Week 2

Creating and maintaining a healthy environment for young children is important for many reasons, including promoting health and decreasing the spread of illnesses. Teachers must also know how to treat a child who is ill to avoid further harm and the potential of infecting other children and staff.

Create a brochure to share with colleagues, families, and other community stakeholders outlining how to establish and maintain a healthy, hygienic, and sanitary learning environment for very young children (birth to age 3).

In the brochure, include information pertaining to:

1. Sanitizing the classroom and home environment and hand washing.
2. Dental hygiene.
3. Diapering.
4. First aid/CPR (Emergency contact information for local and national organizations regarding First aid/CPR, disease control, and poison control/consumption of hazardous material.)
5. Immunization requirements per state laws and medication procedures.
6. School health guidelines, and recognizing and treating common signs of illness.
7. Common allergies/allergens in an early childhood environment.

Brochure should include graphics that are relevant to the content, visually appealing, and use space appropriately.

In 250-500 words, reflect on the importance of creating a healthy, respectful, and supportive learning environment for young children. In what ways could a child’s readiness for learning be affected when the child or the environment is unhealthy? Discuss how this will affect your future professional practice.