Can Stunting Still Be Recovered After The First 1000 Days? This Is The Answer From The Head Of BKKBN

Illustration-(Photo: DOK ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The crucial period in efforts to prevent stunting in children occurs during the first thousand days of life.

Stunting is a condition in which children are shorter than their age. In children who are stunted, brain cells do not develop optimally, so it will affect intelligence.

If after the 1,000 days have passed, it turns out that the child is stunted, can this condition still be recovered?

Head of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) Hasto Wardoyo explained that the brain experiences rapid development of up to 80 percent only 2 years after birth.

Then, after 1,000 days of life or after the child is two years old, the space between the skull bones in the baby's head, or the child's crown, has closed. At that time, the human brain is difficult to develop.

"Babies who are under 2 years old, the crown is still open. So, it's still possible for the brain to develop. Once it's been 2 years, 1,000 days, it's closed. Bones and bones meet. Finally, they can't be stretched anymore," said Hasto in a virtual discussion, Wednesday, November 17.

Thus, Hasto revealed, the stage of the biological condition of this predestined child is indeed non-negotiable. "If it is stunting, yes it is stunting," said Hasto.

However, Hasto said that it does not mean that parents just give up on their child's stunting. The way that can be done to improve the stunting condition is to stimulate the child's brain to be more responsive to the environment.

Not only that, the former Regent of Kulonprogo said that parents can also hone their children's talents by pursuing what they like.

"Maybe if he has artistic talents, singing talents, he can still develop. Even though he is intellectually limited, his height is limited, but who knows, he has other talents that can be trained," said Hasto.

Furthermore, parents can also provide good parenting, continue to provide balanced nutritional intake to a regular lifestyle for children to prevent disease in the future.

"Good parenting, I see. Let him also fulfill his nutrition properly. So, tomorrow, tomorrow it will not be easy to get hypertension, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes. That's what parents can do after 2 years," he concluded.