Question

Write a one to two page paper about Nutrition in Early Childhood Identify the most common nutritional deficiencies in Early childhood Explain how proper nutrition affects the physical and cognitive development in early childhood Explain how improper nutrition and malnourishment can affect physical and cognitive development in early childhood

Answer 1

It is extremely important for children in their early childhood to develop habits of healthy eating. Parents and caregivers have a huge role to play in this. A nutritious diet is not only needed for good physical growth but also for mental development.

For a child to develop well, three factors play equal roles. They are genetic factors, environmental factors and the third is nutrition. Healthy nutrition would have a long lasting effect on the child, even when he/she grows up to be an adult. It would also reflect in the child's cognitive development and thereby academic performance.

Malnutrition can cause irreversible chronic illnesses in children. Moreover, under nutrition of a pregnant mother or a breastfeeding mother would also impact the child's development. Some of the vital nutrients that are required are carbohydrates, protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, C and D.

Some other health issues that children who are exposed to improper nutrition face are diarrhoea, ear infection and bacterial meningitis. This is because their ability to fight infection gets weakened. Iron deficiency makes nerve impulses slower and children who do not consume enough iron during early childhood, may show poor development in their psychomotor skills as well as behavioural developments. Also, improper nutrition makes the child inactive, low in social interactions and weak cognitive abilities.

Research has shown that nutrition taken during early childhood directly affects a child's learning ability years later. Breastfeeding is directly linked to a child's development of IQ, cognition and achievement.

Healthy nutrition could therefore be difficult to make a young child consume, but it will have many benefits both in the short and long term.