Child Development and Public Health

Nutrition/Malnutrition I chose nutrition as a topic because a good nutrition helps the child develop mentally, physically, and emotionally. It is very vital that a child practices good nutrition so he or she can be healthy.Child malnutrition is the single biggest contributor to under five morality due to greater susceptibility to infections and slow recovery from illness. Child malnutrition has an impact on education attainment. Studies show that stunted children in the first two years of life have lower cognitive test scores, delayed enrollment, higher absenteeism and more class repetition compared with non stunted children. Over the centuries, low-income families encouraged their children to eat, protecting them against famine. Even today in the poorest nations, malnutrition beginning in infancy and continuing through early childhood contributes to one-third of all deaths and slows later growth, including growth of the brain. For instance, according to a study of hungry young children in Ghana, many became depressed or mentally impaired adolescents, although few became delinquents perhaps they lacked the energy. In Brazil 30 years ago, the most common nutritional problem was undernutrition; now it is overnutrition, with low-income Brazilians particularly vulnerable. Here are some things you didn't know about malnutrition: 1. If a child becomes malnourished in the womb or before the age of two the damage can be irreparable. 2. Solutions are simple. There are 13 direct interventions, such as vitamin A that are proven to have an impact on the nutrition and health of children and mothers. 3. Improving nutrition is good investment well-nourished children are less prone to diseases and illness and are more able to concentrate at school. 4. Targeting support at pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under 2 can make a difference. 5. Tackling child malnutrition is the right thing to do. Children shouldn't be going to bed hungry every night. This topic is so meaningful to me because I see children come to school hungry everyday. It's so sad to see them eating like it is their last meal. It is so important that all children eat a healthy meal so they can grow strong and think well. References: www.motherchildnutrition.org Berger, K (2012). The developing person through childhood (6th ed.) New York, NY: Worth Publishers