Nutrition and Care of Young Children during Emergencies

Abstract

Emergencies are not only sudden events with natural causes that can be ameliorated with resources from outside. The causes and consequences of emergencies with sudden or slow onset, those that are complex and involve conflict, or are permanent emergencies are all deeply rooted in the vulnerability of people to hazards and their incapacity to recover. This will have implications for care behaviours and practices in the feeding, health, hygiene, and psychosocial areas. Families react to slow-onset emergencies by managing a declining resource with inevitable negative impacts on child care. Food intake declines. At the extreme of destitution, families may migrate to refugee camps where children face health crises as large displaced populations congregate around contaminated water sources. Breastfeeding may cease. In war situations, children face extreme psychosocial stresses. The importance of care for young children is given insufficient attention by those providing assistance from outside. Care interventions should improve the effectiveness of health, food, and psychosocial support