How to keep children on a positive path

Seeing children grow up to lead happy and productive lives is a goal that we share. Yet, sometimes, we are not certain how to reach that goal. Two previous columns in this series shared research that show how we can prevent many behavioral and other problems that may arise during childhood and adolescence.

The fundamental principle is simple: Intervening early in childhood can keep a child on a positive pathway throughout life. Successful prevention interventions are based on; one, reducing risk factors that negatively affect healthy development and increase the risk of later problems; and, two, increasing protective factors that promote successful engagement with life situations.

What makes prevention so important?

Many people ask: Why should I care about prevention? I can’t really tell if it works and there are so many children and others who need my help right now. An excellent question and, in answer, consider this thought exercise: Imagine that you’re standing beside a river, simply enjoying the day. You hear splashing and shouting noises and look up to see a child drowning. Of course, you immediately jump into the water to save her. But just as you catch your breath, you see another drowning child, so you save him too. Before you can dry yourself, you see child after child careening downstream, each one thrashing and screaming for help. You are exhausted as you pull every child to safety.

You know that you just don’t have strength left to pull another child out, so what can you do? You realize that you’ve got to go upstream and learn why so many children are in danger. Soon, you see a group of children crossing a bridge over the river and you notice a large hole in the middle of the bridge; some (too many) of the children are falling through. You understand instantly that once the hole is repaired, the children will stop falling through.

Going upstream

When it comes to our health and well-being, prevention means “going upstream” to find and fix things closer to the source instead of merely waiting for problems to arise and then trying to save the drowning victims one by one. Not only is this less expensive in the long run, but it saves incalculable amounts of suffering for children, families and communities.

Prevention has positive impacts throughout the lifespan

Research over the past four decades has consistently shown that prevention programs implemented during early childhood can lead to many positive outcomes later in childhood and even into adolescence and young adulthood. These effects emerge across a wide range of behaviors, even behaviors that were not specifically targeted by the original intervention.

For example, one program for 1st and 2nd graders teaches children to work productively and cooperatively; it has far-reaching impact. It reduces aggressive and disruptive behaviors and enhances classroom learning in the short term. And even five to 15 years later, when the kids are aged 12 to 21, the program reduced drug and alcohol use, depression and suicide, and criminal behaviors and violence; it also increased high school graduation and college enrollment. A version of this program, PAX GBG, is currently being implemented in several Taos County schools and across New Mexico.

Another well-documented program of home visits by a nurse to first-time parents, from pre-natal through the first two years of infancy, showed remarkable results. These include better maternal health, employment and economic well-being; reductions in children’s behavioral problems, depression and injuries; and improvements in school readiness. At age 12, these children achieved better in school, reported less anxiety and depression, and were less likely to have tried tobacco, alcohol or marijuana. A similar program utilizing paraprofessional home visitors, Tiwa Babies, is currently being implemented on the Taos Pueblo and is open to all Taos County families with children aged 0-5.

Acknowledging the power

In sum, prevention programs put into place early can have significant positive impacts for children and their families for many years to come. Even if results are not immediately visible (though they often are), benefits in happiness and productivity, and reductions in individual suffering and community costs, emerge consistently over time.

The clinical, school and community support programs at Taos Behavioral Health focus on research validated programs which enhance the resiliency and psychological health of children and families.

The information presented in this series is taken from the National Institutes of Health Guide, “Principles of Substance Abuse Prevention for Early Childhood.” (drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-substance-abuseprevention-early-childhood/).