National Movement Weekly Update.

One of the many themes that arose in the Town Hall meetings held by the Movement during the past summer and fall was the importance of brain development on the subsequent academic success of children as well as their transition to adulthood. We wanted to share this today after reading the recent Policy Statement released by the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding "Early Childhood Adversity, Toxic Stress, and the Role of the Pediatrician: Translating Developmental Science into Lifelong Health," and the statement that "AAP is committed to leveraging science to inform the development of innovative strategies to reduce...toxic stress in young children and to mitigate their negative effects on the course of development..." Reading this our questions for you include: What role can we play in reducing the toxic stress that children are exposed to in our neighborhoods and communities? What innovative strategies to reduce toxic stress are being implemented where you live? And what strategies might be added? Please come to the National Movement for America's Children site to share your thoughts with us and others members from your state and if you're not sure what role you, your neighborhood or the Movement can play, please let us know so we can talk about that as well. Have a great week.