Publication Excerpt:

It is well documented that early life experiences have profound effects on the brain and body that can last throughout the lifetime of a child. In addition to impacting physical health, these early childhood experiences also determine emotional and cognitive development. Early experiences, environmental influences, and genetics affect young children’s brains as they develop, which impacts long-term health and lifetime trajectories. We also know that healthy child development is the foundation for community economic development. Investing in the social, emotional, cognitive and healthy development of children from birth to age five is where the greatest impact can be made towards improving the well-being of our children and communities. Healthy brain development is most critical in infancy and the utilization of child health care is highest in infancy. Researchers have found that when children and their families have a stronger connection to a medical home, children experience better pediatric health outcomes, experience improved health care use, including less likely to need to use emergency department facilities or have outpatient sick visits, and increased health-promoting behaviors, including reduced missed days of school due to illness or injury, family reading, sleep hygiene, health use and decreased screen time.5 The near universal reach of medical homes to child health care may result in significant public health impacts.