Malnutrition is the topic that I chose to research. Malnutrition is when a person does not consume enough food or enough of the right foods in order for the body to receive an adequate of amount of nutrients. Some of the causes of malnutrition consist of poverty and uneducated parents and some of the symptoms are respiratory problems, depression, immune problems, fatigue, irritability, and many more.
As an educator, nutrition and malnutrition is very important to me because I know that in order for students to develop properly and be successful in class, they need to have a balance diet and some of them are not receiving a well balanced diet. Additionally, many of these children do not consume fruit or vegetables unless they are at school. They are consuming too many sweets and processed foods. They are also drinking too many soft drinks and not enough water. As a result, students are not getting the nutrients that they need to grow and develop adequately. Furthermore, school-aged children are unable to think quickly or critically, pay attention, or concentrate in class.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, over 4 million children die annually and over half of the deaths are due to malnutrition. Malnutrition is not only a major issue for Africa , but for many third world countries and it does not have to be. Some of the causes of malnutrition come from poverty and a lack of some of the basic necessities. Malnutrition can be resolved if countries, families, and communities would work together.
All of the information that I learned was very informative. This information will be valuable to me when I open my own childcare facility. I will be more conscious of the types of foods that I will offer the children that are in my care. Lastly, I plan to educate my children's parents on benefits of a good nutriental diet in addition to the negative effects of a poor diet.
Shavonne,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your wonderful post. I have learned first hand about the effects of Malnutrition. I had a small child on my caseload who was diagnosed with failure to thrive. Her parents basically neglected her and never fed her. When I first receieved her on my caseload she was almost 1 year old and she weighed less than my own 4 month old. She had no life in her eyes and she could not crawl or pull up to stand. I cried when I left that visit. She is now 2 1/2 and she weighs what a typical 2 1/2 should weigh. She has life back in her eyes and she runs around her grandmother's house like nothing ever was wrong with her. The picture of the first time I saw her will always stick in my head. I will never forget how bad some children can get and I know that she was lucky. I know that some children are worse than she ever was but it was a real eye opener for me that parents could do that to their child.
I found your post very interesting. I agree with you on how important it is to have good nutrition. The children today are eating so much junk and soda. It does not help them during the school day. They are not alert and ready to learn!!
ReplyDeleteIt is so sad to me that malnutrition is such a horrible problem in so many countries. You would think that in the year 2010 would we would have come up with a solution so no more children would have to starve to death.
Hi Shavonne,
ReplyDeleteYour post was very informative. I agree that having a well balanced meal does help with focusing on school. When I was working with young children and families, I would see so many parents giving their children sweets and soda and then would wonder why their child would not eat food. I think this is what is the beginning of child obesity and should definitely be addressed to mothers while they are pregnant.
Thank you for your enlightening post. I have a particular family at my school whose child is highly allergic to many foods. As a result they send meals with the child to school each day. My frustation with this is that the meals that are packed are not of nutritional value at all most days. For example chips or cotton candy are sent as a morning snack. I wonder what is behind the choices? Is it a lack of knowledge or just a lack of trying.
ReplyDeleteI found your post very informative. I couldn't agree with more about malnutrition affecting the students learning. Last year I was long term substitute in second grade and in kindergarten and I just couldn't believe how mnay students came to school without breakfast or without a lunch or lunch money. Luckily the school would always provide something,although it might not have always been the best. I just wish parents and guardians would see the importance of proper nuttrition.
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