Chapter 10 Slides

Chapter 10: Providing Nutrition, Health

and Safety Services

Planning and Administering Early Childhood ProgramsTenth Edition

Nancy FreemanCelia A. DeckerJohn R. Decker

Prepared by:Nancy K. Freeman

Tere HolmesKris Curtis

10-2Freeman/Decker/Decker, Planning and Administering Early Childhood Programs, 10e© 2012, 2008, 2005, 2001, 1995 by Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Promoting good nutrition

• Malnutrition is very harmful when children are growing quickly.

• As much as 25% of young children’s calories are devoted to growing.

• Access to food is an issue for about 18% of all households with children under 6 years.


The childhood obesity epidemic

•Almost 32% of US children are overweight(at or above the 95th percentile of weight-to-height)

•About 11% of US children are obese (at or above the 95th percentile of weight-to-height)

•Obesity’s lifelong implications○ Increased risk of hypertension and diabetes○ Increased cardio-vascular and digestive disease○ Increased risk of sleep apnea and other conditions


Provide Nutritious Meals & Snacks

•Food served in childcare often provides the majority of children’s daily nutrition.

•Children under 6 should be offered food every 2-3 hours.

•Consider food allergies and religious or culturally determined preferences (i.e. vegetarian diets).

•Provide families menus in advance.


Follow USDA dietary guidelines.


Mealtimes can feed the body and the spirit

•Make mealtimes opportunities to socialize, engage in relaxed conversation, learn table manners.

•Provide nutritious food.

•Offer opportunities to try new foods.

•Offer opportunities to try new ways of serving familiar foods.


Making meals and snacks enjoyable

•Avoid foods that can be choking hazards.

•Provide small servings.

• Introduce new foods gradually.

•Avoid serving the same food on consecutive days.

•Serve children foods they eat at home.

•Consider likes and dislikes in menu planning.

•Provide a pleasant physical and emotional climate.


Support Breastfeeding

•Breast milk provides the nutrition babies need for growth and development.

•Childcare providers have unique opportunities to support breastfeeding when mothers return to school or work. ○Create a comfortable place for moms to nurse. ○Be a cheerleader for nursing mothers. ○Be sure caregivers know how to store, handle and

feed breast milk.


Promoting good health

•“Good health” includes physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.

•All aspects of health are inter-related.

•Center policies should address the health of children and adults .


Creating a healthy environment

•Store, prepare and serve food properly.

• Implement sanitary diapering practices.

•Wash hands correctly at these times:○ at arrival○ after toileting, diapering, blowing or wiping noses○ before eating, feeding or serving food○ after handling animals or contaminated surfaces○ after handling garbage or cleaning


Communicate with families:

•Describe policies about excluding children who are ill.

•Create routines for families and caregivers to communicate regularly about children’s health.

• Inform families when children are exposed to a communicable disease.


Develop procedures for administrating medications

•Administer prescriptions only for the specific child enrolled

•Administer over-the-counter medications when they are ordered by a doctor

•Store medications properly, keep detailed records of administering medications, develop a system in the case of an error.


Issues to consider when serving children with identified special needs

•Are adaptations are needed to the program or its routines?

•Does the facility need modifications?

• Is special equipment needed?

•Are dietary adaptations needed?

•Will staff need to assist with feeding?

•Have you made plans to administer needed medication?

•Does the staff need specialized training?


Strategies to promote children’s mental health:

•Provide staff in-service about stresses faced by families, staff, and children.

•Limit children’s exposure to violence in the community and media.

•Know risk factors for abuse & neglect

•Know how to recognize abuse & neglect

•Develop policies for appropriate guidance and discipline.


Strategies to promote children’s mental health: (continued)

•Help families maintain consistent expectations.

•Provide families with strategies to peacefully resolve conflicts.

•Equip families for strategies for limiting children’s “screen time”.

•Equip staff with strategies for dealing with challenging behaviors.


Keeping children safe

•Set appropriate limits.

•Eliminate environmental hazards including dangerous toys and equipment .○Keep abreast of Consumer Product Safety

Commission recalls (www.cpsc.gov).

•Take precautions to manage vehicular risks.○ Traffic control at the center ○ Transporting children for field trips


Emergency preparedness

•Develop, post and practice evacuation procedures.

• Identify where you will take children if you need to leave the center and how you will notify families.

•Plan to protect children in a natural disaster (tornado, flash flood, earthquake) or near-by violence.