Nutrition/Malnutrition

I chose nutrition/malnutrition because proper nourishment is the key to learning.  This is important to know when dealing with children.  Children need to have proper nutrition so they can focus on education and other issues.  In the beginning of my research I was interested in access to healthy water, but as I read articles I found that all the topics were interrelated.   In the field of Early Childhood, it is very important to know that proper nourishment is needed for the physical, social and mental development for our children.

According to the World Health Organization, malnutrition is by far the biggest contributor to child mortality.  Underweight births cause 2.2 million child deaths a year. Poor or non-existent breastfeeding causes another 1.4 million. Other deficiencies, such as lack of vitamin A or zinc, for example, account for 1 million.  Malnutrition in the first two years is irreversible.  Malnourished children grow up with worse health and lower educational achievements.

I also found out that in India, 2.1 million Indian children die before reaching the age of 5 every year – four every minute - mostly from preventable illnesses such as diarrhea, typhoid, malaria, measles and pneumonia due to malnutrition. Every day, 1,000 Indian children die because of diarrhea alone. Malnutrition and the lack of safe water and sanitation contribute to half of all these children’s deaths.

I have learned that there are many factors that impact children’s development all over the world and they all need to be addressed.  Malnourishment not only stunts the physical development but also hinders the learning and cognitive process which leads to the educational, social and
economic development. Children have the right to a caring, protective environment and to nutritious food and basic health care to protect them from illness and promote growth and development.  In my readings this week I have to focus on the health of the children.  I am definitely more aware of the boarder span of public health issues than I was before I did my research. 

Here’s a quote that I thought was very interesting. . .

"We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the foundation of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made and his senses are being developed.

To him we cannot answer "Tomorrow". His name is "Today"."
Gabriela Mistral, 1948

Sources:

http://www.articlesbase.com/pregnancy-articles/smart-kids-start-nourishment-from-womb-274804.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_mortality

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization

http://motherchildnutrition.org/

http://nutritionfoundationofindia.res.in/