Lesson 5: Promoting Good Health

Attention

"7 Steps to Success" for according to "Action for Healthy Kids"

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able

• • Create an appropriate Health & Wellness policy for an Early Childhood classroom
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the Maine Rules for the Licensing of Child Care Facilities policies addressing staff and child record keeping and health and illness procedures
  • Demonstrate understanding of health screening processes for young children

Teaching

Read Chpt 10

Health screenings are a crucial part of keeping children healthy. Although doctors often monitor children for issues, it is also best practice for the early childhood program to provide screenings to identify issues. Screenings such as speech/language, height/weight, cognitive, and physical may be completed at any time during the early childhood years, but are most often required prior to entering Kindergarten. Screening tools are commonly used. Sometimes teachers complete the screenings and at other times, health professionals such as speech therapists may do them. Providers should be knowledgeable of developmental milestones in order to be aware of any potential issues that should be addressed. There are numerous tools that focus on different developmental domains. If you work in a place where you are required to administer them, you will most likely have a specific training addressing how to use it. Here are a few examples of commonly utilized screening tools:

Here are a few examples of commonly utilized screening tools:

http://www.curriculumassociates.com/products/detail.aspx?Title=BrigEC-Screens3 (Brigance)
http://agesandstages.com/resource/asq-3-48-month-questionnaire/ (ASQ)
http://www.pearsonclinical.com/childhood/products/100000304/dial-4-developmental-indicators-for-the-assessment-of-learning-fourth-edition-dial-4.html (Dial 4)

Teachers should be familiar with typical development. This way they can identify when a child may need extra observation or follow up.

The Maine Early Learning and Development Standards (http://www.maine.gov/doe/publicpreschool/documents/Maine-ELDS.pdf) provide a snapshot of milestones. It is not an evaluation tool, but it gives caregivers information that can be used to determine whether a child seems to be on target or not.

There are also guidelines for Infants and Toddlers (https://www.google.com/?client=safari#q=maine+infant+toddler+guidelines).

Maine Roads to Quality provides training on how to use this information to guide practice. (http://muskie.usm.maine.edu/maineroads/)

Assessment

This Lesson refers to the Special Assignment "Written Health Policy"

Lesson 5 Quiz

Lesson Quizzes will consist of material from the lesson, the discussions, and from assigned reading. Questions will be True/False, Multiple Choice, and Short Answer. Be sure to review all the Lesson and Reading material prior to starting this quiz.

Lesson 5 Discussion

A family brings a child to your center who is obviously ill. Mom reports that he vomited the night before, but not today. He has a low grade temp of 99.9 and is lethargic. Mom says she must go to work and has no one to take care of him. Discuss how do you handle this situation?