Remo Largo - thinking from the child's perspective

Remo Largo's death has surprised, shocked and saddened us all. The media response has been huge and impressively demonstrates the importance of his work. His death is a turning point for us, which makes us reflect on his work and his legacy: Will his voice be silenced for the children?

No, it won't, because his books will carry on his words. We paediatricians have internalised his attitude, put it into practice in our everyday work with children and their families and will continue to develop his ideas.

As a teacher, mentor and friend, Remo Largo taught us every day how diverse being human is and what we can do so that each and every one of us can live our own individuality. What characterised Remo Largo as a person?

He was curious and thirsty for knowledge.

Between 1976 and 1978, he worked at the Child Development Unit of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) with Arthur Parmelee. The well-known developmental paediatrician was a pioneer of brain research in childhood. Remo Largo was fascinated by the then new technical possibilities of visualising the child's brain. Although he had already acquired a great deal of knowledge about child development in Zurich, brain wave measurements were to open up a completely new window to the child for him.

A child does not need recognition for what they have achieved, but for the fact that they have made an effort.

From "Childhood"

However, things turned out quite differently: methodological and financial problems led to the project being cancelled after just a few months. Disappointed, Remo Largo turned away from brain research and the experimental methods of developmental science for the rest of his life. Instead, he dedicated himself to the branch of research that he would later continue in Zurich and which became the basis of his extensive work: the observation of child development.

He was open and interested.

He was a person who could listen well, absorb ideas and thoughts, process them and develop them further. After the failure of research under Parmelee, he visited the major American development centres and studied developmental psychology in depth. At UCLA, he devoted himself to a project on play and language development. He examined numerous children and meticulously traced their play behaviour in the first years of their lives. He recognised that children are naturally curious and develop through play.

Living a self-determined life is a valuable asset that we must not only claim for ourselves, but also grant to all people by respecting their will.

From "The right life"

During this time, he intensively read the writings of the famous Swiss developmental researcher and biologist Jean Piaget, which would go on to have a major influence on him. Remo was fascinated by the idea that children control their own development through their own actions. His conviction grew that we adults cannot accelerate a child's development, but must simply ensure that the child feels comfortable and accepted by its environment with all its characteristics and idiosyncrasies.

He was loving and warm-hearted.

He considered these qualities to be central for caregivers when dealing with children. He often used the word «security». He was convinced that a child only feels secure if its carers are available, reliable, familiar and loving. But he also gave his friends, staff and the parents of his patients a sense of security.

On what factors does a child's psychological well-being depend? The most important element is the feeling of security.

From "Baby Years"

Whenever you met Remo Largo, he always asked how you, your children or other family members were doing. The question was never an empty phrase, but the well-being of his counterpart was really close to his heart. He always had an open ear for the worries and needs of others and listened attentively.

He was prudent and visionary.

With new findings from the USA in his luggage, he took over responsibility for the Zurich Longitudinal Studies, which had been initiated in 1954, from his mentor Andrea Prader in 1978. He launched a second and even a third study, expanded it and incorporated the extensive knowledge he had acquired in America.

If young people are to become independent and responsible adults, they must also be allowed to make mistakes.

From "Youthful years"

For example, he studied the development of children's play, their thinking and language, sleep, the development of cleanliness and many aspects of social behaviour. This wealth of knowledge formed the basis for his books and the «Fit Concept». He observed the children, filmed and photographed them. He had an eye for special situations and moments. It was great to work with him to precisely analyse and understand the children's behaviour in the video. The video was Remo Largo's stethoscope.

He was humorous and patient.

Within minutes, he was involved in a game with the children, laughing and captivating them. Students and teaching assistants were also fascinated by his way of approaching children. He stood out among the lecturers because he intuitively managed to meet children at eye level and adapt to their individual stage of development.

Children do not love their parents because they are their parents, but because they have a relationship with them that can only arise from shared experiences.

From "School years"

He also listened patiently to the families' stories and tried to understand the child's environment. He always looked at the world from the child's perspective, tried to empathise with the child and «think from the child's point of view», as he often said. He focussed on a child's strengths and accepted or generously overlooked their weaknesses - not only in children, but also in his staff and friends. He succeeded in giving everyone their place and forming a team that united different people.

He was persistent and provocative.

For many, his deep conviction that the demands of society must be adapted to the characteristics of the child was pure provocation. He caused particular offence in the education scene with this demand, because schools are to a certain extent characterised by egalitarianism. This was a horror for Remo Largo, the staunch guardian of children's diversity. He had to endure a lot of rejection, especially from the educational community. «Cobbler, stick to your last» or «As a paediatrician, Largo has no idea what's going on in the classroom» were frequent criticisms when he repeatedly put forward provocative theses.

Only if the parents trust the school and the teacher and identify with them can the child feel supported and accepted at school. Then the school becomes their school.

From "School years"

He experienced great satisfaction in 2006 when he received the Education Prize from the Zurich University of Teacher Education and was told in the laudation that «as a paediatrician, he is actually a born teacher».

He was communicative and could inspire.

Like no other, he has been able to convey the complex knowledge of development from birth to adulthood in a clear and understandable language; his books are without doubt proof of this.

We also felt this talent in our everyday life together. When he was presented with scientific data, for example, he would always ask at the end: «And what is your message?» He didn't do research in an ivory tower, but always thought about what significance the scientific findings could have for dealing with children and families. With this transfer of research findings into society, he was far ahead of his time, as it is only in recent years that a public dialogue about science has been increasingly demanded and cultivated.

An upbringing in which parents and carers determine what a child has to think and do will produce an adult who is determined by others.

From "Childhood"

Over the last 30 years, no one in the German-speaking world has been better able to anchor the extensive body of knowledge on child development in our society than Remo Largo. In doing so, he has permanently broadened our understanding of child development and its diversity and made us all realise that we have to adapt to the child and not the child to us. This child-centred approach is the great legacy that Remo Largo has left us all. His voice fell silent on 11 November 2020, but his image of humanity will live on in us.