Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Friday, October 14, 2011
References
Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
The importance of helping your child stay physically fit.
Physical fitness is an important part of your pre-schooler’s life. Staying healthy at this age will provide them with a great foundation of health as they grow into adults. They will pass their healthy habits on to their own children and will help them lead a long, happy life. Eating healthy foods and getting exercise daily is the key and this fact sheet will outline how we can achieve this.
Why should children exercise?
*Children can become overweight or obese which leads to health problems such as juvenile diabetes and high blood pressure. Overweight children can have low- self esteem and may be ridiculed by other children. Depression can follow.
*Children who don’t get enough may develop weaker bones and it can affect flexibility.
*Children are better able to cope with stress and handle emotional challenges better than kids who don’t exercise.
*Children sleep better when they get more exercise.
*Limit the amount of time your child watches TV and plays video games and computer time.
*Introduce your child to sports, encourage them to try different things until they find the sport that suits them.
*Exercise as a family. Activities such as bike rides, nature walks, or playing in the yard are enjoyable for families. Make it fun for you and your kids. Not only will you have fun, but you’ll also make memories. Such activities will also help your pre-schooler develop their fine and gross motor skills.
*Talk to your child and explain to them the importance of exercise and how it helps them to say healthy.
What lasting effects will my child gain from exercising?
*Children who develop healthy lifestyles through childhood typically carry that with them into adulthood. Overweight children typically will become overweight adults and can have a lifetime of health effects from it.
*Children who engage in sports tend to have better self esteem and feel good about themselves.
*Exercising improves memory.
*Exercising promotes strong bones.
*Staying healthy as a child and into adulthood will help them instill healthy habits into their own children.
*A stronger immune system and ability to fight off disease.
*Strengthens their cardiovascular systems. A healthy heart and lungs will help them avoid heart disease later in life.
Good nutrition for your children (and a few recipes too)!
Good nutrition is important for children of all ages because everyday children continue to grow and develop. Their brains are developing and their bones need strengthening and healthy eating is important for that to happen. Children who are not fed enough food or healthy foods could have stunted growth and various health problems and also are more prone to disease because their immune systems are weakened. Luckily, research has shown that the effects of malnourishment can be reversed if they are under the age of 2, so it’s important that these kids get the help they need and the only way that will happen is if the parents are educated on what foods their children need to eat. Children who are fed food high in fat and calories could end up overweight which will lead to other health problems such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. Children do not go to the grocery store and buy their own food they are at the mercy of the adults who care for them. We are responsible for providing good nutritious foods for children. Some adults claim their kids won’t eat healthy food so they give in and feed them what they want, but if you keep trying and only give them healthy options they will eat it. If this begins early in the child’s life it usually is not an issue.
Adults need to steer children in the right direction of healthy eating. Ways we can this is by being consistent. Make sure everyone sits down at the dinner table for the meal, not in front of television, on phones or playing video games, everyone should be concentrating on meal time. Keep the kids involved by having them set the table and pour the milk. Family style dining allows them to serve themselves their food and pass it to the next person. This makes them feel important and in control. Following the USDA Food Pyramid when selecting food to eat will help you stay on track to healthy eating. When kids are old enough, take them grocery shopping and let them help you to choose fresh produce, this is a great time to explain to them what foods are good to eat and which foods should only be eaten as an occasional treat. We all love desserts and treats, but these should only be eaten in moderation. Make one night a week a treat night and let the kids choose what their treat will be. If you feel you need a dessert every night than make it fresh fruit with a little light cool whip or maybe one small cookie. If we make smart choices than our children will take that with them and teach their children to do the same.
Recipes:
Key Lime Pops:
1 1/3 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon finely freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1/3 cup lime juice
1 drop green food coloring, (optional)
2 kiwis, peeled and very thinly sliced
Preparation:
Pour water into a small saucepan, add sugar, lime zest and ginger. Stir over high heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Strain the syrup through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Stir in lime juice and food coloring, if using.
Line 8 individual frozen-treat molds or small (2-ounce) paper cups with slices of kiwi, pressing them onto the sides so they are close together but not overlapping. Fill each mold or cup with the lime mixture.
Freeze until beginning to set, about 1 hour. Insert frozen-treat sticks and freeze until completely firm. Dip the molds briefly in hot water before unmolding.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 79 calories; 0 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 0 g protein; 1 g fiber; 2 mg sodium; 73 mg potassium.
This is a great treat recipe for children, the sugar added to these frozen pops can be cut down and these provide 35% daily value of vitamin C.
Recipe:
Eating Well Homemade Fish Sticks
Canola oil cooking spray
1 cup whole-wheat dry breadcrumbs, (see Shopping Tip) or 1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
1 cup whole-grain cereal flakes
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large egg whites, beaten
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into 1/2-by-3-inch strips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Set a wire rack on a baking sheet; coat with cooking spray.
Place breadcrumbs, cereal flakes, lemon pepper, garlic powder, paprika and salt in a food processor or blender and process until finely ground. Transfer to a shallow dish.
Place flour in a second shallow dish and egg whites in a third shallow dish. Dredge each strip of fish in the flour, dip it in the egg and then coat all sides with the breadcrumb mixture. Place on the prepared rack. Coat both sides of the breaded fish with cooking spray. Bake until the fish is cooked through and the breading is golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes
Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 274 calories; 3 g fat ( 1 g sat , 1 g mono ); 57mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 29 g protein; 3 g fiber; 479 mg sodium; 464 mg potassium.
These fish sticks are low in fat and provide 15% of their daily value of iron and 24% folate.
Recipe:
Glazed mini carrots
3 cups mini carrots, (1 pound)
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Combine carrots, water, honey, butter and salt in a large skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover and cook until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is a syrupy glaze, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Nutritional Value:
Per serving: 74 calories; 2 g fat ( 1 g sat , 1 g mono ); 5 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 2 g fiber; 236 mg sodium; 287 mg potassium.
These carrots make a yummy vegetable side dish for kids and provide 320% of their daily value of vitamin A plus 23% of vitamin C.
CPR and Choking Emergencies.
Scenario one begins with children eating lunch, for lunch today, we are having grapes, carrot sticks and ham sandwiches. The children in my care are all over three years old and therefore are able to chew their food well. I get up from the table to get more milk for a child when all of a sudden little Caden begins to cough and choke. I immediately return to the table and see that he has dropped a half eaten carrot stick on the floor so it is apparent to me that he is choking on a carrot. It is important that I stay calm and because I am sure that he is indeed choking on food I give Caden the Heimlich maneuver in order to dislodge the carrot from his throat. To do this I would stand him up and position myself behind him, wrap my arms around the front of him and clasp my hands into a ball and give him upward thrusts just below his ribcage. Caden is only 3 so I may need to kneel on my knees to be on this level. Once the food is dislodged I would be sure that his breathing is back to normal and call his parents to let them know what had happened. If after several attempts the food does not come out I would call 911 and than continue this maneuver until medical personnel arrives.
Scenario two involves a 6 month old infant who is sleeping in his crib. Even though I put the baby down to sleep on his back, he had rolled over and was laying face down on the mattress with his mouth and nose covered. When I check on the infant I see that he is not moving or breathing. My first step is to roll the infant over and check for a response by tapping the bottom of his foot. If there is no response I would immediately begin Infant CPR which consists of 30 chest compressions using 2 fingers to compress the chest right below where the ribcage meets, about ½ inch deep, followed by 2 rescue breaths. When giving the breaths you have to make sure that the airway is open by tilting the head back slightly and positioning your mouth over the child’s open mouth and nose and blowing air into his mouth for 1 second. I would watch to be sure the chest was rising. If I don’t see the chest rise I would reposition his head to be sure the airway is open and administer another breath. If it still does not go in I would sweep his mouth to be sure he is not choking on anything. In the meantime I would yell for help and be sure someone is calling 911 and would continue CPR until help arrives.
It is extremely important that people who work with children are CPR and First Aid certified and keep the certifications current. It is also a good idea to refresh your skills by going over the CPR steps once a month. I have been very fortunate to not have ever had to use CPR on an adult or a child. You never know when an emergency will occur and being prepared can and will save a child’s life. One way to prevent an emergency is to make sure the environment is safe for kids. Ensure there are no choking hazards for small children, cut up foods small so that children may not be able to choke on them as easily. Keeping first aid supplies easily accessible is important also. If you use something in your kit be sure to replace it promptly. Also, keep emergency contact phone numbers handy, store them in your cell phone if you are outside for a walk, I keep them on my refrigerator by my phone in the kitchen. I always know where they are at, in an emergency you can get panicked very easily and it will take much longer if you have to fumble around and don’t know where to find something. Be prepared for emergencies and you will be better equipped to potentially save a child’s life.
What to do during a natural disaster.
Natural disasters can occur at any time with very little or no warning at all. When you are caring for children it is imperative that you have an emergency plan in place. Many kinds of emergencies and disasters can take place and childcare facilities should be have a plan in place to keep the children as safe as possible.
The following steps should be taken in the event of any emergency.
*Evacuation routes are posted at primary and secondary escape route in the home.
*Clipboard containing each child’s information and emergency contact phone numbers are kept by the exit and taken when the home needs to be evacuated.
*Monthly fire and evacuation drills are done with the children and smoke detectors are checked weekly.
*Emergency kit and first aid kit are kept in the home at all times.
*CPR and First Aid training is kept up to date.
*Emergency phone numbers are kept by the phone at all times.
In the event of a fire or gas leak in the home, the following steps would be taken.
*Children are gathered and taken to the nearest exit.
*Following our fire drill procedures we proceed to our meeting spot outside of the home.
* Call 911
* Family Childcare Supervisors are called who will assist in contacting each parent of the children who are in my care. They will also come to my home to assist in caring for the children while emergency services assess the situation.
*Each parent or emergency contact is called and asked to pick up their child ASAP if it is deemed unsafe to re-enter the home.
The primary concern is the safety of the children in my care, drills are important so they know where to go and wait if there is a fire and I am injured or unable to get out quickly.
The other disaster I chose was a tornado, I chose this because last spring we had a tornado touch down on base and it destroyed many homes and caused extensive damage. There were some injuries but thankfully no one was killed. The tornado happened on a Saturday evening, my daycare was not open at the time, but I do work some weekends and I very easily could have been in this situation. If the weather was calling for sever weather and the high possibility of tornado I would first make the decision of whether to close my daycare for the day, but we all know things can sneak up on you and weather can turn very quickly. I would quickly determine where the safest place in my house would be that I could fit the amount of children I was caring for. Most likely my bathroom would be the best bet. I would take my cell phone, the children’s emergency phone numbers and information, a first aid kit with a flashlight and a battery powered radio.
I would explain to the children what was happening and keep them as calm as I could. I would try to stay in contact with the parents as much as possible and I would keep a very close eye on the weather. Tornados can happen very quickly it’s important to know where to go in your home where you will be the safest. We would remain in that area until the all clear is given.
If you prepare yourself and your environment for disasters you will be better equipped to handle it and keep not only yourself but also the children in your care calm. When you let the children’s parents know what your plans and procedures are it will encourage them to put their own plans in place and their children will know what to do if any emergency happens while they are at home.
Common safety hazards to avoid with your infant and toddlers.
The first safely threat to children in the infants/toddlers age group is choking. Children of this age tend to put anything and everything in their mouths, typically this is a side effect of teething, objects feel good against their gums and they just want to chew away. This can be very dangerous young children. Daycare providers need to ensure that all objects that are in reach of children will not impose a choking hazard, one rule of thumb is that if it can fit in a toilet paper tube than a child can choke on it. The area should be inspected daily for any small objects that could be carried in on shoes or dropped accidently. Toys should be age appropriate and floors vacuumed or mopped daily before children arrive. All caregivers should be certified in Infant/toddler CPR for this reason and keep their certification current.
Another hazard for infants and toddlers is how they sleep. Infants 12 months and younger must be put down to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death syndrome. Their crib should be free of bumper pads, pillows, stuffed animals and heavy blankets such as fleece so they do not smother if they roll over. It’s also important to ensure the room they are sleeping in does not get overheated, 75 degrees is the maximum temperature they should be in.
Properly warming bottles for infants is very important, they should never be warmed in a microwave because it heats unevenly and can result in burns. Bottles should be heated by placing it in hot water, I used a crock pot that is filled with water and left on low all day long. I make sure the cord is not reachable to children and the crock pot is pushed far back on the counter so it does not create a safely hazard. The bottles should be tested for temperature before giving it to the baby.
Stairways are easy for infants and toddlers to fall down once they become mobile. If you have stairs in your center or home they should be blocked off with a secure baby gate that the child can not climb over. I have a one story home however there are houses that are two stories on base, those providers are not permitted to use their second story for daycare purposes due to the safety hazard it poses to the children. It is easy to fix this problem and ensure these areas are blocked off to the children.
Allergies are very important to watch out for nowadays, more and more children are diagnosed with food allergies and when children are young and are just being introduced to new foods providers need to watch for signs and symptoms of allergic reactions. In my daycare there are foods that are not to be fed to children under 2 years old. These include peanut butter, nuts, grapes, hot dogs (for choking hazards), eggs, seafood and strawberries. When an allergy is diagnosed it is kept in the child’s file. For severe allergies a child may need an epi-pen, the provider needs to be sure they are trained to use the epi pen and have an emergency procedure in place if the child has a reaction.
All these practices can easily be passed on to the parents of the children. When you have your policies and procedures in writing and have the parent sign them, it educates them at the same time. Discuss with them why you have these rules and how it’s important for everyone to know what to do in case of an emergency.
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