CSZD2353 HEALTH & NUTRITION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

TOPIC 1: HEALTH FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

 WHAT IS HEALTH?

• The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health

as a state of complete physical, mental and social well
being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.
• Health can also include spiritual, emotional,
environmental, health of the community and societal
health.

• Health, safety and nutrition are closely related and

dependent on one another.
• Example; children who get all of their essential nutrients
from a healthful diet will have energy for active play,
exploration, and social interaction, and a decreased risk
of serious injury and illness.
• In other words, nutritional status affects the quality of
children’s health which influences nutritional
requirements needed to restore and maintain good health.

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 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH

Genetic Response to
Lifestyle Environment Poverty
factors allergen

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 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH

1) Lifestyle 2) Genetic factors

Whether the parents smoke or
not, the child’s diet and the
amount of exercise will affect the
child’s health
Children will inherit factors from
both parents that may affect their
health
Some conditions are passed
down through the genes from one
or both parents to the child

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 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH

3) The environment 4) Poverty

Poor housing conditions, The poorer the family, the greater are the
air pollutions and poor health risks and the more likely children
water supply can increase are to suffer from chronic sickness and
respiratory problems and tooth decay
water-borne diseases These children are less likely to attend
screening and developmental checks as
well as immunizations

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 FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE HEALTH

5) Response to allergens
Some children can have an allergic reaction to anything, including some
food substances, grass, animal hair/saliva and house dust mites
Children react to these allergens in a variety of ways including fever,
asthma, diarrhea, rashes or headaches

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 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

• When teachers understand children’s typical growth and

development, they are able to appreciate and work more
effectively to address their diverse needs
• They are better prepared to help children master critical
skills and behaviors at each developmental level
• They can create learning experiences and set goals for
children that are developmentally appropriate and foster
positive self esteem
• They are able to design quality environments that are safe
and encourage children’s mastery new skills
• Teachers can also use this knowledge to promote children’s
well being by identifying health problems and abnormal
behaviors and teaching healthy practices

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 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

• Growth: physical changes that occur as a child matures.

• There are many factors that affect both the quality and rate of growth:
1) Genetic potential
2) Level of emotional stimulation and bonding
3) Cultural influences
4) Socioeconomic factors
5) Adequate nutrition
6) Parent responsiveness
7) Health status

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 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: INFANTS

• Growth is rapid during the first year; an infant’s birth

weight nearly doubles by the fifth month and triples by the
end of the first year
• An infant’s length increases by approximately 50% during
the first year, where a larger percentage of this gain occurs
during the first six months when an infant may grow as much
as 1 inch per month
• Rapid growth of the brain causes the infant’s head to
appear large in proportion to the rest of the body and
measurements should increase steadily and equal the chest
circumference by the end of the first year

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 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: INFANTS

• Additional physical changes that occur during the first year include the growth of hair and eruption of
teeth (four upper and four lower)
• The eyes begin to focus and move together as a unit by the third month, and vision becomes clearer at
the age of six months

• Special health concerns for infants include the following:

 Nutritional requirements
 Adequate provisions for sleep
 Bonding or maternal attachment
 Early brain development
 Safety and injury prevention
 Identification of birth defects and health impairments

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 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: TODDLERS
• The toddler continues to make steady gains in height
and weight, but at a much slower rate than during
infancy.
• By the age of two, the toddler will gain a total of
nearly four times the child’s birth weight and
approximately 3 to 5 inches in height per year.
• Body proportions change and result in a more erect
and adult-like appearance. Eruption of “baby
teeth” is completed by the end of the toddler period
• Now toddlers can learn to brush their teeth as an
important aspect of preventive health care.
• Special attention should also be paid to providing
foods that promote good dental health, and easily
chewed and include all the essential nutrients since
toddlers typically have smaller appetites

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 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: PRESCHOOLERS

• During the preschool and early school-age years, a child’s appearance becomes more adult like in form
• Head size remains approximately the same, while the body, arms and legs continue to grow
• Gains in weight and height are relatively slow but steady
• Adequate nutrition continues to be a main consideration as high activity levels replaces the rapid growth
of earlier years as the demand for calories
• However, the preschool years are often marked by decreased appetite and poor eating habits
• Therefore, families and teachers must be aware of children’s actual food intake and work to encourage
healthy eating habits

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 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: PRESCHOOLERS

• Sleep is also required for optimal growth and development

• Most preschool and school-aged children require 8 to 12 hours of uninterrupted nighttime sleep in
addition to daytime rest periods
• Young children could benefit from brief rests during their normal daytime routine
• By the time children reach school-age, their resistance to infections has improved as well as their
physical continues to mature

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 DEVELOPMENT

• In one year, many changes take place in the infant’s development

• Infants develop their acquisition of language and formation of complex thought patterns
• They also become more social and outgoing near the end of the first year and enjoy imitate the adults
around them

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 DEVELOPMENT

• The toddler and preschool period reflect a

continued refinement of language, perceptual,
motor, cognitive and social achievements
• Improved motor and verbal skills enable the
toddler to explore, test and interact with the
environment

• Preschool-aged child will able to perform self-

care and fine motor tasks with improved strength,
speed, accuracy, control and ease
• Participation in sports and other vigorous
activities help children improve their motor skills.
• Rewards and adult approval continue to be
important and help children build self-esteem.

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End of Slides