In 1976, Marti began working with Brian Eglund at the University of Minnesota on a longitudinal study which explored the lifelong impact of child maltreatment on infants and toddlers.  Current brain research, including at the Harvard Center on the Developing Child, is in many ways a descendant of this and other early foundational studies.

Dr. Erickson’s work reminds us that it is critical to interrupt child maltreatment as early as possible, because every day counts in the lives of infants and toddlers.

We have long said that interrupting maltreatment does not necessarily mean removing children from their families. It often does mean requiring parents to participate in services which protect children from the toxic stress that sidetracks their mental, physical, and emotional development.