Building Babies' Brains

by Mylinda Ogundipe, Community Development Manager

“You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.”

This quote from the poet Kahlil Gibran – shared by Dr. Sean Brotherson at the Building Babies’ Brains Summit in October – really stood out for me. It was such a moving analogy because it shows that parents have the potential to ensure that their children achieve much more than they did; and in fact, every generation can ensure this for their children.

Held in Bismarck, the Summit began with Dr. Joan Connell presenting a 3-minute video called Brain Hero, which explained how both positive and adverse experiences have long term effects on a child’s brain.

Dr. Andy Garner, of the American Academy of Pediatrics, followed this video with a nuts and bolts view of the Adverse Childhood Experiences study and its implications for early brain development. Dr. Garner continually stressed the benefits of programs like home visiting as well as developmental screening. As the manager of the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems (ECCS) grant funded program, I was especially pleased to hear him tout the importance of social-emotional developmental screening, as the goal of ECCS is to improve and enhance the early childhood screening system for children aged birth to three.

Many interesting ideas came up as part of the discussion portion of the Summit; these ideas included:

• Reduce the stigma of parenting classes and home visitation services.
• Use interns, students, nurses, etc., to do screening in waiting rooms.
• Deliver services at times when parents are available.

It was encouraging to see so many people, from different parts of the same country, all working to help children and their families. The Building Babies’ Brains Summit was very informational as well as motivational.  

Mylinda Ogundipe, Community Development Manager, coordinates the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems grant. 

The Building Babies Brains Summit took place on October 17, 2014, and was co-hosted by Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota and the North Dakota Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.