“Early experience literally is built into our bodies, for better or for worse.”
~InBrief: The Foundations of Lifelong Health
A childs childhood experiences profoundly impact their lifelong health in many ways. Positive experiences such as secure attachments, nurturing relationships, and a healthy and supportive environment lay the base for healthy development and resilience in life. Unhealthy and traumatic environments can have a lifelong negative impact on an individual in later years. These factors contribute the childs social, emotional, and cognitive development. When an environment is healthy, with nurturing relationships, secure attachments and supportive parents, this fosters a sense of security, self-worth and overall well-being. Early adverse experiences can disrupt healthy brain development, impair the immune system, and also increase the risk of mental health disorders, substance abuse and chronic diseases in adulthood. Social relationships, educational attainment, and employment opportunities may also be affected by early adversity in childhood, further impacting an individuals life and long-term health outcomes. When we can recognize the importance of a nurturing, loving, kind, and supportive childhood environment we are then able to promote optimal health throughout a persons life.
When a child has healthy brain development and a supportive environment in their early years they are able to reach higher goals and live healthy lives in society. Healthy brain development and a supportive environment fosters:
- Reading proficiency
- Highschool graduation
- Gainful employment
- Life-time physical and mental well-being
- Avoidance of substance abuse and crimes
Reference: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/about/department-initiatives/early-childhood/why-early-childhood-matters
https://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/deep-dives/lifelong-health/
