Child development in India

The first 1000 days is a concept in child development which recommends planning to give a child the best possible start in their first 1000 days after birth.[6] The general recommendation for babies is that they should breastfeed soon after birth to get colostrum.[6] Some factors which prevent mothers from giving colostrum to their newborns include maternal health challenges including risk of maternal mortality and social taboo.[6]

After a child is born regular access to primary care from a doctor improves health outcomes.[7] Young children visiting a doctor get vaccinated.[7] Children in families which are more poor are less likely to access the care they need.[7]

Preadolescence is the period where early childhood ends and puberty begins. Girls at this time need education and preparedness to do menstrual hygiene management.[8] A 2020 study reported that half of girls in India get their first information about menstruation after their first period.[8] Girls who are prepared for this have better development outcomes.[8]

A 2017 study reported that 57% of newborns in their first 1000 days in India transition on time from breastfeeding to nutritious solid food; 48% get their meals frequently enough; 33% have enough food variety for nutrition; and 21% get overall adequate meals.[19]

For school age children India's Midday Meal Scheme has been a major success which provides a daily hot healthy meal to 100 million children.[20] Current trends in the program are adapting the meals based on research to meet more specific nutrition needs.[20]

From the 1970s India has had programs to prevent vitamin A deficiency, but nowadays this problem is much less.[21][22] Vitamin D deficiency is a challenge which the government is addressing with food fortification.[23]

Children in poverty experience health problems which children in families with more money will not have. In general, any sort of health problem is worse for someone without basic access to healthcare. Medical problems which have poverty as a cause include issues in oral health.[24] Kerala organised poverty reduction programs and thereafter had better children's health.[2] Various commentators have examined the Kerala model as an example of what might work elsewhere in India.[2]

Children in India are especially affected by environmental health problems.[1] Challenges such as air pollution, water pollution, health effects of pesticides, and sanitation require government level planning to fix and are challenging to address.[1]

Urbanisation in India has been increasing more quickly than many cities can develop.[25] Within cities there is great disparity for access to healthcare depending on the money a person has.[25]

Of all countries, India has the highest number of deaths of children under age five.[26] Most of these deaths are from vaccine-preventable diseases.[26] If children in India got vaccines then their health and lives would be improved.[26]

Ideally all children would get their vaccinations on time. For the BCG vaccine against tuberculosis and leprosy 31% of children get it on time and 87% get it by age 5 years.[26] For DPT vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus 19% get it on time and 63% by age 5.[26] For the meningococcal vaccine against meningococcal disease 34% get it on time and 76% get it by age 5.[26]

Children in slums more often lack vaccine protection.[27]

Various difficult social issues relate to child development in India. Poverty presents particular challenges for street children in India,[28] child workers in India,[29] and children trafficked in India.[30] Children's health matters related to gender include gender inequality in India,[31] female infanticide in India,[32] and certain aspects of child marriage in India.[33]