managing nutrition, health and safety needs of children

Managing nutrition, health and safety needs of children• NUTRITION• HEALTH• SAFE By : Yogeswary Kannan

Nutrition for kids: Guidelines for a healthy diet

Protein. Choose seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds.

Fruits. Encourage your child to eat a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried fruits — rather than fruit juice. If your child drinks juice, make sure it's 100 percent juice without added sugars and limit his or her servings. Look for canned fruit that says it's light or packed in its own juice, meaning it's low in added sugar. Keep in mind that one-half cup of dried fruit counts as one cup-equivalent of fruit. When consumed in excess, dried fruits can contribute extra calories.


Added sugar. Limit added sugars. Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit and milk, are not added sugars. Examples of added sugars include brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, honey and others.

Saturated and trans fats. Limit saturated fats — fats that mainly come from animal sources of food, such as red meat, poultry and full-fat dairy products. Look for ways to replace saturated fats with vegetable and nut oils, which provide essential fatty acids and vitamin E. Healthier fats are also naturally present in olives, nuts, avocados and seafood. Limit trans fats by avoiding foods that contain partially hydrogenated oil.


Vegetables. Serve a variety of fresh, canned, frozen or dried vegetables. Aim to provide a variety of vegetables, including dark green, red and orange, beans and peas, starchy and others, each week. When selecting canned or frozen vegetables, look for options lower in sodium.

Grains. Choose whole grains, such as whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, popcorn, quinoa, or brown or wild rice. Limit refined grains.

Dairy. Encourage your child to eat and drink fat-free or low-fat dairy products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese or fortified soy beverages.

Ages 2 to 3: Daily guidelines for girls and boys

Ages 2 to 3: Daily guidelines for girls and boys

Calories 1,000-1,400, depending on growth and activity level

Protein 2-4 ounces

Fruits 1-1.5 cups

Vegetables 1-1.5 cups

Grains 3-5 ounces

Dairy 2 cups

Ages 4 to 8: Daily guidelines for girlsCalories 1,200-1,800, depending on growth and

activity level

Protein 3-5 ounces

Fruits 1-1.5 cups

Vegetables 1.5-2.5 cups

Grains 4-6 ounces

Dairy 2.5 cups

Ages 4 to 8: Daily guidelines for girls

ages 4 to 8: Daily guidelines for boysCalories 1,200-2,000, depending on growth

and activity level

Protein 3-5.5 ounces

Fruits 1-2 cups

Vegetables 1.5-2.5 cups

Grains 4-6 ounces

Dairy 2.5 cups

ages 4 to 8: Daily guidelines for boys

Ages 9 to 13: Daily guidelines for girls

Ages 9 to 13: Daily guidelines for girlsCalories 1,400-2,200, depending on growth and

activity level

Protein 4-6 ounces

Fruits 1.5-2 cups

Vegetables 1.5-3 cups

Grains 5-7 ounces

Dairy 3 cups

Ages 9 to 13: Daily guidelines for boysCalories 1,600-2,600, depending on growth and activity

level

Protein 5-6.5 ounces

Fruits 1.5-2 cups

Vegetables 2-3.5 cups

Grains 5-9 ounces

Dairy 3 cups

Ages 9 to 13: Daily guidelines for boys

Meal For Infants

Food Pyramid

Food Plate For Young Children

Infant Feeding Problems

SAFETY

Safe Environment at Preschool

1. Hire ample, qualified staff members. You should have enough employees to supervise all of the children in your preschool, and to ensure that all of the areas in the preschool where children congregate are monitored at all times by staff members. Additionally, you should require that your staff is trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and is certified in first aid2. Check the play area regularly. Toys should be clean, and sanitized at the end of every day. Make sure there are no broken toy pieces, which can be sharp and dangerous. Keep high traffic areas clear of anything that may cause preschoolers to trip and fall. For example, clean up

spills as soon as they happen, and keep toys that aren't being played with in designated toy bins.3. Arrange the classroom in a way that allows you to see all of the children, at all times. Make sure there are no blind spots where children can get lost from your sight.If you use cubicles or partition walls, configure them in a way that allows you to see around them from as many angles as possible. For example, it is better to put a partition wall at a right angle to a perimeter wall than it is to put 2 partitions walls at right angles to each other in the center of the room. Set up play areas in the center of the room. Arrange chairs, desks and work tables in circles.


6. Keep chemicals locked away from children. In a preschool environment, cleaners, insecticides, first aid solutions, medications and all other toxic substances should be kept in a high, flame-resistant and safety-locked cabinet.7. Inspect for environmental hazards regularly. Common environmental safety issues include water impurities, lead-based paint, mercury, asbestos, waste management and indoor air pollutants like mold/mildew, carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke, allergens and dust. Call the appropriate authorities to the premises to test for environmental hazards before allowing children to enter the preschool environment, and place applicable electronic detectors throughout the facility8. Have emergency plans in place. Conduct fire and natural disaster drills on a regular basis to ensure that everyone at the preschool is familiar with the proper procedures for handling emergency situations.


9. Create rules. Rule lists can be used in a variety of ways to promote a safe environment at preschool.Post school rules clearly where are preschoolers can see them, and be sure to address them on a regular basis so that the children are familiar with them. For example, rules like "keep your hands to yourself" and "tell the teacher if you have a problem

with another student" can help prevent physically harmful arguments in the preschool environment, and rules about washing hands and covering sneezes can help prevent the spread of illness.

Establish a set of rules for picking up and dropping off preschoolers. For example, you may require parents to provide photo IDs, fill out forms for other parties they wish to pick up their children, sign in and out, stay inside a pickup zone during pickup time and/or call ahead of time if the pickup method is to temporarily change


4. Adhere to food safety guidelines. When it comes to preparing, storing and serving food, there are a number of precautions you should take to ensure daycare safety. Your government's daycare facility regulatory agency can provide you with a comprehensive manual of food safety guidelines5. Safeguard the outdoor play area.

Ground covering must be soft to cushion falls.

• The height of swings, slides and other playground equipment must be a safe distance from the ground.

• There should be no bolts, nuts, screws or other fasteners protruding from the playground equipment in a way that could potentially harm children.

• Openings must be large enough to ensure that body parts cannot get trapped. A standard rule is to make sure there are no openings between 3.5 inches (8.4 cm) and 9 inches (21.6 cm) wide.

• Space play equipment at least 12 feet (3.7 m) apart.

• Clear traffic areas of tripping hazards. Examples of tripping hazards include tree branches, boulders, sudden shifts in elevation and tree stumps.

• Check playground equipment regularly for ease of operation and structural integrity.

• Elevated platforms should have guard rails.

• Encircle the playground with a tall safety fence, and make sure any gates leading to the outside are locked

First Aid Kit It's important to have a well-stocked first aid kit in your home so you can deal with minor accidents and injuries.Your first aid kit should be locked and kept in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children.Many people also keep a small first aid kit in their car for emergencies.Your basic first aid kit

A basic first aid kit may contain:

plasters in a variety of different sizes and shapes small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings at least two sterile eye dressings triangular bandages crêpe rolled bandages safety pins disposable sterile gloves tweezers scissors alcohol-free cleansing wipes

sticky tape thermometer (preferably digital) skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings antiseptic cream painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin (not to be

given to children under 16), or ibuprofen cough medicine antihistamine tablets distilled water for cleaning wounds eye wash and eye bath It may also be useful to keep a basic first aid manual or instruction booklet with your

first aid kit. Medicines should be checked regularly to make sure they are within their use-by dates

First Aid Kit

Sample

sample

Health

Importance of Good Hygiene in Children

Oral Hygiene It goes without saying that the teaching of good oral hygiene is essential for the young. Their milk

teeth are likely to fall out and they must know how to prevent this happening to their adult teeth. Along with brushing technique, the importance of dietary influences should be explained and alternatives to sweets, biscuits and fizzy drinks should be made available.

Hand Washing Hand-washing is the single most important factor relating to the spread of infection, not just for

children but for adults of all ages. Children should be encouraged to wash their hands before eating, after using the toilet, after

handling animals, if they are ill or if they are spending time with a newborn. Washing is essential to avoid developing threadworms which cause itching around the anus and

genitals, and are contracted from poor toilet hygiene or from animals. When a child is ready to go to school or nursery, they are expected to be able to use the toilet themselves and wash their own hands; parents and carers must make sure this is happening or infections and diseases can spread.


Fungal Infections Athlete’s foot and ringworms are also less likely to spread if correct hand washing is achieved.

Children should be taught how to effectively wash their hands, including between the fingers and under the nails; employ the use of a nail brush if needed. Drying properly is also important to prevent fungal infections from becoming worse. Children should understand the importance of these actions also, as well as using an individual towel if they have an infectious complaint.

Nails Nail biting should be discouraged, particularly if the nails are being swallowed. The nails and nail

beds offer a perfect environment for germs to live and breed. Nail biting permits the transfer of these bugs to the mouth which can then lead to the digestive tract causing many problems. An incidence of diarrhoea can badly affect a child and they can become quite ill from electrolyte imbalance and dehydration; this can happen very quickly in the young. Even if correct hand washing takes place, there will continue to be some germs under and around the nail, if left they will not normally cause any harm, but transfer to the mouth can induce problems. Keeping nails short will help to reduce the amount of germs under the nail.


Hair Care A suitable hair length and style such as a bun, is a very easy way of mini mising the risk of nits. These creatures are spread

by contact so by reducing the amount of hair available to have contact with others will decrease the chance of transmission. Hair does not have to be washed daily as this can induce flaking of the scalp, itching and removal of the natural oils. There is no harm in bathing every day, but it is more sensible to wash the hair every other day, using a frequent use shampoo.

Food Hygiene Children should be encouraged to wash their hands before meals and snacks, and should be discouraged from eating off the

floor; this is especially important if there are pets in the house. Using cutlery allows the child to learn table manners and will lessen the chance of the transfer of germs from the hands to

the mouth. Teaching the correct principles of hygiene should begin at as early an age as possible. It will help to prevent the spread of

infections and diseases that can damage the digestive tract, respiratory tract, and the external features of the body. Children will follow the example set to them by their carers, so adults should lead by example. Less incidence of illness

means fewer absences from school and less time needed to be taken off work. Maintaining correct hygiene will allow the child to be independent and will lessen the likelihood of bullying if they are kept

clean and tidy and do not suffer from associated complaints.

managing nutrition, health and safety needs of children

Education