Children’s mental health is just as important as their physical health and deserves the same quality of support.
– Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales

Contributed by Brittany Cernic, Marketing Manager of Exchange Press.

Mary Margaret Gleason and Allison Boothe Trigg discuss the significance of mental health for young children in the Exchange magazine article, “The Importance of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.” Gleason and Trigg explain that infant and early childhood mental health “encompasses the relationships they build with their caregivers as their brains rapidly develop across the first five years of life.”

The authors highlight the importance of understanding temperament and attachment in supporting young children. “Temperament is a biologically based construct that describes how a child approaches and responds to his or her environment… When a caregiver’s own temperament style does not fit with an infant’s temperament style, the caregiver may need to make adjustments, in order to best meet the child’s needs. Similarly, when considering group care, a caregiver needs to consider his or her own temperament and each child’s style.”

Attachment, another essential component, refers to the quality of relationships children develop with caregivers. “In a healthy attachment relationship, the caregiver recognizes the unique characteristics of the child, and the child understands that the caregiver is someone they can turn to for comfort when stressed or frightened, who will help them to soothe and reorganize their feelings.”

The article also addresses the lasting effects of trauma and adversity, explaining that “when children can develop secure attachment relationships at home and in their child care settings, they are better prepared to face difficulties and stressors that life may bring. While it may take some extra time and effort to support the development of these relationships, children who are securely attached to their caregivers may ultimately need less time and attention to settle big feelings or to recover from a negative event. Healthy attachment relationships can protect a child from the negative effects of adversity and traumatic events.”