2.3 Health Promotion of Preschoolers Flashcards
Preschooler Stage (3-5 Years Old)
Biological Development
- Physical growth slows and stabilizes
- Weight gain 5 pounds a year
- Height increases 2 1/2 - 3 inches a year
- Body systems mature and stabilize (can adjust to moderate stress/change)
Gross Motor Development
- Easily walk/run
- Starts to climb/jump
- Can dance, ride a bike, throw a ball, balance on foot, hop.
- Motor skills are well-established during this time.
- They refine muscle coordination during preschooler hood
Fine Motor Development
- Able to preform complex taxes such as drawing, dressing, artwork (scissors, lace shoes), skillful manipulation of small objects.
Psychosocial Development (Erikson)
- Phase Initiative vs Guilt
- Children want to initiate activities (preform actions) and show people they can do these tasks well. When they feel criticism (from parents or doing something wrong) it clashes with their expectations and causes sense of guilt, anxiety, or fear (when their expectations are not met)
- They develop super-ego or conscious. They develop sense of right and wrong and how to manage it.
- Due to learning right/wrong they view things as a reward/punishment viewpoint. When they do something good they believe they deserve a reward and if they do something bad they feel a punishment may happen.
- When interacting with patients in an acute care setting, they may view hospitalization as a punishments of doing something wrong. It’s important to help them work through their feelings, let them know they didn’t do something wrong. Make sure they know it is not their fault.
Cognitive Development (Piaget)
Preoperational phase (Age 2-7)
2 Stages
Preconceptual Phase - 2-4 years old
Intuitive Phase - 4-7 Years old
Shift from egocentric thought to social awareness
Egocentric - Only thinks about themselves
Intuitive thought (social awareness) - Awareness of others feelings. Realization there are other people may have different viewpoints then them.
- They don’t fully understand viewpoints of others but understand that they are present
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
- Language
- Concept of causality (relationships between events)
- Concept of time (incompletely understood)
- USES MAGICAL THINKING FREQUENTLY (imagination)
Body Image
- Increasing comprehension of “desirable” appearances
- Awareness of racial identity and differences in appearance and biases
- Poorly defined body boundaries (they understand differences in other people but don’t understand their own body such as injury.)
- Because of this they have fear of body integrity (mutilation). They don’t understand that if they have a cut on their hand, that all their blood won’t leak out, or if they have a surgery incision, all their organs will fall out. They are frightened by intrusive procedures. Make sure to talk to preschoolers and re-assure them that their blood wont fall out or organs wont fall out. Give them reassurance.
Development of Sexuality
- Forms very strong attachment to opposite sex parent while identifying with same-sex parent.
- Becomes concerned with modesty
- Likes to dress up like mom or dad (imitation)
- Sexual exploration is more pronounced (questions about reproduction, or differences between boys and girls)
- Educate parents this is a time of exploration and they are going to start asking questions
Language
- Vocabulary increases dramatically between 2-5 years old
Age 3 - 900 words
Age 5 - 2100 words - Uses longer sentences and asks a lot of questions
Social Development
- They are okay with being separated with parents for long periods of time
- Separation/Stranger anxiety is no longer a major issue.
- Still need parents for security/guidance but can be separated with parents for certain times
- Play is extremely beneficial during this time to socialize and fix fears, anxieties and fantasies.
- They hold security with familiar objects.
Personal/Social Behavior
- This is all about taking initiative and doing tasks
- They need minimal help with toileting, eating, dressing
- They have a firm understanding of family values and culture of family.
- They recognize that other people have different home lives. They question why they can’t do something that their friend can do at their family.
Play
- Associative Play
- They play together and interact. They share toys.
Imaginative Play - They may have an imaginary friend
Dramatic Play - They dress up
Magical Thinking - Things they don’t fully understand may be magic
Promoting Health
NUTRITION
- 90 kcal/kg for optimal development
- They are picky with food choices (similar to toddlers)
- Important to have balanced diet
- Recommended to not force children to finish their plates. We don’t want to teach them over-eating. If they are full let them be.
SLEEP
- 12 hours a night (they don’t nap during the day anymore)
- Sleep problems may develop (nightmares, sleep terrors, sleep walking)
- Consistent bedtime routines can help with sleep problems.
DENTAL HEALTH
- Lose baby teeth and gain primary teeth
- Educate how to care for their teeth and parents on dental screenings
Injury Prevention
- Independent in tasks they preform
SAFETY EDUCATION
- Helmets when riding bikes
- Looking both ways when crossing streets
- Education about being weary of strangers
Anticipatory Guidance
Prepare parents for changes that may occur
Child Focused Care shifts from protection to education. Educate children on how to be safe when they are not being watched.
Children start questioning previous teachings from parents (why does my friend get to do different things than me at home)
Children begin to prefer companionship of peers. This is a normal shift to be more engaged with friends.
