Professional Global Web Contact Part II - Saving Brains: Center on the Developing Child @ Harvard University

Following exploring Save the Children report and Voices from the Field, I explored the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.  The center proposes, “Coordinated strategies to support child development can multiply the effects of investments in child survival, health, education, and economic development.  We need to protect children from significant adversity, in addition to providing them with enriched learning opportunities.  The early childhood years are critical building blocks for lifelong health, not just school readiness.  These propositions guide their work internationally.  As I explored, I discovered a program called Saving Brains that struck my curiosity so I explored a little further.  Saving Brains is led by Grand Challenges Canada seeks to improve outcomes for children living in poverty through interventions that nurture and protect early brain development in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.  The Center on the Developing Child is part of a team that supports a dynamic learning community of Saving Brains innovators to help them advance the impact and scale of their work in countries around the world.  The partnerships are currently working with the community creating a suite of interventions for nurturing and protecting early brain development.  Currently, projects are being implemented in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America.  I began by watching the video on the Science behind brain development and I urge you to watch it.  It is quite informative.  I found it alarming that over 1/3 of the children in the world never reach their full potential.  It discusses brain plasticity and the fact that the brain actually physically and functionally changes with experiences beginning at birth and continuing throughout life.  It identifies three types of stressors that influence development of the brain.  The third type, toxic stress, which includes violence, abuse, neglect, and war stood out to me as I related it to the children in Syria and it very often negatively influences young children’s brain development because they have a weaker platform from which to launch.  This disadvantage can play out in multiple ways as life goes on.  The children experiencing toxic stress need protection to prevent or limit damage to the developing brain.  Saving Brains believes the answer globally is twofold: Firstly providing a platform of health and nutrition and secondly creating a stronger focus on play-based responsive stimulation.  The speaker points out that it is never too late.  Starting an earlier combination of play, health, nutrition, and early childhood education, as well as responding, engaging, and nurturing the children, teenagers, and adults in our lives can change brains for the better across the lifespan.  The speaker states a Chinese proverb that says...”The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.  The second best time is now.”  Saving Brains is definitely something to think about.  The video entails the science behind brain development and evidence that supports their beliefs and program.  It is quite informative and interesting.  I pray that Save the Children can reach Syria’s children implementing these strategies to create a better life for them in their future.

 Reference

Center on the Developing Child. (2016). Saving Brains. (2016). Retrieved from http://developingchild.harvard.edu/about/what-we-do/global-work/saving-brains/