Good mental health begins at birth.
As adults, many of us make an effort to look after our mental health, so why don’t we do the same for our babies?
This is one of the many questions asked by infant mental health experts.
This emerging field of research has highlighted the real need for parents and caregivers to foster positive mental wellbeing in their children from the youngest age.
What Is Infant Mental Health?
Children aged 0 – 3 can experience very strong emotions long before they can express their feelings verbally.
Infant mental health refers to young children’s developing capacity to experience, regulate, and express emotions; to form close relationships and to explore their environment.
Why Should We Take Infant Mental Health Seriously?
Studies have discovered that by two years-old approximately 80% of a child’s brain has developed.
This period therefore plays a critical role in laying the foundation for a child’s social, emotional and cognitive development and as such events that occur during this time can have a lifelong impact on their health.
How to Encourage Positive Infant Mental Health?
According to the experts, there are a number of activities you can experiment with at home to nurture good infant mental health.
What’s more, parents and caregivers should know that their own feelings and experiences may impact their child.
Therefore, it’s vital to look after your own mental health and to take time for self-care.
Learn More about Infant Mental Health
This super informative guide provides a helpful overview on the topic and outlines some basic steps you can try out to build positive mental health in your little bundle of joy.
Read the infographic below for more.
