Aug 28: The Impact of Pandemics and Trauma on Child Development – Free Public Panel
August 9, 2022
The 12th DOHaD (Developmental Origins of Health and Disease) World Congress is being held in Vancouver August 27-31, 2022. The theme ‘Social and Environmental Disruptions in DOHaD: Successful Interventions for a Healthy Future‘ is highly topical and relevant to global health and well-being.
A 2015 PWIAS Roundtable “Public Policy Development as Related to Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” led by PWIAS Associate Judith Hall and PWIAS Distinguished Professor Brett Finlay was important in the organizing and developing of DOHaD internationally and this event is a long-term outcome of that initial meeting sponsored by the Institute.
The 2022 conference offers a free public panel on August 28 on the impacts of pandemics and trauma on child development. You can register and learn more on their website: DOHaD World Congress Aug 27-31, 2022.
Public Panel Description:
Early childhood development is determined by the interaction between our genetic make-up and the environment, all of which includes the situation and lifestyles of both mother and father before, during and even shortly after pregnancy. Pandemics such as COVID-19, circumstances of famine and poor nutrition, and traumatic events such as warfare have direct and indirect actions on the mother, developing baby, newborn and growing child. These include altered availability and access to food and water, and stress; effects that have impact during pregnancy, in the family setting, and for the newborn and in the crucial early years of life. There are huge inequities in the impact of environmental factors and corresponding discriminations in access to help and treatment. Refugees, migrants, marginalised groups, and Indigenous people are especially susceptible. The impact of such factors are transmitted through several generations. Treatments and societal knowledge are influenced by a lack of sound scientific knowledge and by misinformation, especially through social media. Public health policies are urgently needed to reflect these concerns, both in the short and long terms for the benefit of all sectors in society.
Related People
