Chapter 1 Introduction

This introductory section outlines why we utilize the D-score:

• reviewing key discussions about the first 1000 days in a child’s life (1.1)
• highlighting the relevance of early childhood development for later life (1.2)
• discussing the use of stunting as a proxy for development (1.3)
• pointing to existing instruments to quantify neurocognitive development (1.4)
• explaining why we have written this chapter (1.5)
• delineating the intended audience (1.6)