Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH)
PDF
What is Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health?
Everyone has mental health. Even infants and young children!
Infant and early childhood mental health (IECMH) is about an infant and young child’s ability to:
Form safe, secure relationships with adults and peers.Experience, manage and express a full range of emotions.Cope with stresses in life.
Unfortunately, mental health issues are becoming an increasing problem for many of our children.
Since 2010, mental health emergency visits at the Children ‘s Hospital of Eastern Ontario have increased by 75%One in four (26%) children in Ottawa are behind in their development as they enter school. ...
Introduction
Crying is the main way your baby can tell you what he or she needs. How you respond when your baby cries during the first year of life will teach your baby if he or she can count on you.
No one can comfort a baby ALL the time. What matters is that most of the time, you try to comfort him or her.
Three Very Important Times To Pay Attention To Your Baby's Cries
When your baby is sick
When your baby is hurt
When your baby is upset (for example, when he or she is sad, frightened or lonely)
Comforting your baby at these times does not spoil him or her. It makes your baby feel respected and ...
