Global Sustainable Development Starts With Investment in the Early Brain Development of Children

* Abbreviations: AAP — : American Academy of Pediatrics MDG — : Millennium Development Goal SDG — : Sustainable Development Goal At least 200 million children living in poverty in low- to middle-resource countries <5 years of age fail to reach their cognitive and socioemotional developmental potential.1 Although nutritional deficiencies play a role, inadequate stimulation in the first 5 years of life is critical.2 A growing body of evidence from studies in the United States documents the negative effect of poverty on early brain development.3–6 The quality of caregiving by the parent is central.5,7 Differences in language development based on parent language interactions are present from the time children utter their first words,8,9 and these effects impact school readiness and long-term academic achievement. Research on home visiting programs in the United States has shown that they can improve parenting skills and the quality of the home environment, as well as improve intellectual development among children.10 These factors, as well as the potential impact of home visiting interventions to help at-risk children, are likely to be as or more important in the developing world. In this issue of Pediatrics , Bann et al11 present the … Address correspondence to Benard P. Dreyer, MD, 550 First Ave, NBV 8 East 11, New York, NY 10016. E-mail: benard.dreyer{at}nyumc.org