Socios En Salud screened more than 70% of all children in the district of Carabayllo to identify any risk or delay in their early childhood development. Of these, 1480 children under 24 months managed to improve their condition.
According to the international medical journal The Lancet, 43% of children under 5 do not reach their full potential worldwide, a figure that puts at risk a future in which the health and well-being of early childhood is guaranteed; since the first two years of life are the basis for psychomotor, emotional and social development.
But what happens when children present a deficit in their early childhood development?
There are several socioeconomic and sociocultural factors that influence adequate early child development: poverty, inadequate quality of education services, health, nutrition, etc. Child developmental delay problems vary according to the nature and severity of the delay, so it is important to see a health specialist.
During the COVID-19, access to growth and development services was limited, severely affecting the health of the child population. Faced with this situation, Socios En Salud through the Child Health Program deployed various technological strategies such as Casita Bot, a mobile application that aims to reduce the risk or delay in cognitive, social, physical and emotional child development in children from 6 to 24 months of age.
Early stimulation accompaniment and social support
Jim is one of the 6795 children benefited by the Child Health Program of Socios En Salud, he just turned 2 years old and in his black eyes reflects a special glow, He has just stood up with the intention of taking his first steps in the company of his entire family, after receiving the 12 virtual sessions of the educational methodology âGive and Respondâ, focused on interaction in early stimulation, caregiver involvement, social, emotional and nutritional support, which helped Jim to gradually overcome this difficulty.
âI would arrive tired from cooking in the communal pot; however, that was not an obstacle to continue with the CASITA virtual sessions. I learned a lot from the specialists, they gave me the confidence and security I needed to transmit to my Jim,â Gloria expressed.
Previously, Jim had balance difficulties, a condition that made it impossible for him to walk and he only managed to crawl. Gloria and Ignacio, Jimâs parents, were very concerned about the childâs psychomotor development, since they repeatedly tried to make an appointment at the Centro de Salud Cruz de Motupe, located 15 minutes from their home in San Juan de Lurigancho; however, thanks to the comprehensive care of Socios En Salud Jim managed to improve his health condition.
To date, Gloria and Ignacio stimulate Jim with exercises to encourage him to walk, strengthening the muscles of his little legs through play with a lot of patience and confidence.
âIn this way, the children build safe, sensitive, non-violent and lasting relationships that allow them to develop and gain more confidence,â explained Jenisis Julian, CASITA project technician at Socios En Salud.
At Socios En Salud we will continue with our commitment to contribute to the wellbeing and development of early childhood in order to build a solid foundation to form responsible and productive future generations for themselves, their families and society.