Healthy Growth and Development

In the first few years of life, children experience a period of intense brain development. At this stage, positive, nurturing interactions, and experiences with caregivers have the greatest impact on a child’s chance of building sturdy brain architecture.

Brains develop in a nurturing environment. Overcoming challenging situations with the help of a caring adult helps strengthen important skills linked to resilience. Brains develop in a nurturing environment. Overcoming challenging situations with the help of a caring adult helps to strengthen important skills linked to resiliency. On the other hand, Adverse Childhood Experiences and prolonged stress can weaken the developing brain. Too much stress is sometimes referred to as toxic stress.

Toxic Stress

Occurs when a child experiences serious, frequent, and/or prolonged adversity (e.g., physical and/or emotional abuse, neglect, caregiver substance use, household violence) without adequate adult support.

Weakens the architecture of the developing brain and other organ systems, increasing the risk for stress-related disease and cognitive impairment well into the adults years.

Can be prevented, or its impacts mitigated, through supportive, responsive relationships with caring adults.

If you suspect abuse or neglect, it is your duty to report your concerns to the Children's Aid Society. Additional information can also be found on the How to Report Child Abuse and Neglect .

Resilience

According to the American Psychological Association (2020), resilience is about adapting and bouncing back from adversity, trauma, tragedy, and other difficult experiences. It involves protective factors, such as skills and abilities of an individual or community, to effectively manage, and cope in circumstances of severe stress or hardship.1

We can help families build resilience by supporting environments rich in serve and return interactions and by preventing experiences that may cause toxic stress. While parents/caregivers and extended family are a key source of this support, other adults can also act as supportive caregivers to a child. 2

“The single most common factor for children who develop resilience is at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult.” 3

Recommended Video: Brains: Journey to Resilience (7:44 minutes)

Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child developed three evidence-based design principles for policies and programs to improve outcomes for children and families:

Support Responsive Relationships for Children and Adults

For children, responsive relationships with their caregivers promote their healthy brain development and protects them from toxic stress. In adults, strong social connections boost overall well-being and build confidence to get through life’s challenges.

Serve and return relationships are essential for healthy brain development. Serve and return interactions are back and forth exchanges between a child and caregiver. These interactions are very important for healthy brain development. Please see the links below for five easy ways to learn how to play.

Resources:

5 Steps for Brain Building Serve and Return Relationships

Building Babies' Brains Through Play: Mini Parenting Master Class

Strengthen Core Skills for Planning, Adapting, and Achieving Goals

Executive function and self-regulation skills assist individuals, across the life course, in successfully managing relationships, school, work, and life. These core skills improve a person’s ability to focus, reach goals, adapt to changing situations, and resist impulsive behaviours.

Resource:

Activities Guide: Enhancing and Practicing Executive Function Skills with Children from Infancy to Adolescence

Reduce Sources of Stress in the Lives of Children, Adults, and Families

Create safe, supportive environments that provide life stability enabling adults to focus on strengthening their core skills and, where applicable, provide responsive caregiving.

Caregivers understand the child’s needs and development. Whenever possible, early identification of developmental delays will improve long-term outcomes.

Did you know?1

1 in 3 kindergarten-aged children in Nipissing and Parry Sound districts were identified as vulnerable in at least one are of their child development?

The Basics Nipissing-Parry-Sound initiative is an evidence-based approach that supports the healthy development of children from birth to age five. It focuses on promoting positive, responsive interactions between children and caring adults to strengthen early brain development, learning, and overall well-being.

The Basics Principles

Science shows that 80% of brain growth happens by the age of three!

Beginning from birth, young brains develop like muscles, getting bigger and stronger with every interaction. The Basics are grounded in five simple, science-based principles that support cognitive, language, and social-emotional development. The Basics principles are simple, free, and designed to fit naturally into daily routines, helping to create supportive and enriching environments for young children

These principles are based on research from Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child and are designed to be integrated into everyday routines and interactions with young children. Science-Behind-The-Basics-3a

Maximize Love, Manage Stress

Babies and young children thrive in environments that are loving, safe, and predictable. Early experiences of warmth and responsiveness support the development of secure relationships and emerging self-regulation. The Basics

Talk, Sing and Point

Language development begins at birth and is shaped through ongoing interaction and communication. Verbal and non-verbal exchanges, including eye contact, tone of voice, and gestures, help build understanding and connection. The Basics

Count, Group, and Compare

Every child’s brain is wired for math and develops through everyday experiences. Children begin to understand numbers, patterns, shapes, and relationships through observation and interaction with their environment. The Basics

Explore Through Movement and Play

Young children learn through active exploration and play. Movement and hands-on experiences support curiosity, discovery, and the development of problem-solving skills. Active play also contributes to physical development and overall well-being. The Basics

Read and Discuss Stories

Early exposure to books, stories, and shared communication supports language development, imagination, and early literacy skills.
Opportunities to engage with stories and discuss ideas help build understanding, thinking skills, and a foundation for learning.

The Basics

Early identification of mental health concerns

Infants and young children do not show signs they are struggling the same way you might see in an adult with depression or anxiety.

Infant mental health is the social, cognitive and emotional wellbeing of infants and children. It is how they regulate their emotions, form secure relationships with caregivers and learn. Infants and children show they are not regulated through their emotions and physical movements.

Some of these behaviours can be predictive of future mental health concerns as this child grows up.

These children might have trouble “controlling their emotions” or be labeled as “difficult”. These early signs indicate that there needs to be more investigation or supports provided to the whole family. Early intervention and support are critical.

Mental Health Supports

Health Unit Mental Health Services

Sick Kids Mental Health Learning HUB

The Looksee Checklist (formerly the ndds checklist)

The Looksee Checklist is a simple, easy-to-use developmental tool designed to help monitor a child’s development from 1 month to 6 years of age, featuring a short list of “yes” or “no” questions about a child’s abilities.

The Looksee Checklist has been translated into several languages. To learn more about the Looksee Checklist please call Family Health Information Line at 705-474-1400/1-800-563-2808 ext. 5351, or email healthy.families@healthunit.ca. The checklists are available in a variety of formats.

Please visit their website at www.lookseechecklist.com and register for free today to receive:

A checklist to find out if a child is developing as expected

Email reminders when it’s time to do the next checklist

Activities to encourage a child’s growth and development

The Enhanced 18-Month Well Baby Visit

Encourage parents with children aged 15 to 23 months to ask their doctor about the Enhanced 18-Month Well Baby Visit.

The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit offers support to all expectant parents and families with young children on the New Parent Resources webpage.

To speak with a Public Health Nurse, please call the Family Health Information Line at 705-474-1400/1-800-563-2808 ext. 5351, or email healthy.families@healthunit.ca.

For more information on children’s healthy growth and development, visit the Caring for Kids webpage Your child’s development: What to Expect.