Be a responsible parent

 

Is your child developing well?

TRACKING your child’s learning progress can be a lengthy process. However, to raise smarter, healthier and happier children, it is crucial that parents keep track of their child’s physical and mental progress, and watch out for early signs of possible problems.

Signs of visual, motor, and language development can be detected from the first few years of life. In fact, by the time a child reaches two to three years of age, he should be able to identify different colours, sizes, and shapes; can run, jump with both feet, and even hold crayons/pencils and scribble on paper; can make short sentences, with a vocabulary of up to 50 words.

As children enter school and progress through the years, their intellectual and language comprehension becomes more refined. At the ages of four to six years, your child should be able to talk more fluently and confidently, able to draw quite well, with a certain amount of detail, develop reading skills, and even write independently.

If these milestones are not achieved by a certain age, then your child may need some extra help.

IQ tests: There are a few tests that psychologists use to check your child’s intellectual development.

The intellectual development of a child is the process of a child’s learning as he grows older. Some parents may question why their friend’s child is smarter than theirs when they both go to the same preschool, or why another child at age one has started talking before their own has.

It is important to remember that each child develops at a different rate, but if you suspect a delay, there are a few tests that psychologists use to check your child’s intellectual development (IQ).

Is intelligence ‘pre-set’?

In the past, the brain, and hence intelligence, was thought to be determined mostly by genetics. However, recent studies have shown that a child’s brain development can be influenced by his environment, such as nutritional, medical, emotional, and intellectual factors during his childhood.

A child’s brain is impressionable and can easily be influenced by different experiences, which can cause his brain to develop in different ways.

As your child grows, his ability to understand language, solve problems, and get along with other people is influenced by what he has experienced as an infant and young child. Good experiences will help his brain develop well, while neglect or abuse may cause normal children to develop various problems, such as delayed IQ or serious emotional difficulties.

 

How parents can help boost a child’s mental development

Parents are the primary caregivers for their children, and it is mainly through them that children are able to learn and develop. Stimulation and interaction are the most important aspects of brain development. Here are some ways in which you could help encourage your child to further learn and develop:

·When he starts to “talk”

Your child looks to you for response as he loves to hear the different sounds your voice produces. Respond to his sounds and smile enthusiastically, talk to him and name familiar objects that you touch or that he plays with.

Reading to him also helps him learn the importance of speech before he can even understand or repeat the words.

·When he starts to take an interest in what he sees

Your child becomes curious about the things that surround him. You can encourage his curiosity and help stimulate his thinking and learning by giving them simple toys to play with, such as blocks that are in different shapes and colours.

Engage him with pictures of various animals, fruits, vegetables or vehicles. You can also describe the different things you come across daily.

·When he starts to move around

You can help to develop your child’s sense of touch by providing objects or toys that have different textures, sizes and shapes. You can also hang a mobile/moving toy over his cot to help develop his motor skills by encouraging movement of his arms and legs as he tries to touch the objects.

As he reaches 13 to 17 months, you can start holding his hand and walk him along as he explores his surroundings. Give him free reign to do so on his own as well, but make sure that the environment is safe and childproof.

Good nutrition supports mental development

In addition to stimulation and interaction, a good foundation for brain growth and development includes a healthy diet rich in essential nutrients. Some nutrients have been said to be crucial for proper brain development, and these include phospholipids, omega-3 and omega-6, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA).

These nutrients are most abundant in soy, eggs, oily fish such as tuna and sardines, as well as walnuts.

Taurine, choline, and iron are important micronutrients for the network connections between brain cells. Food sources that contain these nutrients include legumes, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, broccoli, egg yolks and red meat.

Other nutrients that are equally important are antioxidants (ie lutein, selenium, vitamins A, C and E and zinc), which function to protect the brain cells. You can get these from fruits and vegetables, tea, prunes, and even cheese.

Do remember, however, that children need to eat a wide variety of foods to get all the nutrients required for overall growth and development. Milk products are a good source of all nutrients. Mothers should find a formulation that has been scientifically researched and tested in children.

Is your child different?

All children grow at different rates, but in some cases, a child may develop at a slower rate compared with the average child. There can be several reasons for this, which may include being born prematurely, poor nutrition, accidental exposure to drugs prior to birth, or even if he grows up in an environment he does not feel secure in.

The first few years of your child’s life are very important for all types of development, including brain growth. Encourage your child through activities that can stimulate his learning and growth, as his brain is greatly influenced by his interactions with others and his surroundings.

Also, provide your child with a balanced, moderate and varied diet according to the Food Pyramid, to help him obtain proper nutrition for healthy growth, both mentally and physically.

> Professor Dr Norimah A. Karim is a nutritionist, while Woo Pei Jun is a developmental psychologist. This article is courtesy of the Positive Parenting Programme by the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) and supported by an educational grant from Abbott Nutrition International. For more information, please visitwww.mypositiveparenting.org.