ASSIGNMENT COVER

REGION: Midlands SEMESTER: 2 YEAR: 2

PROGRAMME: BACHELOR OF HONOURS EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

INTAKE: 4

FULL NAME OF STUDEN T: Rutendo Christachel Gwekwerere

PIN: P2249475R

EMAIL ADDRESS: christachelgwexy@gmail.com

CONTACT TELEPHONE/CELL: 0778785829 ID. NO.: 29-
2028867F29

COURSE NAME: Nutrition, Health and Safety

COURSE CODE: BHCD221

ASSIGNMENT NO. e.g. 1 or 2: 2 STUDENT’S SIGNATURE rcgwekwerere

DUE DATE: 13-05-2023 SUBMISSION DATE: 23-

04-2023

As an Early Childhood Development teacher, what

ASSIGNMENT TITLE:
measures would you put in place to curb infectious diseases.

Instructions
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Infectious diseases are disorders caused by organisms — such as
bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. Many organisms live in and on our
bodies. They're normally harmless or even helpful. But under certain
conditions, some organisms may cause disease. Some infectious
diseases can be passed from person to person.
To curb is to control the growth of something so in this curse it is the
controlling of infectious diseases in ECD learners.
Infectious diseases may be caused by micro-organisms or “germs”
including viruses, bacteria, protozoa or fungi. These germs are too small
to see with the naked eye, but they can survive in the air, on the
surface of the skin, in body fluids and on objects such as toys and door
handles. The length of time that germs can survive depends on the type
of germ and the surface or substance that may be contaminated.

Introduction

The early care environment is a particularly high-risk setting for

exposing young children to infectious agents. Given the close proximity
of children to one another in the classroom, the sharing of toys and
play equipment, as well as the lack of understanding of personal health
behaviours, there is increased opportunity for germs to spread rapidly
between children and adults. In order to reduce transmission of illness
within an early care setting, it is essential to implement health
guidelines for both classroom teachers and parents to abide by. Young
children carry their own combination of bacterial and viral agents from
their homes to share with their peers and teachers. Personal hygiene
and sanitation behaviours of young children are lacking; when
considering their lack of full development and weakened immune
system, they are more prone to diseases found in preschool
environments. The population of young children entering early care
settings has changed drastically over the last several decades, given the
shift in workplace equality and mothers going back to work after their
children are born. Children are entering early care environments at
younger ages and for longer durations, thereby increasing their
exposure time to potential infection.

Transmission of bacterial, viral, and parasitic infections that are

particularly common in early care settings are spread through the nose,
mouth, and faces, by way of droplets landing in the air, on surfaces and
by direct contact. Equipment that targets sanitation and hygiene
behaviours such as hand-washing and preparing snacks in the
classroom have significant impact on the control of illness in out-of-
home care settings, benefiting both children and staff. Using these
hygiene and sanitation equipment and behaviours will yielded a
reduction in diarrheal illness among children as well as fewer reported
days absent by teachers.

Transmission of respiratory infections is another concern for early care

settings. Respiratory viruses are spread by way of nasal secretions.
Infected droplets may land on other children or staff through coughing,
whether through the air or by direct contact with the sick individual. As
young children have poor sanitary behaviours, they commonly do not
cover or wipe their mouths of saliva or other fluid while coughing or
after coughing. Communal surfaces may also be a hot spot for the
collection of germs in this manner. To reduce the spread of infections
through nasal secretions, it is important to enact strategies requiring
children and staff to consistently wash their hands, with increased hand
washing stations, repetitive use, and disinfecting all surface areas,
including tables and chairs, food preparation space, and play
equipment.

In addition to respiratory infections, the common cold, the flu, and

other highly contagious infections such as conjunctivitis are prevalent
among young children and have the potential to spread through early
care facilities. Common symptoms of these childhood infections that
should be alarming to both parents and early care educators include
fever, cough, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, and rash. These
symptoms may prompt parents to keep their children home from
school or teachers to call parents and send children home upon arriving
at school. A variety of policies are used that may or may not be strictly
enforced. Differences in policies may involve severity of symptoms,
such as grade of fever and intensity of cough, and duration of persisting
symptoms. The specific guidelines for keeping children home while ill
can severely impact the spread of an illness .

Sanitary practices for food preparation and cleaning environmental

surfaces are all essential strategies for early care staff. Cleaning and
disinfecting policies are continuously highlighted. Environmental
cleaning strategies such as vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, wiping
down surfaces and play equipment, and using cleaning products on
food preparation areas are disease prevention strategies and are
required in preschool settings. Hand washing frequently with warm
water and soap is another consistently suggested prevention effort.
Hand washing has been shown to be the most commonly used practice
of cleanliness in preschool classrooms, followed by teaching children
about proper ways of coughing and covering their mouths as well as
having discussions about germs. Hand washing is recommended before
eating, drinking, direct contact with a sick individual, after diaper
changing and using the bathroom, blowing one’s nose and coughing.
Additionally, school attendance policies for children with clear
symptoms of illness, being alert of children’s behaviours at the onset of
an illness and containment of illness/disease transmission process, are
essential in preschool settings, as is the need for parents to have a plan
when serious symptoms persist, and alternative care needs to be
sought.

Out-of-home care increases children’s susceptibility to infections,

highlighting the importance of prevention efforts to protect children in
preschools. Given the increased attendance rates, heightened health
risks, and rapid transmission of infection among this population, it is
essential to further investigate specific strategies and practices that
have been put into place by preschool educators to gain knowledge
about which strategies have been most successful. Learning more
substantially about common illnesses in young children and how they
transmit (or are transmitted) as well as effective methods in combating
the spread of such germs will enable public health professionals to
create and implement safe and useful health policies to reduce
unhealthy habits and illness in preschool environments.

Some infectious diseases can be spread by touching a surface or object

that has been contaminated by an infected person. Regularly cleaning
classroom surfaces that are frequently touched will help reduce the
spread of infections. Some examples of frequently used surfaces
include tables, bench tops, door handles, light switches, toys and taps.
Clean surfaces with hot soapy water or your normal household cleaning
product. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on correct
product use. Where possible, use disposable cloths or paper towels to
clean surfaces. Reusable cloths should be disinfected and then dried
after use, as bacteria and viruses can still survive on damp cloths.

Poor ventilation in classrooms can increase the spread of infectious

diseases. Open windows regularly to get fresh air circulating. If you
have air conditioning or a heat pump, make sure the system is
maintained and the filters cleaned.

Conclusions:
Children cared for at day-care or in preschool education exhibit a two
to three times greater risk of acquiring infections, which impacts both
on individual health and on the dissemination of diseases through the
community. Among other factors, the risk is associated with the
characteristics of day-care centres, and simple preventative measures
are effective for reducing transmission of diseases In the face of
growing utilization of day-care and preschool education and their
association with increased risk of acquired infections, control measures
are indispensable to the prevention and control of infectious diseases.
References :

Beck.L.E.(2004).Child Development. New Delhi: Pearson Longman.

Hilderbrand.M.L.(1994).Parenting Rewards and Responsibilities.4th
Edition: Teachers Annotated Edition. New York: Glencoe.
Siffet, K.L. and Hoffeming,R. L.(1967). Child and Adolescent
Development.2nd Edition, Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Tasson,S.(2004).Diploma in Pre-School Practice.Heinman Educational
Publishers.
Tasson,S.(2002).Child Care and Education. Jordan HillHeinman.
Zimbabwe Ministry of Education, Sport and Culture(1999). Early
Childhood
Education and Care (ECEC) Teacher Training Manual. Harare: CDU.