A two-day workshop has been held in Accra to equip health workers with the knowledge and skills necessary for early identification and assessment of developmental delays in children below five.
Organised by the Greater Accra Regional Hospital in Accra, it was aimed at raising awareness among health workers about the prevalence and consequences of developmental disorders in early childhood, emphasizing the significance of early detection and intervention.
Speaking at the opening of early childhood development assessment workshop in Accra on Wednesday, Dr Yvonne brew, paediatric specialist said by fostering early detection, we can ensure timely interventions, leading to improved outcomes for children and reduced burdens on families and healthcare systems.
She said it has been estimated that globally, 43 per cent of children less than five years old were not achieving their full potential because they do not receive the five elements of ‘nurturing care’ for children namely health, nutrition, early stimulation, learning opportunities and protection.
Due to this, she said their cognitive, language and psycho-social skills remained underdeveloped, which keeps them from performing well in primary school and eventually dropping out.
“In Ghana, the majority of children in the age group of 0-3 years are taken care of by parents and family members. Therefore, it is important for these caregivers to have easy access to basic health and nutrition services and be in a position to utilize them”.
“One child in every five in Ghana experiences stunted growth during the first thousand days of life caused by inadequate nourishment, frequent illness and an unhealthy environment. These affect the physical, social and cognitive development in children”.
“Their brain development is negatively impacted which further affects learning at an early age, school performance and ultimately their socio-economic development” she stated.
She advised parents to request for comprehensive assessment of their wards during child’s visit to help address challenges.
Dr Charlyne Kilba, Head of Children’s Department at GARH called on parents to bring in their child early to the hospital so the right intervention could be administered.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
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