Searching for the keys to a good childhood
A comprehensive follow-up study shows that one fifth of families with children exhibit affective symptoms. In general, families are satisfied with the support offered by the child health clinics.
The Keys to a Good Childhood project of the Turku Institute for Child and Youth Research studies children’s early growth and development. The follow-up study takes into account physical health, socio-emotional development and environmental factors.
What?
- The Keys to a Good Childhood study is conducted by the Turku Institute for Child and Youth Research.The study follows 1,800 families from the Southwest Finland starting from pregnancy. The oldest children in the study turned three last spring.
- The study involves single and two-parent families, blended families and rainbow families. The mothers’ average age is 30.4 years and the fathers’ 32.5 years. Half of the children in the study are firstborn.
- The families fill out surveys annually and visit a research clinic to monitor the child’s development and the situation of the family. The family members are weighed and their heigh is measured. The body fat percentage of the parents and children is measured during the second and third year visits.
- Blood samples are taken to measure the blood sugar and fat count and to study the function of the immune system. Additionally, buccal cell samples have been taken in order to study the genes affecting the sensation of taste.
- The findings of the project benefit families, policy-makers and a variety of professionals in child health clinics, nurseries and schools.
The aim of the study is to map the prerequisites for the healthy development of a child from pregnancy to young adulthood. The study follows nearly 1,800 families from the Southwest Finland. Additionally, the project uses data obtained from the national health registries in order to study the whole age group, approximately 10,000 mothers and children.
- The cohort – the number of people we follow – is exceptionally large even on the international scale. Our multidisciplinary research group is unique as well, consisting of 30 researchers from the universities and polytechnics in the Turku area, tells Hanna Lagström, the research director of the Turku Institute for Child and Youth Research.
Parents want more house calls by child health care personnel
According to the surveys, families are very satisfied with the information and support they receive from the maternity clinics during pregnancy.
- There is still room for improvement: the families wish there were more house calls during pregnancy, and there is a call for more father groups. The fathers of the families participating in the study are willing to share their experiences of fatherhood and parenting, especially with other fathers, Lagström says.
The study’s findings on the mental well-being of families have this far corresponded to the previous results in Finland and abroad. It appears that the parents are feeling quite well both during and after pregnancy.
- However, 15-20 per cent of mothers and fathers show symptoms of depression and anxiety and feel lonely or unhappy with their relationship during or after pregnancy, Lagström states.
Valuable information for families and policy-makers
The comprehensive research data yields diverse results. For instance, the study gives insight into children’s language and speech development, showing that the vocabulary size of bilingual children equals that of monolingual children.
- We also found that mothers are willing to breastfeed, although the breastfeeding period is often shorter than recommended.
The study will help families gain a deeper understanding of a child’s development while acknowledging the challenges of everyday family life. The extensive research data encourages publishing cooperation between different disciplines.
- The families of the study are also aiding policy-makers in their efforts to build networks to support a good childhood, Lagström concludes.
Text: Tuomas Koivula
Photos: Keys to a Good Childhood project
Translation: Suvi Kauppila