Mead Johnson Nutrition has unveiled its Enfagrow A+ MindPro: Future Ready A+ Kids Expo, highlighting the importance of proper nutrition in early childhood brain development at 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya on July 10, 2024.
Partnering with Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), the expo incorporates fun and education into interactive experiences for parents and children, focusing on three key areas: the crucial brain growth in the first five years, how proper nutrition supports cognitive and emotional skills, and engaging educational games designed to test children’s information processing speeds.
The Future Ready A+ Kids Expo will be held from July to August in Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru starting with 1 Utama from July 10-14, Queensbay Mall Penang from July 24-28 and Aeon Tebrau City Mall J.B. from Aug 6-11.
The expo launch was officiated by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Dato’ Sri Nancy Shukri.
In her speech, Nancy emphasized the importance of providing parents with the right tools and education to support children’s growth.
“By providing parents with the right tools and education, we can ensure our children have a strong foundation to grow up healthy, secure and prepared for the future challenges of today’s demanding society.
“I am grateful to private organisations like Mead Johnson Nutrition who share the same vision for the unwavering support to child development and nutrition. Their dedication to fostering a future ready generation is truly inspiring,” said Nancy.
Mead Johnson Nutrition, Malaysia and Singapore country manager Wong Choy Yee reiterated its commitment to nurturing a future-ready generation equipped with the necessary life skills, supported by the right nutrition that nourishes brain development in the early years.
“Enfagrow A+ MindPro formulas, developed through innovative technologies and continuous research with over 100 years, are aimed at ensuring that children receive optimal support for growth and development as well as the COMEL developmental milestone checklist to help monitor and enhance children’s developmental milestones effectively,” said Wong.
In celebration of World Brain Day 2024, an annual event observed on July 22, the event also featured an expert sharing session and introduced the COMEL (Cognitive, Optic, Motor, Emotion, Language) developmental milestone checklist, a handy guide for healthcare professionals to keep track of children’s growth milestones, ensuring they receive the best start in life.
The sharing session involved UKM Children Specialist Hospital developmental paediatrician Assoc Prof Dr Norazlin Kamal Nor and Universiti Putra Malaysia human anatomy dept head Professor Cheah Pike See, who provided in-depth insights into the importance of early neurodevelopmental screening, role of nutrition in early childhood, and practical advice on nurturing cognitive and emotional growth through nutrition and active participation.
“Regular brain development monitoring is crucial for early identification of potential delays. The COMEL developmental milestone checklist provides a comprehensive framework to monitor and enhance children’s cognitive, visual, motor, emotional, and language skills.
“For instance, by age three, a child should be able to assemble a 3–4-piece puzzle, ask questions, match colours, and pedal a tricycle. The COMEL tool helps parents and doctors take early action to impact a child’s development positively,” said Dr Norazlin.
Dr Norazlin added, “Additionally, suboptimal nutrition may deprive a child’s opportunity to reach full brain potential. Research has shown that formula milk supplemented with MFGM, a brain building nutrient, can lead to advantages in cognitive intelligence (IQ, Processing Speed & Visual Spatial Skills) as well as emotional intelligence that lasts beyond 5 years of age.”
Prof Cheah explained the critical importance of brain growth during the first five years of life and factors affecting optimal brain development.
“Because children have so much to learn in the first few years of life, connections form rapidly between neurons. Factors such as nutrition, and environmental influences play significant roles in shaping the growth of the brain in children.
“Proper nourishment and healthy digestion are vital to support the formation of brain cells and neural connections. Parent-child interactions and the quality of early experiences are also important in fostering healthy brain development,” she said.
She added, “Providing a nurturing, stimulating, and emotionally supportive environment for a child equips them with the necessary tools to thrive cognitively and emotionally in the long run.”
Parents are encouraged to bring their child to the expo and challenge their child’s brain processing speed at the A+ Brain Speedometer Challenge station and stand a chance to win up to RM50,000 worth of prizes.
The challenge tests children’s ability to identify similar items and respond at their fastest speed. It is categorised into three different age group from age 1 to 2, age 3-4 and age 5-6 and the top three winners from each category will compete at a grand finale and stand a chance to win educational fund.
For more information on the Future-Ready A+ Kids Expo and Enfagrow A+ products, visit https://www.enfagrow.com.my/
