Learning Disabilities

Parents are often worried when their child has learning problems in school. There are many reasons for school failure, but a common one is a specific learning disability. Children with learning disabilities usually have a normal range of intelligence. They try very hard to follow instructions, concentrate, and "be good" at home and in school. Yet, despite this effort, he or she is not mastering school tasks and falls behind. Learning disabilities affect at least 1 in 10 schoolchildren.

It is believed that learning disabilities are caused by a difficulty with the nervous system that affects receiving, processing, or communicating information. They may also run in families. Some children with learning disabilities are also hyperactive; unable to sit still, easily distracted, and have a short attention span.

Child and adolescent psychiatrists point out that learning disabilities are treatable. If not detected and treated early, however, they can have a tragic "snowballing" effect. For instance, a child who does not learn addition in elementary school cannot understand algebra in high school. The child, trying very hard to learn, becomes more and more frustrated, and develops emotional problems such as low self-esteem in the face of repeated failure. Some learning disabled children misbehave in school because they would rather be seen as "bad" than "stupid".

Parents should be aware of the most frequent signals of learning disabilities, when a child:

• has difficulty understanding and following instructions.
• has trouble remembering what someone just told him or her.
• fails to master reading, spelling, writing, and/or math skills, and thus fails schoolwork.
• has difficulty distinguishing right from left; difficulty identifying words or a tendency to reverse letters, words, or numbers; (for example, confusing 25 with 52, "b" with "d," or "on" with "no").
• lacks coordination in walking, sports, or small activities such as holding a pencil or tying a shoelace.
• easily loses or misplaces homework, schoolbooks, or other items.
• cannot understand the concept of time; is confused by "yesterday," "today," "tomorrow."

Physical activities and children

Physical activity provides health benefits for children

• Physical activity throughout life provides important protection from developing coronary artery disease.
• Physically active people live longer, have better managed weight, lower blood pressure and healthier cholesterol levels.
• Physical activity is important for healthy growth and development of the cardiorespiratory system as well as bones and muscles of children.
• Physical activity has mental and social health benefits and active people are likely to feel more confident, happy, relaxed and be able to sleep better.

Physical activity provides broader community benefits

Engaging children and young people in enjoyable and positive physical activity may also make a contribution to broader social and community goals including:

• social skill development;
• improved sense of community belonging, identity and cohesion (social capital).

Early prevention is important

• Physical activity behaviour patterns are established early in life. There is some evidence that active children are more likely to become active adults.

How much physical activity is recommended?

• Children should be active every day in as many ways as they can, through play, transport and recreation.
• Additional benefits can be gained from structured moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity such as sport, physical education, dance or planned activity for three or more sessions of twenty minutes or more per week.

The challenge of growing sedentariness

Australian children are exposed to a growing range of sedentary alternatives to physical activities. These include:

• television
• videos
• computer games
• the internet
• homework and additional tutoring

All of these can compete with time for spontaneous or planned physical activity.

Physical activity data for Australian children are not systematically collected at a national level. However, the high prevalence of insufficient physical activity in adults (43%), coupled with high rates of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents aged 10–17 years (21% for boys and 23% for girls), gives rise to major concern.

A responsibility for everyone

Our children must be the focus of renewed efforts to increase population levels of physical activity, and in helping prevent the alarming rise in overweight and obesity evident in Australian adults. While parents and schools have a special role, this is a responsibility that can be shared by the entire community.

Toys Safety

Young children are often described as "accidents waiting to happen." Too often, accidents do occur and may result in eye injuries. Hospital emergency rooms treat an estimated 290,000 product-related eye injuries each year. Children under five years of age make up 10 percent of that number, with most product-related injuries occurring in or around the home and at play.

Toy selection guidelines

• Read all warnings and instructions.
• Consider a child's ability rather than age when purchasing toys; age warnings on toys are not guarantees of safety.
• Avoid toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes, rods and dangerous edges.
• Inspect toys for safe, sturdy construction.
• Repair or replace damaged or defective toys.
• Store toys properly after play to avoid trips and falls.
• Supervise children's craft projects; scissors and glue are among the products most dangerous to a youngster's eyesight.
• Check the lenses and frames of children's sunglasses before buying them; many (particularly the inexpensive, novelty type) can break and cause injuries.
• Stay away from flying toys and projectile-firing toys.
• BB guns are not toys and should not be given to children too young to handle them safely.
• Keep older children's toys away from younger children.
• Children should wear appropriate eye protection for sports (face shields, helmets).

Children and Lying

Honesty and dishonesty are learned in the home. Parents are often concerned when their child or adolescent lies.

Lying that is probably not a serious problem:

Young children (ages 4-5) often make up stories and tell tall tales. This is normal activity because they enjoy hearing stories and making up stories for fun. These young children may blur the distinction between reality and fantasy.

An older child or adolescent may tell a lie to be self-serving (e.g. avoid doing something or deny responsibility for their actions). Parents should respond to isolated instances of lying by talking with the youngster about the importance of truthfulness, honesty and trust.

Some adolescents discover that lying may be considered acceptable in certain situations such as not telling a boyfriend or girlfriend the real reasons for breaking up because they don't want to hurt their feelings. Other adolescents may lie to protect their privacy or to help them feel psychologically separate and independent from their parents (e.g. denying they sneaked out late at night with friends).

Lying that may indicate emotional problems:

Some children, who know the difference between truthfulness and lying, tell elaborate stories which appear believable. Children or adolescents usually relate these stories with enthusiasm because they receive a lot of attention as they tell the lie.

Other children or adolescents, who otherwise seem responsible, fall into a pattern of repetitive lying. They often feel that lying is the easiest way to deal with the demands of parents, teachers and friends. These children are usually not trying to be bad or malicious but the repetitive pattern of lying becomes a bad habit.

There are also some children and adolescents who are not bothered by lying or taking advantage of others. Other adolescents may frequently use lying to cover up another serious problem. For example, an adolescent with a serious drug or alcohol problem will lie repeatedly to hide the truth about where they have been, who they were with, what they were doing, and where the money went.

What to do if a Child or Adolescent lies:

Parents are the most important role models for their children. When a child or adolescent lies, parents should take some time to have a serious talk and discuss:

• the difference between make believe and reality, lying and telling the truth,
• the importance of honesty at home and in the community, and
• alternatives to lying.

If a child or adolescent develops a pattern of lying which is serious and repetitive, then professional help may be indicated. Evaluation by a child and adolescent psychiatrist would help the child and parents understand the lying behavior and would also provide recommendations for the future.

Childhood illnesses

Although the responsibility for a child's oral health rests with the parents, child care providers play an important role in maintaining the oral health of children in child care settings. Knowing a few basic oral health guidelines can greatly help a child care provider's ability to do so.

Although tooth decay is not as common as it used to be, it is still one of the most common diseases in children. Many children still get cavities. While fluoridated drinking water and fluoride-containing toothpaste have helped to improve the oral health of both children and adults, regular toothbrushing and a well-balanced diet are still very important to maintaining good oral health.

Primary, or baby, teeth commonly begin to come in or erupt in a baby's mouth at about 4 to 6 months of age and continue until all 20 have come in at about the age of 2-1/2 years. This eruption of primary teeth, or teething, can cause sore and tender gums that appear red and puffy. To relieve the soreness, give the baby a cold teething ring or washcloth to chew on. Teething medicine is not recommended.

Many primary teeth will not be replaced by permanent teeth for 10 to 12 years. Until that time, they need to be kept healthy to enable a child to chew food, speak, and have an attractive smile. Primary teeth are at risk for decay soon after they erupt. Tooth decay is caused by germs (bacteria) and sugars from food or liquids building up on a tooth. Over time, these bacteria dissolve the enamel, or outer layer, of the tooth. This damaged area is called a cavity. Regular brushing prevents the build-up of bacteria and sugars and the damage they cause.

Baby bottle tooth decay (or nursing bottle mouth) is a leading dental problem for children under 3 years of age. Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when a child's teeth are exposed to sugary liquids, such as formula, fruit juices, and other sweetened liquids for a continuous, extended period of time. The practice of putting a baby to bed with a bottle, which the baby can suck on for hours, is the major cause of this dental condition. The sugary liquid flows over the baby's upper front teeth and dissolves the enamel, causing decay that can lead to infection. The longer the practice continues, the greater the damage to the baby's teeth and mouth. Treatment is very expensive.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has developed the following guidelines for preventing baby bottle tooth decay:

• Don't allow a child to fall asleep with a bottle containing milk, formula, fruit juices, or other sweet liquids. Never let a child walk with a bottle in her mouth.
• Comfort a child who wants a bottle between regular feedings or during naps with a bottle filled with cool water.
• Always make sure a child's pacifier is clean and never dip a pacifier in a sweet liquid.
• Introduce children to a cup as they approach 1 year of age. Children should stop drinking from a bottle soon after their first birthday.
• Notify the parent of any unusual red or swollen areas in a child's mouth or any dark spot on a child's tooth so that the parent can consult the child's dentist.

To prevent infections from spreading through germs found in saliva and blood on toothbrushes, see “Using and Handling Toothbrushes” in the chapter, “Following

Languages: Communication and representationThis area of ​​knowledge and experience also aims to improve relations between the child and the environment. The different forms of communication and representation serve as a link between external and internal world as instruments that enable the representation of reality, the expression of thoughts, feelings and experiences and interactions with others. It includes the following sections:

    * Verbal language.
    * Language audiovisual and information technologies and communication.
    * Language arts.
    * Body language.

Knowledge of the environment

This area of ​​knowledge and experience is to foster in children the process of discovering and representing the contexts that make children's environment and facilitate their entry into them, so reflective and participatory. The contents of this area make sense from the complementarity with other areas, and should be interpreted in the didactic proposals from the totality of the action and learning. For example, the environment can not be understood without the use of different languages, in the same way, the performance of movements must be oriented from the body awareness and spatial location. It includes the following sections:

    * Physical environment: elements, relationships and actions.
    * Closer to nature.
    * Cultural and social life.