Deafblindness is a combination of vision loss and hearing difference that makes accessing the environment, language and communication more complex. It varies in severity and type and can be present at birth or acquired at any age.
With both vision and hearing impacted, access to the world often requires individualized supports for independent living, education and social interaction.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln students will soon have access to new online courses designed to provide career-ready training in early childhood care and education.
Starting in the 2026–27 academic year, undergraduates in all majors can enroll in Connections for Kids — a series of five online courses focused on preparing them to promote young children’s social and emotional development through innovative, evidence-based practices.
This holiday season, a new statewide campaign is reminding Nebraskans that the smallest moments of connection can have the biggest impact on children’s lives.
Nurture Nebraska aims to boost awareness around the importance of children’s social and emotional development from birth to age 5. The campaign highlights how everyday interactions — a warm greeting, a kind response or a little extra patience to work through big feelings — help children develop confidence and skills that will benefit them throughout life.
For more than two decades, the Getting Ready research program has promoted healthy development for children age 5 and younger by bringing evidence-based parent engagement strategies to early childhood programs throughout Nebraska.
As one of the first projects launched by CYFS in 2004, Getting Ready has focused on cultivating and fortifying relationships in children’s lives, including relationships among parents, children and the early childhood educators connected to the family.
For many Nebraska families, finding affordable child care can seem like piecing together an impossible puzzle.
Parents juggle waitlists, long commutes and tough choices between work and staying home — all while early childhood teachers themselves face low pay, long hours and stress.
Children who are breastfed as infants are less likely to develop obesity. However, despite recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 25% of infants in the U.S. are exclusively breastfed for the first six months.
As many as 70% of mothers experience problems with breastfeeding, contributing to lower rates — particularly among Black Americans (17.2%) and rural residents (18%). Research suggests these low breastfeeding rates may compound potential nutrition-related health disparities from the start of life.
Early screening and support are vital for healthy child development, especially for immigrant and refugee families navigating unfamiliar systems in the U.S.
A recent multi-campus study found that many immigrant and refugee families in Nebraska struggle to access services to address developmental delays or disabilities in children, particularly those age 3 and younger. Barriers include language differences, limited awareness of available services and discomfort with the health care system due to past discrimination or negative experiences.
For years, research has shown that active children — including those who participate in youth sports — tend to be healthier than those who are less active.
Ann Rogers, assistant professor in the Department of Health Promotion in the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, is leading a project to understand what influences youth sports participation, including where children and adolescents live.
