Indicators of child development that parents need to know!

If it follows WHO standards, it is believed that indicators of growth and development of Indonesian children still do not meet global standards. This indicator includes a comparison between the height, weight and age of the child which is a measure of the nutritional status and health of the population in a country.

Based on research by the Indonesian Ministry of Health in 2018, there are three indicators of growth and development of Indonesian children that are quite high, namely stunting (short stature) by 30.8%, underweight (underweight) 17,7% and wasting (thin) by 10.2%. The high prevalence of these three cases indicates that there are still many Indonesian children who are in the malnutrition or malnutrition status group.

Malnutrition can cause stunted growth and development in children. For example, reducing the ability of the child's immune system to fight disease and infection, as well as having an effect on the child's mental, physical and learning ability in the future. So, what do parents need to do to support their children to achieve growth and development indicators according to global standards?

The cause of child growth and development is not optimal

Parents can reduce the risk of growth problems in children by optimizing the child's growth from pregnancy to the child's development.

For example, pregnant women can make anticipatory efforts stunting in children with:

Carry out regular pregnancy checks

Avoid cigarette smoke

Fulfilling good nutrition during pregnancy, including by eating a balanced healthy menu, adequate intake of iron, folic acid, and iodine

After the child is born, parents are advised to make regular visits to the doctor or other health service center to monitor the child's growth and development. Following are the recommended visit times:

Every month when your child is 0 - 12 months old

Every 3 months when your child is 1 - 3 years old

Every 6 months when your child is 3 - 6 years old

Every year when your child is 6 - 18 years old

Don't forget to provide exclusive breastfeeding until the child is 6 months old. After that, it is recommended that mothers provide additional nutrition in the form of adequate complementary foods. Not to forget, parents should also bring their children to join the immunization program, especially basic immunization.

Provide good nutrition to children

Nutrition is the main driver for child development. If parents fail to meet proper nutritional needs, the risk of malnutrition in children will be high. For this reason, it is important to provide healthy and balanced nutrition in order to achieve optimal child growth and development.

Breastfeeding

Give exclusive breastfeeding to babies for six months by monitoring their adequacy, namely by assessing the growth using the WHO Growth Velocity Standards table.
If exclusive breastfeeding has been given in the right way, but the baby shows at risk of failure to thrive (failure to thrive), then assess the baby's readiness to receive complementary foods (complementary foods).
If exclusive breastfeeding has been given in the right way, but the baby shows signs at risk of failure to thrive and do not have motor readiness to receive complementary foods, it can be considered that donor breastfeeding meets the requirements. If donor breast milk is not available, infant formula can be given.

Providing complementary foods

Complementary foods are started to be given to babies aged 6 months. However, if breastfeeding is insufficient, complementary foods can be given as early as 4 months (17 weeks) by assessing an infant's oromotor readiness to receive solid food.
MPASI should not be given later than 6 months of age (27 weeks). This is because after 6 months of age, exclusive breastfeeding is not able to meet the baby's nutritional needs.
In terms of quality and quantity, complementary foods must meet the macronutrient and micronutrient needs of infants according to age.
The preparation, presentation and provision of complementary foods must be done in a hygienic manner.
Salt can be added to complementary foods to ensure the development of flavor properties in babies, but taking into account the rudimentary kidney function. The amount of salt that can be given refers to the recommended daily intake of sodium (2,400 mg / 1 tablespoon per day).
Sugar can also be added to solid foods to support the development of flavor properties in babies. The amount of sugar added to complementary foods refers to the recommendations of the Codex Standard for Processes Cereal-based Foods for Infants and Young Children.
Avoid foods that contain nitrates in babies under 6 months of age.
Feeding infants and toddlers must follow the rules responsive feeding (recognize signs of hunger and fullness in babies).

Formula feeding

Infant formula can be given on medical indications based on the 2009 WHO Recommendations.
Infant formula can be given to infants who are exclusively breastfed in the right way but shows signs at risk of failure to thrive, do not yet have motor readiness to receive complementary foods, and there is no donor breast milk that meets safety requirements.
When the child is 1 year old, parents can provide formula milk containing 10 essential nutrients (DHA, Omega 3 & Omega 6, iron, calcium, Vitamin B2 & B12, Vitamin C, vitamin D, and Zinc). These nutrients can support children's growth so that they are responsive, agile, and resilient.

Doing physical activity with children

Physical activity in the form of sports can help optimize children's growth and development. This is done to improve lean body mass (lean body mass), muscle and bone strength. Exercise can also improve heart health, circulation and weight control.

What's more, exercise has non-physical benefits, including increasing self-confidence, learning and training abilities, and improving psychological mental health, as well as helping reduce stress in children.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a child needs about 60 minutes of physical exercise each day. You don't have to get the total of 60 minutes at the same time, but can add up to 60 minutes in a day.

The recommended sports, among others jogging, aerobic exercise, running, riding fast bikes, uphill walking, and self-defense. This type of sport is included in vigorous-intensity activity, which uses more than 7 kcal per minute of energy and has better benefits compared to moderate-intensity activity. Example from moderate-intensity activity such as walking to brisk walking, exercising, and riding a relaxed bicycle. which uses about 3.5 - 7 kcal per minute of energy.

Avoid

One of the problems that we must pay attention to in the daily life and health of our children is physical inactivity, namely the child does not do physical activity.

For example, children tend to choose to be driven to school by vehicle rather than cycling or walking, children choose to play video games or watch television instead of playing outside the home and others.

Sometimes, parents also support this condition for various reasons such as fear of letting children play outside the home which can endanger the child.

The AAP recommends that children under 2 years of age not watch television, while children over 2 years of age can only watch television for a maximum of 2 hours per day.

Those are some of the efforts that parents can apply to meet the indicators of child growth and development according to global standards. Starting from providing good nutrition to doing physical activity, everything is done so that the child's growth and development is optimal. If their growth is optimal, the child will be responsive in learning, agile when doing activities, not easy to get sick, confident, and have a height above average.