Primary Prevention in Early Childhood Care

In this article, we'll talk about the importance of primary prevention in early childhood. By preventing diseases early on, you can prevent your little one from getting sick.

We’ll start this article by defining primary prevention and early childhood care. Then, we’ll talk about how it helps to prevent diseases and developmental problems early on. Keep reading to learn more.

Primary prevention according to WHO

The World Health Organization explains three levels of prevention: primary, secondary and tertiary. Primary prevention aims to prevent getting a disease. In fact, you can do this by following certain tips. We’ll explain more below.

In addition, there’s a lot that health professionals can do. For example, there are government employees and health personnel who work to prevent diseases.

Primary prevention: Health promotion and protection

There are two types of interventions:

1. Promoting health and preventing disease

The goal of this is to promote health. For example, getting vaccinated and not smoking or drinking are some of these tips. In addition, using condoms and seatbelts are also important.

In this sense, the WHO emphasizes the importance of health education to develop good personal habits. Therefore, it teaches people how to improve their health.

2. Health protection concerning the environment

In addition, environmental health protection helps prevent diseases. For example, controlling environmental risks can keep us safe. That way, we improve environmental health. In addition, it keeps food safe.

Early attention

This is a set of activities aimed at children from 0 to 6 years old, as well as their family and environment. In fact, early attention helps prevent developmental disorders. It also helps care for kids who have them or are at high risk. For example, some of these disorders are:

• Learning development disorders
• Language development disorders
• Emotional and behavioral disorders
• Relationship and communication disorders

Certain professionals are also in charge of early childhood care, including psychologists, speech therapists and physiotherapists. In fact, these people work in early care centers and are trained to deal with different disorders.

Additionally, they organize activities for children and their families, as well as provide them with specialized help.

Importance of primary prevention in early childhood care

We mentioned that primary prevention helps support or counteract risk factors. In addition, they help keep kids safe.

In early childhood care, these interventions are made for children ages 0 to 6 years old. Also, they focus on strengthening family environments. That way, kids grow up in a healthy place.

Children’s development depends on their relationships. These can be relationships with parents and siblings. They can also be with caregivers. Children learn to behave based on these relationships.

Primary prevention is important to prevent anything that could affect kids’ development. For example, it helps prevent possible disorders, both cognitive and language. Also, they prevent other expressive, emotional or behavioral ones.

Children’s development has to do with both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. For example, their family environment and their circumstances can have an impact. The family’s socioeconomic status could also be a factor.

Therefore, childcare needs to help protect kids from these risks. That way, we can reduce threats to their development.

Concrete actions to protect young children

These systems offer different services, including health, social, and educational. Health services provide steps related to family planning. For example, they explain tips for pregnant women to take care of themselves, as well as vaccinations. In addition, there’s information on risk factors, primary care, and more.

Also, regarding social services, there are actions aimed at preventing situations of child abuse. In fact, there are lots of different programs and projects for it.

As for educational services, their goal is to prevent and detect developmental disorders. They have steps to notice signs of disorders. They also explain how to use certain teaching methods.