parents' and early childhood teachers' perceptions of the priorities for developmental areas targeted in the Turkish Early Childhood Education Curriculum for children aged 36-72 months. The sample of this study consisted of 1600 parents and 158 early childhood teachers. The study utilized a survey research…

Early Childhood Courts: The Opportunity to Respond to Children and Families Affected by the Opioid Crisis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shea, Kathryn; Graham, Mimi

2018-01-01

The opioid epidemic has led to a dramatic increase in the number of infants and toddlers being removed from their homes and placed in foster care. Doing so places these vulnerable young children at high risk for attachment issues, postnatal medical problems, and development delay. Early Childhood Courts have been found to be a very effective…

Infant self-regulation and early childhood media exposure.

PubMed

Radesky, Jenny S; Silverstein, Michael; Zuckerman, Barry; Christakis, Dimitri A

2014-05-01

Examine prospective associations between parent-reported early childhood self-regulation problems and media exposure (television and video viewing) at 2 years. We hypothesized that children with poor self-regulation would consume more media, possibly as a parent coping strategy. We used data from 7450 children in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. When children were 9 months and 2 years old, parents completed the Infant Toddler Symptom Checklist (ITSC), a validated scale of self-regulation. With daily media use at 2 years as our outcome, we conducted weighted multivariable regression analyses, controlling for child, maternal, and household characteristics. Children watched an average of 2.3 hours per day (SD 1.9) of media at age 2 years. Infants with poor self-regulation (9-month ITSC score ≥3) viewed 0.23 hour per day (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12-0.35) more media at 2 years compared with those with 9-month ITSC score of 0 to 2; this remained significant in adjusted models (0.15 hour per day [95% CI 0.02-0.28]). Children rated as having persistent self-regulation problems (ITSC ≥3 at both 9 months and 2 years) were even more likely to consume media at age 2 (adjusted β 0.21 hour per day [95% CI 0.03-0.39]; adjusted odds ratio for >2 hours per day 1.40 [95% CI 1.14-1.71]). These associations were slightly stronger in low socioeconomic status and English-speaking households. Early childhood self-regulation problems are associated with mildly increased media exposure, even after controlling for important confounding variables. Understanding this relationship may provide insight into helping parents reduce their children's screen time. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Knowledge and beliefs concerning early childhood caries from mothers of children ages zero to 12 months.

PubMed

Azevedo, Marina Sousa; Romano, Ana Regina; Dos Santos, Iná da Silva; Cenci, Maximiliano Sergio

2014-01-01

This study's purpose was to assess mothers' knowledge and beliefs about early childhood caries (ECC) etiology and prevention. This cross-sectional study targeted mothers (N=277) of zero- to 12-month-olds visiting 12 public health care centers in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Information on causes of and recommendations to prevent ECC, as well as socioeconomic and demographic variables, was collected. Chi-square, univariate, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed (P<.05). Sugar intake and lack of oral hygiene were the most frequently mentioned causes of caries. Ninety percent of the mothers were aware of the need to begin tooth-brushing during their children's first year. Mothers who had more children and were in lower socioeconomic positions were more likely to not know the correct age for the first dental visit. Our findings showed that mothers do not know all the factors that can influence caries in their children. None reported the role of micro-organisms and lack of fluoride in the caries etiology. These findings highlight the importance of providing preventive orientation to the mothers regarding early childhood caries. Information on age of first dental visit should be emphasized, especially among mothers with more than one child and low-income families.

The hierarchical structure of childhood personality in five countries: continuity from early childhood to early adolescence.

PubMed

Tackett, Jennifer L; Slobodskaya, Helena R; Mar, Raymond A; Deal, James; Halverson, Charles F; Baker, Spencer R; Pavlopoulos, Vassilis; Besevegis, Elias

2012-08-01

Childhood personality is a rapidly growing area of investigation within individual differences research. One understudied topic is the universality of the hierarchical structure of childhood personality. In the present investigation, parents rated the personality characteristics of 3,751 children from 5 countries and 4 age groups. The hierarchical structure of childhood personality was examined for 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-factor models across country (Canada, China, Greece, Russia, and the United States) and age group (3-5, 6-8, 9-11, and 12-14 years of age). Many similarities were noted across both country and age. The Five-Factor Model was salient beginning in early childhood (ages 3-5). Deviations across groups and from adult findings are noted, including the prominent role of antagonism in childhood personality and the high covariation between Conscientiousness and intellect. Future directions, including the need for more explicit attempts to merge temperament and personality models, are discussed. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Personality © 2011, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

No One Ever Asked Me That: Parent Experiences with Autism in Early Childhood Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lajeunesse, Anne Ouwerkerk

2017-01-01

Early childhood is often a time when parents of children with autism begin to learn about their child's diagnosis and the world of special education, a time of uncertainty and emotion. This narrative inquiry sought to give voice to parents of children with autism who have navigated public early childhood special education. The results were…

A Relationship with a Purpose: Accreditation Facilitation Projects and Early Childhood Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flis, Deborah

2002-01-01

Describes use of accreditation facilitation projects (AFP) begun in the 1990s to provide varying levels and types of support to early childhood programs engaged in the self-study process for accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Presents insights about the early childhood program/AFP relationship related…

Turkish Early Childhood Educators on Parental Involvement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakyemez, Sevcan

2015-01-01

Research conducted over recent decades show that parental involvement plays a significant role in children's academic achievement as well as their cognitive, social and emotional development. For effective parental involvement, understanding the conceptualization of early childhood educators should be significant. This research investigated the…

Early Childhood Risk Factors for Decreased FEV1 at Age Six to Seven Years in Young Children with Cystic Fibrosis.

PubMed

Sanders, Don B; Emerson, Julia; Ren, Clement L; Schechter, Michael S; Gibson, Ronald L; Morgan, Wayne; Rosenfeld, Margaret

2015-08-01

There are limited objective measures of the severity of lung disease before children are able to routinely perform spirometry, generally at age 6 years. Identifying risk factors for reduced lung function at age 6 provides opportunities to intervene and slow the progression of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. To evaluate early childhood predictors of lung function at age 6-7 in a large U.S. CF cohort in the current era of widespread early eradication therapy for Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). Participants were children with CF enrolled before age 4 in the Early Pseudomonas Infection Control (EPIC) Observational Study, a multicenter, longitudinal study that enrolled P. aeruginosa-negative children not exceeding 12 years of age. Linear regression was used to estimate the association between potential early childhood risk factors and the best FEV1% predicted at age 6-7 years. Four hundred and eighty-four children (of 1,797 enrolled in the EPIC Observational Study) met the eligibility criteria for this analysis. Mean (SD) age at enrollment was 2.0 (1.3) years. In a multivariable model adjusted for age at enrollment, the following risk factors were significantly associated with lower mean (95% confidence interval) FEV1% predicted at age 6-7: weight percentile less than 10% during the year of enrollment (-5.3 [-9.1, -1.5]), P. aeruginosa positive during the year of enrollment (-2.8 [-5.7, 0.0]), crackles or wheeze during the year of enrollment (-5.7 [-9.4, -1.9]), mother's education of high school or less (-4.2 [-7.3, -1.2]), and mother smoked during pregnancy (-4.4 [-8.8, 0.1]). In this large U.S. cohort, we identified several early childhood risk factors for lower FEV1 at age 6-7 years, most of which are modifiable. Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT00097773).

Policy Statement on Supporting the Development of Children Who Are Dual Language Learners in Early Childhood Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Health and Human Services, 2016

2016-01-01

The purpose of this policy statement is to support early childhood programs and States by providing recommendations that promote the development and learning of young children, birth to age five, who are dual language learners (DLLs). The statement also provides support to tribal communities in their language revitalization efforts within tribal…

The Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework: Promoting Positive Outcomes in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children 3-5 Years Old

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Head Start, US Department of Health and Human Services, 2010

2010-01-01

This report presents a revision of the Head Start Child Outcomes Framework (2000), renamed The Head Start Child Development and Learning Framework: Promoting Positive Outcomes in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children 3-5 Years Old. The Framework outlines the essential areas of development and learning that are to be used by Head Start programs…

Early Childhood Mental Health and the School Psychologist

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giordano, Keri; Garro, Adrienne; Rosen, Gabrielle; Gubi, Aaron

2017-01-01

Early childhood, defined as infancy through age 5 years, is a critical period and serves as the foundation for development throughout the life span. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in July 2015, there were almost 20 million children ages birth to 5 years. The physical health of infants and young children is addressed and monitored through…

Childhood Risk Factors for Early-Onset Drinking*

PubMed Central

Donovan, John E.; Molina, Brooke S. G.

2011-01-01

Objective: There is relatively little research on the childhood antecedent predictors of early-onset alcohol use. This study examined an array of psychosocial variables assessed at age 10 and reflecting Problem Behavior Theory as potential antecedent risk factors for the initiation of alcohol use at age 14 or younger. Method: A sample of 452 children (238 girls) ages 8 or 10 and their families was drawn from Allegheny County, PA, using targeted-age directory sampling and random-digit dialing procedures. Children and parents were interviewed using computer-assisted interviews. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the age-10 univariate and multivariate predictors of the initiation of alcohol use by age 14 or younger. Results: Twenty-five percent of the sample reported having more than a sip or a taste of alcohol in their life by age 14. Sex, race, and age cohort did not relate to early drinking status. Children with two parents were less likely to initiate drinking early. Early initiation of drinking related significantly to an array of antecedent risk factors (personality, social environment, and behavioral) assessed at age 10 that reflect psychosocial proneness for problem behavior. In the multivariate model, the variables most predictive of early-onset drinking were having a single parent, sipping or tasting alcohol by age 10, having parents who also started drinking at an early age, and parental drinking frequency. Conclusions: Initiation of alcohol use by age 14 reflects childhood psychosocial proneness to engage in problem behavior as measured by Problem Behavior Theory and having a family environment conducive to alcohol use. PMID:21906502

The Hundred Languages of Children Exhibition: A Unique Early Childhood Education Professional Development Program. Final Evaluation Report (September 15 to December 15, 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramson, Shareen; Huggins, Joyce M.

The "Exhibition of the Hundred Languages of Children" (HLC) was organized in the early 1980s by the early childhood schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy to promote the study of their educational methods and to reveal the potential of young children for learning and creative expression. This report details an evaluation of the exhibition and…

The Effect of Early Confirmation of Hearing Loss on the Behaviour in Middle Childhood of Children with Bilateral Hearing Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevenson, Jim; McCann, Donna C.; Law, Catherine M.; Mullee, Mark; Petrou, Stavros; Worsfold, Sarah; Yuen, Ho M.; Kennedy, Colin R.

2011-01-01

Aim: To determine if the benefit of early confirmation of permanent childhood hearing impairment (PCHI) on children's receptive language development is associated with fewer behavioural problems. Method: Follow-up of a total population cohort of 120 children with PCHI of moderate or greater severity (greater than or equal to 40 decibels relative…

Early Childhood Education Learning System for Three-and Four-Year-Old Migrant Children, McAllen, Texas. Evaluation Report, 1968-1969.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southwest Educational Development Lab., Austin, TX.

This document reports on a program seen as an integral part of a total educational development plan for migrant children. The Early Childhood Education Learning System is an instructional program which includes staff development and parent-school-community involvement. Focus is on the special learning problems of Mexican-American children and the…

"Queerying" Gender: Heteronormativity in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Kerry H.

2005-01-01

This paper explores heteronormativity and argues for the "queerying" of gender in early childhood education. The author argues, utilising Butler's theory of performativity and heterosexual matrix, that the construction of gender in young children's lives requires an analysis of the normalising practices in which gendered identities are…

Does Early Childhood Callous-Unemotional Behavior Uniquely Predict Behavior Problems or Callous-Unemotional Behavior in Late Childhood?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waller, Rebecca; Dishion, Thomas J.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Gardner, Frances; Wilson, Melvin N.; Hyde, Luke W.

2016-01-01

Callous-unemotional (CU) behavior has been linked to behavior problems in children and adolescents. However, few studies have examined whether CU behavior in "early childhood" predicts behavior problems or CU behavior in "late childhood". This study examined whether indicators of CU behavior at ages 2-4 predicted aggression,…

Retrospective Parent Report of Early Vocal Behaviours in Children with Suspected Childhood Apraxia of Speech (sCAS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Highman, Chantelle; Hennessey, Neville; Sherwood, Mellanie; Leitao, Suze

2008-01-01

Parents of children with suspected Childhood Apraxia of Speech (sCAS, n = 20), Specific Language Impairment (SLI, n = 20), and typically developing speech and language skills (TD, n = 20) participated in this study, which aimed to quantify and compare reports of early vocal development. Via a questionnaire, parents reported on their child's early…

The relation of infant attachment to attachment and cognitive and behavioural outcomes in early childhood.

PubMed

Ding, Yan-hua; Xu, Xiu; Wang, Zheng-yan; Li, Hui-rong; Wang, Wei-ping

2014-09-01

In China, research on the relation of mother-infant attachment to children's development is scarce. This study sought to investigate the relation of mother-infant attachment to attachment, cognitive and behavioural development in young children. This study used a longitudinal study design. The subjects included healthy infants (n=160) aged 12 to 18 months. Ainsworth's "Strange Situation Procedure" was used to evaluate mother-infant attachment types. The attachment Q-set (AQS) was used to evaluate the attachment between young children and their mothers. The Bayley scale of infant development-second edition (BSID-II) was used to evaluate cognitive developmental level in early childhood. Achenbach's child behaviour checklist (CBCL) for 2- to 3-year-olds was used to investigate behavioural problems. In total, 118 young children (73.8%) completed the follow-up; 89.7% of infants with secure attachment and 85.0% of infants with insecure attachment still demonstrated this type of attachment in early childhood (κ=0.738, p<0.05). Infants with insecure attachment collectively exhibited a significantly lower mental development index (MDI) in early childhood than did infants with secure attachment, especially the resistant type. In addition, resistant infants were reported to have greater social withdrawal, sleep problems and aggressive behaviour in early childhood. There is a high consistency in attachment development from infancy to early childhood. Secure mother-infant attachment predicts a better cognitive and behavioural outcome; whereas insecure attachment, especially the resistant attachment, may lead to a lower cognitive level and greater behavioural problems in early childhood. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Directions and Challenges in Preventing Conduct Problems in Early Childhood.

PubMed

Shaw, Daniel S; Taraban, Lindsay E

2017-06-01

In this article, we review advances in developing and preventing conduct problems in early childhood and identify challenges. Among the topics we address are expanding the targets of prevention programs beyond improving parenting skills, implementing family-based interventions during early childhood for families living in impoverished communities, making greater use of community platforms that serve young children at risk for early conduct problems, and incorporating techniques such as motivational interviewing to improve families' engagement in nontraditional mental health settings.

Challenging Behaviors in Early Childhood Settings: Creating a Place for All Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart Bell, Susan; Carr, Victoria W.; Denno, Dawn; Johnson, Lawrence J.; Phillips, Louise R.

2004-01-01

Learn to manage a wide range of challenging behaviors in early childhood settings with this strategy-filled resource for teachers and other professionals. Based on the latest research and the authors' classroom experience, the book helps early childhood teams assess the classroom environment and link effective behavioral interventions to…

Inequality in early childhood neurodevelopment in six poor rural counties of China: a decomposition analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Cuihong; Zhao, Chunxia; Liu, Xiangyu; Wei, Qianwei; Luo, Shusheng; Guo, Sufang; Zhang, Jingxu; Wang, Xiaoli; Scherpbier, Robert W

2017-12-08

Previous studies about inequality in children's health focused more on physical health than the neurodevelopment. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the inequality in early childhood neurodevelopment in poor rural China and explore the contributions of socioeconomic factors to the inequality. Information of 2120 children aged 0 to 35 months and their households in six poor rural counties of China was collected during July - September, 2013. Age and Stages Questionnaire-Chinese version, concentration index and decomposition analysis were used to assess the neurodevelopment of early childhood, measure its inequality and evaluate the contributions of socioeconomic factors to the inequality, respectively. The prevalence of suspected developmental delay in children under 35 months of age in six poor rural counties of China was nearly 40%, with the concentration index of -0.0877. Household economic status, caregivers' depressive symptoms, learning material and family support for learning were significantly associated with children's suspected developmental delay, and explained 34.1, 14.1, 8.9 and 7.0% of the inequality in early childhood neurodevelopment, respectively. The early childhood neurodevelopment in the surveyed area is poor and unfair. Factors including household economic status, caregivers' depressive symptoms, learning material and family support for learning are significantly associated with children's suspected developmental delay and early developmental inequality. The results highlight the urgent need of monitoring child neurodevelopment in poor rural areas. Interventions targeting the caregivers' depressive symptoms, providing learning material and developmental appropriate stimulating activities may help improve early childhood neurodevelopment and reduce its inequality.

Interactions between Callous Unemotional Behaviors and Executive Function in Early Childhood Predict later Aggression and Lower Peer-liking in Late-childhood.

PubMed

Waller, Rebecca; Hyde, Luke W; Baskin-Sommers, Arielle R; Olson, Sheryl L

2017-04-01

Callous unemotional (CU) behaviors are linked to aggression, behavior problems, and difficulties in peer relationships in children and adolescents. However, few studies have examined whether early childhood CU behaviors predict aggression or peer-rejection during late-childhood or potential moderation of this relationship by executive function. The current study examined whether the interaction of CU behaviors and executive function in early childhood predicted different forms of aggression in late-childhood, including proactive, reactive, and relational aggression, as well as how much children were liked by their peers. Data from cross-informant reports and multiple observational tasks were collected from a high-risk sample (N = 240; female = 118) at ages 3 and 10 years old. Parent reports of CU behaviors at age 3 predicted teacher reports of reactive, proactive, and relational aggression, as well as lower peer-liking at age 10. Moderation analysis showed that specifically at high levels of CU behaviors and low levels of observed executive function, children were reported by teachers as showing greater reactive and proactive aggression, and were less-liked by peers. Findings demonstrate that early childhood CU behaviors and executive function have unique main and interactive effects on both later aggression and lower peer-liking even when taking into account stability in behavior problems over time. By elucidating how CU behaviors and deficits in executive function potentiate each other during early childhood, we can better characterize the emergence of severe and persistent behavior and interpersonal difficulties across development.

Validity and reliability of the Early Childhood Caries Perceptions Scale (ECCPS) to assess health beliefs related to early childhood caries prevention among primary caregivers of children under 5 years of age.

PubMed

Pisarnturakit, Pagaporn P; Shaw, Bret R; Tanasukarn, Chanuantong; Vatanasomboon, Paranee

2012-09-01

Primary caregivers' child oral health care beliefs and practices are major factors in the prevention of Early Childhood Caries (ECC). This study assessed the validity and reliability of a newly-developed scale--the Early Childhood Caries Perceptions Scale (ECCPS)--used to measure beliefs regarding ECC preventive practices among primary caregivers of young children. The ECCPS was developed based on the Health Belief Model. The construct validity and reliability of the ECCPS were examined among 254 low-socioeconomic status primary caregivers with children under five years old, recruifed from 4 Bangkok Metropolitan Administration Health Centers and a kindergarten school. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed a four-factor structure. The four factors were labeled as Perceived Susceptibility, Perceived Severity, Perceived Benefits and Perceived Barriers. Internal consistency measured by the Cronbach's coefficient alpha for those four factors were 0.897, 0.971, 0.975 and 0.789, respectively. The ECCPS demonstrated satisfactory levels of reliability and validity for assessing the health beliefs related to ECC prevention among low-socioeconomic primary caregivers.

Exploring Educators' Perspectives: How Does Learning through "Happiness" Promote Quality Early Childhood Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ikegami, Kiiko; Agbenyega, Joseph Seyram

2014-01-01

The quality of early childhood education has dominated current debates in the ways educators develop and implement learning programs for children yet conceptions of quality vary contextually and culturally. This qualitative case study explored the insider perspectives of six early childhood educators in Sapporo, Japan regarding their conceptions…

Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood.

PubMed

Horváth, Klára; Plunkett, Kim

2018-01-01

Daytime napping undergoes a remarkable change in early childhood, and research regarding its relationship to cognitive development has recently accelerated. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of this relationship focusing on children aged <5 years. First, we evaluate different studies on the basis of the experimental design used and the specific cognitive processes they investigate. Second, we analyze how the napping status of children may modulate the relationship between learning and napping. Third, the possible role of sleep spindles, ie, specific electroencephalographic components during sleep, in cognitive development is explored. We conclude that daytime napping is crucial in early memory development.

Intersections: Feminisms/Early Childhoods. Rethinking Childhood, Volume 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hauser, Mary E., Ed.; Jipson, Janice A., Ed.

Through personal narrative and scholarly reflection, this book examines the foundations of early childhood education, contemporary curricular and pedagogical practice in early childhood education, and critical issues affecting the multiple worlds of childhood. Essays by individual contributors are linked by contributors' conversations. An…

Validation of a Comprehensive Early Childhood Allergy Questionnaire.

PubMed

Minasyan, Anna; Babajanyan, Arman; Campbell, Dianne E; Nanan, Ralph

2015-09-01

Parental questionnaires to assess incidence of pediatric allergic disease have been validated for use in school-aged children. Currently, there is no validated questionnaire-based assessment of food allergy, atopic dermatitis (AD), and asthma for infants and young children. The Comprehensive Early Childhood Allergy Questionnaire was designed for detecting AD, asthma, and IgE-mediated food allergies in children aged 1-5 years. A nested case-control design was applied. Parents of 150 children attending pediatric outpatient clinics completed the questionnaire before being clinically assessed by a pediatrician for allergies. Sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the questionnaire were assessed. Seventy-seven children were diagnosed with one or more current allergic diseases. The questionnaire demonstrated high overall sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI 0.86-0.98) with a specificity of 0.79 (95% CI 0.68-0.88). Questionnaire reproducibility was good with a kappa agreement rate for symptom-related questions of 0.45-0.90. Comprehensive Early Childhood Allergy Questionnaire accurately and reliably reflects the presence of allergies in children aged 1-5 years. Its use is warranted as a tool for determining prevalence of allergies in this pediatric age group. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Early Childhood Intervention in China from the Families' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Yuzhu; Maude, Susan P.; Brotherson, Mary Jane; Merritts, Ashley

2016-01-01

Research highlights the importance of early childhood intervention (ECI) for children with disabilities, and there is an increasing interest in China with respect to research on ECI. However, little research exists exploring the experience of families of young children with disabilities receiving ECI services and supports in China. The purpose of…

Language-Rich Early Childhood Classroom: Simple but Powerful Beginnings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Erin Elizabeth

2016-01-01

This article highlights research exploring the benefits of small-group storytelling as a way to promote rich language in early childhood classrooms. Using the storytelling of children from a preschool classroom serving lower SES children, the author explores the collaborative affordances of story circles. Results show that small-group storytelling…

Child Care and Cortisol across Early Childhood: Context Matters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, Daniel; Blair, Clancy; Ursache, Alexandra; Wiloughy, Michael; Garrett-Peters, Patricia; Veron-Feagans, Lynne; Bratsch-Hines, Mary; Mills-Koonce, W. Roger; Granger, Douglas A.

2014-01-01

A considerable body of literature suggests that children's child-care experiences may impact adrenocortical functioning in early childhood. Yet emerging findings also suggest that the magnitude and sometimes the direction of child-care effects on development may be markedly different for children from higher risk contexts. Using data from a large…

An Ecological Risk Model for Early Childhood Anxiety: The Importance of Early Child Symptoms and Temperament

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mian, Nicholas D.; Wainwright, Laurel; Briggs-Gowan, Margaret J.; Carter, Alice S.

2011-01-01

Childhood anxiety is impairing and associated with later emotional disorders. Studying risk factors for child anxiety may allow earlier identification of at-risk children for prevention efforts. This study applied an ecological risk model to address how early childhood anxiety symptoms, child temperament, maternal anxiety and depression symptoms,…

The association between breastfeeding and the cardiovascular system in early childhood.

PubMed

Evelein, Annemieke M V; Geerts, Caroline C; Visseren, Frank L J; Bots, Michiel L; van der Ent, Cornelis K; Grobbee, Diederick E; Uiterwaal, Cuno S P M

2011-04-01

Breastfeeding is suggested to have beneficial effects on children's health and future health status. However, its cardiovascular effects in childhood and possibly later in life remain largely unclear. The aim of the present study was to determine the cardiovascular effects of exclusive breastfeeding in early childhood. We used the ongoing WHeezing Illnesses STudy LEidsche Rijn (WHISTLER) birth cohort to obtain data on infant feeding. In the first 306 children who were 5 y of age, ultrasonographic measurements of the carotid artery were performed to obtain carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), distensibility, and elastic modulus. At 5 y of age, children who had been exclusively breastfed in infancy for 3 to 6 mo had a CIMT that was 21.1 μm greater than that of exclusively formula-fed children (95% CI: 5.0, 37.2 μm; P = 0.01, adjusted for confounders). CIMT was not significantly different between children exclusively breastfed for either <3 or >6 mo and formula-fed children. In addition, no significant differences in carotid stiffness were observed between groups. The duration of exclusive breastfeeding in infancy is related to properties of the carotid arterial wall at the age of 5 y, as shown by the greater CIMT in children who were exclusively breastfed for 3 to 6 mo. This relation was independent of early growth in infancy and current cardiovascular disease risk factors. The choice of infant feeding appears to have an effect on the vascular system already in early childhood.

Parental Plurilingual Capital in a Monolingual Context: Investigating Strengths to Support Young Children in Early Childhood Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sims, Margaret; Ellis, Elizabeth M.; Knox, Vicki

2017-01-01

Parents who are plurilingual have a portfolio of assets they can use to support the language development of their children. This portfolio of assets is positioned as a strength that parents bring into their partnership with early childhood educators. However, not all parents who are plurilingual have the same assets in their language portfolios.…

Early Childhood Curriculum: Planning, Assessment, and Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLachlan, Claire; Fleer, Marilyn; Edwards, Susan

2010-01-01

"Early Childhood Curriculum" addresses current approaches to curriculum for infants, toddlers and young children, ages birth to eight. It provides a comprehensive introduction to the curriculum issues that student teachers and emerging practitioners will face and equips them with the decision-making tools that will ultimately enhance and promote…

Transforming Early Childhood Education through Critical Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Elizabeth M.

2014-01-01

There is tension growing in early childhood education between an emphasis on higher learning standards, teacher-directed activities, and evidence-based instructional methods and maintaining active, dynamic and integrated learning experiences for young children. This short essay highlights the ways in which our existing values and beliefs,…

Suffolk Community College Early Childhood Program Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hochman, Darlene; Kaplan, Paul

The Early Childhood Program (ECP) at Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) was established to train students in the instruction of young children by providing them with theoretical knowledge, skills training, and practical experience. This report provides information on the philosophy, structure, and outcomes of the ECP. The first section…

Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators: Efforts to Improve Math and Science Learning Opportunities in Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piasta, Shayne B.; Logan, Jessica A. R.; Pelatti, Christina Yeager; Capps, Janet L.; Petrill, Stephen A.

2015-01-01

Because recent initiatives highlight the need to better support preschool-aged children's math and science learning, the present study investigated the impact of professional development in these domains for early childhood educators. Sixty-five educators were randomly assigned to experience 10.5 days (64 hr) of training on math and science or on…

The Net Benefits of Early Childhood Investments: Findings, Implications and a Texas Agenda.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Christopher T.; Faliski, Katherine; Betsinger, Alicia M.; O'Shea, Daniel P.

This report primarily addresses the question, "What are the net benefits associated with targeted early childhood investments in Texas?" The expected benefits and costs of targeted early childhood investments are estimated and projected for an illustrative cohort of Texas infants: children 0-1 year old living in families with annual…

Affordances for Risk-Taking and Physical Activity in Australian Early Childhood Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Little, Helen; Sweller, Naomi

2015-01-01

Motor competence and physical activity (PA) patterns are established during the early childhood years. Early childhood education (ECE) settings are an important context for children's engagement in physically active play. This paper reports the findings from an online survey examining resources, spaces and affordances for PA and risk-taking in…

Importance of Practices: A National Study of General and Special Early Childhood Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilgo, Jennifer L.; Johnson, Larry; Lamontagne, Maggie; Stayton, Vicky; Cook, Martha; Cooper, Carolyn

1999-01-01

A study examined the perceptions of 169 early childhood educators and 238 early childhood special educators on the importance of practices when applied to young children with and without disabilities. Findings indicate that few differences existed between the two professional groups' perceptions of the importance of these practices. (Author/CR)

School-Based Early Childhood Centers: Secrets of Success from Early Innovators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewett, Janet L.; Katzev, Aphra

School-based early childhood centers have the potential for responding effectively to a broad range of child and family needs and to society's demands for more effective schools. They have four defining features: (1) implementation of quality programs and developmentally appropriate practices for young children through age eight; (2) families as…

Engaging Young Children in Mathematics: Standards for Early Childhood Mathematics Education. Studies in Mathematical Thinking and Learning Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clements, Douglas H., Ed.; DiBiase, Ann-Marie, Ed.; Sarama, Julie, Ed.

2004-01-01

This book brings together the combined wisdom of a diverse group of experts involved with early childhood mathematics. The book originates from the landmark 2000 Conference on Standards for Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten Mathematics Education, attended by representatives from almost every state developing standards for young children's…

Examining the social determinants of children's developmental health: protocol for building a pan-Canadian population-based monitoring system for early childhood development

PubMed Central

Guhn, Martin; Janus, Magdalena; Enns, Jennifer; Brownell, Marni; Forer, Barry; Duku, Eric; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Raos, Rob

2016-01-01

Introduction Early childhood is a key period to establish policies and practices that optimise children's health and development, but Canada lacks nationally representative data on social indicators of children's well-being. To address this gap, the Early Development Instrument (EDI), a teacher-administered questionnaire completed for kindergarten-age children, has been implemented across most Canadian provinces over the past 10 years. The purpose of this protocol is to describe the Canadian Neighbourhoods and Early Child Development (CanNECD) Study, the aims of which are to create a pan-Canadian EDI database to monitor trends over time in children's developmental health and to advance research examining the social determinants of health. Methods and analysis Canada-wide EDI records from 2004 to 2014 (representing over 700 000 children) will be linked to Canada Census and Income Taxfiler data. Variables of socioeconomic status derived from these databases will be used to predict neighbourhood-level EDI vulnerability rates by conducting a series of regression analyses and latent variable models at provincial/territorial and national levels. Where data are available, we will measure the neighbourhood-level change in developmental vulnerability rates over time and model the socioeconomic factors associated with those trends. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval for this study was granted by the Behavioural Research Ethics Board at the University of British Columbia. Study findings will be disseminated to key partners, including provincial and federal ministries, schools and school districts, collaborative community groups and the early childhood development research community. The database created as part of this longitudinal population-level monitoring system will allow researchers to associate practices, programmes and policies at school and community levels with trends in developmental health outcomes. The CanNECD Study will guide future early childhood

Latino Parental Involvement in Kindergarten: Findings from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durand, Tina M.

2011-01-01

Parental involvement in children's schooling is an important component of children's early school success. Few studies have examined this construct exclusively among Latino families. Using data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS-K), the present investigation (N = 2,051) explored relations between Latino parents' home and school…

New Explorations with Waste Materials in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uyanik, Ozgun; Inal, Gozde; Calisandemir, Fatma; Can-Yasar, Munevver; Kandir, Adalet

2011-01-01

Creativity is innately brought with secret power which can emerge at any time throughout life and be enhanced if fostered. Properly designed art activities serve as a potential for emergence and the enhancement of children's creativities in their early childhood educations. Those children who cannot express their emotions through oral language or…

Creating Relational Spaces: Everyday Spirituality in Early Childhood Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bone, Jane

2008-01-01

This research addressed the question of how the spiritual experience of young children might be supported in early childhood educational settings. Qualitative case study research took place in three different contexts: a Montessori casa, a Rudolf Steiner kindergarten and a private preschool. Children aged 2 1/2-6 years, their parents and teachers…

Routines and Transitions: A Guide for Early Childhood Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malenfont, Nicole

2006-01-01

In early childhood settings, children spend over 50 percent of their time on handwashing, dressing, napping, and other routines and transitions. "Routines and Transitions" is a guide to help turn these routine daily activities into learning experiences. By using transitions wisely, providers not only help children develop skills, but also run a…

Exploring Bullying: An Early Childhood Perspective from Mainland China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arndt, Janet S.; Luo, Nili

2008-01-01

This article explores bullying in mainland China. The authors conducted a study to determine the existence of a problem with bullying in younger Chinese children. Samples included 40 randomly selected, early childhood educators serving children ages 2 through 6, located in 10 different urban school settings along the Yangzi River. The authors…

Strategic Financing: Making the Most of the State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Initiative. Building State Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Series. Number 5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Cheryl D.; Flynn, Margaret J.; Stebbins, Helene

2004-01-01

Ensuring that children enter school ready to learn is now a well-established national goal. Dramatic changes over the past three decades in U.S. families and the economy, as well as emerging research on the importance of early brain development, have increased the demand for public investments in early childhood supports and services, especially…

Examining the Association between the "Imagination Library" Early Childhood Literacy Program and Kindergarten Readiness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samiei, Shahin; Bush, Andrew J.; Sell, Marie; Imig, Doug

2016-01-01

This study evaluated participation in the "Imagination Library" early childhood literacy enrichment program and children's pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills at kindergarten entry in an urban school district. Previous studies have demonstrated that program participation is associated with greater early childhood reading practices.…

Neuroscience, Play and Early Childhood Education: Connections, Implications and Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rushton, Stephen; Juola-Rushton, Anne; Larkin, Elizabeth

2010-01-01

Paralleling the works of Cambourne's Conditions of Literacy Learning ("The Reading Teacher, 54"(4), 414-429, 2001), Copple and Bredekamp's ("Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth though age." National Association for the Education of Young Children, Washington, 2009)…

The effect of early childhood stunting on children’s cognitive achievements: Evidence from young lives Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Woldehanna, Tassew; Behrman, Jere R.; Araya, Mesele W.

2017-01-01

Background There is little empirical evidence on the effect of childhood malnutrition on children’s cognitive achievements in low income countries like Ethiopia. A longitudinal data is thus vital to understand the factors that influence cognitive development of children over time, particularly how early childhood stunting affects cognitive achievement of children up to the age of 8 years. Objective To examine the effect of early childhood stunting on cognitive achievements of children using longitudinal data that incorporate anthropometric measurements and results of cognitive achievement tests such as Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and Cognitive Development Assessment quantitative tests. Method Defining stunted children as those having a standardized height for age z-score less than −2; we used a Propensity Score Matching (PSM) to examine the effect of early childhood stunting on measures of cognitive performance of children. The balance of the propensity score matching techniques was checked and found to be satisfied (P<0.01) Results Early childhood stunting is significantly negatively associated with cognitive performance of children. Controlled for confounding variables such as length of breastfeeding, relative size of the child at birth, health problems of early childhood such as acute respiratory illness and malaria, baseline household wealth, child gender, household size and parental education, estimates from PSM show that stunted children scored 16.1% less in the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test and 48.8% less in the Quantitative Assessment test at the age of eight, both statistically significant at P<0.01. Conclusions It is important to realize the importance of early investment in terms of child health and nutrition until five years for the cognitive performance of children. As household wealth and parental education are particularly found to play an important role in children’s nutritional achievements, policy measures that are directed in

Childhood internalizing symptoms are negatively associated with early adolescent alcohol use

PubMed Central

Edwards, Alexis C.; Latendresse, Shawn J.; Heron, Jon; Cho, Seung Bin; Hickman, Matt; Lewis, Glyn; Dick, Danielle M.; Kendler, Kenneth S.

2014-01-01

Background The relationship between childhood internalizing problems and early adolescent alcohol use has been infrequently explored and remains unclear. Methods We employed growth mixture modeling of internalizing symptoms for a large, population-based sample of UK children (the ALSPAC cohort) to identify trajectories of childhood internalizing symptoms from age 4 through age 11.5. We then examined the relationship between membership in each trajectory and alcohol use in early adolescence (reported at age 13.8). Results Overall, children experiencing elevated levels of internalizing symptoms were less likely to use alcohol in early adolescence. This finding held true across all internalizing trajectories; i.e., those exhibiting increasing levels of internalizing symptoms over time, and those whose symptoms desisted over time, were both less likely to use alcohol than their peers who did not exhibit internalizing problems. Conclusions We conclude that childhood internalizing symptoms, unlike adolescent symptoms, are negatively associated with early adolescent alcohol experimentation. Additional studies are warranted to follow up on our preliminary evidence that symptoms of phobia and separation anxiety drive this effect. PMID:24848214

Early Childhood Numeracy in a Multiage Setting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Karen; Frid, Sandra

2005-01-01

This research is a case study examining numeracy teaching and learning practices in an early childhood multiage setting with Pre-Primary to Year 2 children. Data were collected via running records, researcher reflection notes, and video and audio recordings. Video and audio transcripts were analysed using a mathematical discourse and social…

The Importance of Music in Early Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinowitz, Lili M.

1998-01-01

Surveys some of the research in music education that validates the inclusion of music for its own sake in models for early childhood learning. Focuses on topics that include, but are not limited to, child and vocal development, the importance of movement for children, and adult involvement in music education. (CMK)

Constructing Relational Space in Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vuorisalo, Mari; Rutanen, Niina; Raittila, Raija

2015-01-01

This paper examines early childhood education (ECE) by applying and developing relational-spatial perspectives on everyday life in educational institutions for young children. The aim is to investigate the dynamic process of construction of space and to illustrate with selected empirical episodes how this process occurs in ECE. Drawing on authors…

Early Childhood Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elkind, David

In five sections, this paper explores dimensions of early childhood education: schooling generally construed as nonparental instruction in knowledge, values, and skills. Section 1 looks at some of the factors which have contributed to the rapid growth of early childhood education in modern times. Section 2 briefly highlights the contributions of…

THINGS THAT CAN BE CHANGED IN EARLY INTERVENTION IN CHILDHOOD.

PubMed

Golubović, Špela; Marković, Jasminka; Perović, Lidija

2015-01-01

Early intervention implies a model of support focused on a child, family and a broader community from early childhood. The aim of this study was to analyze the elements of the successful early intervention in childhood, as well as to assess the role of a special educator and rehabilitator and level of their involvement in implementing the program on the territory of Novi Sad. The study sample included 100 parents of children with disabilities (aged 3-7), who completed the questionnaire designed for the purposes of this research, based on a similar questionnaire design. Speech delay is one of the most common reasons (over 50%) why parents seek professional help. By the end of the first year of life of their child, 43% of parents responded that they had noticed the first problems, that is, a problem was identified in 25% of children of this age group, and the same number was included in the treatment. About 55% of children were involved in organized treatment from 3 years of age onwards. Special educators and rehabilitators are usually involved in treatment when the team consists of three or more professionals. It is necessary to improve early intervention services, to educate staff, and provide conditions which would make it possible to overcome the existing disadvantages in treating children from an early age. In addition, the involvement of special education and rehabilitation professionals in treatment teams since children's early age is vital.

Managing Early Childhood Caries for Young Children in China.

PubMed

Chen, Kitty Jieyi; Gao, Sherry Shiqian; Duangthip, Duangporn; Lo, Edward Chin Man; Chu, Chun Hung

2018-01-30

The latest national survey found that 70% of 5-year-old children in China had dental caries. The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) may not only be attributed to poor oral hygiene and unhealthy diet, but also to limited access to and availability of dental care. The prevailing preventive measures adopted by industrialised countries for ECC management are neither practical nor affordable in China. Hence, an alternative approach to ECC management is necessary. Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) has been advocated because the simple and short operative time renders ART affordable. However, the success rate of ART in restoring anterior primary teeth is unfavourable. Although there is no water fluoridation in China, topical fluorides may be used to manage ECC. Tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste is effective for caries control, but not all toothpastes in China are fluoridated. Professionally applied fluorides such as sodium fluoride varnish can be a cost-effective treatment for managing the high prevalence of ECC in China. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) at 38% is suggested to be effective in arresting ECC in China. It can be a simple, non-invasive and low-cost treatment. However, it stains caries black. Children and their parents must be well informed before SDF treatment.

Managing Early Childhood Caries for Young Children in China

PubMed Central

Chen, Kitty Jieyi; Duangthip, Duangporn; Lo, Edward Chin Man

2018-01-01

The latest national survey found that 70% of 5-year-old children in China had dental caries. The prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) may not only be attributed to poor oral hygiene and unhealthy diet, but also to limited access to and availability of dental care. The prevailing preventive measures adopted by industrialised countries for ECC management are neither practical nor affordable in China. Hence, an alternative approach to ECC management is necessary. Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) has been advocated because the simple and short operative time renders ART affordable. However, the success rate of ART in restoring anterior primary teeth is unfavourable. Although there is no water fluoridation in China, topical fluorides may be used to manage ECC. Tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste is effective for caries control, but not all toothpastes in China are fluoridated. Professionally applied fluorides such as sodium fluoride varnish can be a cost-effective treatment for managing the high prevalence of ECC in China. Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) at 38% is suggested to be effective in arresting ECC in China. It can be a simple, non-invasive and low-cost treatment. However, it stains caries black. Children and their parents must be well informed before SDF treatment. PMID:29385684

Kentucky's Early Childhood Continuous Assessment and Accountability System: Local Decisions and State Supports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rous, Beth; McCormick, Katherine; Gooden, Caroline; Townley, Kim F.

2007-01-01

Kentucky has developed an assessment and accountability system that provides outcome data for a set of state early childhood standards for children birth to 5 years of age that are aligned with early childhood outcomes designated by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). Within this flexible and comprehensive state assessment system,…

What factors contribute to positive early childhood health and development in Australian Aboriginal children? Protocol for a population-based cohort study using linked administrative data (The Seeding Success Study)

PubMed Central

Falster, Kathleen; Jorm, Louisa; Eades, Sandra; Lynch, John; Banks, Emily; Brownell, Marni; Craven, Rhonda; Einarsdóttir, Kristjana; Randall, Deborah

2015-01-01

Introduction Australian Aboriginal children are more likely than non-Aboriginal children to have developmental vulnerability at school entry that tracks through to poorer literacy and numeracy outcomes and multiple social and health disadvantages in later life. Empirical evidence identifying the key drivers of positive early childhood development in Aboriginal children, and supportive features of local communities and early childhood service provision, are lacking. Methods and analysis The study population will be identified via linkage of Australian Early Development Census data to perinatal and birth registration data sets. It will include an almost complete population of children who started their first year of full-time school in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, in 2009 and 2012. Early childhood health and development trajectories for these children will be constructed via linkage to a range of administrative data sets relating to birth outcomes, congenital conditions, hospital admissions, emergency department presentations, receipt of ambulatory mental healthcare services, use of general practitioner services, contact with child protection and out-of-home care services, receipt of income assistance and fact of death. Using multilevel modelling techniques, we will quantify the contributions of individual-level and area-level factors to variation in early childhood development outcomes in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children. Additionally, we will evaluate the impact of two government programmes that aim to address early childhood disadvantage, the NSW Aboriginal Maternal and Infant Health Service and the Brighter Futures Program. These evaluations will use propensity score matching methods and multilevel modelling. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained for this study. Dissemination mechanisms include engagement of stakeholders (including representatives from Aboriginal community controlled organisations, policy agencies, service

Heidelberg Interaction Training for Language Promotion in Early Childhood Settings (HIT)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buschmann, Anke; Sachse, Steffi

2018-01-01

Beside parents, teachers in early childhood education and care have the greatest potential to foster language acquisition in children. This is especially important for children with language delays, language disorders or bi-/multilingual children. However, they present teachers with a particular challenge in language support. Therefore, integrated…

Early Childhood Discipline: A Review of the Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firmin, Michael W.; Castle, Sally L.

2008-01-01

In this literature review concerning early childhood discipline we particularly highlight American children's discipline with respect to historical perspectives, generational theories, gender issues, parental styles, methods of discipline, and corporal punishment. We also address corporal punishment's history, the debate among experts, beliefs and…

Urban Early Childhood Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Wu-Ying; Hsieh, Chang-Ming

2012-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between urban early childhood teachers' attitudes towards inclusive education and personal characteristics, professional background, and programme context. Questionnaires were completed by teachers (n = 130) who taught preschool children in primarily low-income, urban neighbourhoods. Attitude ratings were…

A Consumer's Guide To Outcomes in Early Childhood Intervention.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Accreditation Council on Services for People with Disabilities, Landover, MD.

This collection of 21 suggested outcome measures for early childhood intervention services is designed to assist families in evaluating the quality of early intervention services they receive. The measures apply to all types of service and support program models for children with various developmental delays and/or disabilities and their families.…

Breaking the Silence on Domestic Violence: Information for Children's Services Workers. Australian Early Childhood Resource Booklets No. 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGregor, Heather

This booklet is designed to provide Australian early childhood workers with information about domestic violence and response techniques to employ if they become aware that children under their care are witnessing domestic violence. The booklet notes that domestic violence can include physical and sexual violence, as well as psychological, social,…

Evaluation of the Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale in an Australian preschool child population.

PubMed

Arrow, P; Klobas, E

2015-09-01

Early childhood caries has significant impacts on children and their families. The Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) is an instrument for capturing the complex dimensions of preschool children's oral health. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the instrument among Australian preschool children. Parents/children dyads (n = 286) participating in a treatment trial on early childhood caries completed the scale at baseline, and 33 parents repeated the questionnaire 2-3 weeks later. The validity and reliability of the ECOHIS was determined using tests for convergent and discriminant validity, internal reliability of the instrument and test-retest reliability. Scale impacts were strongly correlated with global oral health ratings (Spearman's correlations; r = 0.51, total score; r = 0.43, child impact; and r = 0.49, family impact; p < 0.001). The scale was significantly associated with children's caries experience, p < 0.001. Cronbach's alpha values were 0.87, 0.89 and 0.74 for the total, the child and the family domains, respectively. Test-retest reliability was 0.92, 0.89 and 0.78 for the total, child and family domains, respectively. The scale demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability for assessing the impact of early childhood caries among Australian preschool children. © 2015 Australian Dental Association.

Reframing Early Childhood Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stamopoulos, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

Rapid changes in Australian education have intensified the role of early childhood leaders and led to unprecedented challenges. The Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2011), mandated Australian "National Quality Framework" (NQF) for Early Childhood Education & Care (DEEWR, 2010b) and the "National Early Years Learning Framework"…

Effects of Early Childhood Education on Children with Hearing Impairments in Special Schools in Kiambu, Murang'A and Nyeri Counties, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loise W., Chege; Wamocho, Franciscah I.; Orodho, John Aluko

2014-01-01

This study sought to find out the effects of Early Childhood Education on children with hearing impairment (HI). Vigotsky's theory of cognitive development guided the study. Descriptive survey method was used. Target population included children with HI between ages 3-6 years and their parents, teachers, head teachers all from special schools in…

Froebel and Early Childhood Education in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sniegoski, Stephen J.

The idea of a special type of education for young children emerged in the United States in the mid-nineteenth century, with the kindergarten movement. The kindergarten was created by Friedrich Froebel, the German educator whose ideas, although no longer popular, can be traced to contemporary early childhood education. Froebel explicitly rejected…

Cranial thickness changes in early childhood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gajawelli, Niharika; Deoni, Sean; Shi, Jie; Dirks, Holly; Linguraru, Marius George; Nelson, Marvin D.; Wang, Yalin; Lepore, Natasha

2017-11-01

The neurocranium changes rapidly in early childhood to accommodate the developing brain. However, developmental disorders may cause abnormal growth of the neurocranium, the most common one being craniosynostosis, affecting about 1 in 2000 children. It is important to understand how the brain and neurocranium develop together to understand the role of the neurocranium in neurodevelopmental outcomes. However, the neurocranium is not as well studied as the human brain in early childhood, due to a lack of imaging data. CT is typically employed to investigate the cranium, but, due to ionizing radiation, may only be used for clinical cases. However, the neurocranium is also visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Here, we used a large dataset of MRI images from healthy children in the age range of 1 to 2 years old and extracted the neurocranium. A conformal geometry based analysis pipeline is implemented to determine a set of statistical atlases of the neurocranium. A growth model of the neurocranium will help us understand cranial bone and suture development with respect to the brain, which will in turn inform better treatment strategies for neurocranial disorders.

Continuity and Respect for Diversity: Strengthening Early Transitions in Peru. Working Papers in Early Childhood Development, No. 56. Studies in Early Childhood Transitions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ames, Patricia; Rojas, Vanessa; Portugal, Tamia

2010-01-01

This working paper is part of a series on early transitions from "Young Lives," a 15-year longitudinal study of childhood poverty in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam. It explores the diverse experiences of 28 children from four contrasting communities in Peru as they start school. These detailed case studies highlight common problems:…

Spotlight on daytime napping during early childhood

PubMed Central

Horváth, Klára; Plunkett, Kim

2018-01-01

Daytime napping undergoes a remarkable change in early childhood, and research regarding its relationship to cognitive development has recently accelerated. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of this relationship focusing on children aged <5 years. First, we evaluate different studies on the basis of the experimental design used and the specific cognitive processes they investigate. Second, we analyze how the napping status of children may modulate the relationship between learning and napping. Third, the possible role of sleep spindles, ie, specific electroencephalographic components during sleep, in cognitive development is explored. We conclude that daytime napping is crucial in early memory development. PMID:29576733

Planning in Middle Childhood: Early Predictors and Later Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Sarah L.; Scholnick, Ellin K.; Bender, Randall H.; Vandergrift, Nathan; Spieker, Susan; Pasek, Kathy Hirsh; Keating, Daniel P.; Park, Yoonjung

2014-01-01

Data from 1,364 children and families who participated in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development were analyzed to track the early correlates and later academic outcomes of planning during middle childhood. Maternal education, through its effect on parenting quality when…

Supporting Early Childhood Preservice Teachers in Their Work with Children and Families with Complex Needs: A Strengths Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenton, Angela; McFarland-Piazza, Laura

2014-01-01

This article explores the potential of tailoring the inherent principles of the Strengths Approach (McCashen, 2005) for preparing early childhood educators to work with children and families with complex needs. The term "Strengths Approach" (capitalized) is presented in the article as the name of a specific approach developed by St.…

Measuring and Improving Quality in Early Childhood Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernard van Leer Foundation, 2015

2015-01-01

The International Consultation, convened in Leiden (the Netherlands) in September 2014, brought together early childhood experts and stakeholders--supported by the International Step by Step Association (ISSA), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the…

Preparing Speech Language Pathology Students to Work in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barton, Erin E.; Moore, Heather W.; Squires, Jane K.

2012-01-01

The shortage of highly qualified speech language pathologists (SLPs) with specialized training in early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) is a pressing issue facing the field and dramatically impacts young children's social and academic success. SLP personnel preparation programs focused on training specialists in…

Mourning Child Grief Support Group Curriculum: Early Childhood Edition, Kindergarten-Grade 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehmann, Linda; Jimerson, Shane R.; Gaasch, Ann

The Mourning Child Early Childhood grief support curriculum is intended for use with early elementary-aged children, specifically children in kindergarten through grade two, who have experienced the death of someone special to them. It is designed for use by professionals who work in schools, hospitals, hospices, mental health agencies, or any…

Knowledge and Beliefs of Early Childhood Education Students at Different Levels of Professional Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goble, Carla B.; Horm, Diane M.; Atanasov, Amy M.; Williamson, Amy C.; Choi, Ji Young

2015-01-01

The expansion of early childhood education programming has heightened the focus on teachers' educational preparation and its role in providing high-quality services for young children. The interest in teachers' education is especially relevant in early childhood since differentiated levels of preparation are commonly used in quality rating and…

Preservice Early Childhood Educators' and Elementary Teachers' Perspectives on Including Young Children with Developmental Disabilities: A Mixed Methods Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frankel, Elaine B.; Hutchinson, Nancy L.; Burbidge, Julie; Minnes, Patricia

2014-01-01

This mixed methods study reports on the perspectives of 143 preservice early childhood educators (ECE) and 208 elementary teacher candidates (TC) on teaching children with developmental disabilities and delays (DDD) in inclusive classrooms. A questionnaire was administered which included items on demographic characteristics, experience, knowledge,…

Snoring during early childhood and academic performance at ages thirteen to fourteen years.

PubMed

Gozal, D; Pope, D W

2001-06-01

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in young children is associated with an adverse effect on learning. However, the long-term impact of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) during early childhood on learning remains unknown. Questionnaires were mailed to seventh and eighth graders attending public schools whose class ranking was either in the top 25% (high performance [HP]) or bottom 25% of their class (low performance [LP]), and who were matched for age, gender, race, school, and street of residence. Snoring frequency and loudness at 2 to 6 years of age, tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) for snoring or recurrent infection, school grades, and parental smoking and snoring were assessed. The questionnaire response rate was 82.8%. Because of ongoing ring, 13 responders were excluded, such that 1588 questionnaires could be analyzed (797 in LP and 791 in HP group). Frequent and loud snoring during early childhood was reported in 103 LP children (12.9%) compared with 40 HP children (5.1%; odds ratio: 2.79; confidence interval: 1.88-4.15). Furthermore, 24 LP and 7 HP children underwent T&A for snoring (odds ratio: 3.40; confidence interval: 1.47-7.84), while 21 LP and 19 HP children required surgery for recurrent tonsillitis. Children with lower academic performance in middle school are more likely to have snored during early childhood and to require T&A for snoring compared with better performing schoolmates. These findings support the concept that SDB-associated neurocognitive morbidity may be only partially reversible or that a "learning debt" may develop with SDB during early childhood and hamper subsequent school performance.

iPads as a Literacy Teaching Tool in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beschorner, Beth; Hutchison, Amy

2013-01-01

Considering the increased influence of digital technologies on daily life (Fallows, 2004) and young children's increased use of interactive technologies (Children Now, 2007), early childhood educators are beginning to think about the role of technology in their classrooms. Many preschool programs are beginning to purchase iPads, or similar…

iPads as a Literacy Teaching Tool in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beschorner, Beth; Hutchison, Amy

2013-01-01

Considering the increased influence of digital technologies on daily life (Fallows, 2004) and young children's increased use of interactive technologies ("Children Now," 2007), early childhood educators are beginning to think about the role of technology in their classrooms. Many preschool programs are beginning to purchase iPads, or…

Outcome Measures for Early Childhood Intervention Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Accreditation Council on Services for People with Disabilities, Landover, MD.

This collection of 21 suggested outcome measures for early childhood intervention services is intended to apply to all types of service and support program models for children (birth to age 5) with various developmental delays and/or disabilities. The measures are appropriate for either home-based or center-based service delivery models. Section 1…

Trajectories of Physical Discipline: Early Childhood Antecedents and Developmental Outcomes

PubMed Central

Lansford, Jennifer E.; Criss, Michael M.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Pettit, Gregory S.; Bates, John E.

2009-01-01

This study examined childhood antecedents and developmental outcomes associated with trajectories of mild and harsh parental physical discipline. Interview, questionnaire, and observational data were available from 499 children followed from age 5 to 16 and from 258 children in an independent sample followed from age 5 to 15. Analyses indicated distinct physical discipline trajectory groups that varied in frequency of physical discipline and rate of change. In both samples, family ecological disadvantage differentiated the trajectory groups; in the first sample, early child externalizing also differentiated the groups. Controlling for early childhood externalizing, the minimal/ceasing trajectory groups were associated with the lowest levels of subsequent adolescent antisocial behavior in both samples and with parent-adolescent positive relationship quality in the second sample. PMID:19765007

Trajectories of physical discipline: early childhood antecedents and developmental outcomes.

PubMed

Lansford, Jennifer E; Criss, Michael M; Dodge, Kenneth A; Shaw, Daniel S; Pettit, Gregory S; Bates, John E

2009-01-01

This study examined childhood antecedents and developmental outcomes associated with trajectories of mild and harsh parental physical discipline. Interview, questionnaire, and observational data were available from 499 children followed from ages 5 to 16 and from 258 children in an independent sample followed from ages 5 to 15. Analyses indicated distinct physical discipline trajectory groups that varied in frequency of physical discipline and rate of change. In both samples, family ecological disadvantage differentiated the trajectory groups; in the first sample, early child externalizing also differentiated the groups. Controlling for early childhood externalizing, the minimal/ceasing trajectory groups were associated with the lowest levels of subsequent adolescent antisocial behavior in both samples and with parent-adolescent positive relationship quality in the second sample.

Infant temperament moderates relations between maternal parenting in early childhood and children's adjustment in first grade.

PubMed

Stright, Anne Dopkins; Gallagher, Kathleen Cranley; Kelley, Ken

2008-01-01

A differential susceptibility hypothesis proposes that children may differ in the degree to which parenting qualities affect aspects of child development. Infants with difficult temperaments may be more susceptible to the effects of parenting than infants with less difficult temperaments. Using latent change curve analyses to analyze data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care, the current study found that temperament moderated associations between maternal parenting styles during early childhood and children's first-grade academic competence, social skills, and relationships with teachers and peers. Relations between parenting and first-grade outcomes were stronger for difficult than for less difficult infants. Infants with difficult temperaments had better adjustment than less difficult infants when parenting quality was high and poorer adjustment when parenting quality was lower.

Family Income Dynamics, Early Childhood Education and Care, and Early Child Behavior Problems in Norway

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zachrisson, Henrik D.; Dearing, Eric

2015-01-01

The sociopolitical context of Norway includes low poverty rates and universal access to subsidized and regulated Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). In this context, the association between family income dynamics and changes in early child behavior problems was investigated, as well as whether high-quality ECEC buffers children from the…

Early Violence Prevention: Tools for Teachers of Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slaby, Ronald G.; And Others

Based on the latest knowledge about early violence prevention and effective teaching strategies, this book describes practical ways for early childhood educators to handle children's aggression and shows how to help children become assertive, nonviolent problem solvers. The book's repertoire of proven approaches includes teaching children how to…

Approaches to Teaching in Thematic Work: Early Childhood Teachers' Integration of Mathematics and Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Björklund, Camilla; Ahlskog-Björkman, Eva

2017-01-01

Thematic work that integrates different knowledge areas is considered suitable for developing young children's knowledge and skills in early childhood education. This paper reports evidence from a survey of early childhood teachers' work with mathematics and art integrated in thematic work. In this study, we aim to explore how teachers perceive…

Matters of Size: Obesity as a Diversity Issue in the Field of Early Childhood.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jalongo, Mary Renck

1999-01-01

Notes that obesity is the primary reason for peer rejection in America; examines effects of obesity on wellness, self-esteem, peer relationships, and social status of children/families and early childhood teachers. Suggests that early childhood educators: (1) educate all stakeholders about nutrition and body size issues; (2) speak out against…