COURSES COMING SOON
The 10 Days Series is a set of online courses that aims to promote life-long wellbeing starting in infancy. The series has a particular focus on promoting calmness, connectedness and confidence as key ingredients for a happy healthy life. Drawing on an occupational therapy approach, The 10 Days Series provides an opportunity for caregivers to explore a range of strategies to support their baby’s wellbeing within the context everyday activities that babies and caregivers do together including play, outings, bath-time, sleep and feeding.
Ten (10) videos are available in each online course, and are intended to be watched across 10 days (e.g. any 10 days in the first 3 months of babies life for a course about babies who are 0-3 months old). The videos do not need to be watched 10 days in a row so families can take their time exploring and trying-out the different ideas from the course over time.
The videos also come with typed transcripts and additional resources (e.g. summary sheets and further information).
Why the focus on babies?
Infancy is an incredible moment in life – it is the stage on which future life outcomes are set. When babies receive responsive care in contexts of sensory nourishment and nurturing caregiver engagement, the benefits to the child as they grow-up are spectacular! Mental health conditions are on the rise globally, and little is being done to address this problem in early life. Early intervention, such as family focused health promotion that starts in infancy, could be pivotal in creating a happier, healthier global population.
Early life experiences shape entire lives by influencing how a baby’s brain develops. What happens in the first days, weeks, months and years of life has ripple effects for health, social development and emotional wellbeing right through to our adult lives (Hadders‐Algra, 2011; Johnson, 2009).
Why focus on mental wellbeing?
Mental health conditions are increasing across the world and can cause distress and disruption to daily life for those affected along with their families and communities. ‘Australia’s Health’ report (AIHW, 2020) found that 1 in 5 Australians experience a diagnosed mental illness and more than that may experience undiagnosed difficulties with their mental health. The World Health organisation states that
“Mental health conditions are increasing worldwide. Mainly because of demographic changes, there has been a 13% rise in mental health conditions and substance use disorders in the last decade (to 2017). Mental health conditions now cause 1 in 5 years lived with disability. Around 20% of the world’s children and adolescents have a mental health condition, with suicide the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. Approximately one in five people in post-conflict settings have a mental health condition.
Mental health conditions can have a substantial effect on all areas of life, such as school or work performance, relationships with family and friends and ability to participate in the community. Two of the most common mental health conditions, depression and anxiety, cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year.
Despite these figures, the global median of government health expenditure that goes to mental health is less than 2%.” (World Health Organisation, 2021)
Skills learnt across the lifespan that support mental wellbeing include emotional regulation for achieving calmness; skills for relating to other people to build a sense of connectedness and belonging; as well as a sense of purpose and achievement which relates to confidence. The 10 Days Series supports families to set the stage for babies to grow up calm, connected and confident.
Lifespan health and wellbeing are critically dependent on social relationships and early-life bonding is foundational to future social relationships. Bio-behavioral responses in infants and caregivers (e.g. parents) that occur during and after their interactions help to organise the infant's physiological systems, stress response and social orientation (Scatliffe, 2019). Stronger relationships with caregivers, better health for mothers, developmental trajectories that reflect typical and healthy child development and other positive childhood outcomes have been linked to better mother-child synchrony (Leclère, 2014). – okay, this doesn’t sound ‘spectacular’ when written in such formal terms – so here it is plain and simple:
This is saying that babies whose parents/grandparents/caregivers/loved ones respond to and play with them are very lucky little ducks because they’ll be set up as best as possible for wonderful lives full of love; happy mums; fewer challenges with learning, play and looking after themselves; and health and happiness. Of course, life is real and there are always ups and downs – but overall, these are the trends described in a review of the best quality research around – so it’s for real! And that really is pretty spectacular.
Australian Institute for Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2020). Australia’s Health. Retrieved online on 31 May, 2021 from https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/australias-health-2020-data-insights/contents/summary
Hadders‐Algra, M. (2011). Challenges and limitations in early intervention. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 53(s4), 52-55. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8749.2011.04064.x
Johnston, M. V. (2009). Plasticity in the developing brain: Implications for rehabilitation. Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews, 15(2), 94-101. doi:10.1002/ddrr.64
Leclère C, Viaux S, Avril M, Achard C, Chetouani M, et al. (2014) Why Synchrony Matters during Mother-Child Interactions: A Systematic Review. PLOS ONE 9(12): e113571. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0113571
Scatliffe, N., Casavant, S., Vittner, D., & Cong, X. (2019). Oxytocin and early parent-infant interactions: A systematic review. International journal of nursing sciences, 6(4), 445–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2019.09.009
World Health Organisation (2021). Metnal Health: Burden. Retrieved online on 31 May, 2021 from https://www.who.int/health-topics/mental-health#tab=tab_2