Physical Fitness

The lack of physical activity in children can lead to coronary artery disease, obesity, poor muscle development, poor coordination, and low self esteem ("Children and Physical Activity," 2002). Through physical activity children improve their motor skills, cognitive development, and social skills ("Skills Developed Through Play," n.d.).  The mastery of these skills reduces a child’s chance for poor growth development, stress, and the inability to get along with their peers.

Children that do not engage in healthy fitness activities are at risk of being obese. Childhood obesity has both physical and psychological effects. Obesity in a child can bring about the same health threats as in an adult. Those that suffer from obesity are at risk of  high cholesterol, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and sleep apnea ("Effects of Childhood Obesity," n.d.). The psychological effects of obesity are discrimination, low self-esteem, feelings of isolation, and suffer the effects from the teasing of their peers.

Educators and childcare providers can help in the development of healthy fitness habits. Providers should incorporate daily fitness activities as well as education lesson that allow for movement into the daily schedules of the children in their care.”Geomotion” is a program that incorporates movement with learning ("Geomotion," n.d.). The program takes daily lessons and adds motion to them.  It provides a non-competitive environment that allows all children to enjoy the lesson at hand. If the funds are not available to purchase the materials provided with “Geomotion” one can create their own motion lessons. The use of laminated colored squares, music, and a simple dance routine provides for both movement and learning. This type of lesson helps children develop gross motor skills. A field trip to a strawberry farm is an educational opportunity on how strawberries are grown, the equipment used to harvest, and the nutritional benefits. The picking of the strawberries helps with the development of fine motor skills ("Strawberry Activities for Preschool Fine Motor Fitness," n.d.).  The picking of the strawberries helps increase the hand muscles. When strawberries are not in season the same development of fine motor skills can be by purchasing grapes from the local market and having the children help remove the grapes from the vine.

Inspirational quotes on children and nutrition: “Children are one third of our population and all of our future”.  ~Select Panel for the Promotion of Child Health, 1981. 

“The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” -Thomas Edison

Learning positive fitness habits as a child can pave the way to healthy fitness habits as an adult. When educators and providers model healthy fitness habits children take the model actions home and incorporate them into the home environment (Schilling & McOmber, May, 2006). Creating an environment that allows for movement with learning today will have an impact in the future of both children and adults. Together we can create a healthy environment for future generations to come.

References

Children and Physical Activity. (2002). Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/physical.html

Effects of Childhood Obesity. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://weight-loss.emedtv.com/childhood-obesity/effects-of-childhood-obesity-p2.html

Geomotion. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://geomotiongroup.com/learnercise

Preschool Rock. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://fitness.preschoolrock.com/index.php/articles/strawberry-activities-for-preschool-fine-motor-fitness

Schilling, T., & McOmber, K. A. (May, 2006, May, 2006). Tots in Action ON and BEYOND the Playground [YC Young Children]. YC Young Children, 34. Retrieved from http://proquest.umi.com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/pqdweb?did=1038789361&sid=1&Fmt=4&clientId=70192&RQT=309&VName=PQD&cfc=1

Skills Developed Through Play. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.apraxiaspeaks.com/Skills-Developed.html

Healthy Food and Nutrition

Healthy foods and nutrition lead to healthy bodies. If a child does not receive a well balanced diet they are in danger of being malnourished. Childcare providers and parents need to be actively involved in providing good eating habits in children. Children that are allowed to be involved in the preparation of the meals are more likely to eat what they helped create.

Providing children with foods that follow the nutritional guidelines can reduce their risk of illness and learning difficulties.  Childcare providers as well as parents should be educated in nutritional guidelines. Proper nutrition in early childhood is necessary for children to maintain their health and growth (Robertson, 2010).  One needs to be educated on the proper food intakes at different age groups. The dietary intake for preschoolers is different from a school aged child (Robertson, 2010). The dietary intake of a preschooler includes a component for energy balance in order to measure that the child is getting the proper nutrition for their growth, development, and disease prevention (Robertson, 2010, p. 231).

Our bodies are designed for us to feel hunger.  Hunger is a sign that our bodies need food.  The problem lies when that feeling of hunger is not satisfied.  Children that experience long term hunger suffer from malnutrition. Malnutrition does not only occur with the lack of food, but also appears with a diet that does not contain adequate amounts of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals ("Hunger and Malnutrition," n.d.). Children that come from low income families are at the greatest risk of malnutrition (Robertson, 2010).  A child that is malnourished suffers from fatigue, low immune system, poor growth, underweight, dry skin, fragile bones, tooth decay, and problems with learning (Robertson, 2010).

Providers should role model good eating habits to both the child and their parents.  This can be accomplished by providing a variety of foods, creating visual appeal, education, and nutritional guidelines (Robertson, 2010).  In order in instill good eating habits in children, at meal time they should have the right to choose what appeals to them. This allows the child to express their independence, and a sense of control. Forcing children to eat items they do not like or making them eat when they are not hungry can cause poor eating habits in adulthood (Robertson, 2010).  Eating meals with children allows the provider and their parents to model good eating habits, sharing of events, and visual of others eating things that they might not normally choose.

Children love to create and meal preparation is great time for that opportunity. Cooking with your children is not only the opportunity to create a meal, but a great time for sharing. The following are three recipes that are fun to make with your child and the nutritional value for each.

Blueberry Muffins ("Blueberry Muffins," 2009)

Prep time: about 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 c. flour                                              1 c. blueberries washed

1 c. oatmeal                                         1 egg

3 tbsp. sugar                                        1 c. milk

1 tsp. salt                                             ¼ c. vegetable oil

4 tsp. baking powder                          nonstick spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F (200° C).

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oatmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

Mix in blueberries. In another bowl, break the egg and use a fork to beat it just a little bit. Then add the milk and vegetable oil, and mix. Add this mixture to the first mixture in the large bowl. Using a mixing spoon, mix about 25 or 30 times. Don't mix too much! Your muffin mixture should be lumpy, not smooth. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly spray with nonstick spray. Spoon in the muffin mix. Fill each muffin cup about two thirds of the way up. Bake for about 20 minutes. When muffins are finished baking, remove from muffin tin and cool them on a wire rack.

Serves: 12 Serving size: 1 muffin

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

162 calories                             1 g fiber

3 g protein                               18 mg cholesterol

6 g fat                                      371 mg sodium

19 g carbohydrate                   121 mg calcium

1.4 mg iron

Roasted Veggies ("Roasted Veggies," 2007)

Prep time: about 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, diced                                      1 medium yellow squash, sliced

2 c. broccoli, chopped into florets                  1 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped                                    1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium zucchini, sliced                               1 medium tomato, chopped

2 tbsp. olive oil                                                1 tsp. dried basil

2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar                                  1 tsp. dried oregano

Feta or parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius). Place all veggies and garlic in a large Pyrex (thick glass) dish or roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle spices on top, and stir to coat. Cook for about 45 minutes or until veggies are tender when you poke them with a fork.  If you like, sprinkle the mixture with feta or grated Parmesan cheese before serving.

Serves: 5 Serving size: 1 cup

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

124 calories                                                     2 g fiber

4 g protein                                                       0 mg cholesterol

6 g fat                                                              16 mg sodium

17 g carbohydrate                                           66 mg calcium

1.5 mg iron

15-minute Salmon ("15- Minute Salmon," 2005)

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 6-oz. salmon steaks (a normal portion size for meat and fish is 3 oz.)

butter or vegetable oil cooking spray or fat-free canola cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat the broiler. Cover the broiling pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease the foil with butter or vegetable oil cooking spray. Place the steaks on the pan and broil the salmon for 5 minutes. Turn the steaks carefully and broil the other side for 4 to 5 minutes or until the fish is firm but still springy and a bit translucent in the center. Serve immediately topped with the sauce of your choice.

Serves: 2 Serving size: 1 salmon steak

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

350 calories

34 g protein

20 g fat

114 mg sodium

0 mg calcium

References

15 - Minute Salmon. (2005). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/recipes/recipes_family/salmon.html#cat20230

Blueberry Muffins. (2009). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/recipes/recipes_family/blueberry_muffins.html#cat20230

Hunger and Malnutrition. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/growth/feeding/hunger.html#cat161

Roasted Veggies. (2007). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/recipes/recipes_family/veggies.html#cat20230

Robertson, C. (2010). A Holistic Environmental Approach to Safety, Nutrition,and Health in Quality Early Childhood Education Environments. In Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education (4th ed., ). Belmont, CA:

CPR and Choking Emergencies

Emergencies can happen when we least expect them. Being trained in CPR and Choking emergencies is required for childcare providers. Parents of children should be advised to attend these trainings also. In the event of an emergency such as a child that has stopped breathing or is choking the childcare provider should act immediately, remain calm, stay with the child, and assess the situation (Robertson, 2010, p. 179).

Scenario One: A Child is Choking

The preschoolers from” Busy Bee Preschool” were on a field trip to the local fruit market when a three-year old was noticed by the educator holding their throat. The educator immediately went to the child to assess the situation.  Upon assessing the child the educator noticed that the child was holding cherries in her hand. The educator informed her assistant to dial 911, contact the child’s parent and removing the choking hazard procedures from the first aid kit. The educator remained calm and relied on her training and completed the following steps:

1.       Checked the scene for safety.

2.       Assessed that the child was unable to speak.

3.       Gave 5 back blows.

4.       Gave 5 abdominal thrust.

The educator repeated the steps until the cherry was dislodged ("CONSCIOUS CHOKING," n.d.). The assistant oversaw the care of the other children while the educator stayed with the child until emergency personal and the child’s parent arrived on the scene. Upon returning to the preschool the educator completed an incident report.

Scenario Two: A Child is Unresponsive

The preschoolers at the Co-Op Preschool are enjoying recess time when the assistant notices a child laying on the ground near the slide. The assistant went to the child and noticed that the child was unresponsive. One of the child’s peers informed the assistant that the child had fallen off the slide. The assistant immediately called out for the educator in charge. The educator upon arrival of the scene assessed the situation, advised her assistant to call 911 and contact the parents. The educator then completed the following steps.

1.       Stayed with the child and remained calm.

2.       Advised the 911 operator of the situation.

3.       Told the operator that the child was unconscious, unresponsive, the child was on his back, and the child had not taken a breath in the last 10 seconds.

4.       Completed a finger sweep to insure there was not a blockage of the airway.

5.       The educator then held the nose shut and gave two rescue breaths to the child.

6.       Advise the operator that the chest rose with the rescue breaths.

7.       Noticing that there was a rise in the chest and the return of a pulse the educator knew that chest compressions were not necessary and continued with the 2 short breaths until emergency personal arrived on the scene ("CPR for Child 8 years and under," 2001-2006).

After the incident was over the educator completed an incident report.

Training and refresher trainings are the only way to help insure providers and parents are prepared for emergency situations. Providers that have an emergency preparedness plan in place informs all that are involved with the care of children know the steps to follow if an emergency should arrive. If an incident should occur the provider needs to review the plan in order to make adjustments to better prepare or eliminate the chance of future emergencies. Whether on a field trip or at the facility a first aid kit kept in an obvious place.  The kit should contain essential first aid items, emergency procedures, and important contact information.

References:

Global Crisis Solution Center. (2001-2006). Retrieved from http://globalcrisis.info/cpr.html#child

Red Cross. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Preparedness/ConsciousChokingPoster_EN.pdf

Robertson, C. (2010). A Holistic Environmental Approach to Safety, Nutrition,and Health in Quality Early Childhood Education Environments. In Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education (4th ed., ). Belmont, CA: .

Emergency Preparedness: Natural and Human-Generated Disasters

A disaster whether it be natural, ecological or terrorist attack can happen anywhere.  When working with children providers need to be prepared for a disaster.  In the area I reside we are at risk for all three types of disasters.

Any facility that provides services to children need to have an emergency plan in place (Robertson, 2010). The plan should be reviewed yearly in order to insure that providers have knowledge of the plan and in order to make revisions to the plan if the need arises.  The plan should be made familiar to all employees and the local authorities as well as the parents. Providing the parent with the emergency plan provides them with where their children can be located if a disaster should occur. Fire drills, tornado drills, and other emergency procedures should be practiced on a regular basis.

The area I reside is surrounded by many acres of natural forests. During the dry season’s careless campers and the burning of household garbage, fires start. The facility should be equipped with a functioning fire extinguisher and a first aid kit.  Child care providers should make the local disaster team aware of their location so that they can contact the provider if they are at risk.  If there is not a disaster team in place, the provider should make the local police and fire departments aware of their location. If a fire should occur in the facility or surrounding area the provider should call 911, assess which direction the fire is heading, and follow the fire evacuation route that is in place (Robertson, 2010). As a provider you need to remain calm in order remove the children to a safer places.

The train tracks that run through the town can put a child care facility at risk for an ecological disaster (Robertson, 2010).  Train cars can carry potentially harmful chemicals that could harm children if the train should derail. The emergency plan for a chemical disaster has been provided to local schools and child care providers.  The facility should be equipped with a first aid kit and ample food and water. In the event that a chemical disaster the child care provider should remain in the facility, close all windows and doors, and wait for further instructions from the disaster team. Removing the children from the facility could potentially put them in harm of breathing in harmful chemicals or chemical burns on the skin.

With the aftermath of 9/11 a terrorist attack is a real threat in the United States.  Being located near a metropolitan area, nuclear facility, or a military base people need to have a terrorist attack plan in place. Camp Grayling, a military base is located fifteen miles away from the town I resided. Local schools and child care facilities need to have a lock down plan in affect if the need should ever arise.  This plan should be made readily available to all workers within the facility, but should not be publicly displayed within the facility.  The last thing you want is for the terrorist to know where the children are located. The plan should be practiced on a regular basis.

Disasters can strike anywhere at any time. Having a disaster plan in place, practiced, and available to the proper authorities can insure that as a provider you are insuring the safety of the children in your care.

Reference:

Robertson, C. (2010). A Holistic Environmental Approach to Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Quality Early Childhood Education Environments. In Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education (4th ed., ). Belmont, CA: . 

Safety Practices and Policies

Preschool aged children are adventurous, fearless, and distracted.  Providers of preschoolers need to beware of their surroundings and the safety concerns that pertain to the surroundings (Robertson, 2010). These safety concerns not only pertain to the preschool environment but also the home environment.

In the preschool environment often toys are broken which leads to sharp edges, small pieces, and sometimes go unnoticed.  These broken pieces and sharp edges create an unsafe environment for the children.  A lesson that providers need to model for their students in one which they are shown how to report a broken toy without fear of reprimand. Providers should complete a daily inspection of the toys in order to remove toys that have become a hazard to the children.  Providers should also express these practices to parents in order to insure that the home has toys that will not cause harm to their children.

The playground equipment needs to be checked for rust, sharp pieces, and other hazards that would harm a child. Any hazards should be visually marked so that both workers and children know that the area is unsafe.  A report of hazards should be placed on a maintenance repair form. A daily check sheet should be placed on the door that leads to the playground that allows workers to know that the playground has been checked for safety issues. Most preschool facilities have a visiting parent. Showing and allowing the parent to help complete this check list. This allows them to become more aware of the child’s outdoor environment in their neighborhoods.

Preschool aged children will want to walk out the door with their peers.  Doors should be securely locked and a waiting area for parents should be established.  Parents need to provide a constant to release form that allows providers to release the children to someone other than the parent.  Workers need to be trained in asking for identification when an unknown person picks up a child. Doors should remain securely locked during the day. This will insure that no unwanted or unknown persons have access to the children or the workers. Parents need to be aware that the facility is responsible for the safety of the children just like a parent is responsible for them when not at the preschool.

During the school hours all cleaning products, hand sanitizers, and eating utensils should be placed far out of the reach from the children. Preschoolers think everything is a toy and will play with it.  They like to mimic adults and try to clean and cook yet have no knowledge of the dangers. Chemicals need to be marked with proper symbols and place in a locked cabinet in order to prevent harm to the children. The use of hand sanitizer in the classroom has become overwhelming. Many of these products have smells that children think are food.  Hand sanitizer should only be used when the provider is present and then placed out of reach of the children.  Many parents purchase them and have them readily available.  Providers should advise parents to purchase hand sanitizers that are unscented and to keep them out of the hands of their children. When snack time is finished all utensils should be sanitized and if sharp need to be placed in locked drawers.

Often preschool aged children are transported to events.  The state mandates that children at preschool age need to be in a booster seat. Before planning field trip providers need to hold a parent meeting on the importance of transporting children safely. Showing parents the proper booster seat, buckling, and position will insure that the children will be transported safe on the field trip as well as on a daily basis with their parents.

Reference

Robertson, C. (2010). A Holistic Environmental Approach to Safety, Nutrition,and Health in Quality Early Childhood Education Environments. In Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education (4th ed., ). Belmont, CA: .