This document discusses children's well-being and how to promote it. It covers topics like preventive health, national health initiatives, the interrelation of health, safety and nutrition, what constitutes health, children's growth and development, oral health, mental health, and building resilience. The overall message is that children's well-being depends on supporting their physical, emotional, social, and spiritual development through healthy environments, relationships, and opportunities to learn.

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Chapter 1
Children’s Well-being: What It Is
and How to Achieve It

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Preventive Health
• This concept emphasizes the importance
of assuming responsibility for one’s
personal well-being.
– On a personal level—preventive health
practices include following a nutritious diet,
participating in physical activity, keeping
immunizations current, wearing seat belts,
avoiding substance abuse, and the like.

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Preventive Health (continued)
– On a social level—citizens have a collective
responsibility to support practices that
promote the health of all individuals, such as
establishing food safety standards, water
fluoridation, regulating air pollution and
pesticide use, and advocating for child safety
seat legislation.

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National Preventive Health
Initiatives
• National health initiatives and programs
that support and promote children’s well-
being:
– Healthy People 2020
– National Children’s Agenda
– Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

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National Preventive Health Initiatives
(continued)
– Healthy Child Care America
– National Health and Safety Performance
Standards for Child Care
– No Child Left Behind
– Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP)
– National Children’s Study
• Can you think of others?

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In What Ways Are Health, Safety,
and Nutrition Interrelated?
• Although each component is important by
itself, all three must be considered
collectively.
• Each component influences the state and
quality of the others.

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What Is Health?
• Health is a state of physical, social,
economic, emotional, cultural, and
spiritual well-being.
– How might these qualities affect each other
and also influence an individual’s health?

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What Is Health? (continued)
• Health is determined by the dynamic
interaction of genetics and environmental
factors.
• The quality of a person’s health is always
changing.
• In what ways can teachers promote
children’s health?

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Children’s Safety
• The term safety refers to the behaviors
and practices that reduce the risk of
unintentional injury.
• Why must teachers be aware of children’s
safety issues?
– Unintentional injuries are responsible for the
majority of childhood deaths.

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Children’s Nutrition
• Food provides nutrients that are essential for
growth, energy, protection from illness and
disease, and ongoing tissue repair.
• Food insecurity and unhealthy dietary practices
can lead to malnutrition and/or obesity.
• Children’s behavior is also affected by the
quality of their diet.

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Children’s Growth & Development
• The term growth refers to the range of
physical changes, such as eruption of
teeth, growing taller, gaining weight, and
vision that take place as a child matures.
• Growth involves the interaction of genetic
potential and environmental factors.

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Children’s Growth & Development
• The term development describes changes
that occur in the complexity of children’s
physical, cognitive, social-emotional,
motor, and language abilities.
• Development involves an interactive
process of maturation and opportunity (to
experience and practice).

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Children’s Oral Health
• What purpose do teeth serve?
– Chewing
– Maintaining space for permanent teeth
– Helping to shape the jaw
– Speech
• What practices are important for
promoting children’s oral health?

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Children’s Social-Emotional
Competence
• Social-emotional competence refers to the
way a child thinks, feels, and acts on a
daily basis.
• It affects how a child handles stress,
communicates, and makes decisions.
• It ultimately influences a child’s self-
concept and self-esteem.

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Children’s Mental Health
• One in five children/adolescents have
mental health disorders.
• One in 10 have a serious emotional
disturbance that disrupts daily functioning.
• When early problems are not treated, they
can contribute to school failure, family
conflicts, drug abuse, violence,
depression, and suicide.

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Signs of Mental Health Problems
• Uncontrollable anger
• Prolonged feelings of hopelessness or sadness
• Extreme fearfulness or anxiousness
• Difficulty concentrating or remaining focused
• Persistent nightmares
• Eating disorders
• Uncontrollable anger
• Violent or aggressive behaviors (e.g., setting
fires, killing animals, hurting others)

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Promoting Children’s Social-
Emotional Competence
• Be a positive role model.
• Create environments that are supportive,
responsive, and respectful.
• Teach children effective social,
communication, and problem-solving
skills.
• Recognize signs of emotional problems
and refer children early.

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Children and Bullying
• Why do some children bully others?
• What groups of children are more likely to
be victimized?
• What is cyber bullying and what can
families do to protect children?

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Building Resiliency
• Foster supportive, nurturing environments
and positive parenting skills.
• Help children develop effective social,
communication, and problem-solving
skills.
• Model appropriate behaviors.
• Offer praise and encouragement.
• Respect children and avoid being biased
or judgmental.