The devastating toll of the pandemic has underscored the critical importance of connecting what science is telling us to the lived experiences of people and communities. In March of 2020, we recorded episodes exploring the impact the coronavirus pandemic could have on child development. Now, a year later, we wanted to continue these conversations and discuss what we've learned, what needs to change, and where we go from here.


Contents
Podcast
Speakers
Additional Resources
Transcript


In the second episode in this 4-part special series, host Sally Pfitzer speaks with Dr. Rahil Briggs, National Director of ZERO TO THREE’s HealthySteps program. They discuss the potential impact of the pandemic on infant and toddler development, how an overstressed pediatric health care system responded, and the importance of overcoming equity challenges and public fears to resume well-child visits.

Upcoming episodes of this series will feature expert speakers reflecting on the longstanding social policies and systemic racism that resulted in the pandemic disparately impacting communities of color, and the pandemic's impact on the mental health system. The experts will discuss how we can take what we learned over the past year and make meaningful changes that will improve outcomes for children and families. Listen to the first episode of this series, where Center Director, Jack P. Shonkoff, M.D. discusses what COVID-19 revealed about the needs of caregivers with young children or during pregnancy.

Subscribe below via your podcast platform of choice to receive all new episodes as soon as they’re released.




Speakers


Sally Pfitzer, Podcast Host

Dr. Rahil Briggs,  National Director of ZERO TO THREE’s HealthySteps Program




Additional Resources
Resources from the Center on the Developing Child



Re-Envisioning, Not Just Rebuilding: Looking Ahead to a Post-COVID-19 World
The Brain Architects: COVID-19 Special Edition: Self-Care Isn't Selfish
Working Paper 15: Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body: Early Childhood Development and Lifelong Health Are Deeply Intertwined
InBrief: Connecting the Brain to the Rest of the Body
A Guide to COVID-19 and Early Childhood Development



Resources recommended by Dr. Rahil Briggs



Psychology Today: What Parents of Babies and Toddlers Need Right Now
American Academy of Pediatrics: A superhero moment
HealthySteps: Caring for Yourself and Young Children During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Crisis
ZERO to THREE: Tips for Families: Coronavirus
Rapid Assessment of Pandemic Impact on Development (RAPID) - Early Childhood
USA Today: Opening 'so many doors for families': COVID-19 underscores the importance of wraparound care for new moms and children
Early Childhood Depression May Impact Brain Development in Later Years
Brazelton Touchpoints Center
ZERO TO THREE: Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood and official DC:0-5 Training for advanced infant and early childhood mental health professionals



Transcript
Sally: Welcome to The Brain Architects, a podcast from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University. I'm your host Sally Pfitzer. In March of 2020, we recorded episodes exploring the impact the coronavirus pandemic could have on child development. You may remember we discussed the importance of self-care for caregivers, and the importance of physical distancing, not social distancing.  And now a year later, we wanted to continue those conversations and discuss what we've learned, what needs to change, and where we go from here.


Joining us on today's podcast is Dr. Rahil Briggs, National Director of ZERO TO THREE's HealthySteps program. Rahil, thanks so much for being here with us today and just for timing, I'm going to jump right into our first question. What can we tell parents and caregivers about the potential effects the pande...