Most Malaysian children today have much more than their parents ever did. Life is full of choices over their food, toys, books, entertainment and schools. Health-wise, they are also much better off. The number of sick and dying children have been decreasing by the decade, thanks to improvements in our healthcare system. But does all this mean that our children are having an ideal childhood? Or do we, as a society and individual parents, need to do more for them?
Evidently, we do. According to Dr Soo Thian Lian, President of the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA), most parents take a narrow view of health. He says: “They think that if a child is not sick, he is healthy. As child specialists, we prefer to look more holistically at the state of children in health and wellness terms.
“This is why MPA is concerned with more than just treating and curing sick children. We actively champion the optimisation of health by promoting the prevention of injury, disorders and diseases that can result in death or trauma that may scar children for life. Equally important is encouraging their well-balanced development — intellectually, socially and emotionally.”
Towards this end, MPA introduced Positive Parenting in 2000. Dr Soo says: “The programme is a means of providing parents with expert information, knowledge and advice to help them provide optimum care for their children.”
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