Chapter 3 Assessing Childrens Health Learning Objectives After

Chapter 3 Assessing Children’s Health

Learning Objectives After studying this chapter, you should be able to: • Discuss how teachers can use information in health records to promote children’s development and well-being. • Describe five screening procedures and common disorders they can be used to detect. • Explain why it is important to follow-up with families after making an initial referral.

Health Records • Information about a child’s health is available in many forms and from a variety of sources. https: //youtu. be/l. Usea 3 JV 7 Vk

Health Records (continued) • This information can be used to: – – assess and monitor a child’s health over time identify developmental problems formulate intervention plans make referrals and work with service providers – evaluate a child’s progress

Child Health Histories • Information that families provide on health history forms can be useful for understanding the child’s: – Current developmental progress – Special health conditions or needs – Daily habits and preferences, such as eating and sleeping patterns and words used to express personal needs – Concept of family

Medical and Dental Records • A complete physical form and immunization record are required for admission to early childhood and public school programs in most states. • Height, weight and BMI measurements provide reliable information about a child’s growth and well-being.

Evaluation of the Sensory System • Young children learn primarily through their sensory organs – eyes, ears, nose, hands, mouth. • Teachers see children functioning in a variety of situations and can observe behaviors that may indicate a sensory problem.

Vision • What behaviors suggest that an infant or toddler may be experiencing a potential vision problem? (See Table 3 -1) • What behaviors might be observed in an older child? (See Table 3 -2) • What evaluation procedures can be used to determine if a referral is necessary?

Common Vision Disorders • Amblyopia – commonly reffered to as “lazy eye”; vision gradually becomes blurred or distorted due to unequal balance of the eye muscles. • Strabismus – a condition of the eyes in which one or both eyes appear to be turned inward (crossed) or outward. • Myopia – nearsightedness; child may appear clumsy and ‘accident-prone’

Hearing • What behaviors might indicate a potential hearing problem in an infant or toddler? (See Teacher Checklist 3 -4) • What behaviors might be observed in an older child? (Teacher Checklist 3 -3) • What formal testing may be used to confirm or rule out a hearing disorder?

Common Hearing Disorders • Conductive loss – interferes with the ability to hear and distinguish quiet sounds (p. 66) • Sensorineural and mixed hearing loss – interfere with the child’s ability to hear and/or interpret sound (p. 66).

Hearing Disorders…. . • What modifications and instructional methods can teachers implement in the classroom to help children who have a hearing impairment?

Speech and Language • Developmental milestones provide a functional measure for evaluating a child’s speech and language progress. (Table 33) • A hearing test should be a first step in assessing a child who may have a speech impairment or delay. • Referral for professional evaluation should be made if there any concerns.

Nutritional Status/Assessment • BMI, appearance and behavior provide initial indicators of nutritional health. • Additional assessment tools include dietary/nutrient analysis, measurements compared to norms (e. g. BMI, head circumference), and laboratory tests.

Common Nutrition Disorders • Malnutrition – lack of sufficient food or essential nutrients. May be caused by limited access to food or unhealthy food choices (see Table 3 -4). • Obesity – commonly due to a combination of excess food and calorie intake and sedentary lifestyle.

Childhood Obesity • In what ways does obesity challenge children’s health? • What can be done to avoid obesity and improve children’s weight management?

Referrals…. . • Identifying children’s health impairments requires a comprehensive evaluation. • The evaluation process must take the child’s family and home environment into consideration. • Teachers should refer families to appropriate health professionals and support their efforts to follow through.