@article{76692b862e594e4e9885870d7edd1c5c,
title = "Human capital development before age five",
abstract = "This chapter seeks to set out what economists have learned about the effects of early childhood influences on later life outcomes, and about ameliorating the effects of negative influences. We begin with a brief overview of the theory which illustrates that evidence of a causal relationship between a shock in early childhood and a future outcome says little about whether the relationship in question is biological or immutable. We then survey recent work which shows that events before five years old can have large long term impacts on adult outcomes. Child and family characteristics measured at school entry do as much to explain future outcomes as factors that labor economists have more traditionally focused on, such as years of education. Yet while children can be permanently damaged at this age, an important message is that the damage can often be remediated. We provide a brief overview of evidence regarding the effectiveness of different types of policies to provide remediation. We conclude with a list of some of the many outstanding questions for future research.",
keywords = "Early childhood, Fetal origins, Health, Human capital",
author = "Douglas Almond and Janet Currie",
note = "Funding Information: The following acronyms are used in this chapter: AFDC = Aid to Families with Dependent Children BCS = British Birth Cohort Study of 1970. BPI = Behavioral Problems Index BW = birth weight CESD = Center for Epidemiological Depression scale CCT = Conditional Cash Transfer COHS = County Organized Health System CPS = Current Population Survey DDST = Denver Developmental Screening Test ECLS-B = Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Birth Cohort ECLS-K = Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 EITC = Earned Income Tax Credit EPA = US Environmental Protection Agency FSP = Food Stamp Program HAZ = Height for age z -score HOME = Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment Score IHDP = Infant Health and Development Project IPUMS = Integrated Public-Use Microdata Samples of the US Census IV = instrumental variables LBW = Low Birth Weight (birth weight less than 2500 g) MMC = Medicaid Managed Care NBER = National Bureau of Economic Research NCDS = National Child Development Survey (1958 British Birth Cohort) NELS = National Education Longitudinal Study NHANES = National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey NHDS = National Hospital Discharge Survey NLSY = National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979 cohort NLSY-Child = Children of the NLSY 1979 cohort NLSCY = National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (Canadian) PIAT = Peabody Individual Achievement Test pp = percentage points PPVT = Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test NSLP = National School Lunch Program OLS = Ordinary Least Squares PNM = Post Neonatal Mortality (death after 28 days and before 1 year) PSID = Panel Study of Income Dynamics RDA = Recommended Dietary Allowance REIS = Regional Economic Information System SCHIP = State Child Health Insurance Program SD = Standard Deviation SES = Socio-economic Status SGA = Small for Gestational Age SIPP = Survey of Income and Program Participation SNAP = Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly, Food Stamps) TSIV = Two Sample Instrumental Variables TVIP = Spanish-speaking version of the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test TSP = Total Suspended Particles USDA = US Department of Agriculture VSDN = Vital Statistics Detailed Natality files (birth certificate data for US) WIC = Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WPPSI = Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence ",
year = "2011",
doi = "10.1016/S0169-7218(11)02413-0",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "4",
pages = "1315--1486",
journal = "Handbook of Labor Economics",
issn = "1573-4463",
publisher = "Elsevier",
number = "PART B",
}