Child experts say more awareness is needed about the emotional and developmental care children need in their first 1,001 days of life — from conception to the age of two.
Paediatric specialists believe the sooner problems can be identified, the quicker parents and children can be helped. They cite issues such as baby bonding and depression in new mums, speech and language delays in children, as well as behavioural, communication and psychological problems.
Experts claim that early intervention measures could help turn a child’s life around and have called the baby’s first 1,001-day period “a window of opportunity” for parents, doctors and teachers.
“This is a crucial period in the child’s life when 50 per cent of his mental and physical growth happens,” says Dr Bariah Dardari, Head of Paediatrics, Al Zahra Hospital in Dubai.
She adds, “Any negative factor during this period will have a permanent afffect on the child’s mental and physical health if not detected and reversed in due course.”
Dr Nannette Wicker-Essick, an occupational therapist and the founder of kidsFIRST Medical Centre, which offers support and early intervention to families and children of all ages, says the first 1,001 days was vital to detect warning signs. The centre provides baby bonding workshops for mums, developmental support for children as well as classes in eating and swallowing, social, emotional and behavioural skills, and sensory integration.
Dr Wicker-Essick also warns parents that negative influences could affect their unborn babies. “Neurologically, newborns are born with billions of brain cells but with very few connections. These are made in the first years of a child’s life and are formed as a result of the experiences a child has. There is evidence that even when in the womb, babies can be negatively influenced by maternal anxiety levels. This can include early delivery, increase in the baby’s levels of stress hormones as well as influencing their temperament.”
Doctors from both children’s centres and hospitals in Dubai say they would support Dubai Health Authority if it were to consider introducing guidelines for early intervention during a child’s first 1,001 critical days. “This could become a benchmark for all paediatric health-care providers in Dubai, especially if coupled by proper legislation,”
says Dr Bariah.
New services are now being planned by children’s centres to tackle problems at conception and birth. The Child Early Intervention Centre, co-founded by Dr Hibah Shata, now sees children from birth and also offers counselling to new mums going through depression after delivery.
Dr Hibah, whose centre specialises in autism spectrum disorder, says there was evidence that early intervention can help children. “It is becoming more popular in Dubai and 30 per cent of children who are receiving therapy before the age of three do not need any further developmental support later in life.”
The Child Early Intervention Medical Centre’s team of specialists also provide one-to-one parent training and visit homes to provide behavioural support to young children. “We try to advocate awareness of early intervention among parents, doctors and nurses,” says Dr Hibah. “We run screening workshops to teach them the degree of development for each age group. If something is out of the norm they can
recognise it.”
Al Zahra Hospital offers a special high-risk, follow-up clinic for premature babies, but in the future, Dr Bariah says the hospital will offer more services to tackle developmental delays early on.
KidsFIRST, which offers services such as speech and language therapy, psychological therapy, feeding support and play therapy, will also be expanding its early intervention courses. Day programmes are to be introduced with specific goals, including family education modules as well as training with teachers and therapists, and individualised plans for the child.
