How to ensure a healthy and happy childhood? Dr. Anton Titov, MD. Maybe it is different for different parts of the world. Professor Dr. Ricky Richardson, MD. I don't think it is different in different parts of the world. The most important aspect of having a healthy childhood is to have loving parents. Parents should give you as a child all of the support. It is always striking to me how parenting matters so much. Children go off the rails in many cases because the parenting they have had has not be warm and loving and supportive. These are children with behavioral problems. They come to see us because they are struggling. They come off the rails. Childhood problems start in the family that is disrupted. There are often separated, divorced parents. There is a struggle and acrimonious relationship between the parents. This results in a child having a very difficult childhood. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. This childhood makes him or her very unhappy. From a medical and psychological perspectives, what are the key factors for child development? Is there anything you would highlight as necessary for happy childhood? Over the last hundred years the growth of education has been an enormously important contribution to well-being. After all, it is worth remembering a simple fact. Dr. Anton Titov, MD. The successful treatment of tuberculosis started to occur long before streptomycin antibiotic became available. It happened because of the focus on hygiene. Tuberculosis therapy started with improving hygiene. It was recognizing that tuberculosis bugs live in a dirty environment. Starting to clear up the environment had enormous impact on the reduction of infectious diseases. Professor Dr. Ricky Richardson, MD. The battle to conquer infectious diseases has been one of the great contributions in medicine and health care over the last hundred years.