"The brain has this massive amount of growth happening in the first two to three years that has an impact, long-term, on the child's ability to cope with things like stress."
Melissa Mendez
The Child Health and Development Institute of Connecticut released a report that examines how the state can strengthen the skills of professionals who work with infants and toddlers.
Melissa Mendez is Associate Director for Early Childhood Services at Wheeler Clinic, and a specialist in infant mental health. "Speaking to overall health of the infant/toddler is about how they are able to express their needs, and how the adults who are caring for them are able to respond to those needs," she said. "It's so critical early on, because the brain has this massive amount of growth happening in the first two to three years that has an impact, long-term, on the child's ability to cope with things like stress."
Mendez co-authored the CHDI report, which looks at early brain development research and current gaps in how professionals are trained to address infant mental health. "Neuroscience tells us that children grow and learn in context of relationships so in order for them to grow and learn they have to have healthy relationships," Mendez said. "So that's where this workforce development effort is concentrated, bringing that relational health component in line with physical health, and cognitive, and mental health."
The report's recommendations include creating a system to ensure all professionals who work with children have training to promote infant mental health, and encourage colleges and universities in the state to adopt coursework in relevant fields that focus on infant and toddler mental health.
