ABSTRACT
This chapter considers how closely mental and emotional health and development mirror the physical situation. The fundamental processes of nutrition, elimination of waste, activity, and exercise all have their psychological counterparts. As far as cognitive and emotional development is concerned, it has always been recognised that the quality of early relationships and the childhood environment is crucial. The chapter expresses that all learning and development depends on a feeding input much of which is presumably the task of the education system to provide. Emotional and mental survival can depend on effective waste disposal capacity. Physical health and fitness are familiar concepts and most people in the Western world live far longer and are far more physically active than in previous generations. Assessments and psychological testing focus almost exclusively on intellectual functioning and there is little or no use made of Projective Tests which can yield valuable understanding of the hidden or unconscious forces at work in the child's personality.
