Research continues to show that early childhood development plays a key role in the overall mental health of our children. Zero to Three, a non-profit dedicated to early childhood development, defines early childhood mental health as a field of practice that promotes social and emotional well being, prevents the development of mental health problems in at risk populations, and provides intervention to young children with mental health problems and their families.
An infant's brain is like sponge and even the slightest abnormalities in environment or care can interfere with the development of the brain and lead to larger mental health problems later in life. Many actions can be taken at this early stage to prevent learning disabilities, attachment disorders and other mental illnesses from surfacing later in life.