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Introduction Mothers who have experienced childhood trauma may be at increased risk for disruptions in caregiving behavior, with potential consequences for early child development. However, assessments of caregiving behavior tend to be self-reported, which may bias results, and have been limited in lower-resource settings. Methods In an overall sample of 256 South African mothers followed across the perinatal period, this longitudinal study used structural equation modeling to test pathways of association between maternal childhood trauma and depressive symptoms on observed mother-infant interactions at 3.5 months and subsequent child growth outcomes at 1 year. Results On average, mothers with childhood trauma histories tended to show lower rated overall interactions with their infants (B = - 0.16, p = .013), which in turn was associated with reduced child growth at 1 year (B = 0.17, p = .046). When this model was adjusted for maternal age and relative socioeconomic status (SES), maternal SES strongly explained child growth (B = 0.31, p < .001) such that the direct effect of mother-infant interactions was no longer significant. Discussion For child growth in a lower-resource setting, quality of mother-infant interactions could be a relevant predictor but more strongly explained by maternal SES factors, suggesting a need for broader approaches that not only improve dyadic relationships but also address maternal ecological resources., Author(s): Karmel W. Choi [sup.1] [sup.2] [sup.3] , Christy A. Denckla [sup.3] , Nadia Hoffman [sup.4] , Shrish Budree [sup.5] [sup.6] , Liz Goddard [sup.5] [sup.6] , Heather J. Zar [...]

Author(s): Dina Burstein [sup.1] , Chloe Yang [sup.1] , Kay Johnson [sup.2] , Jeff Linkenbach [sup.3] , Robert Sege [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.67033.31, 0000 0000 8934 4045, Center for [...]

Evidence suggests that our brains are shaped profoundly by experiences in early life, with long-lasting implications for development. This science has yet to make the leap to policy on early childhood development in Canada--a shortcoming that has left this country well behind other developed nations. The Pascal Report, released in June 2009, marks an historic opportunity to enact comprehensive early childhood education and care policy in Ontario. Properly implemented, it could serve as a model for such policy across the country. Its successful adoption will require sustained advocacy and ongoing research by the Canadian medical community. Key words: Health policy; knowledge translation; pediatrics; public health L&apos;ensemble des recherches suggere que nos cerveaux sont profondement influences par nos experiences de premiere enfance, avec des effets durables sur le developpement humain. Par contre, cette connaissance n&apos;a pas encore fait le lien avec les politiques concernant le domaine du developpement de la petite enfance au Canada--un manque qui nous laisse bien derriere autres pays developpes. Le rapport Pascal, publie en juin 2009, marque une occasion historique pour mettre en vigueur des politiques comprehensives dans le domaine de l&apos;education et de soins de la petite enfance en Ontario. Executee judicieusement, une telle initiative pourrait servir comme modele pour le developpement de ces politiques a travers le pays, le succes desquelles exigera une plaidoirie soutenue et de recherches en outre par la communaute medicale canadienne. Mots cles : politiques de sante; traduction de connaissances; pediatrie; sante publique, The concept that social standing is a key determinant of health has gained widespread currency in scientific and policy circles alike. The impact of the social environment on childhood health [...]