Detecting/ Preventing Early Childhood Diseases
On the rise in today's day in age is obesity. More and more children are seen with this disease. Why? you may ask. There are a variety of reasons, but with further investigation and questioning, I came to one major conclusion as to why we are seeing a dramatic increase in this disease: lack of parental education in nutrition and exercise for their children.
Now, what is obesity really? As defined by the Mayo Clinic, it is "having an excessive amount of body fat." However, it is not just about the excess weight and appearance. This disease can lead to further diseases and complications in the future. Heart disease, diabetes, and even anemia if a child isn't eating properly.
This is why, as many of the people I have to the opportunity to work with informed me, makes this one of the most dangerous diseases to deal with. It is not just one disease, but many in one. From this one disease, many more can spiral out.
Once a child is diagnosed, it is mainly up to a parent to step up and get involved to help. Tips to help change a child's diet and exercise are given. It is important for the parents to be fully informed on what's going on and how they can help. Parental education and involvement are KEY!
Height and weight are always recorded at well check-ups to keep track of progressive growth and to make sure they aren't growing too fast thus catching signs if a child is heading towards obesity. When there are signs of possibilities, healthcare providers will usually start giving advise and preventatives to the parents to try to avoid heading down that path.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Obesity." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 03 Aug. 2012.
Cole, Tim. "Establishing a Standard Definition for Child Overweight and Obesity Worldwide: International Survey". BMJ. BMJ Group, 6 May 2000. Print.
Obesity
Anemia
Anemia is "a condition that develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin." When a child does not have the proper nutrition, it can possibly lead to iron-deficient anemia. Anemia is first checked when a baby is six months old and healthcare providers typically check every year. Treatment can include a change in nutrition and depending on the severity can even include iron supplements. Every patient is different however, so treatment will vary on diagnosis and severity along with other factors.
"Anemia Causes, Types, Symptoms, Diet, and Treatment." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web.
Uthman, Ed. Understanding Anemia. Jackson, Mississippi: University of Mississippi, 1998. Print.
ADHD
ADHD- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADD- Attention deficit disorder.
Not many parents would like to think that their child can't concentrate; or it can be the other way around and they want to give their children pills at any slight sign of a problem. This disease/disorder is a bit more tricky. There has been an increase in this disease as well but there aren't exact reasons as to why. There are theories like there are too many electronics to distract kids, pills are the answer to everything, or the child simply "chooses" not to do the work and doesn't try. However, which one of these is it? And the thing is, it could be any one of these.
What parent and adults in a child's life need to know is how to catch it early enough and in time to help the child. What we want to do is prevent a child to get behind. If a child does not actually understand, we need to figure out ways as to what we can do. If they can't grasp the simple concepts and a doctor can't properly diagnose a child, there is a possibility a child can start falling behind. If a child really does not understand the basics, we don't want him/her to fall so far behind that they can't catch up. That's what we want to prevent.
There aren't exact treatments for this disorder because every child is different and the severity of it can vary. However, what I have come across is that parental education on the matter and involvement are crucial if a successful outcome is desired. Talk to your child's healthcare provider to see what you, as a parent, can do help. Don't just leave it up to the doctors to do all the work.
