The Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region has had the longest preschool closures due to COVID-19 pandemic. From March 2020 to October 2021 LAC preschools for children 3-5 averaged 67.4 weeks of full or partial closure. In other words, children assisted -on average- less than ¼ of the time they were supposed to. Psychosocial-stimulation home visits and well-baby … [Read more...] about When not going to preschool was normal
Seeds of Attachment (Semillas de apego): 3 keys to promoting child development in the context of armed conflict or displacement
The number is not trivial: 17% of the world's children were living in conflict zones by the end of 2020. Exposure to traumatic events in the first years of life can make the stress response system to be active in a prolonged manner. This is known as toxic stress, and it affects children's life trajectories. What challenges do we face in promoting child development in contexts … [Read more...] about Seeds of Attachment (Semillas de apego): 3 keys to promoting child development in the context of armed conflict or displacement
Breastfeeding and the Battle to Protect the Youngest Children Against COVID-19
My second granddaughter was born during one of the pandemic’s worst moments. Because her mother is a pediatrician, she obtained one of the first COVID-19 vaccines offered to health workers. Yet she approached the institutional birth with trepidation due to the danger of exposing the newborn to the virus that surely circulated in the hospital environment. It was winter … [Read more...] about Breastfeeding and the Battle to Protect the Youngest Children Against COVID-19
Community of Practice: What happens when experts committed to Early Childhood Development come together?
Government authorities, scholars, civil society organizations, businesses, project implementers, and innovators. All these stakeholders play a key role difficult to replace. Now let’s imagine that all these diverse individuals from different backgrounds and expertise are having the same conversation: Promoting the development of children from 0 to 5 years of age in Latin … [Read more...] about Community of Practice: What happens when experts committed to Early Childhood Development come together?
Remote Delivery of Parenting Programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic led to the suspension of parenting programs through home visits and group meetings in many low- and middle-income countries. The detrimental impact from the lack of these services for children’s development and parents’ well-being was highlighted early in the pandemic and several innovations were developed to find ways to continue … [Read more...] about Remote Delivery of Parenting Programs during the COVID-19 Pandemic