Summary of the WHO guideline that summarises the evidence and recommendations for
interventions to improve early child development.
Until now WHO has not had guidelines specifically on improving early childhood development (ECD).
Existing WHO guidelines related to infant and child nutrition; injury prevention and support for
children with disabilities; violence prevention; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); neonatal
care; non-communicable diseases; and the prevention and treatment of specific young child
illnesses, such as diarrhoea and pneumonia, refer to the importance of respective interventions for
ECD. However, they do not address ECD-specific interventions such as those related to responsive
caregiving and early learning.