early childhood development
Why Our Children Require Safeguarding from Lethal Stress at an Early Age?
Why Our Children Require Safeguarding from Lethal Stress at an Early Age?
Early childhood development is very important for a child’s success. In 2018, several organizations collaborated to create a framework that aims to promote the importance of providing a supportive environment for children.
According to research, childhood adversity can have a long-term impact on a child’s development. In this interview, Robert Hughes, a lecturer and public health researcher, talked about the effects of toxic stress on children.
What is toxic stress and how does it affect children?
Toxic stress is a type of pressure that builds up due to the various factors that a child faces during their early years. These include being sick, being abused, or being yelled at.
It’s widely believed that early childhood is the time when toxic stress is most likely to affect a child’s development. This is why it’s important that parents and child-care providers work together to prevent these issues from happening in the future.
Aside from overcrowding and poor quality of childcare, other factors such as poverty and a lack of focus on early childhood development can also contribute to toxic stress.
Data from various countries have shown that early adversity can affect a child’s development and academic achievements.
How can we help children survive and thrive during times of adversity?
As parents, it’s our responsibility to provide the best possible care for our kids. It’s also our obligation to make sure that we’re doing all that we can to make sure that those early years are as important as the formal education and healthcare that we provide.
In some countries, governments and donors are already investing in early childhood development programs. However, more needs to be done to make sure that these programs are properly funded and implemented. Researchers also need to play a vital role in helping implement effective programs that will support children’s development.
Is there a way to reverse the impact of early childhood adversity?
Although programs can help reverse the effects of childhood adversity, they’re usually not effective at preventing it in the first place. Instead, it’s important to focus on the early years to prevent toxic stress from affecting a child’s development.
Unfortunately, despite the availability of promising interventions, early childhood development programs are often not being funded properly. This is especially the case in Africa, where the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to worsen the situation.
What should quality care by parents and caregivers consist of?
The key to successful early childhood development is having the right amount of love and attention. According to UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, this can be achieved through five domains.
One of these includes having the proper amount of food and breastfeeding. It’s also important to support breastfeeding as it can help boost a child’s nutrition.
The other four domains are responsive care, learning, security, and safety. All of these are important factors that contribute to a child’s development. It’s also important to make sure that parents and caretakers are doing everything they can to provide a safe and secure environment for children.