Child development issues
Protecting children's brain development: Preventing two major infectious diseases
Parents nowadays, some begin prenatal education as soon as they are pregnant, while others spend a large amount of money on learning tools, hoping to help their children's brain development. However, paediatricians point out that what children need most is interaction with their parents, and preventing infectious diseases that affect the brain is more important for protecting their intellectual development.
From a doctor's perspective, childhood is indeed the golden age for brain development. If this period can be grasped for appropriate training, intelligence can be enhanced. However, the method is not to cram knowledge into a child's brain. For example, while flashcards for recognising words may appear to allow children to recognise them earlier, the result is merely that the child learns a few English words sooner, with little benefit to overall brain development. Dr. Chan Yan-wing, a paediatrician, says that what children actually need most is interaction with their parents. "Because we all start by imitating and learning. Close contact with parents, such as talking and playing, will develop a child's language ability, imagination, and so on. Some parents often leave the work of educating their children to domestic helpers, or let their children play alone with tablets and English learning tools, all of which greatly benefit children's brain development!"
Only through multi-faceted attempts can one achieve all-round development.
He pointed out that to promote a child's brain development, children should be encouraged to try many different things, be exposed to various things in the world, and be provided with quality parent-child time. Static activities can include parents reading stories to their children, role-playing, singing, and so on, while dynamic activities can include taking children to the countryside to see flowers and animals, running, playing football, and so on. This allows children to experience and explore various things, thereby discovering their personal interests and talents, which is essential for true holistic development.
Breast-fed babies are the smartest.
Regarding nutrition, people often ask whether children should be given DHA supplements or special milk powder containing DHA. Dr. Chan stated: "I don't object to taking these supplements, as there are no real side effects. However, babies who are breastfed are the smartest. Instead of worrying about supplements, it's better to breastfeed your child!"
It is worth noting that parents go to great lengths to improve their children's intelligence, yet overlook some illnesses that can affect a child's intellect, such as meningitis and encephalitis. In the past, elders often said that children would have their "brains burnt out" by fever, but in reality, fever itself does not "burn out" the brain. What they were referring to are illnesses like meningitis and encephalitis. This is because both conditions cause high fever and can lead to brain damage, resulting in intellectual problems.
Vaccinate early to prevent intellectual damage.
"Meningitis and encephalitis can not only cause permanent intellectual damage, but also learning difficulties, hearing and vision impairment, cognitive decline, personality changes, and epilepsy. As brain cells cannot regenerate once damaged, these problems are permanent," said Dr. Chan.
Meningococcal bacteria are generally spread through contact with a patient's oral or nasal secretions, and are more easily transmitted in crowded places like schools. Japanese encephalitis, on the other hand, is spread by mosquitoes and has a higher incidence rate in places such as Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, where children have been comprehensively vaccinated by the government. In their early stages, these diseases are very similar to the common cold, and by the time abnormalities are noticed, the brain has often been affected, which is a real pity. Although vaccines for *Haemophilus influenzae* type b, meningococcal bacteria, and Japanese encephalitis can prevent different forms of encephalitis and meningitis, they are not currently included in the government's vaccination programme, so parents are advised to pay for them themselves.
Source: Urban Daily
