Yes! This is scary to read and horrifying to face!

But what's terrifying is that infants with such growth issues remain unattended as parents are unaware of such facts. As per WHO, in 2019, an estimated 5.2 million children under five years died mostly from preventable and treatable causes. 

Leading causes of death in children under 5 years are preterm birth complications, birth trauma, pneumonia, congenital anomalies, diarrhoea and malaria, all of which can be prevented or treated by immunization, adequate nutrition, and parental intervention with the help of an expert. 

The first five years are crucial to a child's life as those are the foundation years and set the tone for their well-being in the future.

The modern-day parent prepares their child for a better future and takes a deep interest in building their present correctly. 

For this, early intervention by them is extremely important. As they say, prevention is better than cure; parents should inculcate the same thought process for their kids' growth and development issues. A child who can barely speak and express relies completely on the parents to mould them correctly. That is the very first foundation of a child’s brighter future.

What is Early Intervention?

Early intervention refers to identifying and providing effective early support to children at risk of developmental delays and disabilities. It supports parents with resources and information to enhance their child’s development skills.

Millions of youngsters globally are dwelling in disadvantaged and susceptible instances. It's expected that over two hundred million youngsters below five years of age will not gain their full developmental potential. Nutrition-related factors contribute to about 45% of deaths in children under-5 years of age.

A child’s brain is extremely fragile during the first few years. Their neural circuits are the foundation for health, behaviour, and learning. These connections are harder to change over time, and that’s the reason early intervention is necessary.

While the worldwide network has made brilliant strides in eliminating most of such causes, there are still some concerns which need immediate attention of the parents. 

Common Problems in the child's development which may require early intervention

Calcium Deficiency 

Calcium deficiency is one of the most common health issues during early childhood days, and calcium is essential for a child's development. 43.8%.of children aged between 7-9 years consume less than 50% RDA of calcium.

Calcium generally facilitates the proper growth of bones. As a child develops rapidly, calcium performs an important function in his all bone strength. It has long-lasting implications because the bone mass of adults is decided through the calcium they get hold of from infancy to adolescence. 

In addition to this, calcium additionally facilitates right muscle function, coronary heart function, and nerve impulse transmission.

What if a child has calcium deficiency and parents are clueless about it? If parents learn this problem during their child's early years, they can overcome it, but if not, it would be difficult to prevent the problem from its roots. 

Iron Deficiency 

Iron is important in a child's development, and an iron deficiency can have an effect on their health and growth — and might even cause anaemia. As many as 68.4% of children suffered from anaemia in 2019.

Anaemia from iron deficiency is not unusual amongst kids and happens when haemoglobin within the blood is much less than the most efficient level. 

Iron deficiency normally happens for three predominant reasons:

• Inability to absorb adequate iron from food
• Loss of blood
• Poor diet

If parents do not intervene on time, iron deficiency can have adverse long-term health implications. 

Blood Pressure Problem (Family History)

Many people suffer from blood pressure. They take regular medicines to control their BP, but the same can be continued with their next generation. 

When parents have problems with their blood pressure, they must be cautious about their child. If the child is suffering from it from his childhood, it can lead to alarming situations like nosebleeds, blurry vision, dizziness in the future. It's better to take early Intervention steps rather than feeling sorry later.

CDC Milestone

From birth to age 5, your child reaches learning, playing, speaking, acting, and moving milestones. If a child has delayed responses in grasping these, parents should intervene to find a root cause and eliminate it. Timely expert advice on CDC milestones can shape a strong future for a child. 

Timely Vaccination

Vaccination on time as per schedule recommended by the doctors is the key to protection for a long term.Vaccination not only protects a child but also prevents the transmission of diseases. A child needs to build immunity to fight dangerous diseases.

Moreover, vaccination is important for your child because every organization, school, etc needs vaccination proof at the time of admission. A proper tracking mechanism needs to be set up by the parents to monitor the vaccines and ensure their timely doses. 

        ******

There are many more horrifying ailments which a child can face if parents do not intervene on time. Let’s understand how early intervention is vital for a child’s overall well-being, 

Early Intervention- A Boon For a Child's Development

Effective early intervention works to reduce the risk factors occurring or control them before they get worse. It adds protective layers to a child's life. It has its most substantial impact during the first few years of childhood development.

Early Intervention focuses on six aspects of childhood development: physical, cognitive, social and emotional, behavioural, communication, and self-help skills.

• Physical development skills like walking, crawling, reaching, and physical health like calcium deficiency, necessary vaccinations, height and weight according to age, etc.
• Cognitive skills include learning, problem-solving skills and achievements in school and entry into the workforce.
• Social and Emotional Skills like playing and interacting with others.
• Behavioural skills include violence, crime, and anti-social behaviour.
• Communication skills include listening, talking and understanding.
• Self-help skills like dressing and eating without any help.

Early Intervention by parents helps a child’s development that directly impacts and benefits the family by fostering a nurturing environment. It improves and enhances a child's development. Furthermore, it provides assistance and support to empower children with developmental delays and other concerns.

MAATRI- HELPING PARENTS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN

Maatri is one of India’s fastest growing preventive healthcare platforms which focuses on a child’s growth needs. We offer an easy-to-use app which provides parents with necessary services and tools to know more about their children’s needs in their early years. 

Our behavioural development paediatricians with more than a decade of expertise offer free sessions to screen the progress and growth of your child.  Regular reports are shared with parents by our experts to ensure the wellbeing of the child. 

We offer free development checks and tests to detect crucial disorders and take the necessary steps to fight those. Trusted by 56000+ mothers, Maatri is the one-stop solution for a child’s growth and development hassles. 

Your child’s wellbeing is priceless, so do not think twice before you decide on becoming a Maatri Parent!