Safety Practices and Policies

Section 1: Safety Practices and Policies

Here are some potentially hazardous safety threats for children in the preschool age group. One hazard is unsafe equipment on the playground. Safety policies for this would be to have checks of equipment done daily. “Play equipment that is properly designed, well maintained, and correctly placed can help minimize risk and provide greater protection from serious injury.”

                                                   Water safety

Another hazard is water safety. Children at school and home need to be watched closely during water play. A child can drown in a small amount of water.

“Water safety presents its own set of challenges to the early childhood education environment.  Bathtubs pose the biggest drowning hazard to infants, and pools are the greatest drowning hazard to toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children. Adults are supposedly supervising 88 percent of children who drown.”                      

 “AAP recommends adults supervise children from within an arm’s length and not allow distractions to occur whenever children are in or around water.”

Thus, it is best at home, and school to stay focused. Drowning can cause serious brain damage or death. It happens fast, so be fast to respond. Teach your child at home water safety to prevent harm. The teacher should also instruct water safety each and every time they use water.

                                             Outdoor safety

Next hazard is outdoor safety. Teachers should go over safety rules with children, to prevent them from harm. I believe that each time you go out you need to review the safety rules with the children. The rules should be posted on the playground in plain view for parents and children to see. The teacher could also print handouts of the outside safety rules to give to parents. Talking with parents and asking if they can follow the same guidelines will help minimize safety hazards.

                                                Bike Riding Safety

Riding bikes is a hazard. Teachers and parents need to make sure children to wear helmets. The helmets need to fit correctly. Children can fall and damage their head. Helmets will help prevent head injury. Bikes need to be the right size for children. Children when riding need to go in one direction. Provide supervision at all times at home and school. Teachers and parents should instruct children the correct “rules of the road” for optimizing bicycle safety.

Falls are another hazard. Things to prevent falls are as follows. Close supervision of children will help with falls. Have good surfaces to prevent injury to children. “The major consideration, for falls is the surfaces where falls may occur.”

Parent need to have proper surfaces for falls at home. Teachers can talk with parents and advice them as to what surfaces will help prevent injury from falls. With all this in mind stay alert and safe.

References:

Robertson (2013-02-01). Safety, Nutrition and Health in Early Education (Page 162) (Sullivan, 2004)

 (Robertson (2013-02-01). Safety, Nutrition and Health in Early Education (Page 152)

 (AAP, 2010)

Robertson (2013-02-01). Safety, Nutrition and Health in Early Education (Page 162)

(Robertson (2013-02-01). Safety, Nutrition and Health in Early Education (Page 151)

Emergency Preparedness: Natural and Human-Generated Disasters

Section 2: Emergency Preparedness: Natural and Human-Generated Disasters

The two dangers, I have selected are hurricane and terrorist attack. I will begin with a terrorist attack on a preschool. A terrorist has entered the school with a gun. The main danger is harm or possible death. The people at risk are the children and staff. You should be prepared for the attack. Staff should plan for a terrorist attack. A plan in place will make things run smoothly and keep the children free from danger. Having a prepared plan could help to save lives. The consequences of not preparing are possibly not having any survivors.

                                                 Terrorist attack plans

 To make plans in advance for a terrorist attack, first evaluate the school. Have a map of the building. It is important to know the layout of the school to make your plans. All staff should talk about the plans and agree with each other. Staff should have a code word. This will alert all staff an attack has begun. Use of a code word will alleviate stress for children. Upon hearing the code word call 911. I would have a team member assign to this task ahead of time. Have plans for a safe hiding place. Have buzzer system installed. The buzzer system is to allow people in and out of the building. I believe it should be run by the same staff member daily. So they would recognize a stranger faster.  People will show ID before buzzing them into school. Plan to have a parking lot gated. Have an emergency evacuation plan. Teachers and staff should practice the evacuation plan. Keep a chart of where exits and first aid kits and daily attendance records are kept. Place chart in easy to get at place. Have an Emergency Survival Supplies Checklist. Send the lists home and ask parents to supply items on the list.

 “As teachers, we are protectors of children and should do our utmost to keep their environment safe from any violent act, including terrorism.”

If this disaster occurs, I would first remain calm. I do not want to upset children. I would announce the code word. Then I would call 911. Then I would follow the plan set in place. I would assess the risks by looking around in the area.  I will also evaluate the children to see if anyone is harmed. I will assess by taking a count of children and making sure all are present according to attendance records. I would do the same for both disasters. For the hurricane, I would leave out the code word.

Potential complications for this disaster could be a child is stuck under a table. A child happens to be in the bathroom at the time of attack and is unaware of the attack. The attendance records are wrong. Someone was marked on the list and is not in school that day. You could be searching for a child who is not even there. These are potential complications for both hurricane and terrorist attack. With a hurricane, some potential complications could be more outside then inside. Trees can fall and into things blocking doors. Rain could be heavy causing floods.

Some other steps would be to provide knowledge about terrorist attacks.  This would help to prepared and handle this crisis. This could be finished with books, games and videos. Having terrorist attack drills would also help the children prepare for this crisis. This would be prepared for both hurricane and terrorist attacks.

In this disaster, of a terrorist attack it would be helpful to have plenty of first aid supplies. You might be dealing with gun shots that have hit children or adults.

I would involve the families by asking for supplies from the Emergency Survival supplies checklist. I would send home booklets on the topic. I would also send a copy of the plans set in place for this disaster. This would be done for both hurricane and terrorist attack.

                                                  Hurricane

Next we will talk about a hurricane. There is a hurricane on the way, and the children are at school. The main danger is injury or damage. The people at risk are children and staff and also the community. You should be prepared for the hurricane. You need to have a plan in place to keep everyone safe and healthy. Being prepared saves lives. The consequence, of not preparing is loss of lives. So the best thing to do is prepared for disasters.      

                                               Advance Plans

To make plans in advance for a hurricane draw up an emergency evacuation plan. Have a survival procedure plan that includes a safe place at school. Make sure parents know the site of the safe place. Have a map of the building to show where exit doors, windows and first aid items are located.  “It is a good idea to keep copies of all children’s emergency information in a fireproof portable file because this allows teachers access to information quickly. File should contain emergency contacts and so forth.”

Plan a checklist of items needed for survival. Do practice drills with this idea in mind. Have food and water in storage. In your plans be sure to consider the children with disabilities or special needs.

                                                  Supplies

In a hurricane, it would be helpful to have plenty of food and water and first aid supplies. Blankets would also be helpful if windows break. Blankets can be used for warmth and covering windows. Extra flashlights and plenty of batteries will go a long way in the dark. A transistor radio to hear emergency broadcasts and local news updates could tell you when it is safe to go outside.

With all disasters, the best line of defense is being prepared. So prepare all your disaster plans now. You will help save lives.

References:

(Robertson (2013-02-01). Safety, Nutrition and Health, in Early Education (Page 191)

(Robertson (2013-02-01). Safety, Nutrition and Health, in Early Education (Page 193)

CPR and Choking Emergencies

Section 3: CPR and Choking Emergencies                      

A three year old in the preschool has stopped breathing. He was playing, and all at once he falls to the ground and is not breathing. The teacher sees this and immediately runs to help the child. When a child stops breathing it is a life or death emergency.

The proper emergency procedures for dealing with this are as follows;

 First see if the child is responsive. Do this by lightly tapping him or shaking him on shoulders. Say the child’s name in a very loud voice. If the child is not responding call 911. Call out for someone to call 911. Check to see if you can see the obstruction.

Next go and get an Automatic External defibrillator, or have someone get one. If alone shout for help. Next if you think it is needed start CPR. Make sure the child is on a flat solid surface. Use the heel of your hand and push in on the lower part of the breastbone. This should be done between the nipples. Begin to push down. Be sure to push straight down. Just push down two inches. Allow the chest to come back up. Do these again 30 times, about twice per second. Use two hands if required. If you have completed one round of compressions and you are certified in child CPR then do two rescue breaths. Please remember only if you have the certification. Then you will have to do five more groups. If you are alone, you will perform CPR for two minutes. Keep this up until help arrives. Continue even if the child wakes up.

Choking

A three year old boy in preschool is choking. The teacher was told by the other child something is wrong with their classmate. The teacher runs over to see what is happening. She sees he is choking. She sees that he is responsive. He is breathing and able to talk. She tilts his head back and opens his mouth. She sees obstruction and removes it. Child is now find and goes off to play. If the child was not breathing and unconscious she would start CPR.  

                 Supplies

Having knowledge and training and planning are very important when faced with emergencies.  Having the proper training can save lives. Plan in advance to have many practice drills. Plan supplies need for emergencies. Always plan to take first aid kit with you. Take the first aid kit even when going out to playground. I feel the first aid kit should go with you whenever you leave the classroom. When working with children, you should be trained in CPR. I believe in some states one teacher on the site needs to be CPR certified. Teachers also need to be trained in first aid. Having first aid training can protect children. Knowing how to wrap an arm and dress a wound will help prevent further problems. With training and knowledge emergencies will go smoother and calmer. Training with help you to have the knowledge to know how deal with different emergencies. So it is best to have in training and planning for emergencies, you could save lives.

Adults need to have proper supplies on hand for emergencies. You need to keep emergency contact numbers on hand. This should include all children and adults in the classroom. Keep medication list with supplies. “Keep a cell phone and charger with supplies.  Have items for those children, with special needs that they may require. Keep inhaler or EpiPen for children with allergies. All kinds of bandages need to be supplied. Have ice packs that are instant. Have money stored in with supplies. Keep different size ace bandages with supplies. Scissors and tweezers, safety pins and gauze pads are needed. Have bandage tape and antibiotic and cortisone ointment. CPR shield for performing CPR. Bee stings kit, insect bites stick and hand sanitizer, need to be kept. You will need eye wash, pads for eyes, unbreakable thermometer, and three black plastic trash bags, duct tape and bottle water. Keep a first aid guide with items. Have CPR instruction card to review.” Taking steps to have these supplies furnish, will prepare you for many emergencies. Other steps adults need to take are keeping emergency contact numbers up to date. Another step adults need to take is to keep medication list up to date. So it is best to plan and prepare to keep the children in your class safe. Take classes in first aid and CPR because knowledge saves lives.

References:

Robertson (2013-02-01). Safety, Nutrition and Health in Early Education (Page 178)

Robertson (2013-02-01). Safety, Nutrition and Health in Early Education (Page 182)

Healthy Food and Nutrition

Section 4: Healthy Food and Nutrition     

                                                 

        

Infants

Good nutrition and eating habits are so important to children in all age groups. Infants need proper nutrition for development and growth.

Infants have rapid growth, so it is important to have the correct food, to supply energy for the rapid growth.

“The growth and development of infants is directly related to nutrition.”

 Infants get a lot of what they need from breast milk and formulas. “Infancy is a critical time for forming healthy patterns to meet the nutritional needs of children.”

“Teachers play an important role in helping infants. This role is to establish good nutrition and    groundwork for good feeding behaviors.”

It is important for infants to get the appropriate nutrition for health, growth and development.

Toddlers

Toddlers need to sustain good nourishment. Good nutrition allows toddlers to grow, learn, and play.

It is important for toddlers to drink enough milk. This should be no more than 24 ounces in a day.

“The challenge for this period is to maintain good nutrition while helping the children establishes good food habits with their independence intact.”

Preschoolers

Preschoolers also need good quality food.  Good nutrition is essential for preschoolers to grow and develop.

Quality nutrition will help preschoolers do well in school.

Proper food for preschoolers is important to prevent eating disorders, obesity, dental cavities and iron-deficiency anemia.

School-aged children need proper nutrition. It is important for School-aged children to have quality nutrition because they are still growing.

“Growth requirements combined with physical activity play a role in determining a child's nutritional needs. Genetic background, gender, body size and shape are other factors. The nutrients needed by school-aged children are the same needed by adults, but the amounts vary.”
“Good eating habits are one of the greatest contributors to good health, for all age groups.”
                                                  Eating habits
Adults should help children with their eating habits “From a very young age children learn. They are capable of learning eating habits through practice and observation. Children are strongly influenced by what they see and hear. Families and teachers are sources of behavior and information that children model and remember.”
“Proper nutrition needs to be taught and reinforced at all levels.”

Thus, adults should help children with healthy eating habits. Adults also have more knowledge of the proper foods.
One way to achieve this is to model healthy eating. Another way to accomplish this is with education.
Display posters of healthy foods. Read books about healthy eating habits. Show DVDs about healthy eating.
Keep healthy foods in classroom. Do art projects with healthy foods. Play games with healthy food.
Make sure food is easy to eat. Never force children to eat.
“Another strategy for helping a child develop good eating habits is to make mealtimes significant for the child.”
Display different foods and have children pick which food would be the best choice for healthy eating.
Plant a garden with the children. Let children help prepare food.
                                                                   Recipes
Here are three recipes that family members can prepare with preschoolers.
“First is Green eggs and ham.

1 Tablespoon chopped green onions (optional)              
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoons chopped green peppers (optional)
¼ cup chopped ham, 4 eggs

1 Tablespoon low fat milk

¼ cup chopped spinach

Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the oil, use a skillet. Add green onions, green peppers and ham, Beat eggs and milk together and add to the vegetables mixture.
Stir in spinach. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir all of the mixture do this constantly. This will make 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 120 calories, 9 g fat, 215 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 1 g carbohydrate.”

This recipe offers food from most of the food groups.
Next recipe is pyramid tortilla. “This is a fun snack or lunch for kids to make with family.
For each tortilla you will need:      

                                        

1 8-inch tortilla

1-2 ounces thin sliced turkey or ham

2 Tablespoons shredded cheese

¼ cup shredded lettuce

1 Tablespoon raisins

Low fat mayonnaise

Cream cheese or margarine
Give each child a tortilla then spread with mayonnaise, margarine or cream cheese.
Then, layer on the turkey or ham, lettuce and raisins. Roll your tortilla up and enjoy!”
The nutrition information on this recipe is it has food from all of the food groups. The recipe is not high in fat. The tortilla is low in calories.
The last recipe is Pocket sandwiches. “A good no-cook summer lunch that the kids and family can make.
For each pocket you will need:
1 large pita bread round (whole wheat)

Low fat Mayonnaise or mustard

4 thin slices of ham

1/4 cup of low fat shredded cheese, any kind

Shredded lettuce, sliced onions, tomato slices and/or sprouts, as you like.

Cut the bread in half; open halves to make pockets. Spread the inside with mayonnaise and/or mustard.

Fill halves with meat, cheese, and vegetables.”   

              

Nutrition information on this pocket sandwich is it is low in calories and low fat. The pocket also contains most of the food groups.

“Here are some ways to enjoy cooking together. The mealtime needs to be positive. Do focus on each other and not the food. 

Save discipline for another time. Allow children to eat until they are full without forcing “one more bite “or a clean plate

Do not forget to make it fun, laugh together and share funny stories.”