SCG To Raise Awareness On The Health And Wellness Of Children

SCG collaborates with Map Ta Phut Municipality of Rayong Province to raise awareness on the health and wellness of children under five for the strength of the nation’s future.

Children from birth to age five are not only the apple of their parents’ eyes but also the future of the nation. The first five years of a child’s life is a critically important period which requires close monitoring in three areas: physical development, IQ and EQ, and immunization.

Growing properly and proportionately
Parents should monitor their young child’s height and weight consistently to determine whether these are within the appropriate range. If not, there is no immediate cause for concern, but they should consult a pediatrician to ensure that the child develops proportionately and properly at their age.

Play to Learn: Developing IQ and EQ in Early Childhood
Besides physical development, mental and psychological development, including emotional and social development, is another important factor that parents must focus on in the first five years of life. This is a crucial time period when playing and learning will build a foundation for children’s cognition, emotion, and social skills. Let’s take a look at what IQ and EQ are and how they can be developed and supported.

IQ (Intelligence Quotient): Intelligence quotient is a measure of the ability to learn, remember, rationalize, decide, and communicate.

Facets of IQ that are important for parents to foster during the first 5 years of a child’s life:

1. Perceptiveness
2. Imaginativeness
3. Critical thinking
4. Hand-eye coordination

EQ (Emotional Quotient): Emotional quotient is a measure of the ability to manage one’s emotions, control and express feelings appropriately, understand oneself and others, and to coexist with others happily.

The facets of EQ that are important for parents to foster during the first 5 years of a child’s life:

1. Emotional awareness and control
    - Impulse control, or the ability to resist impulses and excessive self-indulgence
    - Emotional control, or the ability to self-soothe without suppressing feelings
2. Learning Discipline
    - Behavioral discipline
    - Educational discipline
    - Self-discipline
3. Vivacity

Let’s grow IQ and EQ!

• Nourishment for the body, the heart, and the brain—mother’s milk feeds the body and readies the mind for learning.
• Touch and embrace are the foundation of happiness.
• Talk, tell stories, sing songs to foster language and imagination.
• Play and exercise for musculoskeletal development and social skills.
• Sleep early and rise early to build discipline and trigger growth hormones.
• Be wary of accidents and toxins for the safety of your child.

Source: https://www.dmh.go.th/download/ebooks/IQEQFM.pdf

Immunize to protect against disease and prevent illness
Children must receive the required vaccinations in order to build immunity against various diseases and decrease the risk of illness. Not only will children and parents benefit from proper immunization, but so will the nation because immunity is essential to ensure a strong and healthy future for the country.

Immunization requirements are as follow:

1. Tuberculosis (BCG) Vaccine: Administration is required at birth for all newborns.
2. Hepatitis B Vaccine (HBV): Administered in three doses, the first at birth, the second at four weeks, and the third at 6 months of age.
3. Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus (DPT) Vaccines: The first course is administered in three doses, at 2, 4, and 6 months after birth, followed by three booster shots at 18 months, 4-6 years, and, finally, 11-12 years of age.
4. Polio Vaccine: A child is first vaccinated against polio at 2 months of age, followed by two more doses at 4 and 6 months. The first booster shot is administered at 18 months, then a second at 4-6 years of age.
5. Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR): Vaccines The first dose is administered at 9-12 months, followed by a second at 2 years 6 months.
6. Japanese Encephalitis (JE) Vaccine: Dosage begins at 9-12 months of age, followed by a second administered at 2 years 6 months.
7. Influenza Vaccine: The flu vaccine should be administered once a year, starting at 6 months all the way to 18 years of age. Two dosages are administered one month apart each time.

Map Ta Phut Municipality Health Service Center and the Chemicals Business, SCG, are cooperating to promote awareness among parents in Rayong on the importance of the three aspects of child development: physical growth, IQ and EQ, and immunization, so that every family in the community can live happily and healthily without concern for the health of their young children, because we believe that good health can be achieved at any age and a healthy society begins with a healthy family.

Good health can be achieved at any age
with SCG’s support for the Rayong community.