Early childhood development in deprived urban settlements
Nair, M.K.C.; Radhakrishnan, S.Rekha.
Indian Pediatrics 41(3): 227-237
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-6061 PMID: 15064509 Document Number: 567908
Poverty, the root cause of the existence of slums or settlement colonies in urban areas, has a great impact on almost all aspects of life of the urban poor, especially on child development. Examples from countries provide evidence of improved early child development through integrated slum improvement programmes. The observed 2.5% prevalence of developmental delay in children aged <2 years living in deprived urban areas, and the presence of risk factors for developmental delay such as low birth weight, birth asphyxia, poor home environment and alternate child care services, highlight the need for a simple cost-effective community model to promote early child development. This review on early child development focuses on the developmental status of children living in deprived urban settlements. It discusses the contributory risk factors (biological and environmental) for child development delay, as well as issues regarding early child development programmes in deprived urban areas. Replicable working models/services that are needed to strengthen early child development, such as infant stimulation, early detection of developmental delay in infancy, developmental screening of toddlers, skill assessment for preschool children, school readiness programmes, identification of mental subnormality, and primary education enhancement programme for primary school children, are presented. This paper also probes the significance of the following health services in early child development: integrated child development services, urban basic services, development-friendly well baby clinics, community extension services, and child development referral units at district hospitals that involve trained manpower like anganwadi/creche workers, public health nurses and developmental therapists. With the decentralization process, local municipal government units and city corporations are financially equipped to be the prime movers to initiate, monitor and promote early child development programmes.