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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Parent Education Topic of the Month (May 2014): The Importance of Hand Washing

Good hand washing protects your child against the spread of many illnesses, such as:
 
  •    Common Cold
  •    Meningitis
  •         Flu
  •    Hepatitis A
  •    Infectious Diarrhea
  •    Streptococcus


Hand washing is the first line of defense for your child against germs. Germs can be transmitted by:
  •                 touching dirty hands
  •                changing dirty diapers
  •                through contaminated water and food
  •                through droplets released during a cough or sneeze
  •               via contaminated surfaces
  •               through contact with a sick person’s body fluids

 Wash your hands together often so your child will learn how important this good habit is. Proper hand washing procedures are as follows:
1.   Wash their hands in warm water. Make sure the water isn't too hot for little hands.
2.   Use soap and lather up for about 20 seconds. Make sure you get in between their fingers and under the nails where uninvited germs like to hang out. And don’t forget their wrists
3.   Rinse and dry their hands well with a clean towel.

To minimize the spread of germs, wash hands:
  •       before eating and cooking
  •       after using the bathroom
  •       after cleaning around the house
  •       after touching animals, including family pets
  •       before and after visiting or  taking care of any sick friends or relatives
  •       after blowing one’s nose, coughing, sneezing
  •       after being outside (playing, gardening, walking the dog, etc.)


*Don’t under estimate the power of hand washing! The 20 seconds you spend washing you and your child’s hands can save you trips to the doctor’s office.

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Parent Education Topic of the Month (April 2014): The Importance of Outdoor Play

The weather is warming up and it is getting to be that time of year again when children can play outdoors for longer periods of time! Playing outdoors is critical for children and some of the reasons include:

Practice and Master Emerging Physical Skills-
It is the very best place for preschoolers to practice and master emerging physical skills- running, leaping, jumping, throwing, catching, striking, pushing a swing, pulling a wagon, and lifting and carrying movable objects. 

Best Place to Burn the Most Calories-
It is the very best place to burn the most calories, which helps prevent obesity, a heart disease risk factor that has doubled in the past decade.

Contributes to Learning-
 Outdoor play contributes to learning in the areas of:
o  Cognitive
o  Social/emotional development
o  Communication skills
o  Vocabulary

Learning takes place through:
o  Children inventing games
o  Children modifying games
o  Children enforcing rules
o  Children learning number relationships (as they keep score and count)
o  Children learning social customs (as they learn to play together and cooperate)

   Helps Children Burn Extra Energy
Children need to burn extra steam or “let off steam.” Outdoor play enables children to “recharge their batteries.” They will learn better and sleep better.


Helps Children Stay Healthy
Outdoor play helps children stay healthy, not just physically but it helps with bacteria and virus too!
Outdoor play enables the infectious agents to spread out and be dissipated; it also enables children to get fresh air and exercise and to be less constrained.

Outdoor play is important for children, so take your child outdoors as much as possible!

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