Screening Mental Health In Kindergarten Is Way Too Late, Experts Say [NPR.org]

When it comes to children's brains, Rahil Briggs describes them as ... sticky.

"Whatever we throw, [it] sticks. That's why they can learn Spanish in six months when it takes us six years," says the New York City based child psychologist, "but also why if they're exposed to community violence, or domestic violence, it really sticks."

Briggs works at the Healthy Steps program at the Montefiore Comprehensive Health Care Center in the South Bronx, screening children as young as 6 months for mental health issues.

That may sound young, too young maybe, but that's when some experts believe it's important to catch the first signs that something may be wrong. Many say waiting until kindergarten is too late.

[For more of this story, written by Kavitha Cardoza, go to http://www.npr.org/sections/ed...too-late-experts-say]