Early childhood development

Three boys stand arm in arm on a village path, smiling; the boy in the center uses a lower-limb prosthetic

Early childhood development

Together, let’s ensure young children get the assistive technology they need.

©ALTSO

Investing in assistive technology is important for people’s lives from early childhood to old age, and across multiple sectors. The relevance of assistive technology to people’s lives is too big to ignore.

For young children, having access to assistive technology such as glasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, or digital devices for communication is transformational for lifelong outcomes. Early childhood (age 0-8) is a crucial time of life when cognitive, physical, language, motor skills, social and emotional development occurs. In low-income countries, children with disabilities - and girls more so than boys - face major challenges affecting their early development, and young children without access to assistive technology may be excluded from critical early childhood development (ECD) interventions

Why assistive technology matters for early childhood development

Early assessment and assistive technology support are crucial for lifelong development.

Young children without assistive technology may be excluded from early childhood development opportunities.

Assistive technology interventions create long-term economic benefits for individuals, carers, and families.

Four-panel infographic on children, disability, and assistive technology: globally, 1 in 10 children has a disability; 90% of children with disabilities do not attend school and are often excluded from services and community life; in low-income countries only 10% of people have the assistive technology they need; and more than 87% of the 160,000 children born each year with clubfoot in low- and middle-income countries cannot access simple, affordable casts and braces

Inclusion is key to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and leave no one behind. There will not be full inclusion while people are unable to access assistive technology. Assistive technology cuts across all 17 SDGs and is particularly relevant to some.