Tag Children

“That is the nightmare of every single parent out there,” said Callahan Walsh, a child advocate and executive director for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). For any parent, just thinking about losing a child in a busy crowd can feel like the worst nightmare. The heart-wrenching fear, the frantic search, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness are emotions no one should ever have to endure. Children are the very essence of a parent’s world; their safety and well-being form the core of countless hopes and dreams. Still, in places like shopping malls, crowded fairs, and vibrant public events, the unimaginable can happen: a child may go missing.

However, this scary situation is changing thanks to facial recognition technology. This advanced tool is becoming a vital source of hope for reuniting lost children with their worried parents. A remarkable example of this technology’s potential unfolded in New Delhi, where the police conducted a groundbreaking trial revealing the transformative potential of facial recognition technology in reuniting missing children with their families. They compared around 45,000 pictures of unidentified children with 60,000 records of missing kids. The results were truly impressive: in only four days, the software correctly identified nearly 3,000 lost children, turning sadness into joyous reunions.

This story highlights how impactful facial recognition can be in cases of missing children. It gives us a glimpse into a future where technology ensures that the joyful laughter of children continues to echo in their families’ hearts, even amidst the busiest of crowds.

Transforming Search Efforts

Before modern technology, locating missing children depended on Amber Alerts and time-consuming searches. Amber Alerts necessitated swift action from the community and media involvement. Meanwhile, physical searches often took a long time and were not always effective over large areas. These traditional methods had limitations, including delays and inefficiencies. Facial recognition technology has significantly enhanced the process of locating missing children, providing a faster and more accurate method for tracking them down and addressing the shortcomings of older methods.

This technology uses complex algorithms to analyze and verify individuals based on their facial features. It captures an image of a person’s face and identifies unique characteristics such as eye distance and nose shape. This information is then converted into a digital template, which is compared to a database of known faces. Pattern recognition techniques make accurate identification easier. Modern facial recognition systems can analyze faces with 99.97% accuracy and adapt well because they continuously adjust their algorithms using real-time data. This allows them to remain accurate as conditions change, such as lighting or shifting crowds. These systems seamlessly integrate with existing security networks and collaborate with surveillance cameras for real-time analysis and alerts. They also enhance emergency procedures by automating responses, such as alerting teams or securing areas when a child goes missing. Thanks to advances in technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning, these tools keep refining their algorithms with new data, making them more reliable for safely locating missing children.

Bringing Innovation to Everyday Spaces

In shopping centers, facial recognition technology plays an important role in finding lost children. Its real-time surveillance ensures constant monitoring throughout the space. If someone reports a missing child, security teams can use this technology to sift through live feeds and recordings to track where the child has been across stores and common areas. This helps to ensure quick action and boosts the chances of bringing kids home safely.

At carnivals and amusement parks, where large crowds are common, facial recognition technology becomes even more crucial for visitor safety. For instance, during the Rio Carnival, the technology was instrumental in ensuring a secure environment amidst the massive influx of people. The tracking was continuous, so quickly locating any missing child wasn’t a problem. Instead, it helped manage large crowds effectively! By watching entrances and key spots throughout parks, security could respond promptly if anyone went missing while deterring possible threats as well.

During other public events, such as concerts or fairs, facial recognition technology extends its benefits by maintaining safety and order among large groups. The system helps monitor wide areas and large crowds by tracking their movements, which aids in quickly locating individuals who may go missing using live footage analysis. Additionally, these systems can integrate with event management tools, enhancing security measures and improving the overall attendee experiences.

A Beacon of Hope in a Crowded World

The ability to quickly locate missing children through facial recognition brings profound psychological and emotional benefits to families, as prompt reunification significantly reduces the trauma and anxiety experienced by both the child and their parents. Beyond individual families, it fosters a sense of safety and trust within communities by enhancing security measures, leading to increased public confidence.

By enhancing our ability to swiftly locate missing children and proactively prevent such incidents, facial recognition technology not only improves safety but also builds greater security and trust within communities. As we navigate the complexities of bustling public spaces, this technology stands as a beacon of hope, transforming potential nightmares into stories of swift resolution and renewed peace of mind.

“Facial recognition is transforming the way we protect our children in public spaces. It doesn’t just offer a solution; it restores peace of mind to parents by turning moments of fear into swift, joyful reunions, making the safety of our loved ones a priority in every crowded environment.” Said, Oleg Kurochkin, Business Development Director, APAC Region, RecFaces.

SINGAPORE, Nov. 4, 2024- The children of Little Footprints Preschool (LFP) have been on a mission to do good in the community. Since 2016, the schools have been an ardent supporter of the Start Small, Dream Big (SSDB) project, an initiative by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) that aims to teach each child responsible citizenship.

Launched in 2015, the initiative encourages participating schools to create and implement programmes for children with a community element. Children are encouraged to innovate, problem-solve and channel their unique strengths towards helping others in teacher-guided projects over six months, sometimes involving their parents too. Over the past eight years, LFP has championed more than 300 projects across very diverse themes, from wildlife conservation to caring for the elderly, sustainability and so on.

SSDB celebrated a decade of doing good this year with a celebration at Gardens by the Bay on 3 May 2024. Three LFP centres joined the celebrations, with English Preschool Educator Ms Amabel Toh and K2 preschooler Navisha Kumari Nishad taking centre stage as the event hosts. A class of LFP preschoolers also delighted the audience with a vibrant dance performance. Chock full of meaningful moments, the day’s programme commemorated the incredible joys and fulfilment of a long journey in nurturing community service and environmental stewardship in young lives.

The SSDB journey culminated in the Early Childhood Celebrations (ECC) organised by ECDA on 2 November at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore. The event showcased the achievements and talents of preschoolers from across Singapore. Children from Little Footprints Preschool  Jurong West 660 were specially invited to perform at this prestigious finale, where they inspired the audience with their passion and creativity.

Across various LFP centres, children have been enthusiastically embarking on various community initiatives. On 21 June 2024, children from LFP Woodgrove distributed care packs filled with items donated by their parents to hardworking community workers. Smiles and high-fives were seen as grateful community workers received the care packs from the centre’s children. Six-year-old Giselle Ng said, “I felt happy giving out the care packs to the drivers who deliver food to our house. I want to show our appreciation to them for being kind to me and my family!”

Meanwhile, promoting inclusivity and empathy was the theme of LFP Admiralty’s project. They welcomed a guest speaker from the Down Syndrome Association (Singapore), who gave the children an informative talk and storytelling session about Down syndrome. Joanna Rebecca, Principal of LFP Admiralty, emphasised that the centre has consistently prioritised teaching children the values of empathy and fostering a connected society.

The LFP Jurong East 248 preschoolers turned their attention to animal welfare with their “Wild but not Free” project in partnership with Acres. During the interactive session, the children learned about the detrimental impacts of animal poaching from Acres’ educator and created posters to encourage people to halt animal poaching. “Animals should be in the wild, not cages!” declared six-year-old Koo Yu Zac.

Rowena Mark Ramos, Head of Curriculum at Babilou Family Singapore, the parent company of LFP, expressed her pride in the students’ achievements, stating, “SSDB aligns perfectly with our mission to nurture caring, conscientious leaders of tomorrow. We are incredibly proud of our children for leading the way to make a difference.”

Through these projects, LFP aims to nurture a generation of compassionate and environmentally conscious leaders who can someday give back to the community.

October 25th, 2024: In response to the oral health crisis affecting millions of children in England due to tooth decay, a group of recommendations has been put up by scientists at Newcastle University. The research urges the new government to create a national strategy for children’s oral health and offers suggestions for lowering childhood sugar intake, optimising fluoride exposure, and expanding access to dental care.

The study, which is titled “An evidence-based plan for improving children’s oral health with and through educational settings,” was produced by Child of the North and Anne Longfield’s Centre for Young Lives think tank. It focusses on how the incoming government may prioritise young people’s life opportunities in the formulation and implementation of public policy.

In England, tooth decay affects millions of children and young adults, and the research highlights the significant and varied scope of this problem and how it lowers their quality of life. If left untreated, it can lead to toothache, insomnia, changed eating patterns, and even harm speech and language development. Children who suffer from poor dental health may be less likely to develop to their full potential and experience a decrease in confidence. Additionally, there is evidence that indicates the impact of dental decay on children living in underprivileged areas is greater, even when taking into consideration the various degrees of dental decay.

In order to enhance children’s oral health and lessen social disparities—particularly those faced by youth in the North of England—the research suggests that the incoming government create and execute a national strategy for improving children’s oral health. A national board of representatives from departmental and local government offices, dental associations and speciality societies, academic institutions, citizen representatives, and charitable groups would be in charge of this. This approach would consist of:

· Minimising sugar intake through legislative measures like extending the Soft Drinks Industry Levy to cover additional sugar-sweetened drinks like sugary milkshakes.

· Imposing limitations on the promotion, marketing, and advertising of food.
restricting sales of energy drinks with caffeine to those under the age of sixteen.

· Maximising the amount of fluoride exposure by combining community water fluoridation with more focused initiatives like supervised brushing.

Additionally, it lays out recommendations for how early childhood and education-based interventions—co-designed by health visitors, nurseries, and schools—can be optimised for their impact.

The study showcases cutting-edge methods that are now being used to treat children’s oral health issues. It outlines the important role that local government may play in lowering sugar intake and the various approaches that local governments have taken to cut back on the consumption of foods and beverages that are rich in fat, sugar, and salt.

In comparison to their southern counterparts, children and young people living in the North of England are more severely impacted by higher levels of deprivation and associated unmet dental needs, according to Paula Waterhouse, President of the British Society of Paediatric Dentistry and Professor of Paediatric Dentistry at Newcastle University. She said: “It is time to establish an oral health strategy for children and young people across England. The evidence base garnered by existing oral health research should be used to inform Government strategy and implementation of both national and local policies.

“We need to act now. Our children’s health depends on it and it’s everybody’s business – parents, dental and medical teams, health visitors, industry, education colleagues, and policy makers. We all have a part to play.”

by Dr. Gowri Ravi Chinthalapalli, Consultant – Child Development, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects both children and adults. Around 7% of school-age children in India suffer from ADHD, one of childhood’s most prevalent neurodevelopmental diseases. Although it can affect anyone, boys are more likely to experience it than girls.

Diagnosis & Symptoms

• A trained health expert, such as a doctor in the field of developmental medicine, psychologist or psychiatrist, diagnoses ADHD. Standardized tests, rating scales, and clinical interviews are frequently used in the diagnosis procedure. Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the three main signs and symptoms of ADHD.
• Inattentiveness: Children with ADHD may have trouble focusing on specifics, make thoughtless errors in their work or other activities, and act as though they are not listening when spoken to directly. Also, they could struggle to start and finish jobs, organise their work, and carry out directions.
• Hyperactivity: Children with ADHD may be fidgety and restless, find it difficult to stay still, and constantly be on the go. Moreover, they may talk too much, run or climb too much, and have trouble playing quietly.
• Impulsivity: Youngsters who have ADHD may behave impulsively, have trouble waiting their turn, and interrupt others. Moreover, they could struggle to regulate their emotions and frequently lose their temper.

Myths vs. Facts

There are numerous widespread misconceptions and preconceptions about ADHD. The most typical ones are shown below, along with supporting facts:

•  Myth: Just a behaviour issue causes ADHD.
• Fact: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, meaning that it results from variations in the brain functioning.
•  Myth: ADHD patients have trouble focusing on anything.
•  Fact: Children with ADHD can focus on things that interest them, but they may find it difficult to     pay attention to things that are dull or difficult.
•  Myth: ADHD will eventually go away in kids.
•  Fact : Indeed, ADHD requires lifelong therapy, but it is manageable.

Impact on Daily Life

• Academics: Children with ADHD may have trouble focusing in class, finishing their work, and completing assignments. Also, they can be more likely to experience behavioural issues at school.
• Social interactions: Children with ADHD may struggle to make and maintain friendships. They could also be more prone to interpersonal disputes.
• General health: Children with ADHD may struggle with despair, anxiety, and low self-esteem. They might also be more inclined to indulge in harmful activities like drug usage.
• Coexisting Conditions : ADHD frequently coexists with other illnesses such autism spectrum disorder, learning impairments, anxiety, and depression. To maximise a child’s overall growth and wellbeing, it is crucial to recognise and address any coexisting illnesses.

Treatment Options

• Therapies: Counselling can assist kids with ADHD in developing coping mechanisms, behaviour management, and social skills.
• Medicine: Medication can aid with impulse control, attentiveness, and focus.
• Lifestyle adjustments: Making lifestyle adjustments like exercising frequently, eating well, and getting adequate sleep can also help to reduce the symptoms of ADHD. Adhering to screentime guidelines is also important to manage behaviours.

Parenting and Family

Although raising a child with ADHD might be difficult, it’s vital to keep in mind that you’re not doing it alone. These are some pointers for raising an ADHD child:

• Be upbeat and motivating: Negative feedback is frequently experienced by children with ADHD. It’s critical to concentrate on their abilities and successes.
• Provide structure and routine: An atmosphere that is predictable and structured is beneficial for kids with ADHD. Set up consistent schedules for your meals, bedtime, and schoolwork.
• Divide tasks into manageable chunks: Complex tasks may be challenging for kids with ADHD. Tasks should be broken down into smaller, easier to handle phases.
• Provide regular breaks because children with ADHD may struggle to remain still for extended periods of time. Give them frequent breaks so they may stretch their legs and let off some steam.

Neurodiversity

The idea of neurodiversity holds that each brain is unique and that there is no such thing as a “normal” brain. The neurodiversity movement promotes the inclusion and acceptance of individuals with all brain types, including those with ADHD. It’s critical to recognise each person with ADHD for their specific qualities. Kids with ADHD are frequently imaginative, active, and eager. They might also possess a strong sense of compassion and fairness.