Health status of ECD centre's children and NON - ECD centre's children of sukaura VDC Makwanpur district, Nepal.

Thesis Report.

ABSTRACT: Early Childhood Development Center is a place where children aged 3 to 5 years feel physically comfortable and emotionally at home. Early childhood is the most important period in the development of human being. This period lays foundation for all later learning and development. A child's brain completes over eighty percent of its growth in the first years of life. In this important period, we have to pay special attention for their optimum health development. Non government organizations (NGOs), community based organizations (CBOs) and community people have been implementing 130 ECD centers in different 17 remote Village Development Committees (VDCs) of Makwanpur district supported by PLAN International Nepal. Nearly 3275 pre-school aged children are enjoying in the centers. Sukaura is one of the very remote VDC where 200 ECD children are benefiting from 8 ECD centers and 220 non-ECD children have no access in ECD center. The sample size has been determined on the basis of children's number and their mother. Other informants like VDC chairperson, schoolteacher, traditional birth attendance (TBA), and health assistant (HA) are the source of information of the study. Standard forms, formats and questionnaires (tools / instruments) have been developed to meet the requirement of the study and used those instruments accordingly. The objectives of the study have been achieved. The study findings fulfill the set five objectives with explanation and facts / figures. ECD is of utmost importance for the holistic development of a child. The young children of early childhood age get health-related services learning Opportunities and an environment favorable for their overall development in the ECD center. The study has been carried out finding the differences of health status between ECD children and non-ECD children in community. Investigation of physical, social and mental health status of the children and comparison the finding is the major part of the study. Similarly, influence to the concerned body thinking positively in the field of ECD program for good health of young children is another aspect of the study. To meet the requirements of the study all tasks i.e. reviewing the literatures, methodology designed location and target group selection, field survey and interaction, collection of required data and information, tabulation, and interpretation have been done accordingly. This study has explored that the overall health status of the ECD and the non-ECD children is mild and there is a room for further improvement. The 42% of ECD children have good health, 40% of the children has average health, and 18% of ECD children has poor health. Similarly, the 12% of non-ECD children have good health status, 30% of the children has average health, and 58% of non-ECD children has poor health status. The health status of the ECD children has found better situation as compared with the non-ECD children. The situation that assessed reflects that the intervention of ECD center has played vital role to achieve good health of 3 to 5 years-aged children. But the children, who do not have access of ECD center, most of them have to remain as a poor health status in the community. Early Childhood Development (ECD) program seek to strengthen families and communities abilities to support their children's development. These programs are key elements for over all development of child rights. Child development can not compartmentalize into health, nutrition, education, social and emotional variables. All are interwoven in a child's life. Early child hood experiences for children should be planned around the child's developments activities.

Eng.