Early Childhood Development Guidelines for Parents shared by Dr. Kanchankumar Bhagyawant

IAP Parent Guideline Committee at Indian Academy of Pediatrics has published few guidelines for parents about Early Childhood Development. Dr. Kanchankumar Bhagyawant - Consultant Pediatrician and Neonatologist in Pune would like to share few important quesitons from these guidelines.

When should I start reading to my child?

• Reading aloud to the young babies is an enjoyable activity and very important as it provides the building blocks for language and creative skills.
• Reading aloud to your baby does not have to be a serious, complex, or a time-consuming process. It can be done as a leisure when both baby and mother are relaxed and not in a hurry.
• It is never too late to introduce the habit of reading to the young.
• Attention of babies can be taken to the pictures in a book even before they can hold books. The ability to hear and respond to human sounds and vocal imitation starts developing before the age of 4 months. Hence, reading to the babies can beginany where between 4 and 6 months of age

• Smile at your baby and establish good eye contact often during the day in the early infancy period.
• When a mother makes caring verbal sounds while looking at the baby, it helps to build a good emotional attachment (Fig. 3B). Early secure attachment with mother/a main caregiver is thought to enable children to develop independence, good coping strategies, and resilience in later years.
• Parents must use words to praise and encourage their babies when they make cuddling and gesturing sounds.