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Chattanooga Head Start update highlights growing developmental delays among young children

Chattanooga City Council members received an update on Tuesday, January 27, on the Head Start program, an early learning initiative that serves low-income children from as young as eight weeks old through age five. The program takes a comprehensive approach to child development, focusing not only on early education but also on health and family well-being. During the update, Councilwoman Jenny Hill raised concerns about the rising incidence of developmental and language delays among children in Tennessee, specifically in Hamilton County. In response, Administrator of Early Learning Karitsa Jones outlined several possible factors contributing to the trend.

Jan 30, 2026•https://www.local3news.com/users/profile/grace%20james/

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General

Is your screen time to blame?

A study reveals that excessive screen time for toddlers may lead to developmental delays in crucial areas such as communication, fine motor skills, problem-solving, and personal-social development.

Jan 30, 2026Read More

GeneralMar 18, 2026

Study uncovers biologically distinct subtypes

Researchers at Princeton University and the Simons Foundation have identified four clinically and biologically distinct subtypes of autism, marking a transformative step in understanding the condition’s genetic underpinnings and potential for personalized care. Analyzing data from over 5,000 children in SPARK, an autism cohort study funded by the Simons Foundation, the researchers used a computational model to group individuals based on their combinations of traits. The team used a “person-centered” approach that considered a broad range of over 230 traits in each individual, from social interactions to repetitive behaviors to developmental milestones, rather than searching for genetic links to single traits. This approach enabled the discovery of clinically relevant autism subtypes, which the researchers linked to distinct genetic profiles and developmental trajectories, offering new insights into the biology underlying autism. Their results were published July 9 in Nature Genetics.

Major autism study uncovers biologically distinct subtypes, paving the way for precision diagnosis and care

GeneralMar 18, 2026

New Technology Unlocks More Autism Gene Varients

Scientists use a new "long-read" technology to find the hidden genetic mutations behind autism that traditional tests missed.

New Technology Unlocks More Autism Gene Varients

GeneralJan 30, 2026

New CDC Child Development Milestones

How the CDC’s Updated Child Development Milestones Impact Integrated Care and Behavioral Health A stylized illustration of a person sitting and holding a baby, surrounded by abstract shapes and playful elements. In 2022 and 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) made significant updates to its child developmental milestones, aiming to improve the early identification of developmental delays. These changes reflect a shift toward more precise, actionable benchmarks, with potential ripple effects on integrated care and behavioral health practices.

GeneralJan 30, 2026

Chattanooga Head Start update highlights growing developmental delays among young children

https://www.local3news.com/users/profile/grace%20james/

GeneralJan 30, 2026

Is your screen time to blame?

A study reveals that excessive screen time for toddlers may lead to developmental delays in crucial areas such as communication, fine motor skills, problem-solving, and personal-social development.

GeneralJan 13, 2026

New Research Into the Causes of Autism

New research published in the journal “Molecular Psychiatry” found a possible link between the chemical messenger nitric oxide in the brain and a sequence of events that could potentially trigger the development of ASD. While this study certainly doesn’t point to an exact cause of autism, it is a step towards understanding it.

https://parade.com/news/new-research-into-the-causes-of-autism-shows-promise

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