Dana Helton
EDUC 1005-1: Professor Eissler
October 11, 2009
Section 5: Physical Fitness
There are many reasons why physical fitness is so important for young children. I will list a few.
The child has a bigger risk of becoming over weight and obese if they are not physical.
Too many children are eating unhealthy and sitting around the house watching television or playing video games. All children and adults should have an active lifestyle if they want to live a longer life.
Young children need to develop their large motor skills, which can only be done when the child gets up and moves around.
If children are more active then their muscles will be stronger and they will have a better chance of keeping their muscle strength through out the lives.
If children are not active and physical then the child has a greater chance of getting an illness that is hard to get rid of. Our bodies are not meant to sit around and do nothing. Not taking care of our bodies will create many health problems, which we could prevent if we started to eat healthier and move our bodies all the time.
There are many developmental stages that are occurring for 3-5 year old children. First one is, children are learning perception and how to throw and catch a ball. The best way we can help children to develop this stage to the fullest, is to play catch with different sized balls. I would also suggest monkey in the middle, baseball, basketball, or sit down in a big circle and sing songs and roll the ball back and forth. Children really love to play games and so do I. This is why I come up with fun ways to bring children together and start conversations. I really believe we can help all children grow and learn important life skills while playing. Listening to the children and their thoughts and ideas, will turn into an interesting lesson that touches on many developmental learning areas.
Second area that is developing is a child’s ability to hop, jump, and balance on one foot. I know of many children who love to climb up on the table or chairs and stand. Some children do this because they are playing the role of an adult and really believe that the adult they are pretending to be should be taller. Many children will act out what they see around them. It may not be something they saw from their parents but it could be something they saw on television. I also know children who climb up and love to see how far they can jump. Most teachers yell at the children and tell them to do something else. It is important for children to develop this skill. I can understand the teacher’s feelings about a child getting hurt. However, instead of yelling at them we could get children together and make a game where they can see how far they all can jump; you could even use a ruler and measure the distance and chart it. Hula-hoops are great to have because there are many ideas and fun games to play with hula-hoops. Examples are basketball, dance inside and outside of them, roll them in a circle, car driving, musical hoops, and mud puddles (Schilling, & McOmber, 2006).
Third area that is developing is muscle control. Children need to use all their muscles and they are supposed to have at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity a day (National Association for Sport and Physical Education, 2006). I believe that children need a lot more then 60 minutes of physical activity a day. You can incorporate physical movements into any lesson you are working on so there is no excuse why children aren’t moving around. All you need to do is have children use their bodies to move around. I am not a big believer in stopping children from moving around to sit and color in a pre made picture. This is useless to me. I am a hands on, move around, type of teacher who teaches children to experiment and come up with their own ideas to discuss. I believe I get better results being this kind of teacher. A couple suggestions could be dancing to music, going for walks, bowling, making an obstacle course to go through, exercising, making dumbbells, act out animal movements for charades, riding a bike, reading a book and acting out the parts of it, making your body into letters of the alphabet, cut out designs to make a puppet show or a collage, find colors and shapes around the room, put a little ball on a spoon and have a race, and make charts of all the activities we did that day and let children make suggestions for activities for the next day (Goodway & Robinson, 2006).
We can also get the parents more involved by asking them to join us when we create an obstacle course. Parents could give us ideas of their own, for physical activities too. I believe children would love it if parents came in and played with us. It is very important to get everyone involved if we expect children to stay healthy. We must constantly show positive role modeling to children because they always look up to us and we owe it to children to always do our best and make sure they grow up healthy, happy, competent, and have strong self-esteem.
My most famous quote for fostering healthy and well-developed children is, one I read from Barabara Colorose; “If kids come to us (educators/teachers) from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come to us from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job more important. This statement touched my heart because I love to help and teach children to the best of my ability. I firmly believe that we need to take better care of ourselves starting at home and at school with healthier eating and exercising every day. We must stop sitting around watching television with a microwaved food dish, chips, and a soda. There is more to life then that, we must get up and live life to the fullest. This is what I live for; teaching and loving children unconditionally.
Resources
Goodway, J. D., & Robinson, L. E. (2006, March). SKIPing toward an active start: Promoting physical activity in preschoolers. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved from http://www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/200605/GoodwayBTJ.asp
National Association for Sport and Physical Education. (2006, May). Active start: Physical activity guidelines for children birth to five years. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved from http://journal.naeyc.org/btj/200605/NASPEGuidelinesBTJ.pdf
Schilling, T., & McOmber, K. A. (2006, May). Tots in action on and beyond the playground. Beyond the Journal: Young Children on the Web. Retrieved from http://journal.naeyc.org/btj/200605/SchillingBTJ.pdf
Think Exist Quotations Web site. Retrieved on October 9, 2009, from, http://thinkexist.com/quotes/barbara_colorose/
Monday, October 12, 2009
Healthy Food and Nutrition; Week Four Application
Dana Helton
EDUC 1005-1:Professor Eissler
October 4, 2009
Section 4: Healthy Food and Nutrition
Infants will grow faster during the first year of their life then any other time in their life (Robertson, 2007). The infant’s nutrition should supply nutrients and energy that is needed for rapid growth. The best form of nutrition is breast milk; unless the parent is unhealthy then formula is next best thing. Infant’s must have breast milk or formula for the first year of their life. Another important item infant’s need to intake is water. It is imperative that we start infant’s drinking water at an early age because this will create a taste for water throughout their lives. Babies should be fed on their own schedule and we must pay attention to their cues as to when the baby is full. “Infants are capable of self-regulating the amount of food they intake” (300). “Clinical studies show that the longer you feed your baby formula the better his/her visual development is, at 12 months” (Mead, Johnson, & Company, 2009). This is why it is important to make sure babies keep drinking formula their first year. Formula will help develop brain growth and also help strengthen their immune systems.
We cannot introduce solid foods until the child is at least six months (Robertson, 2007). Feeding solid foods too soon can cause food allergies and make the baby vulnerable to food tolerance. Babies cannot digest solid foods until they are at least six months old. It is important when starting babies on solid food that we wait 5-7 days before starting a new kind of food because we need to look for allergic reactions to the foods. Robertson 2007 says, that we should not use homemade baby food because it is not safe. She says to use pre made baby food that does not contain added sugars or sodium. Another important fact is we must only use the food in the bowl once. We cannot put the unused portion back in the jar to save for later because it will be contaminated and unsafe for the baby to eat again. It is important to follow this timetable for introducing babies to new foods. Zero-four months is only formula, breast milk, and water (302). Four-six months is when cereal is introduced (302). Six-nine months is when fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, soft finger foods, and unsweetened fruit juice is introduced (302). Nine-twelve months is when meat, egg yolks, bread, crackers, pasta, etc. are introduced (302). Twenty-four months is when a whole egg can be introduced (302).
When a child moves from infant to toddler it is important to help them find their own autonomy.
A way for this to happen is through control over the food they eat. It is important to keep the food healthy and nutritious (Robertson, 2007). “To help a child establish good eating behaviors, it is important that the teacher understand how growth patterns and development changes, affect a toddler’s actions”(306). We must always remember to let children make choices on their own because developing a positive autonomy is very important. The adult must control what kind of food is in the house or the childcare facility, and we also can present the food in a manner that may make the child want to try it. The child has a better chance of making the right choices when the only choices they have to select from, are the healthy ones. We need to stop having empty nutrient and high calorie foods to choose from. Robertson 2007 also says that too many toddlers are consuming too much milk. Robertson states that a toddler should have no more then 24 ounces of whole milk a day (311). Never give a child under 3 years old lower fattening milk because they need to have whole milk to help their growth and development. We must also watch how much juice a child is consuming because recent studies have shown that children who consume too much juice, lead to overweight children (312).
Preschool children are easier to feed because they are out of the “picky eater syndrome.” Preschool aged children understand their behavior and what is right from wrong (Robertson, 2007). “He/she is capable of being patient and can control impulses as well” (313). It is important to constantly encourage preschoolers to try new foods. We also need to realize that T.V. ads play a huge role in making children want to eat the unhealthy foods. One way we can help children understand that everything they see is not a good choice for us to have, is reading, studying, and partaking in activities about nutrition and the importance of it. Robertson 2007 says, that a good helpful way to teach children about the unhealthiness in foods is to allow them to read the labels on the foods before they consume them.
One way adults can actively get children to remember the importance of nutrition is to take time daily to discuss the food pyramid and nutrition (Robertson, 2007). Repetition is key when dealing with children and their ability to learn and remember things. Reading books, watching a video, and having discussions are important to do on a daily basis also. The second way to actively help children is to involve them in food preparation and decisions. It is important to do this because children need to achieve independence and feel achievement. It is imperative that we let children do for themselves. This will help them throughout their lives.
The first recipe I found interesting to do with children is called banana pudding sauce. Banana Pudding Sauce (http://www.vrg.org/recipes/schoolers.htm#sauce).
Pour over pancakes or waffles, or mix with cooked rice and sprinkle with cinnamon and raisins for an instant rice pudding.
Half a 10.5 ounce package soft silken tofu1 very ripe banana1/4 to 1/3 cup plain soy milk or water
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Serves 2 to 3 children, or 1 child and 1 adultTotal Calories Per Child Serving: 112Fat: 2 grams Protein: 5 grams
The second recipe I found interesting to do with children is honey milk balls. (http://www.nncc.org/Nutrition/cc42_snacks.presc.html).
Honey Milk Balls
1/2 cup honey or corn syrup1 cup dry milk solids (powdered milk)1/2 cup peanut butter1/2 cup raisinsCombine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well; then knead by hand until blended. Shape into small balls. Makes two dozen balls.WARNING: Do not use honey in beverages and uncooked foods for infants under the age of one year. Honey may contain botulism toxins.
The third recipe I found interesting to do with children is one that I do with children already. We make a fruit salad with many kinds of fruit. I usually pre cut some of the fruit and I have also got the little scoop spoons for fruits and let the children scoop different melons; which makes little circle shapes. The pre-k students like to use the plastic knives to cut the strawberries, bananas, and grapes. This requires very close supervision to ensure the children’s safety. The children really get into helping and creating the food they are going to eat. I have many recipes that involve food that I do with children; like bugs on a log, marshmallow spiders, jello with fruit in it, apples and peanut butter slices, peanut butter and oat volcano, etc. I also like to cut different shapes out of the fruit to discuss shapes and colors too. Another thing I do is chart the children’s likes and dislikes. I always try to make each thing I do with the children a learning experience as well.
The fourth recipe I thought of was cookies. However, I was not going to put this one on here because cookies are not healthy; however children really love this activity. They have lots of fun mixing and using cookie cutters to make cookies. I found a way to change some of the ingredients to lesson the fat content. (http://www.nncc.org/Nutrition/cc42_snacks.presc.html).
Reducing sugar. Use half the amount of sugar in the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, reduce that amount to 1/2 cup.
Reducing fat. Use one-third the amount of fat in the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of shortening, oil, or margarine, reduce that amount to 2/3 cup or use applesauce.
Adding fiber. Replace all or part of the white flour called for in a recipe with whole-wheat flour or rolled oats put through a blender.
Resources
Chapman, K. (1994). snacks for preschoolers. National Network for Childcare Web site. Retrieved October 4, 2009, from, http://www.nncc.org/Nutrition/cc42_snacks.presc.html
Mead, Johnson, & Company. (2009). enfamil web site. Retrieved October 4, 2009, from, http://www.enfamil.com/app/iwp/enfamil/productDetail.do?dm=enf&id=/Consumer_Home2/Enf_Products/ForInfants/EnfamilPremium
Rivero, L. (2000). healthy fast making foods for pre-schoolers. The Vegetarian Resource Group Web site. Retrieved October 4, 2009, from, http://www.vrg.org/recipes/schoolers.htm#sauce
Robertson, C. (2007). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Belmont, CA
EDUC 1005-1:Professor Eissler
October 4, 2009
Section 4: Healthy Food and Nutrition
Infants will grow faster during the first year of their life then any other time in their life (Robertson, 2007). The infant’s nutrition should supply nutrients and energy that is needed for rapid growth. The best form of nutrition is breast milk; unless the parent is unhealthy then formula is next best thing. Infant’s must have breast milk or formula for the first year of their life. Another important item infant’s need to intake is water. It is imperative that we start infant’s drinking water at an early age because this will create a taste for water throughout their lives. Babies should be fed on their own schedule and we must pay attention to their cues as to when the baby is full. “Infants are capable of self-regulating the amount of food they intake” (300). “Clinical studies show that the longer you feed your baby formula the better his/her visual development is, at 12 months” (Mead, Johnson, & Company, 2009). This is why it is important to make sure babies keep drinking formula their first year. Formula will help develop brain growth and also help strengthen their immune systems.
We cannot introduce solid foods until the child is at least six months (Robertson, 2007). Feeding solid foods too soon can cause food allergies and make the baby vulnerable to food tolerance. Babies cannot digest solid foods until they are at least six months old. It is important when starting babies on solid food that we wait 5-7 days before starting a new kind of food because we need to look for allergic reactions to the foods. Robertson 2007 says, that we should not use homemade baby food because it is not safe. She says to use pre made baby food that does not contain added sugars or sodium. Another important fact is we must only use the food in the bowl once. We cannot put the unused portion back in the jar to save for later because it will be contaminated and unsafe for the baby to eat again. It is important to follow this timetable for introducing babies to new foods. Zero-four months is only formula, breast milk, and water (302). Four-six months is when cereal is introduced (302). Six-nine months is when fruits, vegetables, yogurt, cheese, soft finger foods, and unsweetened fruit juice is introduced (302). Nine-twelve months is when meat, egg yolks, bread, crackers, pasta, etc. are introduced (302). Twenty-four months is when a whole egg can be introduced (302).
When a child moves from infant to toddler it is important to help them find their own autonomy.
A way for this to happen is through control over the food they eat. It is important to keep the food healthy and nutritious (Robertson, 2007). “To help a child establish good eating behaviors, it is important that the teacher understand how growth patterns and development changes, affect a toddler’s actions”(306). We must always remember to let children make choices on their own because developing a positive autonomy is very important. The adult must control what kind of food is in the house or the childcare facility, and we also can present the food in a manner that may make the child want to try it. The child has a better chance of making the right choices when the only choices they have to select from, are the healthy ones. We need to stop having empty nutrient and high calorie foods to choose from. Robertson 2007 also says that too many toddlers are consuming too much milk. Robertson states that a toddler should have no more then 24 ounces of whole milk a day (311). Never give a child under 3 years old lower fattening milk because they need to have whole milk to help their growth and development. We must also watch how much juice a child is consuming because recent studies have shown that children who consume too much juice, lead to overweight children (312).
Preschool children are easier to feed because they are out of the “picky eater syndrome.” Preschool aged children understand their behavior and what is right from wrong (Robertson, 2007). “He/she is capable of being patient and can control impulses as well” (313). It is important to constantly encourage preschoolers to try new foods. We also need to realize that T.V. ads play a huge role in making children want to eat the unhealthy foods. One way we can help children understand that everything they see is not a good choice for us to have, is reading, studying, and partaking in activities about nutrition and the importance of it. Robertson 2007 says, that a good helpful way to teach children about the unhealthiness in foods is to allow them to read the labels on the foods before they consume them.
One way adults can actively get children to remember the importance of nutrition is to take time daily to discuss the food pyramid and nutrition (Robertson, 2007). Repetition is key when dealing with children and their ability to learn and remember things. Reading books, watching a video, and having discussions are important to do on a daily basis also. The second way to actively help children is to involve them in food preparation and decisions. It is important to do this because children need to achieve independence and feel achievement. It is imperative that we let children do for themselves. This will help them throughout their lives.
The first recipe I found interesting to do with children is called banana pudding sauce. Banana Pudding Sauce (http://www.vrg.org/recipes/schoolers.htm#sauce).
Pour over pancakes or waffles, or mix with cooked rice and sprinkle with cinnamon and raisins for an instant rice pudding.
Half a 10.5 ounce package soft silken tofu1 very ripe banana1/4 to 1/3 cup plain soy milk or water
Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Serves 2 to 3 children, or 1 child and 1 adultTotal Calories Per Child Serving: 112Fat: 2 grams Protein: 5 grams
The second recipe I found interesting to do with children is honey milk balls. (http://www.nncc.org/Nutrition/cc42_snacks.presc.html).
Honey Milk Balls
1/2 cup honey or corn syrup1 cup dry milk solids (powdered milk)1/2 cup peanut butter1/2 cup raisinsCombine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well; then knead by hand until blended. Shape into small balls. Makes two dozen balls.WARNING: Do not use honey in beverages and uncooked foods for infants under the age of one year. Honey may contain botulism toxins.
The third recipe I found interesting to do with children is one that I do with children already. We make a fruit salad with many kinds of fruit. I usually pre cut some of the fruit and I have also got the little scoop spoons for fruits and let the children scoop different melons; which makes little circle shapes. The pre-k students like to use the plastic knives to cut the strawberries, bananas, and grapes. This requires very close supervision to ensure the children’s safety. The children really get into helping and creating the food they are going to eat. I have many recipes that involve food that I do with children; like bugs on a log, marshmallow spiders, jello with fruit in it, apples and peanut butter slices, peanut butter and oat volcano, etc. I also like to cut different shapes out of the fruit to discuss shapes and colors too. Another thing I do is chart the children’s likes and dislikes. I always try to make each thing I do with the children a learning experience as well.
The fourth recipe I thought of was cookies. However, I was not going to put this one on here because cookies are not healthy; however children really love this activity. They have lots of fun mixing and using cookie cutters to make cookies. I found a way to change some of the ingredients to lesson the fat content. (http://www.nncc.org/Nutrition/cc42_snacks.presc.html).
Reducing sugar. Use half the amount of sugar in the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, reduce that amount to 1/2 cup.
Reducing fat. Use one-third the amount of fat in the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of shortening, oil, or margarine, reduce that amount to 2/3 cup or use applesauce.
Adding fiber. Replace all or part of the white flour called for in a recipe with whole-wheat flour or rolled oats put through a blender.
Resources
Chapman, K. (1994). snacks for preschoolers. National Network for Childcare Web site. Retrieved October 4, 2009, from, http://www.nncc.org/Nutrition/cc42_snacks.presc.html
Mead, Johnson, & Company. (2009). enfamil web site. Retrieved October 4, 2009, from, http://www.enfamil.com/app/iwp/enfamil/productDetail.do?dm=enf&id=/Consumer_Home2/Enf_Products/ForInfants/EnfamilPremium
Rivero, L. (2000). healthy fast making foods for pre-schoolers. The Vegetarian Resource Group Web site. Retrieved October 4, 2009, from, http://www.vrg.org/recipes/schoolers.htm#sauce
Robertson, C. (2007). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education. Wadsworth/Cengage Learning. Belmont, CA
CPR and Choking Emergencies, Week Three Application
Dana Helton
EDUC 1005-1: Professor Eissler
September 27, 2009
My first scenario is an infant who has choke on food and has become unresponsive in a childcare facility. The first thing to do is don’t panic and call for the person who has been trained in CPR/First Aid and also call 911 because you do not know what is going to happen so you must be safer then sorry. Then I turn the child so their belly is on my lap, make sure child’s head is lower then the rest of his/her body (Robertson, 2007). I need to put one hand on the child’s chest near their neck. Then I have to use the heel of my free hand to give five rapid blows to the child’s back between the shoulder blades. Now it says that I turn baby face up keeping the head lower then his chest and give five chest thrusts slowly. Repeat this procedure for five cycles of CPR until the food is brought up or the child is responsive. Robertson 2007, says that I also can put an infant on their back and hold their forehead slightly with one hand and with my other hand I should use two fingers to compress the chest 30 times with a 1/3 or ½ depth of the chest at the rate of 100 compressions per minute. Now I blow two breaths into the infant’s nose and mouth allowing the chest to rise. I should continue this for two minutes. If this doesn’t work then I start over from the beginning. Meanwhile, I pray that the ambulance people are close and coming to help me. There also must be a teacher or two that are watching the other infants while I am pre occupied.
The ways to have advanced planning would be to make sure the food is mashed up enough so the child doesn’t choke in the first place. I would also suggest waiting a little bit before giving an infant more food. I see teachers shoveling food in an infant’s mouth too quickly just so they can get it done and move on to another infant who needs care. This is one reason why I feel the ratio for infant to teacher should not be 4 to 1. Infants need immediate care and having four to tend to is too many, if you ask me. Another way to prevent choking is to make sure there are no little objects in the infant’s room. You never know what might get stuck in their mouths and I am sure no one wants a baby to choke and stop breathing. Another way to help this problem would be having all teachers certified in CPR, First Aid, and AED. People also need to make sure that they do not panic because you cannot think correctly if you are panicked. I believe the parent should be contacted right away so they can come to the center for their child. I am sure this has to be a traumatic experience for the baby to go through. I know I would want my mom or dad there when I woke up. It is important to work fast and resuscitate because without oxygen a person can have permanent brain damage in as little as 8 minutes (Cronan, 2006).
My second scenario is a five-year-old child who became very pale in the face and collapsed on the floor unresponsive in a childcare facility. When it comes to CPR there are three steps known as the ABC’s (Robertson, 2007). The A stands for airways, the B stands for breathing, and the C stands for circulation. These are important to remember when dealing with a child who needs CPR. The first thing I need to do is call for assistance and someone who is certified in CPR. I also believe it is a good idea for someone to call 911 and also the parents. I on the other hand, must start CPR as soon as possible because we do not want a child to have permanent brain damage so we have to act fast and stay as calm as possible. Lay child on their back, and tilt the head back (Robertson, 2007). Look, listen, and feel for breathing for 5 to 10 seconds. Pinch nose and cover victim’s mouth with my mouth and give two breaths for one second each. Make sure the chest rises. Immediately start chest compressions; I place the heel of my hand on the lower sternum between the nipples. I must make sure my fingers are not on the ribs. I have to put my other hand on the forehead and give some pressure to keep the airways open. I then start to compress the chest 30 times with a 1/3 or ½ depth of the chest at the rate of 100 compressions per minute. I may need to use two hands. Give two rescue breaths and must do this for five cycles.
A few ways to be prepared for this type of situation is to make sure that everyone on the staff has been trained in CPR, First Aid, and AED. I think that every center should have a defibrillator because this can help save the child’s life too. If someone uses the defibrillator then you must make sure that this person has been trained in using this apparatus correctly. Using CPR or using the AED machine incorrectly, can create more damage then good. I also believe that parents should be called immediately so they can come right away to be with their child. Like I said earlier this has to be a scary experience to go through and I am sure having a parent there will be helpful and calming for the child.
Resources
Cronan, K. (2006, August). CPR. Sprout for parents website. Retrieved on September 25, 2009, from, http://www.sproutforparents.com/sprout/parentsplace/article_detail.aspx?id=fff6b51c-6c1b-41b3-8072-9a5d0187a2cc
Robertson, C. Robertson, C. 2010, 2007. safety, nutrition, and health in early education. 4th ed. Wadsworth, Belmont, CA
EDUC 1005-1: Professor Eissler
September 27, 2009
My first scenario is an infant who has choke on food and has become unresponsive in a childcare facility. The first thing to do is don’t panic and call for the person who has been trained in CPR/First Aid and also call 911 because you do not know what is going to happen so you must be safer then sorry. Then I turn the child so their belly is on my lap, make sure child’s head is lower then the rest of his/her body (Robertson, 2007). I need to put one hand on the child’s chest near their neck. Then I have to use the heel of my free hand to give five rapid blows to the child’s back between the shoulder blades. Now it says that I turn baby face up keeping the head lower then his chest and give five chest thrusts slowly. Repeat this procedure for five cycles of CPR until the food is brought up or the child is responsive. Robertson 2007, says that I also can put an infant on their back and hold their forehead slightly with one hand and with my other hand I should use two fingers to compress the chest 30 times with a 1/3 or ½ depth of the chest at the rate of 100 compressions per minute. Now I blow two breaths into the infant’s nose and mouth allowing the chest to rise. I should continue this for two minutes. If this doesn’t work then I start over from the beginning. Meanwhile, I pray that the ambulance people are close and coming to help me. There also must be a teacher or two that are watching the other infants while I am pre occupied.
The ways to have advanced planning would be to make sure the food is mashed up enough so the child doesn’t choke in the first place. I would also suggest waiting a little bit before giving an infant more food. I see teachers shoveling food in an infant’s mouth too quickly just so they can get it done and move on to another infant who needs care. This is one reason why I feel the ratio for infant to teacher should not be 4 to 1. Infants need immediate care and having four to tend to is too many, if you ask me. Another way to prevent choking is to make sure there are no little objects in the infant’s room. You never know what might get stuck in their mouths and I am sure no one wants a baby to choke and stop breathing. Another way to help this problem would be having all teachers certified in CPR, First Aid, and AED. People also need to make sure that they do not panic because you cannot think correctly if you are panicked. I believe the parent should be contacted right away so they can come to the center for their child. I am sure this has to be a traumatic experience for the baby to go through. I know I would want my mom or dad there when I woke up. It is important to work fast and resuscitate because without oxygen a person can have permanent brain damage in as little as 8 minutes (Cronan, 2006).
My second scenario is a five-year-old child who became very pale in the face and collapsed on the floor unresponsive in a childcare facility. When it comes to CPR there are three steps known as the ABC’s (Robertson, 2007). The A stands for airways, the B stands for breathing, and the C stands for circulation. These are important to remember when dealing with a child who needs CPR. The first thing I need to do is call for assistance and someone who is certified in CPR. I also believe it is a good idea for someone to call 911 and also the parents. I on the other hand, must start CPR as soon as possible because we do not want a child to have permanent brain damage so we have to act fast and stay as calm as possible. Lay child on their back, and tilt the head back (Robertson, 2007). Look, listen, and feel for breathing for 5 to 10 seconds. Pinch nose and cover victim’s mouth with my mouth and give two breaths for one second each. Make sure the chest rises. Immediately start chest compressions; I place the heel of my hand on the lower sternum between the nipples. I must make sure my fingers are not on the ribs. I have to put my other hand on the forehead and give some pressure to keep the airways open. I then start to compress the chest 30 times with a 1/3 or ½ depth of the chest at the rate of 100 compressions per minute. I may need to use two hands. Give two rescue breaths and must do this for five cycles.
A few ways to be prepared for this type of situation is to make sure that everyone on the staff has been trained in CPR, First Aid, and AED. I think that every center should have a defibrillator because this can help save the child’s life too. If someone uses the defibrillator then you must make sure that this person has been trained in using this apparatus correctly. Using CPR or using the AED machine incorrectly, can create more damage then good. I also believe that parents should be called immediately so they can come right away to be with their child. Like I said earlier this has to be a scary experience to go through and I am sure having a parent there will be helpful and calming for the child.
Resources
Cronan, K. (2006, August). CPR. Sprout for parents website. Retrieved on September 25, 2009, from, http://www.sproutforparents.com/sprout/parentsplace/article_detail.aspx?id=fff6b51c-6c1b-41b3-8072-9a5d0187a2cc
Robertson, C. Robertson, C. 2010, 2007. safety, nutrition, and health in early education. 4th ed. Wadsworth, Belmont, CA
Emergency Preparedness: Natrual and Human-Generated Disasters
Dana Helton
EDUC 1005-1: Professor Eissler
September 20, 2009
The type of building I worked in was a childcare center for ages 6 weeks to 5 years old and it is located in a rural area in Pennsylvania where very little disasters happen. I will choose winter storms and fire to talk about. Everyone in the center should be helping to gather information about previous disasters and then have a group discussion and start to prepare an evacuation plan. Being prepared is always the best option. The safety of the children and staff are the most important thing to remember, in any situation (Robertson, 2007). Preparedness is key to safety and survival. We must also allot for children who may have a disability. We must come up with the best way to get every child out of the building when an emergency occurs. This entails giving certain jobs to certain people so there is no confusion when an emergency occurs.
The first disaster I will talk about is winter storms. The first few things that should be done before a storm hits is winterizing everything so no cold air comes in because the heat and electricity may be shut off and everyone must be as warm as possible. Clear rain gutters, repair roof leaks, insolate the pipes and walls, have rock salt, lots of blankets, sand, shovels, lots of water and food in case we are stuck inside for a long time, and if there are trees that may fall into the building they should be cut down (FEMA, 2009b). Another important thing to do is make sure every class has their children’s emergency forms in one place which is in close proximity to them, so when a storm approaches each teacher can call the parents to tell them to come pick up their children because you have to close due to the storm’s severity. Hopefully each parent comes quickly so no one is stranded in the center. We could involve the families by asking them to bring in supplies that we may need in case we are stuck inside for days. Parents could also have discussions with their children about storms. I would rather be over prepared then not prepared enough. I was always taught to be safer then sorry, so this is my approach on life. If we catch the storm and its severity soon enough then we can ask that the parents come pick up their children so they can be safe with their parents at home.
The second disaster is fire. The best practices to take to ensure the safety of everyone is to make sure there are working smoke detectors in each room except the kitchen. Also make sure that you change the batteries at least every six months (FEMA, 2009a). The sooner we know there is a potential fire the better our chances are of escaping safely. We should have a fire extinguisher and a telephone in every room. Another important factor for safety is to have an evacuation plan drawn up and placed at every doorway. This plan will only work if everyone is aware of the plan and remembers to practice and have fire drills often. Lets face it young children forget so we must keep reminding them because evacuating fast is the key to everyone’s survival. I also believe that reading books and researching fires on the computer with the children will help them to realize the importance of getting out of the building as safe as possible.
Having fire fighters come in to the center is another good way to show children how to stop, drop, and roll. It is important not to open a door if the handle is hot because the fire could be right on the other side of that door. Seeing fire fighters dressed in their uniform is also a good idea. Many children would be scared to go to someone who was dressed up in all the apparatus that they wear. If children see them before an iccident occurred then they would not be so scared. Our main concern is to make sure children are not afraid of a disaster happening (Robertson, 2007). Our textbook also says that we must be truthful and answer children’s questions but we should only answer what they asked nothing more. We are not supposed to give too much information because then the children will be too scared and this is not what we want. We must be calm and get out as fast as we can. Another major problem I saw in the childcare facility I worked at was too many children always took off their shoes. This is bad because if there is a fire and we have to evacuate quickly the children could step on glass, a nail, or any debris that is on the ground; which can hurt children badly. We must teach children to leave their shoes on because of the dangers on the outside. There is no time to stop and put shoes on because the fire can injure or even kill us if we stay inside. Another thing teachers need to do is make sure that all the children’s emergency contact forms are all in one place and easily accessed in case we must evacuate fast. Ways that the family can help would be talking to them about fire safety and having them practice fire drills at their house. The more knowledge and preparedness everyone has the better chances we have of staying alive.
Resources
FEMA (a) Website on Fire Precautions. (2009, June 4). What to do before, during, and after a fire. Retrieved on September 18, 2009, from, http://www.fema.gov/hazard/fire/fire_before.shtm
FEMA (b) Website on Winter Storms. (2009, June 4). What to do before, during, and after a winter storm. Retrieved on September 18, 2009, from,
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/winter/wi_before.shtm
Robertson, C. (2007). safety, nutrition, and health in early education. 4th ed. Wadsworth, Belmont, CA
EDUC 1005-1: Professor Eissler
September 20, 2009
The type of building I worked in was a childcare center for ages 6 weeks to 5 years old and it is located in a rural area in Pennsylvania where very little disasters happen. I will choose winter storms and fire to talk about. Everyone in the center should be helping to gather information about previous disasters and then have a group discussion and start to prepare an evacuation plan. Being prepared is always the best option. The safety of the children and staff are the most important thing to remember, in any situation (Robertson, 2007). Preparedness is key to safety and survival. We must also allot for children who may have a disability. We must come up with the best way to get every child out of the building when an emergency occurs. This entails giving certain jobs to certain people so there is no confusion when an emergency occurs.
The first disaster I will talk about is winter storms. The first few things that should be done before a storm hits is winterizing everything so no cold air comes in because the heat and electricity may be shut off and everyone must be as warm as possible. Clear rain gutters, repair roof leaks, insolate the pipes and walls, have rock salt, lots of blankets, sand, shovels, lots of water and food in case we are stuck inside for a long time, and if there are trees that may fall into the building they should be cut down (FEMA, 2009b). Another important thing to do is make sure every class has their children’s emergency forms in one place which is in close proximity to them, so when a storm approaches each teacher can call the parents to tell them to come pick up their children because you have to close due to the storm’s severity. Hopefully each parent comes quickly so no one is stranded in the center. We could involve the families by asking them to bring in supplies that we may need in case we are stuck inside for days. Parents could also have discussions with their children about storms. I would rather be over prepared then not prepared enough. I was always taught to be safer then sorry, so this is my approach on life. If we catch the storm and its severity soon enough then we can ask that the parents come pick up their children so they can be safe with their parents at home.
The second disaster is fire. The best practices to take to ensure the safety of everyone is to make sure there are working smoke detectors in each room except the kitchen. Also make sure that you change the batteries at least every six months (FEMA, 2009a). The sooner we know there is a potential fire the better our chances are of escaping safely. We should have a fire extinguisher and a telephone in every room. Another important factor for safety is to have an evacuation plan drawn up and placed at every doorway. This plan will only work if everyone is aware of the plan and remembers to practice and have fire drills often. Lets face it young children forget so we must keep reminding them because evacuating fast is the key to everyone’s survival. I also believe that reading books and researching fires on the computer with the children will help them to realize the importance of getting out of the building as safe as possible.
Having fire fighters come in to the center is another good way to show children how to stop, drop, and roll. It is important not to open a door if the handle is hot because the fire could be right on the other side of that door. Seeing fire fighters dressed in their uniform is also a good idea. Many children would be scared to go to someone who was dressed up in all the apparatus that they wear. If children see them before an iccident occurred then they would not be so scared. Our main concern is to make sure children are not afraid of a disaster happening (Robertson, 2007). Our textbook also says that we must be truthful and answer children’s questions but we should only answer what they asked nothing more. We are not supposed to give too much information because then the children will be too scared and this is not what we want. We must be calm and get out as fast as we can. Another major problem I saw in the childcare facility I worked at was too many children always took off their shoes. This is bad because if there is a fire and we have to evacuate quickly the children could step on glass, a nail, or any debris that is on the ground; which can hurt children badly. We must teach children to leave their shoes on because of the dangers on the outside. There is no time to stop and put shoes on because the fire can injure or even kill us if we stay inside. Another thing teachers need to do is make sure that all the children’s emergency contact forms are all in one place and easily accessed in case we must evacuate fast. Ways that the family can help would be talking to them about fire safety and having them practice fire drills at their house. The more knowledge and preparedness everyone has the better chances we have of staying alive.
Resources
FEMA (a) Website on Fire Precautions. (2009, June 4). What to do before, during, and after a fire. Retrieved on September 18, 2009, from, http://www.fema.gov/hazard/fire/fire_before.shtm
FEMA (b) Website on Winter Storms. (2009, June 4). What to do before, during, and after a winter storm. Retrieved on September 18, 2009, from,
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/winter/wi_before.shtm
Robertson, C. (2007). safety, nutrition, and health in early education. 4th ed. Wadsworth, Belmont, CA
Safety Practices and Policies Week One Application
Dana Helton
EDUC 1005-1: Professor Eissler
September 13, 2009
The age group I will focus on is preschool. This is the age group that I want to work with. The first potential hazard to this age group is running in the building. It is natural for children to run. However, this is dangerous because children can fall into an object and hurt themselves. Specific safety policies that apply to this situation are good supervision of children (Robertson, 2007). Children need to be taught the consequences of running in the building. Our textbook says that after furnishings are in place inside the classrooms, that the regulations are 50 square feet of play area for each child (90). It is important to have enough space for each child so they do not get hurt. Ways that families can help is to enforce the rule of no running in their house. It is too dangerous to run inside because there are too many objects in the children’s way. I have had children slip and cut their mouths, faces, and legs.
The second potential danger is people walking right into the center without being escorted. There should be a lock on the outside of each door because you never know who is trying to come in. However, there has to be easy access to get out of the building from the inside. On ehow.com (1999-2009), I read a suggestion that will help when it comes to visitors. We must have them sign in and wear a visitor sticker to show everyone that this stranger is allowed to be inside with the children. We can also prevent people from coming in unexpectedly by installing video cameras, having a code to enter at the door or a buzzer to let the teachers know someone is on the outside and the teacher can go to the door to let people in (Robertson, 2007). In order for this to work people must shut the door at all times. I worked at a center where a teacher was hanging stuff up on the outside of the door. She left the door open to come back inside and started talking to another teacher.
Meanwhile during naptime a man walked in and demanded that we give him his son. The teacher in charge did not handle this correctly. In fact, she is the one who left the door open to begin with. The man just went up to all the teachers demanding we show him, which one is his son. At least most of the children were asleep. It was sad because this man did not even know what he looked like. One teacher was trying to get a hold of the boy’s mom and she never answered. I told them that if there is no custody paper between the parents then we must give this man his son. We don’t make up the rules and regulations however we must abide by them. I know this law from my own children. The schools have told me that since there is no custody papers that if the biological father shows up wanting them the school has to give them my child. The teacher did not like my answer so she called the owner and she said, “If there are no custody papers then you have to give him his child.” I believe this could have been prevented if the teacher closed the door. If she did this then she could have went on the outside of the door with the parent to talk things over. It is not safe that this man was approaching all the children and upsetting some of them. Everyone was upset and nervous because none of them knew how to handle this. I believe there should be an explanation to all teachers on what to do when this happens. In the end I showed him, which child was his son and he left with him.
The third potential hazard is what to do in case of a fire. The most important thing is to have fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in each room. Robertson 2007, said, “70% of deaths from fire and smoke inhalation, did not have smoke detectors” (120). I have also heard that many people have smoke detectors but they did not work because of dead batteries or no batteries at all. I change the batteries every three months at my house. Robertson also says that we must teach children over and over again about fire prevention. It is good to have a practice fire drill every 6 months. Make sure you post up evacuation signs in every classroom. Children must learn stop, drop, and roll also; teach them to cover their face when they roll. Another factor that fits here is making sure children keep their shoes on at all times. You never know when an evacuation may occur and children are much safer if they are wearing their shoes; we cannot take time to put shoes back on. We must leave the building right away. One more way to prevent fire is to clean and inspect the heating system and make sure you do not over fill any outlets because this will trigger a fire. I also suggest that every outlet has a protector on it. Children are very curious and they will try and stick their fingers or objects into them. Parents can help with this one by taking the same steps as we do in the classrooms. It is imperative that parents teach their children the risks and safety precautions to take in case of fire. I believe we should have firefighters come in to discuss the importance of safety and children also need to see the suit they wear so children will not be afraid if one comes into the building to save them.
The fourth potential hazard is playground equipment. We have to use plastic instead of wood or metal equipment. Wood will splinter and metal will rust and can cut children. There also needs to be shock-absorbing material that is on the ground to prevent more injuries when children fall. Another important way to reduce injuries is close supervision on the teacher’s part. Teachers must be watching all the children all the time. Too often I see teachers let the children outside and then stand in a group and socialize. This makes me angry because those teachers can talk later when they are not working with children. I do not socialize, I always watch the children. The children are the most important thing, not socializing. Robertson 2007 says the equipment must not be taller than 5 ½ feet tall because children love to climb and some may even try and jump off, which can be a lot more dangerous if the equipment is really tall (142). Teachers must explain often, the guidelines and rules for playing on each piece of equipment. The way parents can help is encourage their children to be as safe as possible when playing outside. Parents should enforce the rules we set for the playground because we are not trying to be mean with placing rules; we just want them to be safe. Children are curious and they love to explore; however, it is up to all of us to make sure they do it as safely as possible. One important way to ensure their safety is constant reminders because young children forget things a lot. It is not their intentions to defy us; it is their age level that is to blame for forgetting.
The fifth potential hazard is toys. We have to make sure that no little toys are lying around because children will put them in their mouths, nose, or ears. Toys must be age appropriate also (Robertson, 2007). Puzzles should be 25 pieces or less and teachers should be close by incase children need assistance. It is important that we try to let the children figure it out on their own first. If they ask for help then we can step in and give a few pointers. We want children to learn to feel proud of themselves for accomplishing things on their own. Teachers should also check toys often to see if anything is broken or starting to fall apart because these toys should be taken out of the room and thrown away. There is a checklist for just about everything, so we should have one and make sure we follow it. Another thing we must keep an eye out for is product recalls. This is important because children’s safety is very important. One more important job is to clean the toys often. I do not see this being done enough. I make it apparent to go into other teacher’s rooms and clean toys when it is naptime. A lot of teachers just sit and talk during nap; however, I am always working to keep children safe and healthy. Sometimes I have a bucket or two with some water and rags in it and I let the children help clean the toys. They love to help plus we talk about the importance of cleaning, germs, and ways to prevent them from getting sick. I believe parents can help with this also. If we talk to the parents and remind them the importance of constantly modeling cleanliness and prevention then children will see and hear the same information at home and at school.
Resources
Ehow Inc. (1999-2009). How to do just about everything. Retrieved on September 11, 2009, from http://www.ehow.com/way_5154588_safety-tips-childcare-facilities.html
Robertson, C. (2007). Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
EDUC 1005-1: Professor Eissler
September 13, 2009
The age group I will focus on is preschool. This is the age group that I want to work with. The first potential hazard to this age group is running in the building. It is natural for children to run. However, this is dangerous because children can fall into an object and hurt themselves. Specific safety policies that apply to this situation are good supervision of children (Robertson, 2007). Children need to be taught the consequences of running in the building. Our textbook says that after furnishings are in place inside the classrooms, that the regulations are 50 square feet of play area for each child (90). It is important to have enough space for each child so they do not get hurt. Ways that families can help is to enforce the rule of no running in their house. It is too dangerous to run inside because there are too many objects in the children’s way. I have had children slip and cut their mouths, faces, and legs.
The second potential danger is people walking right into the center without being escorted. There should be a lock on the outside of each door because you never know who is trying to come in. However, there has to be easy access to get out of the building from the inside. On ehow.com (1999-2009), I read a suggestion that will help when it comes to visitors. We must have them sign in and wear a visitor sticker to show everyone that this stranger is allowed to be inside with the children. We can also prevent people from coming in unexpectedly by installing video cameras, having a code to enter at the door or a buzzer to let the teachers know someone is on the outside and the teacher can go to the door to let people in (Robertson, 2007). In order for this to work people must shut the door at all times. I worked at a center where a teacher was hanging stuff up on the outside of the door. She left the door open to come back inside and started talking to another teacher.
Meanwhile during naptime a man walked in and demanded that we give him his son. The teacher in charge did not handle this correctly. In fact, she is the one who left the door open to begin with. The man just went up to all the teachers demanding we show him, which one is his son. At least most of the children were asleep. It was sad because this man did not even know what he looked like. One teacher was trying to get a hold of the boy’s mom and she never answered. I told them that if there is no custody paper between the parents then we must give this man his son. We don’t make up the rules and regulations however we must abide by them. I know this law from my own children. The schools have told me that since there is no custody papers that if the biological father shows up wanting them the school has to give them my child. The teacher did not like my answer so she called the owner and she said, “If there are no custody papers then you have to give him his child.” I believe this could have been prevented if the teacher closed the door. If she did this then she could have went on the outside of the door with the parent to talk things over. It is not safe that this man was approaching all the children and upsetting some of them. Everyone was upset and nervous because none of them knew how to handle this. I believe there should be an explanation to all teachers on what to do when this happens. In the end I showed him, which child was his son and he left with him.
The third potential hazard is what to do in case of a fire. The most important thing is to have fire extinguishers and smoke detectors in each room. Robertson 2007, said, “70% of deaths from fire and smoke inhalation, did not have smoke detectors” (120). I have also heard that many people have smoke detectors but they did not work because of dead batteries or no batteries at all. I change the batteries every three months at my house. Robertson also says that we must teach children over and over again about fire prevention. It is good to have a practice fire drill every 6 months. Make sure you post up evacuation signs in every classroom. Children must learn stop, drop, and roll also; teach them to cover their face when they roll. Another factor that fits here is making sure children keep their shoes on at all times. You never know when an evacuation may occur and children are much safer if they are wearing their shoes; we cannot take time to put shoes back on. We must leave the building right away. One more way to prevent fire is to clean and inspect the heating system and make sure you do not over fill any outlets because this will trigger a fire. I also suggest that every outlet has a protector on it. Children are very curious and they will try and stick their fingers or objects into them. Parents can help with this one by taking the same steps as we do in the classrooms. It is imperative that parents teach their children the risks and safety precautions to take in case of fire. I believe we should have firefighters come in to discuss the importance of safety and children also need to see the suit they wear so children will not be afraid if one comes into the building to save them.
The fourth potential hazard is playground equipment. We have to use plastic instead of wood or metal equipment. Wood will splinter and metal will rust and can cut children. There also needs to be shock-absorbing material that is on the ground to prevent more injuries when children fall. Another important way to reduce injuries is close supervision on the teacher’s part. Teachers must be watching all the children all the time. Too often I see teachers let the children outside and then stand in a group and socialize. This makes me angry because those teachers can talk later when they are not working with children. I do not socialize, I always watch the children. The children are the most important thing, not socializing. Robertson 2007 says the equipment must not be taller than 5 ½ feet tall because children love to climb and some may even try and jump off, which can be a lot more dangerous if the equipment is really tall (142). Teachers must explain often, the guidelines and rules for playing on each piece of equipment. The way parents can help is encourage their children to be as safe as possible when playing outside. Parents should enforce the rules we set for the playground because we are not trying to be mean with placing rules; we just want them to be safe. Children are curious and they love to explore; however, it is up to all of us to make sure they do it as safely as possible. One important way to ensure their safety is constant reminders because young children forget things a lot. It is not their intentions to defy us; it is their age level that is to blame for forgetting.
The fifth potential hazard is toys. We have to make sure that no little toys are lying around because children will put them in their mouths, nose, or ears. Toys must be age appropriate also (Robertson, 2007). Puzzles should be 25 pieces or less and teachers should be close by incase children need assistance. It is important that we try to let the children figure it out on their own first. If they ask for help then we can step in and give a few pointers. We want children to learn to feel proud of themselves for accomplishing things on their own. Teachers should also check toys often to see if anything is broken or starting to fall apart because these toys should be taken out of the room and thrown away. There is a checklist for just about everything, so we should have one and make sure we follow it. Another thing we must keep an eye out for is product recalls. This is important because children’s safety is very important. One more important job is to clean the toys often. I do not see this being done enough. I make it apparent to go into other teacher’s rooms and clean toys when it is naptime. A lot of teachers just sit and talk during nap; however, I am always working to keep children safe and healthy. Sometimes I have a bucket or two with some water and rags in it and I let the children help clean the toys. They love to help plus we talk about the importance of cleaning, germs, and ways to prevent them from getting sick. I believe parents can help with this also. If we talk to the parents and remind them the importance of constantly modeling cleanliness and prevention then children will see and hear the same information at home and at school.
Resources
Ehow Inc. (1999-2009). How to do just about everything. Retrieved on September 11, 2009, from http://www.ehow.com/way_5154588_safety-tips-childcare-facilities.html
Robertson, C. (2007). Robertson, C. (2010). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth
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