A comparative analysis of early child health and development services and outcomes in countries with different redistributive policies

Data for action on early childhood development

IntroductionAustralian Aboriginal children are more likely than non-Aboriginal children to have developmental vulnerability at school entry that tracks through to poorer literacy and numeracy outcomes and multiple social and health...

The influence of the neighborhood physical environment on early child health and development: A review and call for research

Introduction: The percentage of the Palestinian children considered “below level” – or “not on track” in their early childhood development is higher than their peers in neighbouring countries. This research presents a framework to explain pathways between water stress, child health, family wealth, parental support, and early childhood development in Palestine, and presents a different perspective in water stress and policies and services addressing children. Objective: To assess evidence of the link between water stress and vulnerability in early childhood development and to examine the implications of this relationship for services and policies in Palestine. Method and Results: Demographic and health data obtained from nationally representative surveys were merged and analysed. Descriptive analysis was used to investigate the features of household water stress and show its association with risk for delayed early childhood development in Palestine. Data on social, economic, health, and environmental conditions in 52 communities in Palestine were aggregated to develop a Child-Water Stress Index to be used as a single summary measure that captures the multidimensional influence of water stress. At the household level, a Mediation Model was developed and applied to investigate the pathways through which water stress interacts with child health, family care, and wealth level and in turn, influences early childhood development. An evaluation strategy is presented, with new perspectives for enhancing the effectiveness of early childhood programmes and policies in the Palestinian context. Qualitative data using focus group discussions with parents and semi structured interviews with practitioners were conducted to provide in depth analysis of the findings. Conclusion: Children experiencing water stress are more likely to not be on track in their early childhood development. Water stress is more likely to influence childhood development through indirect pathways by interacting with determinants of optimal early childhood development including disrupted family support, wealth level, and child health. Water stress exacerbates the impact of limited wealth and inadequate family support on early childhood health and development, suggesting the need for a holistic perspective in evaluating services and policies.

Economic Coaching: Addressing Poverty as a Means of Improving Early Child Development.

Effects of the Global Coronavirus Disease-2019 Pandemic on Early Childhood Development: Short- and Long-Term Risks and Mitigating Program and Policy Actions

Association between water supply and early childhood development in Palestine: a descriptive analysis of demographic and health survey data

Developmental potential is the ability to think, learn, remember, relate, and articulate ideas appropriate to age and level of maturity, and an estimated 39 percent of the world’s children under age five years do not attain this potential (Grantham-McGregor and others 2007).The main reason for giving prominent attention to mental development from conception through the first 24 months of life is that early unfavorable conditions can impair the normal development of the brain. The impairment is often incremental and unnoticed until schooling begins. The most striking example of impairment is the gradual deletion of unused brain synapses. The lack of use may be due to the absence of stimulation in the family environment or lack of available energy for brain activity. Regenerating those lost synapses may occur at an older age but with additional costs. For example, children who do not acquire a good vocabulary in the early years will have difficulty learning how to read; children who do not acquire simple problem-solving strategies in the first 24 months will have difficulty understanding math concepts; children who do not develop secure emotional attachments to adults will have difficulty coping with stresses and challenges throughout life. The plasticity of the brain diminishes with age, but greater plasticity in the very early years suggests that brain development has a greater chance of being modified by protective interventions than by interventions later in life (Werker and Hensch 2015).A second reason for attending to early mental development is that individuals, communities, and societies are healthier and more productive if they have mature mental skills. More educated adults are healthier and wealthier than less educated adults. Educated mothers have healthier children and are more likely to recognize symptoms of illness, follow medical advice, feed their children nutritious foods, and keep their homes clean (Boyle and others 2006; Cleland and van Ginneken 1988). Educated husbands are less likely to condone or use violence to resolve domestic conflicts (Abraham and others 2006). Follow-up data of adults who participated in early psychosocial stimulation programs demonstrate some of these long-term benefits (Gertler and others 2014).This chapter discusses mental development from birth to age 24 months in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). We include recent literature published since the 2011 child development series in The Lancet. Although we focus on cognitive and language domains, we touch on socioemotional, fine motor, and gross motor development. First, a description of how these domains are measured provides an operational definition of the term mental development. Second, conditions that derail early child development are examined. These conditions arise during the prenatal period and continue throughout the next 24 months; they include psychosocial stimulation, prenatal and postnatal nutrition, the physical environment, and maternal mental health. Finally, the results of several systematic reviews and meta-analyses are presented to show the effects of stimulation and nutrition, along with disease-related interventions to promote mental development. Maternal interventions related to nutrition and mental health are also reviewed. A framework of critical components to include in programs is outlined.

Poor Start: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Early Childhood Development and Subsequent Human Capital Accumulation

Multi Perspectives on Play Based Curriculum Quality Standards in the Center Learning Model

Experience-based brain development: Scientific underpinnings of the importance of early child development in a global world

Children's early development is a key component that affects their wellbeing and health as they age. In recent times, scholars' interest in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Early Child Development (ECD) has grown exponentially. However, rural-urban differentials in early childhood development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and particularly in Ghana are unknown. This study examined the rural-urban differentials in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Early Child Development (ECD) in Ghana. We used cross-sectional data from 2017/2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) by the Ghana Statistical Service. We restricted the data to children aged 3 and 4 years. A sample size of 3683 children was used in this study. Poisson regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Early Child Development (ECD) in rural and urban Ghana. Both ECE and ECD scores were higher in the urban areas than in the rural areas. The regression shows the rural-urban disparity in ECD by ECE. The Preschool Program (ECE) has a good impact on children's early development in Ghana. However, the Relative Risk Ratio (RRR) in rural areas was higher than in urban areas. Beyond this, other factors such as age of child, ecological zone, maternal education and wealth index were associated with ECD. Our findings show a significant disparity in Early Childhood Education and Childhood Development in rural and urban areas This study therefore recommends that more resources be channeled in rural areas to help improve ECE and ECD while policies should be tailored to Early Childhood Education.

Patrice Lee Engle

Multicomponent interventions are needed to address the various co-occurring risks that compromise early child nutrition and development. We compared the independent and combined effects of engaging fathers and bundling parenting components into a nutrition intervention on early child development (ECD) and parenting outcomes. We conducted a 2×2 factorial cluster-randomized controlled trial across 80 villages in Mara Region, Tanzania, also known as EFFECTS (Engaging Fathers for Effective Child Nutrition and Development in Tanzania; ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03759821). Households with children under 18 months of age residing with their mother and father were enrolled. Villages were randomly assigned to one of five groups: a nutrition intervention for mothers, a nutrition intervention for couples, a bundled nutrition and parenting intervention for mothers, a bundled intervention for couples, and a standard-of-care control. Interventions were delivered by trained community health workers through peer groups and home visits over 12 months. Mothers, fathers, and children were assessed at baseline, midline, and endline or postintervention. We used a difference-in-difference approach with intention-to-treat analysis to estimate intervention effects on ECD (Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition) and maternal and paternal parenting and psychosocial well-being. Between October 29, 2018, and May 24, 2019, 960 households were enrolled (n = 192 per arm). Compared to nutrition interventions, bundled interventions improved children's cognitive (β = .18 [95% CI: 0.01, 0.36]) and receptive language development (β = .23 [0.04, 0.41]). There were no differences between interventions for other ECD domains. Compared to nutrition interventions, bundled interventions achieved additional benefits on maternal stimulation (β = .21 [0.04, 0.38]) and availability of home learning materials (β = .25 [0.07-0.43]) and reduced paternal parenting distress (β = -.34 [-0.55, -0.12]). Compared to interventions with mothers only, interventions that engaged fathers improved paternal stimulation (β = .45 [0.27, 0.63]). Jointly bundling parenting components into nutrition interventions while also engaging both mothers and fathers is most effective for improving maternal and paternal parenting and ECD outcomes.

STEAM to R-SLAMET Modification: An Integrative Thematic Play Based Learning with R-SLAMETS Content in Early Child-hood Education