Dr. Dana Suskind's Avatar

Dr. Dana Suskind

@drdanasuskind.bsky.social

Surgeon. Co-Director of University of Chicago's TMW Center for Early Learning + Public Health. Mom. NYT bestselling author of 'Parent Nation' and 'Thirty Million Words'

214 Followers  |  183 Following  |  68 Posts  |  Joined: 11.12.2024
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Posts by Dr. Dana Suskind (@drdanasuskind.bsky.social)

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Cool opportunity alert! ๐Ÿšจ

@johnlist.bsky.social and the Joint Initiative for Latin American Experimental Economics and Universidad Torcuato Di Tella are inviting submissions for a behavioral and experimental economics workshop in Buenos Aires, taking place Nov. 9-10 โ˜€๏ธ

๐Ÿ‘‰ lnkd.in/g7gZVfmY

24.02.2026 17:24 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Heading to #SXSWEDU 2026?

I hope youโ€™ll join Michael Levine and me for โ€œBorn to be Wired: 4 Rules for AI in Early Childhoodโ€ on Monday afternoon! Weโ€™ll explore AI's impact on brain architecture and how to protect the capacity for human connection ๐Ÿง 

โžก๏ธ schedule.sxswedu.com/events/PP114...

23.02.2026 15:49 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

As a surgeon and researcher, Iโ€™m driven by one mission: childrenโ€™s healthy development, in the short- and long-term. The current approach to immigration is deeply detrimental to both.

Iโ€™m grateful to @thehill.com for letting me weigh in on this crucial topic.

thehill.com/opinion/immi...

10.02.2026 16:12 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Canโ€™t wait to read this. I spend a lot of time thinking about how valuable human connection and hands on learning experiences are for all of us.

03.02.2026 16:51 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Coming in July! โ€œHuman Raised: Nurturing Connection, Curiosity, and Lifelong Learning in the Age of AIโ€

A troubling fear nags at me: that human connectionโ€”the one thing children need mostโ€”is at risk of becoming a rarity. My book, I hope, provides families a line of defense ๐Ÿ’š

03.02.2026 16:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

I call on policymakers across political parties โ€” indeed, on all Americans โ€” to stand together in opposition to tactics that rob children of their safety, their parents, their trusted caregivers, and their right to healthy development.

25.01.2026 20:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Immigration reform should not come at the expense of childrenโ€™s wellbeing, parentsโ€™ and caregiversโ€™ dignity or our nationโ€™s moral compass.

25.01.2026 20:11 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

This is especially true during the early years of a childโ€™s life, the most rapid and critical period of human brain development.

25.01.2026 20:10 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Toxic stress alters childrenโ€™s brain structure, leading to lifelong learning, memory, and attention problems. It also weakens childrenโ€™s immune systems and increases their risk of developing chronic conditions like asthma and heart disease.

25.01.2026 20:10 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

This is a mounting public health crisis. Adverse childhood events and toxic stress disrupt childrenโ€™s brain development, and it is hard to think of a more traumatic or stressful event for a child than being separated from their family.

25.01.2026 20:10 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The crackdowns in Minneapolis, Chicago and across the U.S. are resulting in children being detained. Toddlers being separated from their families. Children left orphaned, in the case of Renee Good. Alex Pretti was, of course, someoneโ€™s child.

25.01.2026 20:09 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

As a pediatric physician, as an early childhood researcher, and as a child development expert, I am compelled to state, in no uncertain terms: the current approach to immigration reform is deeply detrimental to children, in both the present and long-term.

๐Ÿงต

25.01.2026 20:09 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A new direction for students in an AI world: Prosper, prepare, protect | Brookings This report explores the potential risks generative AI poses to students and outlines what we can do now to minimize them.

โ€œThe risks of AI differ from its benefitsโ€”that is, these risks undermine childrenโ€™s foundational developmentโ€”and may prevent the benefits from being realized.โ€

I was honored to help inform this Brookings Institute report and its concrete recommendations.

www.brookings.edu/articles/a-n...

15.01.2026 18:36 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Introducing The SPEAK: A Scalable Computer- Adaptive Tool to Measure Knowledge of Early Human Development | Becker Friedman Institute Research shows responsive caregiving enhances childrenโ€™s brain development, with parental knowledge predicting positive behaviors and outcomes. However, knowledge varies widely across educational leve...

Introducing SPEAKโ€”a scalable, computer-adaptive tool to measure knowledge of early human development. By Gaudreau, Levine, @johnlist.bsky.social & @drdanasuskind.bsky.social, it identifies knowledge gaps to guide targeted interventions and improve child outcomes. ow.ly/fzOk50XbjrG

15.10.2025 20:13 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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What do my kids need to know about AI? or "Mattel, I have questions." - I watch YouTube so you don't have to. What if I was that new mother, over a decade ago, desperately searching for answers about brain development and how to be a "good" mother? I would have been tempted by AI.

What do my kids need to know about AI? or Mattel, I have questions, is a good primer into understanding the emotional losses for potential uses of AI toys. Many thanks to @drdanasuskind.bsky.social for her expertise: outthinkmedia.com/2025/07/01/w...

02.01.2026 21:49 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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No Perfect Parenting - I watch YouTube so you don't have to. I want you--parents, caretakers, educators, nannies, babysitters, uncles, aunts, nuncles-- I want you to take some quiet moments to read or listen these special encouragements on parenting from truste...

This didn't quite fit into the primer in our last post, but @drdanasuskind.bsky.social had included such a lovely introspection for parents on how #noPerfectParenting can be a good thing! outthinkmedia.com/2025/07/03/n...

02.01.2026 21:49 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Policy guardrails needed as babies around the world begin to interact with AI | Brookings Kathy Hisrh-Pasek and co-authors outline the potential risks that artificial intelligence poses to children's development.

Babies are born to bond with other humans. When they bond, instead, with human-like AI systems, we donโ€™t yet know what that means for their brain development. But we do know caution is warranted.

Thank you to the Brookings Institution for publishing our commentary

www.brookings.edu/articles/pol...

19.09.2025 21:04 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Exclusive | FTC Prepares to Question AI Companies Over Impact on Children The regulator is expected to send letters to makers of AI chatbots.

The FTC studying the impact of AI chatbots on childrenโ€™s mental health is good, overdue news.

Just as we set guardrails for food and medicine that reach children, we need guidelines and transparency standards for AI companions before they flood the marketplace.
www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ftc-...

05.09.2025 15:49 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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AI Engineers Need Their Own Hippocratic Oath "We need a Hinton Oath: not to slow engineers down, but to guide them with the same moral clarity."

Artificial Intelligence is not just technology. Itโ€™s an artificial biologic with tremendous population health implicationsโ€”both promising and perilous.

In todayโ€™s TIME magazine, I call for AI engineers to take a Hippocratic Oath promising, first, to do no harm.

time.com/7312350/ai-e...

27.08.2025 14:24 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Opinion | Teens Are Using Chatbots as Therapists. Thatโ€™s Alarming.

'The teenage brain is still developingโ€”particularly in regions of impulse control and risk assessmentโ€”making young people less equipped to judge the accuracy or safety of advice.'

We simply can't allow children's brains to be testing grounds for unregulated AI.

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/o...

25.08.2025 19:07 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Paying Attention to Big Tech: AI & Early Childhood - Families In Schools

Grateful to @familiesinschools.bsky.social for engaging me in this important dialogue around AI and early childhood.

If we are to avoid the same mistakes we made with social media, we need robust research into AIโ€™s effects on developing brains. Now.

www.familiesinschools.org/2025/08/13/a...

19.08.2025 20:02 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Opinion | What My Daughter Told ChatGPT Before She Took Her Life

โ€œHere is where AIโ€™s agreeability โ€“ so crucial to its rapid adoption โ€“ becomes its Achille's heel. Its tendency to value short-term user satisfaction over truthfulness โ€“ to blow digital smoke up oneโ€™s skirt โ€“ can isolate users and reinforce confirmation bias.โ€

www.nytimes.com/2025/08/18/o...

18.08.2025 17:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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American families need more support to flourish. My colleagues from the Convergence Collaborative on Supports for Working Families and I urge Congress and the Administration to establish a National Commission on Children and Families for the 21st Century.

Read our issue brief: lnkd.in/ghG3niVJ

14.08.2025 14:02 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Advancing science- and evidence-based AI policy Policy must be informed by, but also facilitate the generation of, scientific evidence

'AI policy should advance AI innovation by ensuring that its potential benefits are responsibly realized and widely shared.'

Important guidance from a multidisciplinary group of AI policy experts, calling for an emphasis on scientific understanding over hype.

www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

11.08.2025 15:04 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Few things can make a father prouder than his daughter changing the world....by teaching about field experiments at the World Youth Economic Forum!

01.08.2025 16:45 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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PanelPicker | SXSW Conference & Festivals PanelPickerยฎ is the official SXSW user-generated session proposal platform. Enter ideas and vote to help shape Conference programming for SXSW and SXSW EDU.

I decided to throw my hat into the ring for #SXSWEDU 2026, where I'm hoping to present concrete principles for responsible use of AI in early childhood. My panel is called BORN TO BE WIRED ๐Ÿ˜‰

Do me a favor and vote for it in the #PanelPicker!

participate.sxsw.com/flow/sxsw/sx...

06.08.2025 12:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The risky new world of tech's friendliest bots AI companions and children

Iโ€™m glad to see @unicef.org updating its guidance on AI and children, especially the potential risks when AI offers companionship.

When childrenโ€™s attachment systems are activated by algorithms rather than caregivers, weโ€™re in uncharted territory.
www.unicef.org/innocenti/st...

04.08.2025 15:42 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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7 Best Newborn Toys, Tested by babies in 2025 Shopping for baby's first toy? Check out our favorite newborn toys, tested by babies aged between 4 and 10 weeks and rated by their parents.

Your baby doesnโ€™t need fancy toys or gadgets for healthy brain development. What they need most is lots and lots of your words and nurturing interaction.

Grateful to The Bump for letting me weigh in here ๐Ÿฉท

www.thebump.com/a/newborn-toys

01.08.2025 15:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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New book argues child care is a โ€˜societal imperativeโ€™ In โ€˜Raising a Nation,โ€™ researcher Elliot Haspel says everyone should want strong supports for early childhood, even those without children.

โ€œWe have never established that good child care belongs among the pantheon of American values.โ€

So true! The first 5 years are the most rapid period of brain development and the foundation for, well, everything.

Great interview here with @ehaspel.bsky.social.

hechingerreport.org/why-american...

28.07.2025 15:26 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Chelsea Clinton: Supporting Families Where They Are Matters for Early Childhood Chelsea Clinton reflects on impact, lessons learned and what lies ahead for Too Small to Fail, an initiative supporting families with early learning.

All my faves in @swartzmark16.bsky.social's interview w #ChelseaClinton on the 10th anniversary of @toosmalltoofail.bsky.social. #JoanLombardi @drdanasuskind.bsky.social tinyurl.com/32r5hykj

25.07.2025 13:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0