ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT)-Toddler protocol for parents of children ages 1½ to 3 years. Adapting CPRT for toddlers can assist parents in developmentally appropriate expectations and the creation of secure attuned relationships with their young child. The CPRT-Toddler therapist should be prepared to provide empathy and understanding to the weary caregivers with whom they work. Parents of children who are more physical, coordinated, and often taller may wonder why their child does not have an expansive vocabulary. Brain development during the toddler stage has a primary focus of integration of numerous functions such as perceptual, cognitive, and language, and child-led play is an important component in this process. The brain develops over time with constant repetition and exposure, and each experience can reinforce positive or negative behaviors. Infants born into this world are dependent on their primary caregiver for survival.
