First five years important to child's growth — Ambode

First five years important to child’s growth ─ Ambode 24 Aug 2015 12:07 AM  The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, says parents, especially mothers, should give maximum attention to their children in the first five years of their lives. She explained that such attention should include good nutrition and development of mental health, among others. She noted that the first five years of a child’s life was the most critical that would set the stage for the child’s intellectual development, lifelong health, as well as vulnerability. Ambode spoke during the opening ceremony of the nutritional seminar on Friday in Oregun, Ikeja. She said, “Brain development and mental health of a child is essential and it should never be neglected. Science reveals that there is no other period of a child’s life when nutrition has such profound impact as compared to the first five years of a child’s life. “This is a critical period that sets the stage for a child’s intellectual development, lifelong health, a period of enormous potential as well as vulnerability.” She also urged health care practitioners to deploy the knowledge acquired from the seminar in their daily practice. Earlier, Rahul Colaco, the Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc., which sponsored the event, reiterated the company’s commitment to providing adequate and up to date researched information on child nutrition, thereby helping to reduce the incidences of malnutrition among women and children in Nigeria. It was learnt that the seminar also held in lbadan, Oyo State; the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Port-Harcourt, Rivers State; and Enugu State. Copyright PUNCH. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact: editor@punchng.com