NEWS: IHD study reveals risk factors for child development
November 17, 2022 | 2:50 pm
A father and a mother playing with their child. ©Aga Khan University Photo/Maureen Ooko By Maureen Ooko, Communications Officer, Aga Khan University Institute for Human Development.
A recent study by the Aga Khan University Institute for Human Development (IHD), has revealed low promotion of play among surveyed households in the informal settlements of Dagoretti sub-County in Nairobi, Kenya. These statistics are worrying considering the vital role of play in promoting healthy child development.
The role of play in healthy child development is hardly celebrated. Many caregivers intuitively think of a healthy and well nurtured child as one who is physically healthy, educated, socially interactive and obtains adequate nutrition.
Play and communication is critical in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. It helps in brain, language, and social-emotional development. Authors of this study acknowledge that both structured and unstructured play lay a strong foundation for a child’s development of future learning and life skills. Play helps children develop their knowledge, experience, curiosity, and confidence. It also strengthens the bond between a parent and the child which significantly contributes to the healthy development of the child. Furthermore, through play, caregivers can understand their children better and understand what is happening in their lives.
The study led by IHD Director Prof Amina Abubakar, sort to unpack the protective and risk factors for optimal development among children living in informal settlements. This study surveyed 612 households in Dagoretti sub-County with children below two years. Out of the surveyed households, 118 were immigrant households hailing from Burundi, Rwanda, and the Great Horn of Africa.
Drawing from the results of this study, the Institute developed an integrated Early Childhood Development Intervention that prioritized responsive caregiving through play and communication. The intervention was administered in informal settlements targeting Kenyan and immigrant households of low socio-economic status. It incorporated mothers at the late stages of their pregnancy together with their partners and walked with them until nine months after childbirth. The goal was to promote nurturing care during the critical moments of a child’s life.