Everyone can benefit from regular exercise. “For kids, exercise means playing and being physically active” (Izenberg, ed. 2009). Children who engage in regular physical activity will:
· have stronger muscles and bones
· have a leaner body because exercise helps control body fat
· be less likely to become overweight
· decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes
· possibly lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels
· have a better outlook on life
Children who are physically active will also sleep better and will be better able to handle physical and emotional challenges like running to catch a bus or studying for a test. (Izenberg, ed. 2009)
When children are physically active they are developing endurance, strength and flexibility. Children develop endurance while playing tag, strength as they cross monkey bars and flexibility as they bend down to pick up bean bags. Endurance, strength and flexibility are needed as children grow into adults.
When children are not physically active they will likely become overweight. Children who become obese are liable to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. They can develop bone and joint problems and they have a tendency to mature earlier. Overweight children are also prone to low self-esteem because of being teased and rejected by other children. Low self-esteem can in turn develop into depression. Overweight children may turn to anorexia nervosa or bulimia to try and lose weight in order to be accepted by their peers.
Adults can help children develop good fitness habits through example. When children see adults engaging in physical activities they are more likely to want to be physically active also. Physical activity should also be fun. If a child is not having fun they will not want to participate. Preschool children love to play “Duck, Duck, Goose”. This game is good for developing a child’s large motor skills. Children use both their large motor skills and fine motor skills while playing hop scotch. Hop scotch also helps with counting skills.
According to the website KidsHealth “combining regular physical activity with a healthy diet is the key to a healthy lifestyle” (Izenberg, ed. 2009). They also include tips for raising fit children.
· Help your child participate in a variety of activities that are age-appropriate.
· Establish a regular schedule for physical activity.
· Incorporate activity into daily routines, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
· Embrace a healthier lifestyle yourself, so you'll be a positive role model for your family.
· Keep it fun, so you can count on your child to come back for more
Resource:
Izenberg, Neil. 2009, Kids and Exercise, KidsHealth. Retrieved July 3, 2009, from
http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/fitness/exercise.html
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Healthy Food and Nutrition
Children of all ages need good nutrition, starting with infants. Infants nutritional needs change as they grow. During the first four months of a child’s life a healthy child’s birth weight doubles. A child’s nutrition during its first six months should come from breast milk or formula. Before this time infants do not have the ability to digest solid food. Without proper nutrition during an infant’s first year of life the child can not grow and develop into a healthy toddler. After six months an infant can be introduced to cereals, then vegetables and fruit, then late on other foods such as soft finger foods, meats, chicken and fish.
As children enter toddlerhood teaching children to eat nutritious food can be a challenge. Toddlers are becoming independent and eating can become a power struggle. Toddlers can grow in “spurts” causing their hunger to come and go. Toddlers are developing gross and fine motor skills making meal time often a messy occasion. Patience is needed during this time in a child’s development. Toddlers need good nutrition to be able to run and play, grow and learn, and develop into healthy preschoolers.
Preschoolers are developing the understanding of proper and improper eating habits. They can be influenced by those around them, or by what they see on commercials and in stores. It is the job of parents and caregivers to help the preschoolers understand the value of nutritious food. Preschoolers will also learn by example. If the children see adult drinking soda then they may protest having to drink milk. If teachers and parents snack on cookies and chips the preschooler will want them also. Preschools need to see their teachers and parents drinking water and milk, eating fruits and vegetables. The best way for teachers to be a good example for their preschoolers would be to sit with them during meals and eat the same things that they eat.
School age children may not be developing physically as quick as younger children, but their need for adequate nutrition is just at important. Their activity level is great and they need proper nutrition for the cognitive skills they are developing in school. Many school age children eat fast food and snacks that have no nutritional value. They want food that is quick and easy. They have outside activities that prevent them from sitting down to a nutritious dinner with family. Proper nutrition is needed to develop properly during the years of puberty. Parents need to be aware of the food that their children are eating.
The only way for children to learn healthy eating is for adults to teach them. Adults can teach children proper nutrition through facts and by example. If children know the reasons for healthy eating, and what makes up healthy eating they are more likely to eat the proper foods. Children also follow by example. When they see adults eating unhealthy food then they will believe that it is alright for them to eat that way. If they see adults eating healthy food then they are more likely to eat healthy. We can not expect children to grow into healthy adults if we do not teach them how.
Recipes:
Children love to cook, and when you make the food they make fun they will love eating it too.
Banana Plane
Makes one serving.
1 banana
Peanut butter
Graham crackers
Raisins
Cut banana in half lengthwise. Place one half, cut side up, on a plate; spread on peanut butter. Use a whole graham cracker rectangle for the wings and a quarter rectangle for the horizontal part of the tail. Top with other banana half. Cut a slit at the tail end of the to half, and push a graham cracker rudder piece in place. Apply raisin windows with peanut butter.
This recipe contains fruits, a protein and grain.
From Better Homes and Gardens Kids in the Kitchen, October 2002.
Strawberry Yogurt Crepes
by Kelly Pfeiffer
Preschoolers can complete every step of the cooking process in this nutritious strawberry recipe that can be served as a healthy breakfast or dessert. Ready to use crepes, strawberries and yogurt make this an easy recipe for preschoolers to prepare for themselves or for their whole family.
What You Need
1. Fresh Strawberries – ¾ cup per crepe
2. Vanilla Yogurt (or yogurt flavor of your choice – blueberry, banana, etc.) ½ to ¾ cup per crepe
3. Crepes – You can find pre-packaged ready to use crepes in the produce section of most grocery stores or make your own.
4. A plastic knife or butter knife
Optional – blueberries, bananas or other fruit
Optional – Whipped topping of your choice
Preparation for Strawberry Yogurt Crepes
Preschoolers can do all of the preparation.
Rinse strawberries
Remove strawberry caps
Slice strawberries with a plastic knife or butter knife.
Slice any other fruit (optional) that you want to add.
How to Make Strawberry Yogurt Crepes
For each crepe
Step 1:
Lay crepe flat on plate.
Step 2:
Starting at one corner and ending at the opposite corner, spoon ½ to ¾ cup of yogurt onto crepe in a line approximately 1 ½” wide.
Step 3:
Sprinkle ¾ cup sliced strawberries over yogurt. Add other fruit if desired.
Step 4:
Wrap crepe closed by folding outside corners (the corners without any yogurt or fruit) across the line of yogurt and fruit.
Step 5:
Add whipped topping (optional) and garnish with more few strawberries.
This recipe contains fruit and yogurt (protein and dairy). Crepes are made with eggs (dairy), flour (starch), milk (dairy), water and salt.
From PreschoolRock.com: Learn. Grow. Rock from the site http://nutrition.preschoolrock.com/index.php/recipes_for_preschoolers/strawberry-yogurt-crepes-preschool-cooking-recipe
Me Sandwich
Ingredients
Bread cut into a circle of a rice cake
Softened cream cheese
Raisins
Mandarin orange
Grated cheese or chow mien noodles
Spread bread of rice cake with cream cheese
Place raisins on cream cheese for eyes and nose
Place mandarin orange on cream cheese for a mouth
Place grated cheese or chow mien noodles on cream cheese for hair
This recipe contains bread or rice cake (grain), raisins and mandarin orange (fruit) and cheese (dairy).
From Suzyque.US from the site http://www.suzyque.us/February/Me-Sandwich.htm
As children enter toddlerhood teaching children to eat nutritious food can be a challenge. Toddlers are becoming independent and eating can become a power struggle. Toddlers can grow in “spurts” causing their hunger to come and go. Toddlers are developing gross and fine motor skills making meal time often a messy occasion. Patience is needed during this time in a child’s development. Toddlers need good nutrition to be able to run and play, grow and learn, and develop into healthy preschoolers.
Preschoolers are developing the understanding of proper and improper eating habits. They can be influenced by those around them, or by what they see on commercials and in stores. It is the job of parents and caregivers to help the preschoolers understand the value of nutritious food. Preschoolers will also learn by example. If the children see adult drinking soda then they may protest having to drink milk. If teachers and parents snack on cookies and chips the preschooler will want them also. Preschools need to see their teachers and parents drinking water and milk, eating fruits and vegetables. The best way for teachers to be a good example for their preschoolers would be to sit with them during meals and eat the same things that they eat.
School age children may not be developing physically as quick as younger children, but their need for adequate nutrition is just at important. Their activity level is great and they need proper nutrition for the cognitive skills they are developing in school. Many school age children eat fast food and snacks that have no nutritional value. They want food that is quick and easy. They have outside activities that prevent them from sitting down to a nutritious dinner with family. Proper nutrition is needed to develop properly during the years of puberty. Parents need to be aware of the food that their children are eating.
The only way for children to learn healthy eating is for adults to teach them. Adults can teach children proper nutrition through facts and by example. If children know the reasons for healthy eating, and what makes up healthy eating they are more likely to eat the proper foods. Children also follow by example. When they see adults eating unhealthy food then they will believe that it is alright for them to eat that way. If they see adults eating healthy food then they are more likely to eat healthy. We can not expect children to grow into healthy adults if we do not teach them how.
Recipes:
Children love to cook, and when you make the food they make fun they will love eating it too.
Banana Plane
Makes one serving.
1 banana
Peanut butter
Graham crackers
Raisins
Cut banana in half lengthwise. Place one half, cut side up, on a plate; spread on peanut butter. Use a whole graham cracker rectangle for the wings and a quarter rectangle for the horizontal part of the tail. Top with other banana half. Cut a slit at the tail end of the to half, and push a graham cracker rudder piece in place. Apply raisin windows with peanut butter.
This recipe contains fruits, a protein and grain.
From Better Homes and Gardens Kids in the Kitchen, October 2002.
Strawberry Yogurt Crepes
by Kelly Pfeiffer
Preschoolers can complete every step of the cooking process in this nutritious strawberry recipe that can be served as a healthy breakfast or dessert. Ready to use crepes, strawberries and yogurt make this an easy recipe for preschoolers to prepare for themselves or for their whole family.
What You Need
1. Fresh Strawberries – ¾ cup per crepe
2. Vanilla Yogurt (or yogurt flavor of your choice – blueberry, banana, etc.) ½ to ¾ cup per crepe
3. Crepes – You can find pre-packaged ready to use crepes in the produce section of most grocery stores or make your own.
4. A plastic knife or butter knife
Optional – blueberries, bananas or other fruit
Optional – Whipped topping of your choice
Preparation for Strawberry Yogurt Crepes
Preschoolers can do all of the preparation.
Rinse strawberries
Remove strawberry caps
Slice strawberries with a plastic knife or butter knife.
Slice any other fruit (optional) that you want to add.
How to Make Strawberry Yogurt Crepes
For each crepe
Step 1:
Lay crepe flat on plate.
Step 2:
Starting at one corner and ending at the opposite corner, spoon ½ to ¾ cup of yogurt onto crepe in a line approximately 1 ½” wide.
Step 3:
Sprinkle ¾ cup sliced strawberries over yogurt. Add other fruit if desired.
Step 4:
Wrap crepe closed by folding outside corners (the corners without any yogurt or fruit) across the line of yogurt and fruit.
Step 5:
Add whipped topping (optional) and garnish with more few strawberries.
This recipe contains fruit and yogurt (protein and dairy). Crepes are made with eggs (dairy), flour (starch), milk (dairy), water and salt.
From PreschoolRock.com: Learn. Grow. Rock from the site http://nutrition.preschoolrock.com/index.php/recipes_for_preschoolers/strawberry-yogurt-crepes-preschool-cooking-recipe
Me Sandwich
Ingredients
Bread cut into a circle of a rice cake
Softened cream cheese
Raisins
Mandarin orange
Grated cheese or chow mien noodles
Spread bread of rice cake with cream cheese
Place raisins on cream cheese for eyes and nose
Place mandarin orange on cream cheese for a mouth
Place grated cheese or chow mien noodles on cream cheese for hair
This recipe contains bread or rice cake (grain), raisins and mandarin orange (fruit) and cheese (dairy).
From Suzyque.US from the site http://www.suzyque.us/February/Me-Sandwich.htm
CPR and Choking Emergencies
A three year old girl is eating grapes. She all of a sudden has a terrified expression on her face and she is trying to cough. The teacher quickly realizes that she is not breathing; she is choking on one of the grapes. The teacher needs to act quickly and calmly. Since the child is coughing the best course of action is to encourage the child to continue coughing. She may be able to cough the grape up. If the coughing become weak then the teacher should perform abdominal thrusts until the object is coughed up or if the child becomes unconscious. At the same time another adult should be calling 911 for assistance. At this point a teacher who is CPR qualified should begin performing CPR. CPR should be continued until the object is expelled or until emergency personnel arrives and can take over. There should be another teacher watching the other children, preferably taking them to a different area or room.
A person who uses CPR on a child is breathing for the child and keeping their heart pumping until emergency personnel arrive. To start CPR the child’s airway must be opened up by tilting their head back. The nose is then pinched and your mouth is placed over the child’s mouth. Two small breaths are then given to make sure that the child’s stomach does not distend or protrude. This would indicate that the air is getting into the child’s stomach and not her lungs. If this happens then you must readjust their head. This is called “rescue breathing”. If the child does not respond after performing rescue breathing then you will need to check the circulation. Apply two fingers to the carotid artery to check for a pulse. If you feel no pulse then compression thrusts will need to be performed. Place the heal of your hand on the child’s sternum and press down five times, then do one breath. Repeat this 20 times, then check for a pulse. Continue this procedure until help arrives or until you are tired and can switch with another adult.
A four year old boy climbed to the top of a jungle gym, slips and falls. He does not move and appears to be unconscious. The teacher immediately checks the child for breathing. She discovers that he is not breathing. She stays calm, has another teacher call 911, and if CPR qualified she starts to perform CPR. If she is not CPR certified a teacher who is should begin CPR. CPR should be continued until the child can breath on his own or until emergency personnel arrives and can take over.
All teacher and daycare providers, daycare facilities and school should have an emergency plan in place. When adults who work with children know what is expected of them in emergency situations the lives of children will be saved. In PA it is required that all childcare providers be CPR certified. Chocking can be prevented by making sure that food is cut small enough, that children do not fool around while eating, and that children should be sitting while eating. All personnel should also have first aid training. There may not always be another adult around when an accident occurs.
Every room in a childcare center should have a first aid kit. Included in this kit should be band aids, gauze pads, cloth adhesive bandage tape, scissors, tweezers, antiseptic wipes, hand sanitizer, antibacterial hand soap, bottled water, CPR microshield and a CPR instruction card. This kit should be taken along when children are taken outdoors. There should be emergency contact information on each child in the rooms and copies of these sheets should be taken with the first aid kit when going outdoors or leaving the childcare premises. Cells phones should also be taken when children are taken outdoors or off the premises. First aid kits should be checked periodically to make sure that items do not need to be replaced. Emergency contact information should also be updated regularly. When children are taken off the premises of the childcare center then certain medication may need to be taken also. If a child has asthma their inhaler should be included in the first aid kit. If a child has severe allergies an epipen may be required. If a child is epileptic their medication should be in the first aid kit. Every childcare center should have all of this information written in a policy that parents have access to.
A person who uses CPR on a child is breathing for the child and keeping their heart pumping until emergency personnel arrive. To start CPR the child’s airway must be opened up by tilting their head back. The nose is then pinched and your mouth is placed over the child’s mouth. Two small breaths are then given to make sure that the child’s stomach does not distend or protrude. This would indicate that the air is getting into the child’s stomach and not her lungs. If this happens then you must readjust their head. This is called “rescue breathing”. If the child does not respond after performing rescue breathing then you will need to check the circulation. Apply two fingers to the carotid artery to check for a pulse. If you feel no pulse then compression thrusts will need to be performed. Place the heal of your hand on the child’s sternum and press down five times, then do one breath. Repeat this 20 times, then check for a pulse. Continue this procedure until help arrives or until you are tired and can switch with another adult.
A four year old boy climbed to the top of a jungle gym, slips and falls. He does not move and appears to be unconscious. The teacher immediately checks the child for breathing. She discovers that he is not breathing. She stays calm, has another teacher call 911, and if CPR qualified she starts to perform CPR. If she is not CPR certified a teacher who is should begin CPR. CPR should be continued until the child can breath on his own or until emergency personnel arrives and can take over.
All teacher and daycare providers, daycare facilities and school should have an emergency plan in place. When adults who work with children know what is expected of them in emergency situations the lives of children will be saved. In PA it is required that all childcare providers be CPR certified. Chocking can be prevented by making sure that food is cut small enough, that children do not fool around while eating, and that children should be sitting while eating. All personnel should also have first aid training. There may not always be another adult around when an accident occurs.
Every room in a childcare center should have a first aid kit. Included in this kit should be band aids, gauze pads, cloth adhesive bandage tape, scissors, tweezers, antiseptic wipes, hand sanitizer, antibacterial hand soap, bottled water, CPR microshield and a CPR instruction card. This kit should be taken along when children are taken outdoors. There should be emergency contact information on each child in the rooms and copies of these sheets should be taken with the first aid kit when going outdoors or leaving the childcare premises. Cells phones should also be taken when children are taken outdoors or off the premises. First aid kits should be checked periodically to make sure that items do not need to be replaced. Emergency contact information should also be updated regularly. When children are taken off the premises of the childcare center then certain medication may need to be taken also. If a child has asthma their inhaler should be included in the first aid kit. If a child has severe allergies an epipen may be required. If a child is epileptic their medication should be in the first aid kit. Every childcare center should have all of this information written in a policy that parents have access to.
Emergency Preparedness: Natural and Human-Generated Disasters
Floods are a real threat in the area where our childcare facility is located. The facility is housed in a church in the New Castle, PA area. New Castle lies at the juncture of the Shenango and Mahoning rivers and Neshannock Creek. New Castle is 40 miles north of Pittsburg where the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers merge and form the Ohio River. 70 miles north of New Castle is Lake Erie. After an extremely snowy winter there is the potential for the Shenango and Mahoning rivers and Neshannock Creek to overflow their banks. If there is a rainy spring the condition is worsened. When the rivers in Pittsburg get clogged with ice the water backs up into the New Castle rivers and creeks. There are many roads in downtown New Castle and homes in the surrounding areas that flood during severe rain.
The childcare facility is located at the top of hill 1 ½ miles south east of downtown. Flooding is not a threat to the actual facility, but many of our parents have to travel through flood prone areas to reach us. The facility is prepared to take care of any children that parents or caregivers can not reach. We have all the resources available that would be needed to house the children for an extended period of time. Medications needed for children are kept locked in the facility. The owner of the facility is a first aide and CPR trainer and has some training as a nurse. The minister of the church where the facility is located was once an EMT. Most of the workers have cell phones which would come in handy if phone service was disrupted. The facility has home phone numbers, work numbers and cell phone numbers of parents, grandparents, guardians and friends of the children in their care.
There is a county wide plan in place for pandemic flu. The church, where the daycare facility is located, is a designated place for healthy citizens to come to. The Lawrence County Public Safety department would bring all that was needed to feed and take care of these people. This could possibly cause problems for the childcare facility. Children who were sick would not be allowed to come to the center, those who drop and pick up the children would not be allowed into the building if they were sick. The children would have to be monitored much closer since there would be many people in the facility. There might even be the possibility that the facility would have to close in order to ensure the safety of the children and those who seek refuge in the church. The church keeps all of its doors locked and the parents of the children enrolled in the childcare facility enter through a door that has a security camera trained on it.
The church is a designated shelter for various disasters. It was originally a bomb shelter. The outer walls and many interior walls are 16 inches thick. An area nursing home has an agreement with the church to house their patients if the need arises. If there is a disaster at the church the childcare facility has an arrangement to take the children to a nearby restaurant across the street or an elementary school a couple of blocks down the street. The owner of the childcare facility lives five houses away from the church where children could be taken to as well. Parents have been informed of all disaster plans and the emergency plan is stated in the parent handbook that every family is given when a child is enrolled.
The childcare facility is located at the top of hill 1 ½ miles south east of downtown. Flooding is not a threat to the actual facility, but many of our parents have to travel through flood prone areas to reach us. The facility is prepared to take care of any children that parents or caregivers can not reach. We have all the resources available that would be needed to house the children for an extended period of time. Medications needed for children are kept locked in the facility. The owner of the facility is a first aide and CPR trainer and has some training as a nurse. The minister of the church where the facility is located was once an EMT. Most of the workers have cell phones which would come in handy if phone service was disrupted. The facility has home phone numbers, work numbers and cell phone numbers of parents, grandparents, guardians and friends of the children in their care.
There is a county wide plan in place for pandemic flu. The church, where the daycare facility is located, is a designated place for healthy citizens to come to. The Lawrence County Public Safety department would bring all that was needed to feed and take care of these people. This could possibly cause problems for the childcare facility. Children who were sick would not be allowed to come to the center, those who drop and pick up the children would not be allowed into the building if they were sick. The children would have to be monitored much closer since there would be many people in the facility. There might even be the possibility that the facility would have to close in order to ensure the safety of the children and those who seek refuge in the church. The church keeps all of its doors locked and the parents of the children enrolled in the childcare facility enter through a door that has a security camera trained on it.
The church is a designated shelter for various disasters. It was originally a bomb shelter. The outer walls and many interior walls are 16 inches thick. An area nursing home has an agreement with the church to house their patients if the need arises. If there is a disaster at the church the childcare facility has an arrangement to take the children to a nearby restaurant across the street or an elementary school a couple of blocks down the street. The owner of the childcare facility lives five houses away from the church where children could be taken to as well. Parents have been informed of all disaster plans and the emergency plan is stated in the parent handbook that every family is given when a child is enrolled.
Safety Practices and Policies
The safety of children in any child care setting should be the top priority of every caregiver. First of all every child care center should have a safety policy in place. This policy should address the environments that the children will be exposed. There needs to be an inspection of all rooms that the children will have access to and the continued monitoring of the safety of these rooms. The plan should include “anticipation, modification, and monitoring” (Robertson, p. 70). Consideration of “the accessories, the behaviors, and the conditions that lead to injury or lack of safety and protections of the children” (Robertson, p.70) need to be addressed. Some of the tools used in implementing these tools include “checklists, feedback, modeling, practice drills, education” and “careful observation, active listening and communication” (Robertson, p.70).
Injuries to children occur most often when there is not proper supervision. Running indoors, hitting, pushing, fighting over toys, improper use of toys, art supplies, and other items in the room, are the main causes of injury in a daycare setting. When there is proper supervision injuries occur much less often. Children can not be left to act and do whatever they want. They do not have the maturity to understand, or know when or how their actions will hurt themselves or others. The placement of the furnishing and the type of toys and supplies that are accessible to the children also can have a large impact on keeping children actively involved in a fun and safe way. Too much open floor space promotes running, toys that are too young or to old for the children can create boredom or frustration leading to unruly behavior. Child care workers need to be involved with the children, while observing those children who are in other parts of the room.
Indoor safety also involves items other then the equipment, furnishings, and toys in the classrooms. It involves the restrooms and the eating areas. In the restroom supervision is a must. Toilets, doors, water temperature and the possibility of slippery floors due to water can all cause injury or the passing of germs from person to person. Toilets, and the floors around the toilets, need to be cleaned and the temperature of the hot water needs to be set no higher then 120F. The doors on stalls can be slammed on fingers and they can prevent the childcare provider from seeing what the children are doing. Children can drown in toilets. When water gets on the floor of the bathroom the floor can become very slippery causing falls. When children wash their hands they can accidentally get soap in their eyes, which can sting quit painfully.
Outside safety is also a concern to be prepared for. When children get outdoors the first thing they want to do is run. Unless your door leads directly to a fenced in play area this can lead to a very dangerous situation. There is the concern of playground equipment safety, traffic safety, water safety and possible poisoning from plants. The outside play area must be inspected on a regular basis for equipment that needs to be repaired or replaced, standing water, wasp and bee hives, poisonous plants and any other hazardous items that may have found their way into the play area. The sun is also a concern during outside play. Sunscreen is a must for all children and workers. Drinking water should be available to the children and a first aide kit should be on hand.
A facility that has prepared for the safety of its children, that has a safety checklist that is adhered to on a set schedule, and that has staff that is constantly observing and supervising the children is a facility that has put the safety of children as a top priority.
A person would expect that a child would be safe at home, but there are numerous safety measures that parents should implement. Children like to play with electrical outlets; therefore outlet covers should be placed on all open electrical outlets. Many candies are in the same shape as medications. All medicines should be keeping out of the reach of children. Bathroom doors should be kept closed. Children like to play in water and toilets are no exception. Toilet lids should be kept closed. A child who falls headfirst into a toilet can drown. Children should never be left alone in a bathtub. Children can drown in a very short period of time. Buckets of water should not be left where children can play with them. These are also drowning hazards. The temperature of the hot water heater should be set no higher then 120 degrees. Children love to put things into their mouths; therefore all small objects must be kept out of the reach of children. Children should be supervised while eating to prevent choking. The best way to help prevent childhood accidents is to think like a child. Get down on their level and see your home through their eyes. If something looks dangerous to you, it will be dangerous to your child.
Reference:
Robertson, C. (2007). Safety, Nutrition, & Health in Early Education. (3rd ed.). Clifton Park, NY. Thomson Delmar Learning.
Injuries to children occur most often when there is not proper supervision. Running indoors, hitting, pushing, fighting over toys, improper use of toys, art supplies, and other items in the room, are the main causes of injury in a daycare setting. When there is proper supervision injuries occur much less often. Children can not be left to act and do whatever they want. They do not have the maturity to understand, or know when or how their actions will hurt themselves or others. The placement of the furnishing and the type of toys and supplies that are accessible to the children also can have a large impact on keeping children actively involved in a fun and safe way. Too much open floor space promotes running, toys that are too young or to old for the children can create boredom or frustration leading to unruly behavior. Child care workers need to be involved with the children, while observing those children who are in other parts of the room.
Indoor safety also involves items other then the equipment, furnishings, and toys in the classrooms. It involves the restrooms and the eating areas. In the restroom supervision is a must. Toilets, doors, water temperature and the possibility of slippery floors due to water can all cause injury or the passing of germs from person to person. Toilets, and the floors around the toilets, need to be cleaned and the temperature of the hot water needs to be set no higher then 120F. The doors on stalls can be slammed on fingers and they can prevent the childcare provider from seeing what the children are doing. Children can drown in toilets. When water gets on the floor of the bathroom the floor can become very slippery causing falls. When children wash their hands they can accidentally get soap in their eyes, which can sting quit painfully.
Outside safety is also a concern to be prepared for. When children get outdoors the first thing they want to do is run. Unless your door leads directly to a fenced in play area this can lead to a very dangerous situation. There is the concern of playground equipment safety, traffic safety, water safety and possible poisoning from plants. The outside play area must be inspected on a regular basis for equipment that needs to be repaired or replaced, standing water, wasp and bee hives, poisonous plants and any other hazardous items that may have found their way into the play area. The sun is also a concern during outside play. Sunscreen is a must for all children and workers. Drinking water should be available to the children and a first aide kit should be on hand.
A facility that has prepared for the safety of its children, that has a safety checklist that is adhered to on a set schedule, and that has staff that is constantly observing and supervising the children is a facility that has put the safety of children as a top priority.
A person would expect that a child would be safe at home, but there are numerous safety measures that parents should implement. Children like to play with electrical outlets; therefore outlet covers should be placed on all open electrical outlets. Many candies are in the same shape as medications. All medicines should be keeping out of the reach of children. Bathroom doors should be kept closed. Children like to play in water and toilets are no exception. Toilet lids should be kept closed. A child who falls headfirst into a toilet can drown. Children should never be left alone in a bathtub. Children can drown in a very short period of time. Buckets of water should not be left where children can play with them. These are also drowning hazards. The temperature of the hot water heater should be set no higher then 120 degrees. Children love to put things into their mouths; therefore all small objects must be kept out of the reach of children. Children should be supervised while eating to prevent choking. The best way to help prevent childhood accidents is to think like a child. Get down on their level and see your home through their eyes. If something looks dangerous to you, it will be dangerous to your child.
Reference:
Robertson, C. (2007). Safety, Nutrition, & Health in Early Education. (3rd ed.). Clifton Park, NY. Thomson Delmar Learning.
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