“Critical Period”, First 1,000 Days of a Child’s Development

As malnutrition is still a problem in the country, the National Nutrition Council 7 (NNC 7) has lined its programs for this year’s 47th Nutrition Month celebration to shed light on malnutrition and the solutions for it.

The 47th Nutrition Month celebration, themed “Malnutrisyon patuloy na labanan, First 1000 Days tutukan!,” calls for continued efforts to address malnutrition in the country, which is expected to worsen due to the pandemic and limited resources for nutrition.

One of the most adverse effects of malnutrition is stunting–which without intervention, will have irreversible effects on a child’s health and development.

Stunting is the result of chronic malnutrition which is usually correlated with poverty, poor maternal health and nutrition, frequent illness, and/or inappropriate feeding and care in the early life of the child.

The eradication of malnutrition in the future depend on giving mothers and their children their needed nutrition.

Moreover, Dr. Parolita Mission, Regional Nutritional Coordinator of NNC 7, has emphasized that the first 1,000 days of a child’s life is a “critical period” for the child’s development.

“The first 1,000 days is the critical window of opportunity to address malnutrition. If we invest in the first 1,000 days program, based on studies the child’s ability to survive childhood illnesses increases ten-fold, the child will also perform well in school,” Mission stated.

The first 1,000 days pertain to the 270 days of pregnancy, 180 days of young infancy, and 550 days of older infancy and toddlerhood.

After two years of the child, if not addressed, the effects of stunting will be irreversible.

Mission also said that the fight against malnutrition is a combined effort of the community, local government units (LGUs), and nutrition and health agencies.

“The campaign against malnutrition not only lies on the government, or the health sector only, an “all of nation approach” is needed to address our malnutrition because the problem of malnutrition is multi-factoral, the intervention is multi-sectoral, and engagement of the community),” Mission added. (ASC)