The Facts About Infant Mental Health
By Khatey Simmons
The Facts About Infant Mental Health (Infographic)
How to build a happy baby and a healthy child.
On bringing in a new child to the world, we parents and caregivers do everything in our power to make sure they get the best start in life. Oftentimes this means focusing on physical health, however emerging research has shone a light on the need to pay attention to their mental health as well.
Simply defined by ZERO TO THREE as “how well a child develops socially and emotionally from birth to three”, the field of infant mental health has grown massively over the past few decades. By the reaching the age of two, approximately 80% of a child’s brain has developed. Research has definitively shown that young children can experience powerful feelings long before they are able to vocalise them, and that these early years can strongly influence their overall development later on in life. Consequently, it is critical for parents/caregivers to nurture their social and emotional development during this time.
An essential element of this process is the formation of a healthy, reliable and trusting parent-child relationship. This has been proven to affect how the child socially interacts with others for the rest of their life. A secure relationship provides the foundation of a safe environment in which an infant can explore the world around them.
What can you do now to look after your baby’s mental health?
Your first step should be to read this highly informative infographic guide courtesy of the team at Westcan Personnel. This helpful graphic goes through the basic tenets of infant mental health and offers an overview of the concept of attachment. It also outlines some simple steps you can take at home to foster positive infant mental health.
Take a look at the infographic below to find out more about infant mental health.
Author Bio
Khatey Simmons is the Managing Director of Westcan Personnel – a premium nanny, au pair and caregiver agency based in Canada.
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