6 important factors that influence child development

As a parent, you need to make efforts to help your little one have optimal growth and development. Nutrition is indeed important, but there are several other factors that affect a child's development and development. What are some of them? Check out the following reviews.

What is child development according to global standards?

Grow (growth) is an increase in physical size. Your little one will gain weight and height. While development (development) is the increase in the ability of the body's structure and functions to become more complex.

For example, your little one's ability increases from rolling over to sitting, standing, to walking. This ability must develop according to age.

The very rapid development of the brain at the age of under 2 years is called the critical period of development, and is the perfect time to recover, if there is a developmental disruption.

According to research, it turns out that the incidence of developmental disorders in children is quite high. The 2013 Basic Health Research states that the incidence of stunting due to nutritional problems in Indonesia is 37.2%, and of course this growth disorder will interfere with their development.

Therefore, it is important for parents to always monitor their child's growth and development, especially for children under 2 years of age. Growth monitoring is an activity to find or find some problems early, such as:

Growth deviation: for example, poor or poor nutritional status, stunted children.
Developmental deviations: for example talking late
Child emotional mental disorders: for example, distraction and hyperactivity.

All of this is intended so that parents can know as early as possible how the smooth development of children and disorders that can be immediately followed up so that children are able to meet growth and development with global standards.

The cause of growth and development of Indonesian children has not met global standards

One of the reasons why most Indonesian children do not meet global standards is the lack of understanding of the importance of monitoring child development from an early age, especially during the first 2 years of age. In addition, various cultural and socio-economic levels are also determining factors.

In order for children to grow and develop optimally, supportive conditions are needed, including:

Relationships of family members and family environment that provide affection and feelings of security.
A healthy physical, mental and social state.
Affordable by health services.
Sufficient and nutritionally balanced food.
Children have the opportunity to get stimulation for growth and development and early education in the family and community.
Children have the opportunity to do activities that are appropriate and attract children's interests.
Give children the opportunity to play games that stimulate children's development.

Get to know more about the factors that influence child development

Source: My Kids Time

The main factor that parents need to pay attention to and do is stimulation or activities to stimulate children's basic abilities. Stimulation in children aged 0-6 years will help children to grow and develop optimally.

Every child needs to receive regular stimulation as early as possible and continuously at every opportunity. Stimulation of child development is carried out by the mother and father as the closest person to the child, substitute mother or child caregiver, other family members and community groups in their respective households and in everyday life.

Some of the stimulation that can be done such as:

Cognitive stimulation

Quoted from the Early Childhood Australia page, verbal stimulation can affect children's cognitive abilities. Parents can do this stimulation while parenting the child by asking a few questions so that it will trigger the child to think and provide answers.

This stimulation shows a positive impact on your little one's vocabulary as well as practicing reading and numeracy skills.

Motor stimulation

Motor stimulation or the ability to move children is equally important at an early age. One way is to encourage children to want to do physical activities, such as playing or sports.

Not only motor skills, according to research in 2017, it turns out that sport can also stimulate children's cognitive abilities.

Exploration early

According to Keap.org.uk, by allowing and encouraging children to play and explore, they will begin to be trained in several things, including:

Determine and take decisions by yourself
Dare to try
Imagine
Practice new skills
Become more confident
Enjoy every new challenge

Your little one learns through experiences that come from playing and exploring. Whether it's physical, social, emotional, moral, or cognitive, all of these need to be experienced directly by children. When exploring, children can learn from mistakes, feel fear or worry, and try new things. These experiences are good for growth and development.

Nutritional stimulation

All the stimulants that have been previously described can be less than optimal when they are not supported by adequate nutritional intake. Nutritional stimulation can mean providing or providing a variety of healthy food variants that are rich in nutrients including vitamins and minerals for your little one.

Vegetables, fruits, protein sources such as meat and fish are some examples of good sources of nutrition for children. In addition, formula milk can also help meet children's daily nutritional needs.

Formula milk is designed in such a way as to contain a variety of nutrients including vitamins and minerals that are essential for children's growth and development. Make sure you always provide adequate nutrition every day so that the child has the energy to receive every stimulus given.

Lack of stimulation can lead to irregularities in child development and even persistent disturbances. Some of the basic abilities of children that are stimulated by directed stimulation are gross motor skills, fine motor skills, speech and language skills as well as social skills and independence.

In stimulating children's growth and development, there are several basic principles that need to be considered, namely:

Stimulation is based on love and affection.
Always show good attitudes and behavior because children will imitate the behavior of those closest to them.
Provide stimulation according to the child's age group.
Perform stimulation by inviting children to play, sing, be varied, fun, without coercion, and there is no punishment.
Perform stimulation gradually and continuously according to the child's age.
Use tools / games that are simple, safe, and are around the child.
Give boys and girls equal opportunities.
Children are always given praise, if necessary, reward for their success.
Ensure that the child's daily nutritional needs are met

Factors that influence child development are related to one another. For that, it is the duty of parents to provide and support all the things that are needed by the little one.