Early childhood care transforms a girl's life in Paraguay

In Paraguay, UNICEF supports training of health and education professionals to help parents and primary caregivers create sensitive, joyful and stimulating spaces that promote their young children’s development, even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ñemby, Central, Paraguay - Nahara smiles as she plays and runs among balls and toys of all colors. No one would guess that at only two years old, she has faced so many obstacles. "Mom, play!" she yells happily from the floor of the physical therapist’s office.

After a complicated pregnancy, Nahara was born prematurely. She had to spend three days in intensive care and four more in an incubator because she weighed only two kilos and 135 grams. Her mother, Camila, came and went from the hospital to feed her. After 12 days, thanks to the continuous support of Cirila, the pediatric physical therapist, and her parents’ relentless and loving care, Nahara was finally able to go home.

Camila and Fernando, Nahara’s father, took their daughter to physical therapy on the advice of several doctors who saw possible complications in the child.

"When she first came here, she suffered motor and cognitive delays and had a visual deficit," explains Cirila after spending the morning with Nahara and her parents in their office at the Ñemby District Hospital, a town in the urban area of ​​Asunción, the capital of Paraguay.

Cirila is a pediatric physical therapist who has participated in more than three UNICEF courses on early child stimulation for 0-2 year-olds. She is 52 years old, has vast experience and lots of kindness and patience, all of which she uses to help Nahara recover her cognitive and motor skills.

Nahara received massages and support to help her move her legs and arms. Along with relaxing music and delicate care, this soon helped Nahara strengthen her muscles and reflexes and even improved the baby's vision.

Cirila underlined the need for both the father and the mother to be involved in Nahara's care activities, following UNICEF and PAHO/WHO’s recommendations in the Care for Child Development approach. "It doesn’t matter whether its the baby’s mother or aunt, mother and grandmother, mother and father, babysitter or grandfather; the only thing that matters is to make the baby feel safe and happy," adds the specialist.

Nahara’s arms grew stronger; she started to roll over on her own and began to crawl. "During the visit, [Cirila] used a cushion to show us how to fold it, similar to how we should flex her little arm at home to help her become stronger," recalls the mother.

While his daughter runs and sings, Fernando recognizes how important it is to get involved and practice the exercises at home with Nahara: "we do exactly what the professional told us we should do, and thanks to that, she is much better now".