Experts Say Parents Must Do These In The First 1,000 Days To Give Their Kids The Best Start In Life

As the country prepares to celebrate the 5th anniversary of RA11146, experts reminded parents of the importance of a child’s first 1,000 days of life.

RA11146, commonly known as the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act or First 1,000 Days Law was signed in November 2018 by then President Rodrigo Duterte. It is considered a milestone in public health advocacy as it provides essential support to promote the health and well-being of mothers and children from the prenatal period up to the first 1,000 days or until two years old.

Why is the child’s first 1,000 days important?

Studies have found that the first 1,000 days of a child’s life is crucial, as his ability to develop, thrive, and learn is significantly impacted by how well both mom and child are fed and cared for throughout this period. Experts determined this based on the following reasons:

• Children’s brains can create 1,000 new neural connections every second throughout this time. This means that the connections a 3-year-olds’ brain forms can provide the foundation for his future because it is twice as busy as an adult’s brain.
• A person’s first 1,000 days is considered the most crucial for the development of his body, brain, metabolism, and immune system, hence it can impact his lifetime physical and mental wellness.
• Specialists say that a child’s developing brain and body can suffer irreparable damage from insufficient nutrition during this time.

What are parents’ must-dos in their child’s first 1,000 days of life?

Considering how crucial this time is in a child’s life, experts remind parents of the things they should do during this period:

1. Get the recommended vaccinations

In a media briefing, Dr. Fatima Gimenez, Immunization Committee Chair of the Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) says that the first 1,000 days of life is a “critical window of opportunity where decisions and actions during this period could cause irreversible damage to a child’s life.”

“Immunization should be done before the child is exposed to viruses and bacteria that cause Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (VPDs). It is critical for these vaccinations to be completed and on schedule during the child’s first 1,000 days of life to lower risks of either acquiring the infection or spreading the infection, not just with immediate family members but with the larger community. This underscores why immunization is a critical strategy to prevent outbreaks of diseases.”

According to the PPS’s 2022 Childhood Immunization schedule, 14 out of the 15 recommended childhood immunizations should be administered within the first 1,000 days of life. These include recommended vaccines such as Bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG); Hep B; DTwP-Hib-HepB and other DTaP combinations; IPV; OPV/IPV; Pneumococcal Conjugate; Rotavirus; Influenza; Japanese Encephalitis; Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR); Varicella; Inactivated Hep A; and Live Hep A. HPV is recommended for vaccination at age 9.

Dr. Gimenez acknowledges that the recent pandemic could have caused a number of kids to miss their scheduled vaccinations, “either due to the physical lockdowns, fears of acquiring COVID-19, or socio-economic constraints.”

“Incomplete vaccination makes them vulnerable to complications brought about by diseases that may even lead to death. Now that the COVID-19 health emergency has been lifted, all the more that we should intensify immunization in the first 1,000 days for all newborns to be protected from communicable VPDs as the world goes back to pre-pandemic normal, and for those who missed their vaccinations to catch up on immunizations.”

2. Breastfeed and practice Tamang KAIN

Dr. Gimenez also reiterated that mothers should make the effort to breastfeed since moms can pass on their antibodies, including vaccination-acquired antibodies to their newborns, which would then serve as their initial protection.

Parents should also make a conscious effort to practice Tamang KAIN in complementary feeding once their child transitions to solid food. Tamang KAIN (Kid and Infant Nutrition) is a health recommendation on giving the right food for babies in their first 1,000 days. The National Nutrition Council has a list of recommended recipes that are affordable and easy to prepare, and will provide the adequate nutritional requirements that a growing child needs.

Dr. Vicente Belizario, former dean and active professor at the University of the Philippines College of Public Health,  says that Tamang Kain can help prevent instances of child stunting. Currently, the Philippines ranks fifth among countries in the East Asia and Pacific region with the highest prevalence of stunting.

Finally, Dr. Gimenez and Dr. Belizario both remind parents that they should always consult healthcare professionals for anything concerning their child’s health. Moms should refrain from self-medication and instead practice appropriate health-seeking behavior. This ensures that children get the right diagnosis and medications.

To ensure our children have the best start in life, it's essential to heed the advice of experts and follow their recommendations.