It’s National Children’s Month! Celebrate Our Most Precious Assets!

Children. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. They keep us awake when they’re babies and again when they’re teenagers. They amuse us and frustrate us all in the space of 5 minutes, and we never stop teaching, nurturing, and loving them.

In November the Philippines is celebrating National Children’s Month, and this year, the theme is ‘Together promoting the rights of every child during the pandemic period!’
2020 has been tough on everyone, but children especially have been affected in so many ways. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the home and school environments of so many children, making the places that they are meant to thrive in, ones of restriction and exclusion.
Children have been learning from home, isolated from friends, and closed off from the vital support networks that are available outside the house. This year the aim of National Children’s Month is to promote the protection of all children and their rights, as well as offering support to parents and caregivers on how to care for children and themselves during the pandemic.

We all want the best for our precious children when they reach school age, but did you know that there are things you can do to protect your child from the time they are a newborn? Amazingly, it can be as simple as a DNA test to check for your baby’s risk of developing 50 inherited disorders. The NOVA Newborn Genetic Test is the first step you can take as a caring, loving parent who only wants the best for their newborn. The NOVA test guarantees 99.9% accuracy and is the most comprehensive test of its kind currently on the market.

A 2014 study revealed that the top five birth defects in the Philippines were Down syndrome, defects of the large intestine, foot deformities, multiple congenital anomalies, and other malformations of the intestine. Currently, all Philippines-born babies are screened for five common conditions including congenital hypothyroidism, cystic fibrosis, amino acid disorders including phenylketonuria, organic acidemias, and fatty acid oxidation defects.

The NOVA test screens for disorders that are in a prevalence rate of occurring in 1 in every 400 births. Doing a test at the newborn stage can mean an early diagnosis, early intervention, and prompt treatment, all of which are vital in helping you provide the best life possible for your child. The test consists of a simple blood test, which is performed by a pathologist. After analysis in our state of the art laboratories, your results will be returned to you in a timely manner.

They say that knowledge is power, and being informed about your newborn’s risk of developing conditions during their childhood is the first step in ensuring they have the best start in life.
There are many online and events happening during National Children’s Month, all of which are aimed at increasing knowledge and educating parents and carers of our most treasured young people. The Council for the Welfare of Children has further details.
Let’s celebrate our children during National Children’s Month!