Raising strong, solid Koolunga: values and beliefs about early child development among Perth’s Aboriginal community

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-47
Author(s):  
Clair Scrine ◽  
Brad Farrant ◽  
Carol Michie ◽  
Carrington Shepherd ◽  
Michael Wright
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Aboriginal People ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Child Rearing ◽  
Western Society ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Aboriginal Community ◽  
Child And Family Services ◽  
Early Child

AbstractThere is a paucity of published information about conceptions of Aboriginal child rearing and development among urban dwelling Nyoongar/Aboriginal people in Australia. We detail the unique findings from an Aboriginal early child development research project with a specific focus on the Nyoongar/Aboriginal community of Perth, Western Australia. This research significantly expands the understanding of a shared system of beliefs and values among Nyoongar people that differ in important ways from those of the broader Australian (Western) society. Consistent with the findings of research with other Aboriginal groups in Australia, and internationally, our work challenges assumptions underpinning a range of early childhood development policies and highlights the implications of cultural biases and misunderstandings among non-Aboriginal professionals in child and family services, education and other settings.

scholarly journals Nutritional Status of Children 24–60 Months Attending Early Child Development Centres in a Semi-Rural Community in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onwaba Makanjana ◽  
Ashika Naicker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Early Childhood Development ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Early Child ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children

Abstract Background: Despite the numerous efforts to improve the nutritional status of children, a high prevalence of malnutrition still exists in South Africa. This study aimed to determine the nutritional status of children attending Early Child Development centres in South Africa.Methods: In this baseline study, we randomly selected two Early Child Development centres comprising of 116 children aged 24–60 months, separated into two cohorts, 24–47 and 48–60 months from the Valley of a Thousand Hills area in the Ethekweni municipality. Dietary intake was measured through the 24hDR and analysed using Food Finder software. The food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the food variety and food group diversity scores. Anthropometric measurements; weight and height were taken and the WHO Anthro software was used to convert it to nutritional data indices. Vitamin A and haemoglobin levels were collected through dry blood spot cards and assessed using WHO indicators.Results: The findings showed that participants had a low mean energy intake (24–47 months; 4906.2kJ and 4997.9kJ, 48–60 months; 5936.4kJ and 5621.2kJ (p = 0.038), low fruit and vegetable consumption (24–47 months; 63.8g and 69.5g (p = 0.037), 48–60 months; 68.3g and 74.4g (p = 0.038) and the top five foods consumed were carbohydrate rich foods for girls and boys respectively. Stunting was noted in 7% and 20% (48–60 months) (p = 0.012) and overweight in 8% and 17% (24–47 months) and 17% and 13 % (48–60 months) (p = 0.041) in girls and boys respectively. Low serum retinol levels (<0.070µmol/L) were found in 9.1% of boys (24–47 months), 8% and 7.4% of girls and boys (48–60 months). Low haemoglobin levels (<11.0 g/dL) were found in 50.0% and 30.4% (24–47 months) and 8.6% and 39.3% (48–60 months) of girls and boys respectively. Conclusion and recommendation: Malnutrition, despite many national and provincial initiatives, still exists at Early Childhood Development centres in South Africa calling for the application of contextualized nutrition interventions to suite resource-poor settings.

scholarly journals Nutritional Status of Children 24–60 Months Attending Early Child Development Centres in a Semi-Rural Community in South Africa

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 261
Author(s):  
Onwaba Makanjana ◽  
Ashika Naicker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Vegetable Consumption ◽  
Childhood Development ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Serum Retinol ◽  
Early Child ◽  
Nutritional Status Of Children

Despite the numerous efforts to improve the nutritional status of children, a high prevalence of malnutrition still exists in South Africa. This study aimed to determine the nutritional status of children attending Early Child Development centres in South Africa. In this baseline study, we randomly selected two Early Child Development centres comprising 116 children aged 24–60 months, separated into two cohorts, of 24–47 months and 48–60 months. Dietary intake was measured through the 24 hDR and analysed using Food Finder software. The food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the food variety and food group diversity scores. Anthropometric measurements were taken and the WHO Anthro software was used to convert it to nutritional data indices. Blood samples were collected through dried blood spot cards in order to determine serum retinol and haemoglobin levels and they were assessed using WHO indicators. The findings showed that participants between 24 and 47 months had a high mean energy intake (4906.2 kJ and 4997.9 kJ for girls and boys, respectively). For the 48–60 months age group, energy intake was lower than the EER (5936.4 kJ and 5621.2 kJ; p = 0.038). There was low fruit and vegetable consumption (24–47 months; 63.8 g and 69.5 g (p = 0.037), 48–60 months; 68.3 g and 74.4 g (p = 0.038) and the top five foods consumed were carbohydrate rich foods for girls and boys, respectively. Stunting was noted in 7% and 20% (48–60 months) (p = 0.012) and overweight in 8% and 17% (24–47 months) and 17% and 13% (48–60 months) (p = 0.041) in girls and boys, respectively. Low serum retinol levels (<0.070 µmol/L) were found in 9.1% of boys (24–47 months), and 8% and 7.4% of girls and boys (48–60 months), respectively. Low haemoglobin levels (<11.0 g/dL) were found in 50.0% and 30.4% (24–47 months) and 8.6% and 39.3% (48–60 months) of girls and boys, respectively. Malnutrition, despite many national and provincial initiatives, still exists in Early Childhood Development centres in South Africa, calling for the application of contextualized nutrition interventions to suit resource-poor settings.

Perceived Knowledge of Early Child Development Among New and Expecting Fathers

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather A. Keefe ◽  
Sharnail D. Bazemore ◽  
Kate Farr ◽  
James F. Paulson
Keyword(s):  
Child Development ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Perceived Knowledge ◽  
Early Child

scholarly journals A holistic approach to promoting early child development: a cluster randomised trial of a group-based, multicomponent intervention in rural Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. e004307
Author(s):  
Helen O Pitchik ◽  
Fahmida Tofail ◽  
Mahbubur Rahman ◽  
Fahmida Akter ◽  
Jesmin Sultana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Child Development ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Primary Caregivers ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Early Child Development ◽  
Early Child ◽  
Rural Bangladesh ◽  
Cluster Randomised ◽  
Adjusted Means

IntroductionIn low- and middle-income countries, children experience multiple risks for delayed development. We evaluated a multicomponent, group-based early child development intervention including behavioural recommendations on responsive stimulation, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, mental health and lead exposure prevention.MethodsWe conducted a 9-month, parallel, multiarm, cluster-randomised controlled trial in 31 rural villages in Kishoreganj District, Bangladesh. Villages were randomly allocated to: group sessions (‘group’); alternating groups and home visits (‘combined’); or a passive control arm. Sessions were delivered fortnightly by trained community members. The primary outcome was child stimulation (Family Care Indicators); the secondary outcome was child development (Ages and Stages Questionnaire Inventory, ASQi). Other outcomes included dietary diversity, latrine status, use of a child potty, handwashing infrastructure, caregiver mental health and knowledge of lead. Analyses were intention to treat. Data collectors were independent from implementers.ResultsIn July–August 2017, 621 pregnant women and primary caregivers of children<15 months were enrolled (group n=160, combined n=160, control n=301). At endline, immediately following intervention completion (July–August 2018), 574 participants were assessed (group n=144, combined n=149, control n=281). Primary caregivers in both intervention arms participated in more play activities than control caregivers (age-adjusted means: group 4.22, 95% CI 3.97 to 4.47; combined 4.77, 4.60 to 4.96; control 3.24, 3.05 to 3.39), and provided a larger variety of play materials (age-adjusted means: group 3.63, 3.31 to 3.96; combined 3.81, 3.62 to 3.99; control 2.48, 2.34 to 2.59). Compared with the control arm, children in the group arm had higher total ASQi scores (adjusted mean difference in standardised scores: 0.39, 0.15 to 0.64), while in the combined arm scores were not significantly different from the control (0.25, –0.07 to 0.54).ConclusionOur findings suggest that group-based, multicomponent interventions can be effective at improving child development outcomes in rural Bangladesh, and that they have the potential to be delivered at scale.Trial registration numberThe trial is registered in ISRCTN (ISRCTN16001234).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document