When it comes to influencing your child's emotional and health development, the early years of life are extremely vital. A number of issues in early childhood development can be tied to intellectual, physical and emotional health as adults, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It is essential to know that the community, nutrition, social environment and economics that your child is exposed to during his first few years of life can impact him throughout his entire life.
Attachment
Feeling secure and safe in her relationships with her parents and primary caregivers is essential in a child's early development, according to the Offord Centre for Child Studies. The quality of relationships and the levels of attachment that are developed from birth until the age of 5 affect several developmental areas. Attachment has an effect on a child's empathy, self-confidence and how comfortable she will be in forming long-term relationships with others. If attachments become disrupted, as often happens with children who are traumatized or abused, she may find it dangerous to form relationships with others. She may exhibit disorganized behavior, inhibition and a lack of trust in others.
Health
Having the proper nutrition impacts both the psychological and physical development of your child, according to the Royal Children's Hospital. Good nutrition is directly related to the functional outcomes of your child as he gets older. If your child does not learn proper nutrition and how to eat healthy early on, he may gain weight, which can lead to other negative effects. The longer your child is exposed to healthy eating habits, both from personal experience and observing his caregivers, the more his development will be positively impacted.
Sleep
Children who do not get enough sleep often experience physical developmental and behavioral issues, according to the Child Development Institute. When your child is put to bed when she becomes sleepy instead of falling asleep in your arms, she learns to develop a self-induced sleep cycle. If your child has this sleep cycle, she will fall asleep easily and typically be more secure when she gets older. Sleepwalking, wetting the bed and nightmares are all issues that children may face as they get older. As your child gets older, failing to get the proper amount of sleep may lead to learning and behavioral problems. If your child is able to sleep for a minimum of 8 hours, she will typically be happier and have plenty of energy to make it through the day.
References
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Early Childhood Experiences: Laying the Foundation for Health Across a Lifetime
- Centre of Knowledge on Healthy Child Development, Offord Centre for Child Studies: The Importance of Attachment
- Royal Children's Hospital: The Underlying Factors Affecting Child Health and Development and Family Functioning
- Child Development Institute: Sleep Issues of Kids & Teens
