Abstract: The humanitarian system is struggling to adapt to changes in the global political environment, trends in armed conflict and displacement, and advances in science and technology. In recent years, the international community has undertaken a number of efforts to overcome these challenges, such as the Agenda for Humanity, a plan that outlines the changes needed to alleviate suffering, reduce risk, and lessen vulnerability on a global scale. This article reviews recent evidence from a range of disciplines to inform these efforts, especially as they relate to the protection of children. Early childhood and adolescence constitute two critical periods of child development that lay the foundations for future health and wellbeing. Exposure to adversity in crisis contexts can compromise this development, with potentially life-long consequences. Evidence suggests that relationships with caregivers and peers play a central role in mediating childhood experiences of adversity. Unfortunately, interventions for children affected by crises are usually too fragmented to maximize the protective effects of healthy relationships. This article stresses the importance of developing multisectoral and relational interventions capable of promoting healthy development across the life course. Given the central role of caregivers, the household is an especially powerful level of intervention for combining approaches from different sectors. More concerted efforts are needed to develop household interventions that combine traditional sectoral approaches with innovative, cross-cutting measures, such as cash transfers and parental support. Household interventions should also be an integral part of broader community and society level actions, which together form more comprehensive systems of care.

Keywords:  Emergency, Child, Protection, Humanitarian, Intervention.

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Abstract:  Malnutrition is a major health problem in developing countries and it affects childhood growth. Data from the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey were used in this study to explore the rural-urban disparities of malnutrition in children aged 0-59 months. Findings revealed that the prevalence of stunting, underweight and wasting were respectively as 39.6%, 35.7% and 16.7% for the rural children and 32.4%, 27.9% and 13.0% for the urban children. Both moderate and severe malnutrition were significantly higher in rural than urban community, and rural children ran about 1.3 times higher risk of becoming malnourished than their urban counterparts. The height and weight of children, mother’s BMI, parents’ education and family wealth index were found to be the significant factors associated with differentials at rural-urban malnutrition. Appropriate socioeconomic development, antenatal care in pregnancy and poverty reduction programs with a special emphasis on rural community would reduce the overall rural-urban inequality.

Keywords:  Rural-urban comparison, Bangladesh, severe and moderate malnutrition, stunting, underweight and wasting.

Abstract:  Introduction: Malnutrition has a significant impact on global disease for the majority of children worldwide, by being responsible for almost half of the deaths of children under the age of five especially in the developing countries including Eritrea. However, there is no clear information on the role of antenatal care and feeding practices in preventing malnutrition. Therefore, assessing the role of antenatal care visit and feeding practices in preventing malnutrition is of vital importance.

Objective: To assess the role of regular ANC visit and feeding practices in preventing malnutrition among children aged 0-59 months, who visited Orotta National Pediatric Referral Hospital from 31st August – 30th September, 2016.

Methodology: A cross-sectional, Hospital based study was carried out. Data were collected from mothers (caretakers) using semi-structured questionnaire developed for the purpose. Moreover, anthropometric measurement of the subjects was taken. Data was and entered to the computer and analyzed using SPSS version 20 and p-value <0.05 at 95 ci was considered as statistically significant.

Results: The main associated factors of stunting were found to be frequency breastfeeding and antenatal care visit underweight with weaning only variables wasting. 

Conclusion and Recommendation: Malnutrition remains a major health problem among children aged 0-59 months hence interventions regarding regular visits feeding practices are highly suggested given special attention

Keywords:  Antenatal care, Breast Feeding, Stunting, Underweight, Wasting, Children, under five years.

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Abstract: Background: This investigation evaluated seasonal changes in preschoolers’ (3-5 years) sedentary time and physical activity (PA) during childcare.

Methods: Sixty-two children from 4 preschools in Fargo, North Dakota had their sedentary behavior and PA objectively assessed during 2 separate weeks of childcare. Children wore accelerometers for 5 consecutive days, once each in the fall (October/November) and winter (January/February). Separate analyses were conducted to evaluate seasonal changes in full-day, indoor only, and outdoor only sedentary time and PA during childcare.

Results: When expressed relative to accelerometer wear time, the full-day rate of sedentary time accumulation (minutes/hour) increased significantly from fall to winter (p < 0.001), while accumulation rates for all other PA variables (light PA, moderate PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, and activity counts) significantly declined during this period (all p’s < 0.001). No significant changes in accumulation rates for sedentary time or PA (light PA, moderate PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA, and activity counts) were noted for either indoor or outdoor time between seasons.

Conclusions: Childcare-related sedentary time and PA can dramatically vary across seasons.

Keywords: Accelerometry, physical activity, pediatrics, public health, childcare.