Page 12 - Final Lesson-2.pmd

Early Childhood in India

2.5 FACTORS INFLUENCING CHILDREN’S HEALTH

Health is a mix of physical strength, alertness, emotional, mental and
social wellbeing that enables us to live a full life. It is the absence of disease, and Notes
an active and functional being. We address children’s illness by taking care of
them.By immunising them against disease, we take preventive action to promote
health. Play, aclean environment and responsive caregiving add to the children’s
overall health.

2.5.1 Hygiene (Self and Environmental)

Hygiene is the practice of keeping oneself and the surroundings clean to prevent
illness or spread of disease. For environmental hygiene, we must ensure there
is no stagnant water and drinking water is covered at home, in school or in
the work place.

Personal hygiene includes washing hands after using the toilet, brushing teeth
twice daily, bathing, washing hair, wearing clean clothes, cutting nails, covering
the mouth while coughing, covering the nose while sneezing etc. Unhygienic
conditions spread infection.

2.5.2 Sanitation Practices

Sanitation refers to public health conditions related to water and adequate
treatment and disposal of excreta and sewage. Sanitation systems aim to protect
human health by providing a clean environment that will stop the transmission
of disease, especially through the fecal or oral route.

2.5.3 Nutrition
Food is needed to perform daily routine body functions, for its growth, fighting
diseases, healing and maintenance. In case, there is nutritional deficiency for
longer periods of time, it may affect the health and growth of the child. Statistics
indicate that many children lack adequate nutrition. Good health is hugely
dependent on children’s intake of a balanced diet. A variety of foods in correct
portions makes up nutrition for the child. Children need nutrients like proteins,
carbohydrates, fat, minerals, vitamins, fibre and water. Age-wise dietary
nutritional requirements guidelines are prescribed and are known as
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). For example, the food and nutritional
requirements during early childhood period are different to food intake and
nutritional requirements of an adult. Hence, each age group has to take food and
nutrition accordingly.

Malnutrition refers to the deficiencies or imbalances in an individual’s intake
of nutrients. It has two conditions.Under-nutrition results in stunting (low height
for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age) and

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE AND EDUCATION 23