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How Extreme Heat Affects Early Childhood Development and Lifelong Health

Excessive heat can impact young children’s development-beginning during pregnancy-through immediate and lifelong impacts on their developing biological systems.

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How Racism Can Affect Child Development

Research suggests that constant coping with systemic racism and everyday discrimination is a potent activator of the stress response. This may help us understand the early origins of racial disparities in chronic illness across the lifespan.

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What Is Inflammation? And Why Does it Matter for Child Development?

Inflammation is a critical part of an immune system’s response to invaders and threats; it enables our bodies to attack infections and heal the damage they cause. Inflammation can also be triggered by other experiences, such as witnessing traumatic events or undergoing stressful circumstances, and this response helps our bodies to react to and survive […]

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Detail of the first panel of the "What is COVID-19" infographic

What Is COVID-19? And How Does It Relate to Child Development?

This infographic explains the basics of what COVID-19 is, and what it can mean for stress levels in both children and the adults who care for them. It also offers some easy and concrete solutions to help caregivers ensure that both they and the children they care for don’t experience long-term effects of stress.

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Two trucks and a crane moving boxes from one truck to the other

What We Can Do About Toxic Stress

Making sure every community has the resources to foster a strong support system is one of the ways we can help to promote resilience, as well as prevent the potentially harmful effects of toxic stress. Those who’ve experienced toxic stress know best the toll it can take on the body and brain. But experiencing it is never the whole story. There are many supports that can help ease the burden and prevent toxic stress from leading to bad outcomes.

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What Is Executive Function? And How Does It Relate to Child Development?

As essential as they are, we aren’t born with the skills that enable us to control impulses, make plans, and stay focused. In this infographic, learn more about what executive function skills are, why they’re important, and how they’re built.

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Epigenetics and Child Development: How Children’s Experiences Affect Their Genes

What is epigenetics? In this infographic learn about the science behind genes and their interaction with the environment — nature and nurture — and how these interactions affect child development.

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Motivation Brain

The Brain Circuits Underlying Motivation: An Interactive Graphic

The brain circuits underlying motivation are critical for attention, learning, and decision-making. In this interactive graphic, learn about the different parts of the brain that affect motivation and how they interact.

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Icons of a toddler and two babies

ACEs and Toxic Stress: Frequently Asked Questions

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)? In this infographic and FAQ, learn about ACEs and toxic stress, and how to prevent or reduce their lasting harm.

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