Chapter Seven
Promoting Good Health and Wellness
Reading Time: 49 mins
Environmental and Social Factors That Impact Health
The Five Most Relevant Social Determinants of Health
Health Promotion in Early Childhood Settings
Children’s Records
Staff Records
The Importance of Keeping Staff Healthy
Occupation Health
Preventing Musculoskeletal Injuries
Working with Art and Cleaning products
Promoting Your Psychological well-being
Conducting a Daily Health Check
The Culture of Sleep and Child Care
Developmental and Health Observations
Vision Screening
Hearing Screening
Lead Screening
Social, Emotional and Behavioural Screening
Screening Resources for Saskatchewan
References
Chapter 7 Learning Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:
- Summarize what goes into child and staff health records.
- Describe the process of daily health checks.
- Explain good dental hygiene practices in the classroom.
- Discuss the importance of sleep.
- Identify different screenings that early care and education programs can implement.
- Relate the importance of developmental screening.
- Recall ways to engage families in the screening process.
Introduction
What is Health?
Health is a journey throughout your life. It’s a quest for meeting your own needs and goals. Health also means the ability to be resilient in times of change. You’ll have your ideas of the meaning of health. Similarly, quality of life is unique to you and your values, background and experiences. Quality early childhood education programs contribute to the well-being of young children and their families.
The World Health Organization (WHO), is the “United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable – so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health” (World Health Organization [WHO], 2023)1. In their original, 1948 constitution, the WHO defined health as:
In 1986 the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, organization enhanced the term health to include the following statement:
“the extent to which an individual or group is able, on the one hand, to identify and to realize aspirations and satisfy needs, and on the other, to change or cope with the environment. Health is therefore seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. It is a positive concept encompassing social and personal resources as well as physical capacities” (WHO, 2005 pg. 3).
This refinement of the definition signifies a move from merely viewing Health as absent of “disease or infirmity” to including the vital aspects of mental and social well-being. Without mental and social well-being can an individual and/or group ever truly be healthy?
With health clearly defined social researchers, scientists and lawmakers could move forward to establish policies that uphold the ideology of WHO and each State (Countries) involved and ultimately benefit mankind. The acknowledgment of the importance of mental and social well-bein