ABSTRACT
Brain development depends not only on the number of ex periences, but also on the type of experiences. A child's early environment is critical. Poverty and economic stability are two of the most powerful predictors of children's later success (Na tional Governors' Association, 1992). In 1995, 24 percent of America's children under the age of three lived in poverty (Wells, 1990). Students from low-income families are 2.4 times more likely to drop out than children from middle-income families and 10.5 times more likely than students from high-income fami lies (NCES, 1994). Children living in poverty are more likely to be exposed to one or more of these risk factors:
♦ inadequate nutrition, which can cause social with drawal, delayed motor skills, and delayed physical growth (Brown and Pollitt, 1996)
♦ prenatal exposure to substance abuse, which can cause stunted neurons and a lack of brain cells (Mayes, 1996)
♦ maternal depression, which can cause children to be more withdrawn, be less active, and have shorter at tention spans (Belle, 1990)
♦ inadequate attachments to others (Brookes-Gunn et.al., 1995);
♦ limited access to medical care ♦ an unsafe or unpredictable physical environment ♦ a high level of stress in the home ♦ poor quality of daycare
The good news is that effective prevention and intervention can make a difference. The type of early care children receive affects their development. If a child forms a secure attachment to a nurturing caregiver in a safe, stimulating environment, the synapses will be effectively developed. Furthermore, research shows that timely, intensive intervention can alter the brain, helping to compensate for earlier deficiencies (Wells, 1990).
