Employment is a big factor to do with health. Bring unemployed is linked to poorer physical and mental health. When talking about health unemployment is more common with people with long term illnesses or a disability. Education is one of the must important life stages. Education promotes good health as it gives you a state of mind. Also it impacts strongly on a persons self-esteem, lifelong training and employment opportunities and give you a sense of purpose and income. When children come from low income families and deprived area tend to attain lower examination results. It’s a knowing fact that a fifth of most workplaces have few or no formal qualifications at all. The social and community environment is also an important health determinant. The physical environment should make it easier to access the essential goods and services, which they can afford and easy to get to. For a person with low income it is difficult for them to reach shops which have variety’s of healthy foods. When children are living in large housing estates or high block flats by this it can create isolation from community and society.
By having good living conditions help to promote good health. It is stated on average we spend 10% of are time outdoors. But for a children or adult that is homeless they spend the whole 100% which isn’t going to help them live longer or have good health.
(B) Explain the impact of disadvantage on the health of children and how this extends into young adulthood and beyond. (M2)
The Western Board have the highest number of children and young people across the four boards. Also have the highest number of deprivation found in Northern Ireland and this is reflected in consequences for young people.
Disadvantaged (deprivation) and health/wellbeing
A poor start in life:
Generation 1
Generation 2
Poor living
Conditions
Poor health and well A reactive health/
being social service struggling
to cope.
Low educational
achievements
Limited job
Prospects
(Western Area children and young people’s Committee. 2002-2005)
In society today children and young people living in disadvantaged areas are more likely to live shorter lives , they are 15 times more likely to die as a result of a house firer and seven times more likely to die as a result of a road accident. When children and young people don’t have facilities to play they turn to the road by this they are at risk if harming themselves. Children that come for a low income and disadvantaged area are less likely to be coming to doctors for their check ups. By this they are at risk of having illness later on in adulthood.
By living in poverty children don’t get to experience all life stages. If a children is from poor family they are less likely to do will in education, this can affect their adulthood as education background is important to gain a good job. Education is really important as it opens you up to a variety of experience and knowledge of the world around them. Children who are living in homes that their parents don’t work they won’t gain good experience to go and get job and do well. This will affect them as if they having got the necessary experience to go out and look for better life, to go and look for job, to have high self esteem to socialize. When you are socially active and engaged , it will have higher level of health and well-being. It’s a fact that we spend most of are time indoors but for children that’s living conditions isn’t very good staying indoors isn’t helping them to stay health. When a child is living in poor conditions and their house doesn’t have heating this can lead to respiratory or cardiovascular disease. Hospital admission due to cold related illnesses increase over the winter months. Later on in child’s live if the work conditions isn’t good they can be at risk of injury, sickness or stress. The choices children make in early stages of development have effect on the rest e.g. if they decide to smoke, drink or use drugs under peer pressure can’t affect their health. Drug misuse is also an affect of not having a no educational qualification or no clear employment prospects. There are research conducted that states 4 in every 10 boys and 3 in every 10 girl have used drugs at some time. In society today I would say that had rising. Crime is a big issues with young people as if carried out it stays with you on record and if they change their way of living and achieve something of them if they go and get a job and need a clear record it will hold them back as they don’t. By improving educational opportunities for disadvantaged children this will help break the cycle of deprivation.
2.(A) There are many causes of illness in children including environmental, infection and genetic. Discuss. (P.4)
There are 2 main causes of illness:
- Microbiological
- Micro-organisms (this is when germ enters the body)
Germs or pathogens are mainly harmful bacteria and viruses are main germs that cause illness. Some types of germ affect people of all ages. Children seem to be the worst to get ill.
Genetic
Genetics is another word for inheritance and the effects of inherited genes on growth and development. Children inherit genes from their parents and this is why they resemble their parents, brother and sisters, grandparents and other relatives. A few diseases are cause by faulty genes which can be passed from one generation to the next. Some genetic conditions can cause ill health sometimes may be cause by microbiological or genetic factors, but then made worse by the environment.
Environmental
Generally we have less control of these factors.
Air pollution – air near some factories and heavy traffic isn’t good to breathe in as it contains toxic substances. Air pollution may also cause or worsen breathing problems such as asthma. In 1998, committee on the medical effects of air pollution published a report stating the air pollution is though to shorten about 24, 000 lives a year.
Water supply- in the UK the water supply is well regulated of there are few problems with water- borne disease such as cholera.
Sewage and waste control – This is essential for community health.
Infections
Vomiting is a symptom that is very common in children and can be associated with an infection anywhere. Some children can be sick if they have a slight fever, get excited or even frightened. However there are many causes and it’s important to note that time of sickness, the colour any pain or diarrhoea and whether the child appears unwell. Vomiting is serious when a child is repeatedly sick.
Causes of vomiting
- Travel sickness
- Meningitis
- Hepatitis
- Stress
- Whooping cough
- Ear infection
- Over eating
- Sunstroke
(B) Describe the incubation period, methods of spread and signs and symptoms of two of the following common childhood illness.
(i) Chicken pox (ii) Mumps (iii) Measles (iv) Rubella
Chicken pox
Chicken pox is common in children under 10 years. They can be very uncomfortable, and serious in very young babies, child who are HIV positive and also in adult’s especially pregnant women. The incubation time for chicken pox is 10-21 days. The only way chicken pox can be spread is droplet infection. The must infectious stage is 2 days before the spots appear until week after. Chicken pox is a mild disease in children but if in adults it may cause shingles. Method of treatment is usual to put calamine lotion to relieve itchiness.
Signs and Symptoms
- Slight fever and headache.
- Small red spots which turn to blisters then scabs.
- Rash starts on head and behind the ears.
- Child may feel well.
- Intense itching.
Measles
Measles are caused by a virus, is highly infectious and can be serious. The incubation time is 10-15 days. There is an immunisation available for children at 12-15 months. The method of spread is droplet infection. The most infectious stage is from onset of cold symptoms until 5 days after rash appears.
Sign and symptoms
- Fever.
- Severe cold.
- 4-5 days later a red rash appears on face and spreads downwards.
- Generally unwell initially.
- Temperature, runny nose, red eyes and cough.
- Koplicks spots (blueish white spots)
(C) Discuss the methods and range of interventions used to prevent illness in children.
Your body does a number of jobs to prevent you from illness. In a children’s bodies the eyes tears contain enzyme called lysozyme that destroys bacteria, the months saliva contains also enzymes and other substances that destroy bacteria. In your stomach and intestines there’s acid that destroys harmful micro-organisms and in the lower intestines, friendly bacteria help to control harmful bacteria. When you vomit or have diarrhoea this is your body removing toxic substances. In your nose there are tiny hairs that act like filters to prevent the entry of harmful micro-organisms. Sneezing helps to prevent entry of harmful micro-organisms. The lining of bronchioles is covered with cells that contain cilia (fine hairs) and mucus secreting cells. This helps trap micro-organisms and swept them by cilia to the bronchi in this it causes you to cough. Skin is the most important functions in protection you against infections etc. Undamaged skin acts like a primary barrier against infections.
Bibliography
Childcare and health
3rd edition (revised)
Stanley Thornes
Childcare and development
3rd edition
John Murray
Sources
- Tutors notes
- Chapter 4: what causes poor health and health inequalities
- Western Area children and young people’s Committee. 2002-2005
