VIDEO ONLY: Sam Goldstein Ph.D: Harnessing Early Life Plasticity: Implications for Intervention in Pediatric Neuropsychology

Abstract: This session explores how early-life experiences and environmental factors from caregiver consistency to nutrition and sleep , shape neurodevelopment through the lens of econeurobiology. Attendees will examine emerging research on developmental plasticity and apply it to neuropsychological assessment and intervention planning. Through case discussions and practical tools, participants will learn to integrate environmental context into recommendations and develop “plasticity-informed” clinical approaches for supporting children across diverse developmental and ecological settings. Objectives: 1. Analyze current research on neurodevelopmental plasticity and environmental influences within the emerging field of econeurobiology. 2. Design and utilize assessment frameworks that integrate environmental and contextual variables into pediatric neuropsychological formulation. 3. Compile, create, and plan intervention strategies that leverage periods of heightened plasticity to promote adaptive developmental outcomes. 4. Assess, compare, and critique case approaches to refine and revise recommendations for children facing early-life adversity or environmental risk.