Preschooler PDF

PRESCHOOL AGE Auhreen Oria, RN, MN http://www.free-powerpoint-templates-design.com  Slimmer, taller, and much more childlike proportions. Growth and Ectomorphic (slim) or endomorphic (large)— becomes apparent Handedne...

PRESCHOOL AGE Auhreen Oria, RN, MN http://www.free-powerpoint-templates-design.com  Slimmer, taller, and much more childlike proportions. Growth and Ectomorphic (slim) or endomorphic (large)— becomes apparent Handedness Development of a Major step = ability to learn extended language Lymphatic tissue begins to increase in size = tonsils Preschooler Levels of IgG and IgA antibodies increase Physiologic splitting of heart sounds may be present for the Physical Growth first time on auscultation; innocent heart murmurs may also be heard for the first time. PR : 85 beats b/m; BP 100/60 mmHg. Bladder is easily palpable above the symphysis pubis; voiding: frequent (9 or 10 times a day) Muscles are noticeably stronger Many children at the beginning of the period exhibit GENU VALGUS (KNOCK-KNEES) disappears with increased skeletal growth at the end of the preschool period  Language Development Growth and 3-year-old child has a vocabulary of about 900 words Four- and 5-year-old children continue to ask many Development of a questions. Imitate language exactly Preschooler Egocentric, so they define objects in relation to themselves B Developmental Milestone Play Enjoy games that use imitation such as pretending to be teachers, cowboys, firefighters, and police etc. They imitate exactly what they see parents doing Imaginary friends as a normal part of having an active imagination (Goldson & Reynolds, 2008). Four- and 5-year-olds : roughhousing and imitative play. Five-year-olds : group games or songs they have learned in kindergarten or preschool.  Emotional Development Developmental Task: Initiative Versus Guilt Sense if initiative and Sense of Guilt INITIATIVE A child with a well-developed sense of initiative has discovered that learning new things is fun. Need exposure to a wide variety of experiences and play materials so they can learn as much about the world as possible. GUILT If children are criticized or punished for attempts at initiative. Imitation Preschoolers need free rein to imitate the roles of the people around them. Role playing should be fun and does not have to be accurate. Fantasy. Preschoolers begin to make differentiation between fantasy and reality. They may become so engrossed in a fantasy role, however, they become afraid they have lost their own identity or have become “stuck” in their fantasies. Such intense involvement in play is part of “magical thinking,” or believing thoughts and wishes can come true.  Emotional Development Oedipus and Electra Complexes Oedipus the strong emotional attachment a preschool boy demonstrates toward his mother. Electra is the attachment of a preschool girl to her father. Note: Parents can be reassured that this phenomenon of competition and romance in preschoolers is normal.  Emotional Development Gender Roles Preschoolers need exposure to an adult of the opposite gender so they can become familiar with opposite gender roles. Children’s gender-typical actions are strengthened by parents, strangers, preschool teachers, other family members, and other children.  Emotional Development Socialization - Preschool period is a sensitive and critical time for socialization. 3 years old capable of sharing, they play with other children their age much more agreeably than do toddlers Children who are exposed to other playmates have an easier time learning to relate to people than those raised in an environment where they never see other children of the same age. 4 years old they may become involved in arguments more than they did at age 3, especially as they become more certain of their role in the group. 5 years old begin to develop “best” friendships, perhaps on the basis of who they walk to school with or who lives closest to them. “The elementary rule that an odd number of children will have difficulty playing well together pertains to children at this age: two or four will play, but three or five will quarrel.” Cognitive Development Moral and Spiritual Development 3 years = according to Piaget is Determines right from wrong based on their parents’ still PREOPERATIONAL (Piaget, 1969). rules. They have little understanding of the rationale for these rules or even whether the rules are Although children during this period do enter a consistent. second phase called INTUITIONAL THOUGHT, they lack the insight to view themselves as other Preschoolers begin to have an elemental concept of see them or put themselves in another’s place God if they have been provided some form of religious (termed CENTERING). Because preschoolers training. Belief in an outside force aids in the cannot make this kind of mental substitution, they development of conscience; however, preschoolers feel they are always right. tend to do good out of self-interest rather than because of strong spiritual motivation (Kohlberg,1984) Are not yet aware of the property of conservation..  As preschoolers broaden their horizons, safety issues increase. By age 4, children may project an attitude of independence and the ability to take care of their own needs. Health Keeping Children Safe, Strong, and Free Promotion For Educate children about the potential threat of harm from strangers or even how to address bullying behavior from people A Preschooler Warning a child never to talk with or accept a ride from a Stranger And Family Teaching a child how to call for help in an emergency (yelling or running to a designated neighbor’s house if outside, or dialing 911 if near a telephone) A Describing what police officers look like and explaining that police officers can help in an emergency situation Promoting Explaining that if children or adults ask them to keep secrets about anything that has made them uncomfortable, they should tell their parents o Preschooler r another trusted adult, even if they have promised to keep the secret Safety Explaining that bullying behavior from other children is not to be tolerated a nd should be reported so they can receive help managing it  General Know whereabouts of preschooler at all times. Be aware that frequency of accidents is increased when parents are under stress. Special precautions must be taken at these times. Some children are more active, curious, and impulsive and therefore more Health vulnerable to accidents than others. Promotion For A Preschooler And Family A Promoting Motor Vehicle and Bicycle Safety Preschooler Teach safety with tricycle (look before crossing driveways; do not cross streets). Teach child to always hold hands with a grownup before crossing a street. Safety Teach parking lot safety (hold hands with grownup; do not run behind cars that are backing up). Children should wear helmets when riding bicycles. Encourage parents who ride bicycles to demonstrate safe riding habits by wearing helmets as well. Health Poisoning Promotion For Never present medication as a candy. Never take medication in front of a child. A Preschooler Never store food or substances in containers other than their own. Post telephone number of local poison control center by the telephone. And Family Teach child that medication is a serious substance and not for play. A Promoting Preschooler Safety  Falls Supervise preschooler at playgrounds. Remove drawstrings from hooded clothing. Help child to judge safe distances for jumping or safe heights for climbing. Health Promotion For A Preschooler And Family A Drowning Teach beginning swimming Promoting Preschooler Safety  Animal bites Do not allow child to approach strange dogs. Supervise child’s play with family pets. Health Promotion For A Preschooler And Family Burns A Store matches in closed containers. Do not allow preschooler to help light birthday candles, fireplaces, etc. (fire is not fun or a “treat”). Promoting Preschooler Safety  Offer small servings of food Parents need to check that children are not snacking so frequently that they miss out on planned meals to be certain children receive a complete range of nutrients (Gable, Chang, & Krull, 2007) Urge parents to offer foods such as fruit, cheese, or milk rather than cookies and a soft drink (Rolfes, Pinna, & Health Whitney, 2009). Teach parents to make mealtime a happy and enjoyable Promotion For part of the day for everyone by allowing the child to prepare simple food (e.t. sandwich) A Preschooler Recommended Dietary Reference Intakes And Family Foods selected for preschoolers should be based on food pyramid groups, making sure to offer a variety. A Caution parents not to give more vitamins than the recommended daily amount, because poisoning from Promoting high doses of fat-soluble vitamins or iron can result. Nutritional Health of the Preschooler  Dressing Preschoolers prefer bright colors or prints and so may select items that do not match. Children need the experience of choosing their own clothes. One way for parents to solve the problem of mismatching is to fold together matching shirts and pants so a child Health sees them as a set rather than individual pieces. Promotion For Sleep A Preschooler Preschoolers are more aware of their needs; when they are tired , they often curl up on a couch or soft chair and fall asleep. And Family Children in this age group, however, may refuse to go to sleep because of fear of the dark. Night waking from nightmares or B night terrors reaches its peak (Hiscock et al., 2007). Parents should screen out frightening stories or television watching and give night light Promoting Development of the Preschooler in Daily Activities  Exercise Preschool period is an active phase, so children receive a great deal of exercise. Time-honored games such as ring-around-the-rosy, London Bridge, or other more structured games. Rough-housing Health Promoting this type of active game and reducing television / gadgets can help Promotion For children develop motor skills as well as be a step toward preventing childhood obesity (Kline, 2008). A Preschooler And Family Hygiene Preschoolers do not clean their fingernails very well, so these often need “ touching up” by a parent or older sibling. B Caution parents about not using bubble bath with preschoolers as some girls develop vulvar irritation (and perhaps bladder infections) Promoting Assist in cleaning the ears. Development of the Preschooler in Daily Activities  Care of Teeth Independent tooth brushing should be started but checked. Flossing with assistance from parents A child should continue to drink fluoridated water or prescribed oral fluoride Health supplement if fluoride is not provided in the water supply (Armfield & Spencer, 2007). Promotion For Encouraging children to eat apples, carrots, celery, chicken, or cheese for snacks rather than candy or sweets. A Preschooler Visit the dentist. Deciduous teeth must be preserved to protect the dental arch. And Family Night grinding (Bruxism) grinding the teeth at night (usually during sleep), is a habit of many young children (Goddard, 2008). Teeth grinding may be a way of “letting go,” similar to body rocking, that children do for a short time B each night to release tension and allow themselves to fall asleep. Promoting Development of the Preschooler in Daily Activities  A major parental role during this time is to encourage vocabulary development. One way to do this is to read aloud to a child; another is to answer questions so a child sees language as an organized system of communication. Health Promotion For Discipline A Preschooler “Timeout” is a good technique to correct behavior for parents throughout the And Family preschool years. This technique allows parents to discipline without using physical punishment and allows a child to learn a new way of behavior without B C extreme stress. Promoting Healthy Family Functioning Parental Concerns Associated With the Preschool Period Common Health Problems Minor illnesses, such as colds, ear infections, and flu symptoms Children who attend child care or preschool programs also have an increased incidence of gastrointestinal disturbances (such as vomiting and diarrhea) from the exposure to other children (Butterton & Calderwood, 2008).  Parental Concerns Associated With the Preschool Period Common Fears Fear of the Dark. Fear heightened by a child’s vivid imagination. Monitor the stimuli the children are exposed to, especially around bedtime. It may be a reaction to undue stress. In these instances, the source of the stress needs to be investigated. Fear of Mutilation. falling and scraping a knee or having an injection. Because they do not know which body parts are essential and which ones can be easily replaced. Boys develop a fear of castration Fear of Separation or Abandonment. It intensifies because their keen imagination allows them to believe they have been deserted when they are safe.  Parental Concerns Associated With the Preschool Period Behavior Variations Telling Tall Tales Imaginary Friends. Many preschoolers have an imaginary friend who plays with them (Goldson & Reynolds, 2008). Difficulty Sharing. Sharing is a concept first understood at 3 years of age. Children begin to understand that some things are theirs, some belong to others, and some can belong to both. Teach about = mine, yours, ours Regression. = stress, exhibits thumb sucking, negativism, loss of bladder control, and inability to separate from their parents. Help parents understand that regression in these circumstances is normal. Removing the stress is the best way to help a child discontinue this behavior. Sibling Rivalry. To help them feel secure and promote self-esteem, supplying them with a private drawer or box for their things. Parental Concerns Associated With the Preschool Period Preparing for a New Sibling There is no rule as to when this preparation should begin, but it should be before the time the child begins to feel the difference the new baby will make. Help parents not to underestimate the significance of a bed to a preschool child. Bed = security, consistency and “Home”. Transfer child at least 3 mos. prior to birth. The fact that he is growing up is a better reason for such a move than because a new brother or sister wants the old bed. Start Preschool or child care prior to birth or two to thee months after birth. During birth of the new baby, when the mother is hospitalized, they should make sue the preschool is prepared. Encourage women to maintain contact with their preschooler during the short time th ey are hospitalized for the new birth.  Parental Concerns Associated With the Preschool Period Sex Education It is important for parents not to convey that these body parts are never to be talked about to leave an open line of communication for sexual questions. Masturbation common while watching television or being read to or before they fall asleep at night. The frequency of this may increase under stress, as does thumb-sucking. Teach them to avoid sexual abuse, such as not allowing anyone to touch their body unless they agree it is all right. Always ask permission before giving nursing care to them that involves touching. “Where do babies come from?” factual answer to this type of question is best: “Babies grow in a special place in a mother’s body called a uterus.” Many new books for children explain where babies come from, including descriptions of sexual relations and orgasm.  Parental Concerns Associated With the Preschool Period Preparing a Child for School Essential to this preparation is the parents’ attitude. If a child was not attending preschool, some parents may have to change their child’s daily routine a few months in advance If a child is to ride a bus to school, a parent might take a child on a municipal bus as an introduction to this form of transportation. If a child is to walk, a trial walk is in order. If a child will be required to take a lunch to school, a parent can introduce this new experience by preparing a bagged lunch at home some noon. For children to do well in a formal school setting, they must be able to follow instructions and sit at a table and chair for a short work period. Going to school is a form of separation so parents must make preparations for this.  Parental Concerns Associated With the Preschool Period Broken Fluency Repetition and prolongation of sounds, syllables, and words. Often referred to as Secondary Stuttering It is a part of normal development and, if accepted as such, will pass. It is associated with rapid speech patterns that may also be present in the parent (Savelkoul et al., 2007). Do not discuss in a child’s presence the difficulty they are having with speech. Do not label them a “stutterer.” Listen with patience to what a child is saying. Do not interrupt or fill in a word for her. Talk to her in a calm, simple way. Protect space for her to talk if there are other children in the family. Do not force a child to speak if she does not want to. Do not reward her for fluent speech or punish her for nonfluent speech. Broken fluency is a developmental stage in language formation, not an indication of regression or a chronic speech pattern.