©2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 1 Children’s Well-being: What It Is and How...

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 1

Children’s Well-being: What It Is and How to Achieve It


Preventive Health

• This concept emphasizes the importance of assuming responsibility for one’s personal well-being.– On a personal level—preventive health

practices include following a nutritious diet, participating in physical activity, keeping immunizations current, wearing seat belts, avoiding substance abuse, and the like.


Preventive Health (continued)

– On a social level—citizens have a collective responsibility to support practices that promote the health of all individuals, such as establishing food safety standards, water fluoridation, regulating air pollution and pesticide use, and advocating for child safety seat legislation.


National Preventive Health Initiatives

• National health initiatives and programs that support and promote children’s well-being:– Healthy People 2020– National Children’s Agenda– Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)


Healthy People 2020

Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national

objectives for improving the health of all Americans.

For 3 decades, Healthy People has established benchmarks and monitored progress over time in order to:

• Encourage collaborations across communities and sectors.

• Empower individuals toward making informed health decisions.

• Measure the impact of prevention activities.


Mission

Healthy People 2020 strives to:• Identify nationwide health improvement priorities.• Increase public awareness and understanding of the

determinants of health, disease, and disability and the opportunities for progress.

• Provide measurable objectives and goals that are applicable at the national, State, and local levels.

• Engage multiple sectors to take actions to strengthen policies and improve practices that are driven by the best available evidence and knowledge.

• Identify critical research, evaluation, and data collection needs.


Goals

• Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury, and premature death.

• Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all groups.

• Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all.

• Promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all life stages


CHIP

• The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) provides health coverage to nearly 8 million children in families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but can’t afford private coverage.

• Signed into law in 1997, CHIP provides federal matching funds to states to provide this coverage.


CHIP

• In the fall of 1998, North Carolina implemented its State Children Health Insurance Program, North Carolina Health Choice for Children (NCHC).

• This stand-alone, fee-for-service program quickly enrolled large numbers of children and has been considered one of the State Children Health Insurance Program success stories.



National Preventive Health Initiatives (continued)

• Healthy Child Care America• National Health and Safety

Performance Standards for Child Care

• No Child Left Behind• Coordinated School Health

Program (CSHP)• National Children’s Study


Healthy Child Care America

GOALS:• To promote the healthy development and school readiness of children

in early education and child care by strengthening partnerships between health and child care professionals.

• To provide information and support necessary to strengthen children’s access to health services.

• To promote the cognitive, social and physical development of children in early education and child care.

• To provide technical assistance regarding health and safety for health professionals and the early childhood community.

• To enhance the quality of early education and child care with health and safety resources.

• To support the needs of health professionals interested in promoting healthy and safe early education and child care programs.



In What Ways Are Health, Safety, and Nutrition Interrelated?

• Although each component is important by itself, all three must be considered collectively.

• Each component influences the state and quality of the others.



What Is Health?

• Health is a state of physical, social, economic, emotional, cultural, and spiritual well-being.– How might these

qualities affect each other and also influence an individual’s health?



What Is Health? (continued)

• Health is determined by the dynamic interaction of genetics and environmental factors.

• The quality of a person’s health is always changing.

• In what ways can teachers promote children’s health?



Children’s Safety

• The term safety refers to the behaviors and practices that reduce the risk of unintentional injury.

• Why must teachers be aware of children’s safety issues?



Children’s Nutrition

• Nutrition describes the process of taking in food, breaking it down into basic nutrients that can be absorbed by cells, and eliminating any unused components.

• Food provides nutrients that are essential for growth, energy, protection from illness and disease, and ongoing tissue repair.

• Food insecurity and unhealthy dietary practices can lead to malnutrition and/or obesity.

• Children’s behavior is also affected by the quality of their diet.



Children’s Growth & Development

• The term growth refers to the range of physical changes, such as eruption of teeth, growing taller, gaining weight, and vision that take place as a child matures.

• Growth involves the interaction of genetic potential and environmental factors.



Children’s Growth & Development

• The term development describes changes that occur in the complexity of children’s physical, cognitive, social-emotional, motor, and language abilities.

• Development involves an interactive process of maturation and opportunity (to experience and practice).



Children’s Oral Health

• What purpose do teeth serve? – Chewing– Maintaining space for permanent teeth– Helping to shape the jaw– Speech

• What practices are important for promoting children’s oral health?



Children’s Social-Emotional Competence

• Social-emotional competence refers to the way a child thinks, feels, and acts on a daily basis.

• It affects how a child handles stress, communicates, and makes decisions.

• It ultimately influences a child’s self-concept and self-esteem.



Children’s Mental Health

• One in five children/adolescents have mental health disorders.

• One in 10 have a serious emotional disturbance that disrupts daily functioning.

• When early problems are not treated, they can contribute to school failure, family conflicts, drug abuse, violence, depression, and suicide.



Signs of Mental Health Problems

• Uncontrollable anger• Prolonged feelings of hopelessness or sadness• Extreme fearfulness or anxiousness• Difficulty concentrating or remaining focused • Persistent nightmares• Eating disorders• Uncontrollable anger• Violent or aggressive behaviors (e.g., setting

fires, killing animals, hurting others)



Promoting Children’s Social-Emotional Competence

• Be a positive role model.

• Create environments that are supportive, responsive, and respectful.

• Teach children effective social, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Recognize signs of emotional problems and refer children early.



Children and Bullying

• Why do some children bully others?

• What groups of children are more likely to be victimized?

• What is cyber bullying and what can families do to protect children?



Building Resiliency

• Foster supportive, nurturing environments and positive parenting skills.

• Help children develop effective social, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Model appropriate behaviors. • Offer praise and encouragement.• Respect children and avoid being biased

or judgmental.©2012 Cengage Learning.

All Rights Reserved.

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What Can Programs Do to Promote Children’s Well-Being?

Programs must:• Develop protective policies• Create environments that are safe and

nurturing• Be prepared to handle injuries, illness, and

environmental emergencies • Serve nutritious meals• Provide ongoing health, safety, and nutrition

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©2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 1 Children’s Well-being: What It Is and How...

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