3. Health Promotion for the Preschooler Flashcards
The preschooler: 3-5 years
> Becomes increasingly independent
> Greater social and emotional maturity
> Masters self-care and motor skills
> Imaginative, creative, and curious
> Develops sense of initiative
> Develops conscience - begins to learn right from wrong (based on reward and punishment)
> Learns and understands rules
Physical Growth and Development
> Growth occurs more rapidly in the legs than trunk
> Muscles grow faster than bones
* Influenced by nutrition, genetics, exercise
> Vital capacity increases and respiratory rate slows
* Respirations primarily diaphragmatic
> Heart rate decreases and BP rises
* Enables more sustained and strenuous activity
> All 20 deciduous teeth are present
Motor Development
> Coordination and muscle strength increase rapidly
> Perfect fine and gross motor skills
* Holds crayon, pencil and may begin to write name
* Hops and balances on one foot
* Begins to ride bicycle with training wheels
> Wide variations in motor ability
> “Handedness” emerges
* Encourage use of appropriate tools for left-handed children
> Eye-hand coordination good by age 5
> Can dress, eat, and go to the bathroom without help
> Recognizes verbal warnings of danger
Cognitive & Sensory Development
> Maturation of the central nervous system
* Can retain mental images of a loved one
> ___ - often endows inanimate objects with lifelike qualities
* Doll crying baby
> Difficulty focusing on important aspects of a situation/everything is important and interdependent - ___
Animism
field dependency
> Symbolic play important for emotional development
* Allow to play with medical equipment
> Period of rapid learning/curiosity/magical thinking and egocentric
> 2nd phase (intuitive) of Piaget’s preoperational stage
* ___ and ___
Centration (and) irreversibility
> May be overwhelmed with guilt when unfortunate incidents occur to those that they love or may say “I got sick because I was bad”
> Understands two opposites - big and little
> Defines words, counts to 5, names 4 colors
Language Development
> Vocabulary increases from 300 words at age 2 to 2100 words by age 5
> Self-talk, engage in monologues, and symbolic play
> “Bad” language should be ignored
> Speaks in sentences
> Understands the principles of grammar
> Tendency to mix reality with fantasy and exaggerate
> Talk incessantly
> Ask a lot of “how” and “why”
Psychosocial Development
> Developmental task is to gain a sense of ___ (Erikson)
* Develop socialization
> Busy learning how to do new things
> Takes great pride in accomplishments
> Encourage the preschooler’s imagination and creativity
> Praise appropriate behavior
initiative
> Play - associative play and learn to share (cooperative play)
> Imaginary friends are common
> Spiritual and moral development
* Learn difference between right and wrong
Psychosexual Development
> Gender identity and body image are developing
> Sexual curiosity, anatomic exploration, and masturbation are common
> Interested in where they came from
* Encourage parents to answer questions simply and honestly
> Children should not be shamed or punished for self-comforting behaviors
> Rivalry with same-sex parents - boys may compete with dad for mom’s attention
> Spiritual and moral development begins
Nutrition - Nutritional requirements
> Similar to toddlers
> Solid foods following the USDA nutritional guidelines
> Provide nutritious snacks
> Age-related challenges
* Emphasize table manners
> Physiologic anorexia
> Obesity risk
* Increase fruits and vegetables, whole grains, calcium, potassium, vitamin D intake
* Decrease intake of solid fats, sodium, and sugar
* Promote physical activity
Increasing Nutritional Intake
* Similar to toddler
> Limit to 2 nutritious snacks per day and give only at toddler request
> Limit to 4-6 ounces of juice per day
> Introduce finger foods at 8-10 mos
> Limit to 16-24 ounces of milk per day
> Keep mealtimes pleasant
> Do not force feed
> Do not feed children who can feed themselves
Age-Related Activities and Toys for Preschoolers
General Activities
* Dramatic play is prominent
* Likes to run, hop, jump
* Likes to build and create things (sand castles)
* Play is simple and imaginative
* Simple collections begin
Toys and Specific Types of Play
> Ride-on toys
> Materials for building (sand and blocks) and drawing; dolls; cars; puzzles; books; appropriate TV shows; nonsense rhymes; singing games; pretend play; dress up; finger paints, clay, simple board games
Dental Care
* Dental examinations every ___ months
* Continue brushing and flossing teeth
* Child may begin to lose deciduous teeth
* Fluoride varnish if no access to a dentist
* Continue oral fluoride supplement
6
Sleep & Rest
> __-__ hours of sleep usually no naps
> Sleep problems are common
> May experience nightmares and night terrors
> Importance of bedtime ritual
10-12
Play
* Peak of imaginative play: misbehavior is projected onto an inanimate object or imaginary friend
* Teach songs in nursery rhymes
* Read to child frequently
* Teach basic skills of sports and games
* Provide playground equipment, household and garden tools, dress-up clothes, building and construction toys, art supplies, and more sophisticated books and puzzles
* Limit screen time
Discipline
* Preschoolers need consistent discipline
* Appropriate limit setting teaches self-confidence, self-control, and normal values
* Techniques include time-out, time-in, restricted choices, and diversion
* Model appropriate social behavior
Preschooler Safety
Car safety
> Booster seat should be used for children older than ___, until they outgrow or are old enough to wear a seat lap and shoulder belt (8 to 12 years, 4’ 9” tall)
Fire and burns
> Teach stop, drop, and roll
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