Most people in Brazil don’t recognize the first six years of a child's life as the most critical period for development, according to a recent survey. The findings, released as part of the Agosto Verde (Green August) campaign, highlight a widespread misunderstanding of early childhood's importance.

The study, titled “An Overview of Early Childhood: What Brazil knows, experiences, and thinks about the first six years of life,” was conducted by Datafolha for the Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation. The results show that 84% of the population is unaware of the scientific evidence behind the importance of proper development and stimulation in the early years.

A critical misunderstanding of child development

The survey reveals a significant gap between scientific knowledge and public perception. Research from the 1990s shows that the foundations for cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional development are established by age six. During this period, a child’s brain forms one million neural connections per second and establishes 90% of its total connections.

Despite this evidence, only 15% of respondents believe that the peak of physical, emotional, and learning development occurs in early childhood. In contrast, 41% believe this peak happens in adulthood, after age 18, and another 25% think it occurs during adolescence.

Mariana Luz, CEO of the Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation, calls this a "misperception" that reflects a broader undervaluing of education, particularly early childhood education, in shaping human development.

The long-term impact of early investment

The survey's findings are a cause for concern for policymakers. Acknowledged in studies by Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman, every dollar invested in early childhood can yield a return of $7. This return is generated not only from increased productivity in adulthood but also from long-term savings in areas such as public safety and health.

According to the study, 42% of Brazilians are unfamiliar with the term "early childhood," and only 2% correctly define it as the period from birth to age six. Among caregivers, this number only rises to 4%.

Awareness of the importance of early childhood development is lowest in rural areas and among individuals with lower income and education levels. Today, Brazil has 18.1 million children in this age group, and 55.4% live in low-income households. The survey also found that 60% of these children have never attended daycare or preschool.

Picture: Very young Brazilian children playing soccer in a town (Gemini)

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