Impact of Health and Nutrition Education of Mothers on Cognitive and Social Development of their Children

"Childhood” a unique period in life-time, when, like a flower, the child is unfolding and growing, the care and nurture given to the child during this period of unfolding is of greatest importance. The health of children, the little angels of God, forms the real foundation upon which all the happiness in the near future depends. Child malnutrition is the major problem in developing countries. India accounts for 40 percent with less than 20 percent of the global Child Population. Of the nearly 12 million children who die each year in developing countries mainly due to preventable causes, the deaths of over 6 million or 55 percent are either directly or indirectly attributed to malnutrition (UNICEF Report). In India attempts have been made to educate different groups (pre-school children, primary school children, secondary school children, adolescents, balsevikas) of people about nutrition. Nutrition and Health Education given to Children will not benefit us much as it results in their knowledge gains but the practices that their mothers have adopted since long don't change. So, it is better to give Health and Nutrition Education directly to mothers, so that along with knowledge, we can change their practices as well. Moreover, with the knowledge on health, hygiene, sanitation and infections diseases, she can safeguard the child from many dangerous diseases. It will reduce Mortality Rate of India. The main aim of the paper was to study impact of health and nutrition education of mothers on cognitive and social development of their children. Although under ICDS Scheme, Anganwadi workers impart Health and Nutrition Education to mothers but they are not properly trained and they don't have proper material to conduct formal sessions of Health and Nutrition Education. Thus educating mothers by Nutrition Experts is the need of the hour if we want the well being of children who are our future nation builders.