Chapter 1
Children’s Well-Being: What It
Is and How to Achieve It
©2015 Cengage Learning.
Preventive Health
• The preventive health concept emphasizes the
importance of assuming responsibility for one’s personal
well-being.
– On a personal level—preventive health practices include
following a nutritious diet, participating in physical activity,
keeping immunizations current, wearing seat belts, avoiding
substance abuse, etc.
Preventive Health
On a social level—citizens
have a collective
responsibility to support
policies and practices that
promote the health of all
individuals, such as
establishing food safety
standards, water fluoridation,
regulating air pollution and
pesticide use, and advocating
for child safety legislation.
National Preventive Health Initiatives
• National health initiatives and programs that support and promote
children’s well-being:
– Healthy People 2020
– National Children’s Agenda
– Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Healthy People 2020
Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national
objectives for improving the health of all Americans.
For 3 decades, Healthy People has established
benchmarks and monitored progress over time in order to:
• Encourage collaborations across communities and
sectors.
• Empower individuals toward making informed health
decisions.
• Measure the impact of prevention activities.
Mission
Healthy People 2020 strives to:
• Identify nationwide health improvement priorities.
• Increase public awareness and understanding of the
determinants of health, disease, and disability and the
opportunities for progress.
• Provide measurable objectives and goals that are
applicable at the national, State, and local levels.
• Engage multiple sectors to take actions to strengthen
policies and improve practices that are driven by the best
available evidence and knowledge.
• Identify critical research, evaluation, and data collection
needs.
Goals
• Attain high-quality, longer lives free of preventable disease, disability, injury,
and premature death.
• Achieve health equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all
groups.
• Create social and physical environments that promote good health for all.
• Promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all
life stages
CHIP
• The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
provides health coverage to nearly 8 million children in
families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid, but
can’t afford private coverage.
• Signed into law in 1997, CHIP provides
federal matching funds to states to provide this coverage.
CHIP
• In the fall of 1998, North Carolina implemented its State
Children Health Insurance Program, North Carolina
Health Choice for Children (NCHC).
• This stand-alone, fee-for-service program quickly enrolled
large numbers of children and has been considered one
of the State Children Health Insurance Program success
stories.
National Preventive Health Initiatives
–Healthy Child Care America
–National Health and Safety Performance Standards for
Child Care
–No Child Left Behind
–Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP)
–National Children’s Study
–Let’s Move!
• Can you think of others?
Healthy Child Care America
GOALS:
• To promote the healthy development and school readiness of children
in early education and child care by strengthening partnerships
between health and child care professionals.
• To provide information and support necessary to strengthen children’s
access to health services.
• To promote the cognitive, social and physical development of children
in early education and child care.
• To provide technical assistance regarding health and safety for health
professionals and the early childhood community.
• To enhance the quality of early education and child care with health
and safety resources.
• To support the needs of health professionals interested in promoting
healthy and safe early education and child care programs.
In What Ways Are Health, Safety, and Nutrition
Interrelated?
• Although each component is important by itself, all
three must be considered collectively.
• Each component influences the state and quality of
the others.
health + safety + nutrition = well-being
What Is Health?
• Health is a state of physical, social, economic, emotional, cultural,
and spiritual well-being.
– How might these qualities affect each other and also influence an
individual’s health?
What Is Health?
• Health is determined by the dynamic
interaction of genetics and
environmental factors.
– The quality of a person’s health is
always changing.
– In what ways can teachers promote
children’s health?
Children’s Safety
• The term safety refers to the behaviors and practices that
reduce the risk of unintentional injury.
• Why must teachers always be aware of children’s safety
issues?
– Unintentional injuries cause the
majority of childhood deaths.
– Prevention is every adults’
responsibility.
Children’s Nutrition
• Food provides nutrients that are essential for growth, energy,
protection from illness and disease, and continuous tissue repair.
• Food insecurity and unhealthy dietary practices can lead to
malnutrition and/or obesity.
• Children’s behavior is also affected by the quality of their diet.
Children’s Growth & Development
• The term growth refers to the
numerous physical changes, such as
eruption of teeth, increased height,
weight gain, and improved visual
acuity that occur as a child matures.
• Growth results from the interaction of
genetic potential and environmental
factors.
Children’s Growth & Development
• The term development describes changes that occur
in the complexity of children’s cognitive, social-
emotional, motor, and language abilities.
• Development involves an interactive process of
maturation and opportunity (to experience and
practice).
Children’s Brain Development
• An infant’s brain is wired and ready to learn
at birth
– Maternal practices during pregnancy influence
the brain’s structural development
• A majority of a child’s brain development
occurs by age 5 yrs.
– What are “windows of opportunity”?
– What is plasticity?
Children’s Oral Health
• What purpose do teeth serve?
– Chewing
– Maintaining space for permanent teeth
– Helping to shape the jaw
– Speech
• What practices are important for promoting children’s
oral health?
Children’s Social-Emotional Competence
• Social-emotional competence
refers to the way a child thinks,
feels, and acts on a daily basis.
– It affects how a child handles stress,
communicates, and makes decisions.
– It ultimately influences a child’s self-
concept and self-esteem.
Children’s Mental Health
• One in 5 children/adolescents have a mental health
disorder.
• One in 10 have a serious emotional disturbance that
disrupts daily functioning.
• When early problems are not treated, they can
contribute to school failure, family conflict, drug abuse,
violence, depression, and suicide.
Signs of Mental Health Problems
• Uncontrollable anger
• Prolonged feelings of hopelessness or sadness
• Extreme fearfulness or anxiousness
• Difficulty concentrating or remaining focused
• Persistent nightmares
• Eating disorders
• Violent or aggressive behaviors (e.g., setting fires, killing animals,
hurting others)
Promoting Children’s Social-Emotional Competence
• Be a positive role model.
• Create environments that are supportive, responsive, and
respectful.
• Teach children effective social, communication, and
problem-solving skills.
• Recognize signs of emotional problems and refer children
early.
Children and Bullying
• Why do some children bully
others?
• What groups of children are
more likely to be victimized?
• What is cyber bullying and what
can families do to protect
children?
Building Resiliency
• Teachers can help children become more resilient by:
– Fostering supportive, nurturing environments and positive parenting
skills.
– Promoting effective social, communication, and problem-solving
skills.
– Modeling appropriate behaviors.
– Offering praise and encouragement.
– Respecting children and avoiding biased or judgmental treatment.
Case Study
Jama, 7 years old, and his mother live alone in a one-bedroom apartment close to his school.
Most afternoons Jama walks home alone, lets himself into their apartment, and watches television
until his mother comes home from work.
His favorite after-school snack consists of potato chips and a soda or fruit drink. For dinner,
Jama's mother usually brings something home from a local fast food restaurant because she is
“too tired to cook.” She knows this isn't good for either one of them.
Jama's mother is currently being treated for high blood pressure, and the pediatrician has
expressed concern about Jama's continued weight gain. However, Jama's mother doesn't see how
she can change anything given her work schedule and limited income
Case Study Questions
• How would you describe Jama's short-and long-term health potential?
• What concerns would you have about Jama's safety?
• What potential health problems is Jama likely to develop if his current
behaviors do not change?
• What environmental risk factors may be contributing to the family's
health problems?
• If you were working with this family, what suggestions would you have
for improving their health?