NQ Holistic Approaches Outcome 1 Session 3

NQ Holistic Approaches to Child NQ Holistic Approaches to Child HealthHealth

DM40 12DM40 12

Session 3Session 3

Continued Outcome 1(b): Explain the basic health needs of children.

Continued to examine the basic health needs of children.

Hopefully, by the end of this session you will have:

Hygiene:Hygiene:

‘Hygiene is commonly understood as preventing infections in personal places through cleanliness. In broader call, scientific terms hygiene is the maintenance of health and healthy living. Hygiene ranges from personal hygiene, through domestic up to occupational hygiene and public health.’

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal hygiene

So...So...

Physical Health Need:Physical Health Need:HygieneHygiene

Hygiene:Hygiene:

There are two basic types of hygiene:

1. Personal hygiene and… 2. Environmental hygiene.

What do you think each of these means?

Discuss.Discuss.


Personal Hygiene is:Personal Hygiene is:

‘The protective measures within the responsibility of the individual that limit the spread of infectious diseases.’

www.health.vic.gov.au/ideas/bluebook/appendix2

In other words, personal hygiene is down to YOU!In other words, personal hygiene is down to YOU!


Workbook page 30:Workbook page 30:

Good standards of hygiene in childhood are important for the following reasons:

helps prevent infectionallows skin to function properlyhelps prevent skin problemsincreases self-esteem and social acceptancegood habits developed in childhood establish a pattern for later life.


Environmental Hygiene is:Environmental Hygiene is:

‘…occupational hygiene and public health’.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal hygiene

In other words, personal hygiene is the cleanliness In other words, personal hygiene is the cleanliness of your workplace etc. e.g. the college or the of your workplace etc. e.g. the college or the

cleanliness of a childcare setting etc.cleanliness of a childcare setting etc.



Cleanliness is an important safety aspect in any childcare setting.

Policies and routines relating to environmental hygiene should be in place in all childcare establishments to ensure the well-being of children.

This should include aspects such as:

basic cleaning routines

food hygiene

disposal of waste and body fluids.

Read about both types of hygiene in your Read about both types of hygiene in your workbook on page 30.workbook on page 30.



Children vary in their need for sleep. The amount of sleep children need depends on their age and stage of development, the amount of exercise taken and their own personal needs.

Sleep and rest are needed for several reasons:

allows the body to recuperate – muscles and metabolic processes recover

growth hormones are released during sleep to renew tissues and produce new bone and blood cells

allows the central nervous system to rest.

Adequate sleep and rest benefits all areas of development

Read about this on page 31.Read about this on page 31.

Physical Health Need:Physical Health Need:Rest and SleepRest and Sleep


Because of changing lifestyles children in developed countries are participating less in physical activity.

Research shows that this may lead to health problems in later life, e.g. heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis.

Physical activity benefits all areas of development.


Physical Health Need:Physical Health Need:ExerciseExercise

Group Task: Workbook page 34:Group Task: Workbook page 34:

Work in small groups of three or four.

Suggest ways in which you could encourage physical activity with children in the age groups listed on page 34.

Share your ideas with the rest of the Share your ideas with the rest of the class.class.

Physical Health Need:Physical Health Need:ExerciseExercise


All children benefit from fresh air:

it stimulates the central nervous system

it dilutes the number of micro-organisms (germs)

sunlight on the skin provides Vitamin D (but care must be taken to avoid over-exposure to sun).


Physical Health Need:Physical Health Need:Fresh Air and VentilationFresh Air and Ventilation


Provision of a warm, safe and stimulating environment not only helps physical development but also gives children a sense of security and the opportunity to learn.


Physical Health Need:Physical Health Need:Warmth and ShelterWarmth and Shelter

Workbook page 36:Workbook page 36:Clothing for children should be hardwearing, safe, comfortable, suitable for the weather conditions and suited to the purpose.

All clothing should allow the child to play and join in other activities without restriction.

Children do get dirty, therefore it is also important that clothing is easy to wash and dry.

Clothing must be appropriate for the stage of the child’s development and design factors such as ease of putting on and taking off should be considered, e.g. it may be difficult for a young child to unfasten dungarees when going to the toilet.

The bones in children’s feet are very soft and can be easily damaged by badly fitting socks and shoes.


Physical Health Need:Physical Health Need:Clothing and FootwearClothing and Footwear

Guidelines for care of the feet:Guidelines for care of the feet:

allow children to go barefoot as often as possible – babies do not need shoes until they are walking out of doorswash and carefully dry feet every day, cut toe-nails straight acrossall-in-one baby suits should not be tight at the feet shoes should be fitted by a trained children’s shoe-fitter feet should be measured regularly – at least every three monthswell-fitting, low-heeled shoes should be worn for most of the time – fashion shoes are fine for short periods, but not for everyday wear to school.



Paired Task: Workbook page 37:Paired Task: Workbook page 37:

Choose an outfit suitable for a three-year-old child to wear to nursery.

Choose clothes suitable for a fashion conscious 11-year-old to take on holiday.

Explain why you have chosen these outfits – consider factors such as type of material, cost, stage of development of the child, suitability for activity, etc.

Share your ideas with the rest of the Share your ideas with the rest of the class.class.


Emotional needs:Emotional needs:

Emotional health relates to our feelings and how we express our emotions. It also relates to the way we cope with stress and anxieties in our lives. Some of our emotional health needs are:

Affection/loveBelongingConsistencyIndependenceAchievementSocial approvalSelf-esteem.

Emotional Health Needs:Emotional Health Needs:


Children need love and affection.

They need to know that they are valued for who they are rather than what they do – this is termed unconditional love.


N.B. You might want to note that this is an N.B. You might want to note that this is an emotional need on your workbook pages emotional need on your workbook pages

guys.guys.

Emotional Health Need:Emotional Health Need:Love and AffectionLove and Affection


A secure child feels safe.

They know that there is stability, that there is always an adult there for them and a place for them to go.

Read about security on page 38.Read about security on page 38.

Emotional Health Need:Emotional Health Need:SecuritySecurity

Social needs:Social needs:

These relate to the way we interact with others and form relationships. The promotion of social health in children encourages appropriate behaviour, a sense of security and an understanding of their place and belonging in their social system. What do you think social needs include?

Discuss.Discuss.

Social Health Needs:Social Health Needs:

Social needs:Social needs:

Some concepts linked to social health needs include:

Play opportunitiesNo concept of sharing or turn takingBecomes more independentDevelops self feeding skillsEngages in complex playChooses own friendsStarts primary school


Social needs (continued):Social needs (continued):

Some concepts linked to social health needs include:

May join after-school activitiesPeer group are increasingly importantPlays in single-sex groupsStrongly desires independenceWorks out own social patternsLikes privacy to be respectedMay defy adult authority



Play is an important part of a child’s life. The Charter for Children’s Rights (1989) states that every child in the world should have the right to play.Children play because it gives them pleasure but it is also an essential learning tool and has an important role in socialisation.Play benefits all areas of development.


Social Health Needs:Social Health Needs:Play opportunitiesPlay opportunities


Encouraging and supporting children to act independently and allowing children to take some degree of responsibility will help boost confidence and self-esteem.It is important that expectations of what the child is able to do are realistic and that responsibilities offered to the child are not overwhelming.Consider a family with children aged three, seven and 11.Suggest suitable responsibilities within the home for each child.

Share your ideas with the rest of the class.Share your ideas with the rest of the class.

Social Health Needs:Social Health Needs:Responsibility and IndependenceResponsibility and Independence

Cognitive needs:Cognitive needs:

These relate to the child’s ability to think, understand, learn and reason, logically. These include concepts such as:

PlayLanguage developmentThinkingRecognitionCommunicationProblem solvingLearning and understanding

Cognitive Health Needs:Cognitive Health Needs:


The basic needs of a child remain the same at any stage. However, each child has specific needs that vary according to its stage of development and life circumstances.Read the case studies on page 41 carefully.Identify the needs of each of the children in the case studies. Work should include physical, cognitive, emotional and social needs.


Basic SPEC Health Needs:Basic SPEC Health Needs:


Hopefully during this exercise you noticed that different areas – physical, cognitive, emotional and social are strongly inter-related.For example, Stewart’s emotional need for love and attention and his intellectual need for stimulation could both be met by his mother or father reading stories to him.For each of the case studies identify one way in which needs are inter-related.


Basic SPEC Health Needs:Basic SPEC Health Needs:

Health & Medicine

NQ Holistic Approaches Outcome 1 Session 3