Ashley Claire

CHAPTER 10: PROVIDING NUTRITION, HEALTH, AND SAFETY SERVICES

Required: Activity 4. Choose one other from #1 or 2

1. Investigate community agencies and programs that have a food pantry or food bank for families in need. Create a resource list for classmates to have on hand to help families with whom they currently work, or with whom they will work in the future.

2. Investigate community hospitals, public health clinics, or other agencies that operate programs for children who are obese or are at-risk for becoming obese. Describe their programs:

· Do they offer children healthy snacks?

· Do they help children learn to select low-calorie options items when they are choosing what they will eat or when ordering from a menu?

· Do they include a plan to increase children’s physical activity? What steps do they take to make physical activity fun?

· Do they include a parent education component to help families provide children healthy and appropriate meals and snacks and to increase their physical activity?

· Do they address children’s self-image and self-esteem?

Create a resource list for classmates to have on hand to help families with whom they currently work, or with whom they will work in the future.

4. Consider this scenario and respond to the bulleted questions at the end.

Mrs. Petre dropped her 4-year-old daughter, Anne, off at child care in the morning as usual. When Ms. Joanne, the teacher, greeted Anne, she noted that her eyes were red and had a slight discharge. She asked Mrs. Petre about it. Mrs. Petre replied that Anne’s allergies have been acting up, but that there was no reason to worry.

When Mrs. Masson, the director, visited the classroom an hour later she noticed that the discharge had increased and that Anne’s eyes looked very red. She told Ms. Joanne that she was concerned that Anne had conjunctivitis (pink eye) and needed to be seen by her doctor.

Mrs. Masson called Mrs. Petre at work for several hours before reaching her.

Mrs. Petre again explained that Anne was just suffering from springtime allergies and also indicated she had used all her leave days and so wouldn't be able to come for Anne until the end of the day.

· What should Mrs. Masson do? What should she do with Anne immediately, and how should she approach Anne's mother when she arrives at the end of the day?

· What should she do to prevent other children’s exposure, if it is conjunctivitis?

· Do families need to be notified? What is the best way to do that?

· How can she prevent Anne (and other children who become ill at school) from feeling embarrassed or singled out with negative attention?