This article was published in The Citizen Newspaper – Tanzania on May 27, 2025.
Victoria Lyimo, Godwin Mongi, Shimbo Pastory
The period from birth to 8 years of age is crucial in the development of a child owing to the holistic impact of this period to the child’s cognitive, emotional, social and physical development which extends to adulthood.
What is referred to in public health as Early Childhood Development (ECD) intervention therefore, as explained by the Unicef, is a collection of efforts to ensure that all children benefit from policies, programmers and practices that protect, promote and support optimal nutrition, stimulation, learning, health, safety and security in early childhood, everywhere (Unicef, 2024).
The United Nations through the Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted in 1989 established that healthy early childhood development was a fundamental right of every child.
This was in view of influencing implementation of policies which are supportive of children’s wellbeing across the world, and to ensure they have healthy holistic maturity and achieve their full growth and developmental potentials.
For the later, good health, safety and security, early learning opportunities, responsive care giving and adequate nutrition are important and collaborative factors which shape brain development, social adaptation, language acquisition, and general good health.
A 2007 comprehensive study revealed that in developing countries, more than 200 million children under 5 years failed to reach their potential in cognitive development because of poverty, poor health and nutrition, and deficient care (Sally Grantham-mcgregor et al., 2007). Recent research data reveal that a quarter of children globally are suspected to have developmental delays (JDC Gil, et al. 2020).
The World Bank reported in its Policy Research Working Paper dated November 2022 that more than 40% of children below school age do not have access to children care. Equally, between 2010 and 2016, 25.3% of children in low and middle income countries were reported to have had developmental discrepancy (JDC Gil, et al. 2020).
Based on these statistics, early childhood development is an important component in building healthy communities and a healthy nation. Safe and secure communities are built on the holistic qualities of the members.
These qualities become stronger when the foundation in early childhood is stronger and well integrated, leading to formation of adults who are emotionally and practically intelligent and, with good mental health. The complexity of it makes it an urgent yet collective responsibility to ensure that children get the best care in their early childhood.
The Government has invested in fostering early childhood development through the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Community Development, Women and Special Groups. The investments in Maternal and newborn care have had a positive impact, though still with a lot left to implement by families and communities.
First is the maternal health. Since early childhood development begins from conception, families and communities ought to ensure appropriate care towards pregnant women starting from early antenatal bookings, appropriate nutrition, addressing and preventing gender-based violence, and ensuring their physical and emotional wellbeing.
The families and pregnant women (couples and or close relative) are encouraged by experts to stimulate their unborn children in the womb by taking to them. This care ought to be continued even after birth.
The infancy period up to 1 year of age manifests rapid development and growth. It is the time during which an infant begins exploring things by senses, recognizes familiar faces, starts to relate cause and effects example (shaking, sounds etc.), and can begin to express emotions by smiling, crying, etc.
Family members’ cooperation with the infant in playing, smiling back, responds to the infant needs, interpreting expressions and responding appropriately, are all formative to the maturing infant.
Progressively, from the age of 1 to 3 years, children, now called toddlers, become curious and eager to explore their surroundings, and they try to solve problems. For example they start open containers to see their contents, etc. They explore for example if containers can be opened, and if they can be covered back, etc. At this stage toddlers are considered as stubborn and unpredictable in most families.
This period needs to be understood and acknowledged by parents who should as well have a good disposition to support the child’s learning journey by answering their questions and offering a help without being harsh or rough.
From the age of 3 to 5, children are said to be in the Tand pre-scholars stage. This is the time when most of the children ask many “why” questions. The children try to find rationale in every what he/she sees and hears. At this stage children begin to show empathy but also tend towards pleasing adults and seeking their approval.
A challenge of our time is that most parents do not allocate sufficient time with their children, or they yell and shut down the child’s innocent curiosity. These acts intimidate children’s rational thinking and implants negative fear, an emotion which may affects their journey of learning.
In conclusion, early childhood development is a process that can be accompanied better when those involved have been at least educated a little bit. Basic instincts are not enough, insofar as we intend to shape the far future of our children from their earliest days.
Victoria Lyimo MPH is a nurse officer at the Ministry of Health. Godwin Mongi is a sociologist and an expert in Early Childhood Development (ECD) at the Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups. Shimbo Pastory is Tanzanian journalist based in Manila, Philippines.
