Do first years really last a lifetime?

Multiple early childhood intervention programs have been introduced to provide at-risk children with a better start in life. This is due to the recognition that early childhood experiences, both positive and negative, can affect the physical, mental, behavioral, and economic well-being of the child. A few of these programs have evaluated long-term outcomes and have demonstrated that the effects of interventions may still be apparent years after the intervention. Pediatricians need to become more aware of the information available about the impact of early childhood events and become more active in promoting proven best intervention practices at the local, state, and national level.