Health education - Assignment Example

PERSONAL CLEANLINESS AND GROOMING OF CHILDREN Personal Cleanliness and Grooming of Children All children need to learn about how to clean and groom themselves so that they may feel healthy and good about themselves. This is important for both health and social reasons. It involves general cleaning of ones body, hair, teeth, clothes, and shoes. Grooming skills such as, proper use of washcloth, and how to wash and rinse their bodies should be taught to children.Children should take a bath daily with clean water and suitable toilet soap so that they may smell good and keep their bodies free of dirt and germs, since they spend most of their time playing and they expire a lot.

The hair should be washed everyday using shampoo and rinsed well before it is dried. When bathing children, one should pay attention to all folds including the underarm, neck, ears and in between the feet. Clean clothes and shoes should be put on after taking a bath. Shoes should be polished; wiped or washed according to their make to improve their appearance and to make them last longer. Children should wear clean socks in closed shoes. This will absorb sweat and keep their feet dry and comfortable.

They should brush their teeth before going to bed and after every meal to fight against tooth decay. They should learn how to brush their teeth by themselves, and it is better if they do it together with an adult. During the day, a child should fill his or her mouth with water and swish it to remove anything that is stuck in the teeth. Taking large quantities of sugary foodstuff should be avoided as it promotes tooth decay. Under clothes should be changed more often with clean, dry ones. They should well fitting and in good condition.

This should be done because under clothes are worn directly next to the skin and they gather a lot of sweat and dead skin. Wearing clean under clothes prevents skin diseases such as itchy rashes and ringworms. The child also smells good and thus, he is confident to interact with adults and other children. Children should be encouraged to wash their hands with soap and clean water regularly. This should be done before and after handling or eating of food and after visiting the toilet. Children should be discouraged from inserting their hands in their mouths.

|This is because, at playtime, they gather lots of dirt in their hands because of touching anything that interests them. Regular washing of hands reduces them from the risk of getting diseases like diarrhea, stomach upsets and typhoid. Both hand and toe nails should be trimmed as long nails collect lots of germs and bacteria during playtime.In conclusion, personal hygiene and grooming of children fosters their self esteem, gives out their best of their looks and gives them a neat appearance. These healthy habits taught to children when they are still young go on with them when they grow into adulthood.

At home, parents should set an example to their children in observing personal hygiene so that the children can imitate and learn from them. A healthy and a good-looking child is always a happy child.ReferenceMarotz, L. R., Cross, M. Z. & Rush, J. M. (2011). Health, Safety, and Nutrition for the Young Child, Florence: Cengage Learning.