Early Relational Health

Early relational health is a framework that explores the role of early relationships and experiences in healthy development across a child’s lifetime. Relationships, especially in the early years, are biological necessities to build a foundation for lifelong growth and development. Early relational health can be supported in pediatric practice through the principles of a family-centered medical home and the recommended anticipatory guidance found in Bright Futures. Pediatricians can support early relational health through universal prevention to promote safe, stable, nurturing relationships to all families; targeted interventions to assess development and protected factors; and indicated treatments (i.e., interventions and referrals).