January DHS lecture examines early childhood brain development

Oklahoma City -- As recent president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Robert Block has a unique perspective when looking at a child’s developing brain.  “To succeed as a nation,” Block says, “we must invest in early childhood health, mental health, education, nutrition, and social stability.” In his upcoming lecture presented by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS), Block examines how children who are exposed to certain “toxic stressors” may develop abnormally when it comes to brain functions.

“Developing an Understanding of the Child’s Developing Brain:  Practical Facts to Guide Today’s Practices” will be presented by DHS as part of the Spring Practice and Policy Lecture Series.  It will be held Tuesday, January 13 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Dr. in Oklahoma City. 

“All adults once were children,” Block said. “Although this is an obvious statement, this fact is often ignored during early childhood when the brain is undergoing its most important foundational development.

“Children who are exposed to toxic stressors like domestic violence or poverty among many factors, will have a brain that is either less developed than possible or developed in an abnormal fashion that predicts problems during childhood and continuing into adult life,” he says.

Block holds an impressive list of credentials, including immediate past chair at the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma  School of Community Medicine in Tulsa. He received his MD from the University of Pennsylvania, and completed his pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. In 1989, he was appointed Oklahoma’s first Chief Child Abuse Examiner, and served in that capacity until 2011.

In support of infants and mothers, donations will be collected for Oklahoma City’s “Community Baby Shower.”  It is sponsored by the Oklahoma State Department of Health Office of Minority Health and Mary Mahoney Health Center. Diapers, wipes, baby blankets, bottles, and other baby items are needed for new moms and infants.

The Practice and Policy Lecture Series has been developed to provide thought-provoking presentations on Oklahoma's emerging policy issues, trends and best practices. The series is sponsored by the DHS Office of Planning, Research and Statistics and the University of Oklahoma Center for Public Management with the goal of providing the best educational opportunities available in a forum that offers participants an opportunity to question, share and learn from each other. 

All lectures are free and open to the public. For more information contact the Office of Planning, Research and Statistics at (405) 521-3552 or visit the Practice and Policy Lecture Series website. 

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