Creating and maintaining a healthy environment for young children is important for many reasons, including promoting health and decreasing the spread of illnesses. Teachers must also know how to treat a child who is ill to avoid further harm and the potential of infecting other children and staff.
Create a brochure to share with colleagues, families, and other community stakeholders outlining how to establish and maintain a healthy, hygienic, and sanitary learning environment for very young children (birth to age 3).
In the brochure, include information pertaining to:
- Sanitizing the classroom and home environment and hand washing.
- Dental hygiene.
- Diapering.
- First aid/CPR (Emergency contact information for local and national organizations regarding First aid/CPR, disease control, and poison control/consumption of hazardous material.)
- Immunization requirements per state laws and medication procedures.
- School health guidelines, and recognizing and treating common signs of illness.
- Common allergies/allergens in an early childhood environment.
Brochure should include graphics that are relevant to the content, visually appealing, and use space appropriately.
In 250-500 words, reflect on the importance of creating a healthy, respectful, and supportive learning environment for young children. In what ways could a child’s readiness for learning be affected when the child or the environment is unhealthy? Discuss how this will affect your future professional practice.
