Childhood - Early and Middle


National Organizations on Children

American Academy of Pediatrics
This organization provides data for optimal physical, mental, and social health for all children. The site provides links to publications, professional educational sources and current research.

Children's Defense Fund
An advocacy organization for children.

National Association for The Education of Young Children
This is the nation's largest organization of early childhood professionals devoted to improving the quality of early childhood education programs for children from birth to age 8. Includes resources for parents and a list of accredited centers. Also includes a wealth of information on such topics as SIDS, self-esteem, building positive relationships, automobile safety learning through olay, guidelines for developmentally appropriate practices.

The National Academy For Child Development
NACD is an international organization of parents and professionals dedicated to helping children and adults reach their full potential. Includes research and articles on such topics as ADD, ADHD, learning disabilities, dyslexia, Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy, minimal brain dysfunction, accelerated programs for the gifted. Site also includes a new study on the role of short-term memory on academic achievement. Also includes articles published from the Journal of the National Academy for Child Development on such topics as food sensitivity, sensory deprivation, child management, ADD and many more.

UNICEF Convention on the Rights of the Child
An outline of the UN human rights treaty.  Includes description on international standards for children's civil, political, economic, cultural and social rights.

United Nations Children's Fund
Provides international reports on children's news, recent UNICEF publications, statistics on women and children worldwide, as well as other global children's rights information.


Early Childhood

Aggression and Cooperation:  Helping Young Children Develop Constructive Strategies
This ERIC Digest report is on helping children deal effectively with aggression.  Developing prosocial attitudes and behaviors is its goal.

Children's Nutrition Research Center (CNRC)
CNRC is dedicated to defining the nutrient needs of healthy children, from conception through adolescence, and of pregnant and nursing mothers.

Early Childhood Care and Development
Child development theory, programming and parenting data, and research can be found on this site of the Consultative Group.  it is dedicated to the improvement of conditions of young children at risk.

Early Childhood-UNICEF's The State of The World's Children
Details the daily lives of parents and other caregivers who are striving - in the face of war, poverty, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic - to protect the rights and meet the needs of young children.

Enuresis-Bedwetting
A site of the National Enuresis Society.  Provides important facts about children and bedwetting.

How Does Your Child Hear and Talk
Information on hearing, understanding, and talking by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.  Includes developmental milestones from birth to 5 years.

Sesame Workshop
The non-profit organization behind Sesame Street and more.  Includes educational resources for parents, educators and more.

The Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development
Gathers and disseminates information on early childhood development.

The Early Childhood Initiative at the University of Chicago
A site at the University of Chicago dedicated to advancing research on early childhood development.The site includes the research of Susan Goldin-Meadow on children and gesturing. Major research areas of the initiative include: academic achievement, brain development, cognition, language, maternal factors in development, neurological disorders and social programs.


Toys:  Tools for Learning
A site developed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  Through toys, children learn about their world, themselves and others.  This site helps you to understand the importance of play and how to choose the correct structure and toys for play.

Middle Childhood

Research Network On Successful Pathways Through Middle Childhood
Funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Looks at early childhood transitions. Includes a network of experts from diverse fields. Major areas of research includes: continuity and transitions, context, psychological processes, diversity and intervention. Includes a section on "For Kids and Families," with links to fun sites for children.

Language Development

Language Development - Developmental Milestone Chart
A joint project of the Corporation for National Service, the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Shows a developmental milestone chart on language development from infancy through childhood. Also takes you to another Chart outlining activities to help children learn language.

Children's Literature

Vandergrift's Children's Literature Page
A wonderful site about children & their literature by Kay Vandergrift, Rutger's University.

Children and Allergies

Asthmatic Children
Information, definitions and tips for parents of asthmatic children.

Children and Allergies
An overview of allergies that children may acquire. Provides pointers on potential problem spots for children with allergies and tips to help children and their parents effectively manage allergies.

Dust Allergy
Discusses the causes of allergic reactions to dust.

Food Allergies
Information of foods that cause allergies and how to deal with children and food allergies.

I Am Your Child
A national public awareness and engagement campaign to make early childhood development a top priority for our nation. Includes resources and research on parenting, stages of development, child care, brain facts and more.

Rhinitis
Causes, triggers, treatment and management.


Parenting in Childhood
 Parentsplace.com: Single Parenting
This resource focuses on issues concerning single parents and their children.  The articles range from parenting children from infancy through adolescence.

The National Parent Information Network (NPIN)
This is an ERIC clearinghouse on elementary and early childhood education. The site contains resources related to many controversial issues faced by parents raising children in contemporary society.

Research Issues and Findings on Childhood

Children Now
Children Now focuses on improving conditions for children who are poor or at risk.  Articles include information on education, the influence of media, health, and security.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Site provides overview of institute's mission, research publications, etc. Conducts and supports laboratory, clinical and epidemiological research on the reproductive, neurobiologic, developmental and behavioral processes that determine and maintain the health of children, adults, families and populations. Includes the Cochrane Neonatal Colloborative Review Group with a host of research articles on neonatal development. See new releases of research findings under "News & Events."

Raising and Educating Gifted Children

Harvard Project Zero
Investigates the development of learning processes in children and adults. Mission is to understand and enhance learning, thinking and creativity in the arts and other disciplines for individuals and institutions.

Frequently Asked Questions on Gifted Education
Provides extensive information on 28 areas of giftedness, including identifying gifted children, gifted children with disabilities, models of best practices, longitudinal studies, and much more.

Joy & Loss: The Emotional Lives of Gifted Children
An excellent site. Discusses the psychosocial development of gifted children as well as the stress they experience as a result of being gifted.

Gifted Development: Emotional Intensity
An article by Linda Kreeger Silverman, Ph.D. on the emotional expressions of creative gifted children.

Motivating Gifted Students
An ERIC digest on strategies for motivating gifted students to work and learn, including a discussion of compacting, contracts, and independent study agreements.

Child Abuse

National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse
This site provides a wealth of resources and information on child abuse prevention efforts. The site also provides statistics and parenting tips.

Disorders in Childhood

National Attention Deficit Disorder Association
Site includes many resources and topics such as definitions and symptoms, treatment, drug issues, family issues, support groups and other research.

Dyslexia
Discusses the positive advantages of dyslexia. Includes information on dyslexia and the Davis training methods for overcoming learning problems, worldwide centers for correction, forums for networking, articles and reports on different learning styles, educational approaches, and guides for teachers and parents.

Autism Society of America
The mission of the Autism Society of America is to promote lifelong access and opportunities for persons who are autistic through advocacy, public awareness, education and research.