Infants and toddlers account for a disproportionate percentage of children diagnosed with cancer. These young children and their families benefit when infant and early childhood mental health is recognized as vital and integrated with medical treatment. Such interventions are beneficial for supporting families in coping when cancer is the only…

The recent headlines about parent and child separation at the U.S. border has raised concern about the impact of such experiences on young children. In this article, the author provides the children's perspective of parental separation and loss and their experience of mourning during infancy and early childhood. Three vignettes illustrate how…

Adults need to recognize and understand the importance of the parent-child relationship in supporting infants and young children who are exposed to traumatic events. All children need the support, security, and safety that come with a consistent, emotionally available relationship. For young children who have a more limited understanding and…

Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) is an evidence-based mental health intervention for infants and toddlers as well as their adult caregivers. Families with young children in foster care benefit most when it is offered along with an array of other supportive measures (e.g., housing, medical attention). As a core component of the Safe Babies Court…

Healthy social-emotional growth in infants and toddlers, also known as infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH), provides an essential foundation for early learning, school readiness, and long-term success. Social-emotional development is intertwined with cognitive development. This connection and its role in learning can be observed in…

Depression is a serious disorder with severe and far-reaching consequences. Two decades of observational research have shown robust associations between maternal depression and adverse consequences on offspring (S. Campbell et al., 2004; S. Campbell, P. Matestic, C. von Stauffenberg, R. Mohan, & T. Kirchner, 2007; S. Campbell, A. Morgan-Lopez,…

In 2010, Congress authorized the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program by enacting section 511 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 711, which also appropriated funding for fiscal years 2010 through 2014. Subsequently enacted laws extended funding for the program through fiscal year 2022. The program is…

This paper describes brief work with pregnant teenagers, adolescent mothers, their infants and their wider families, a group who would not ordinarily seek treatment in child and adolescent mental health services. The work takes place in a community context in London and includes a home visiting service for young people unable to attend…

The intent of this manuscript is to inform others about stress, parental stress, and highlight the negative consequences of stress on children by directly providing information to parents of infant and preschool children in the form of a psychoeducational workshop. Given that the early years of life have many critical periods of development and…

Divorce is difficult for any child to deal with, but for our youngest children it presents a host of risks and challenges. Attachment has often been at the forefront of many divorce and visitation discussions, particularly in relation to overnight visitation. The case studies presented here address another dimension of the impact of divorce on…

Major physical illnesses usually have an impact on the psychological well-being of any individual. An illness of early onset, with necessity of frequent diagnostic and therapeutic interventions can adversely affect the emotional balance and behavioural adaptation of children and adolescents. This is applicable for congenital heart disease,…