Health Education Question

Nurses General Nursing

Published

  1. What is the best age to start health education?

    • 23
      5 - 7
    • 2
      7 - 9
    • 1
      9 - 11
    • 0
      11 - 13

26 members have participated

Hey everyone,

This just a spur of the moment question. But when do you all think that it is an appropriate time to start teaching children about their bodies? A couple of weeks ago, I was at my uncle's house and he has two boys (ages 4 and 5). One of them got interested in scars and broken arms.

Andrew is 5 yrs old, and somehow we got on the topic of broken bones and old wounds. Anyway, so I showed him him a scar I had from a compound fracture of my left elbow (where they drilled pins in to set it). I also showed him a scar that I gave myself when I had a simple fracture of my left wrist (I had taken some rulers and stuck down my cast to scratch an itch I had.

One thing led to another, I taught him about how he has bones under his skin. Taught about his joints, cartilidge, and even how to check his own pulse (including the pulse of others lol). When I taught him how to find a vein to check a pulse, his eyes lit up unbelieveably when he found his own pulse for the first time. He then started located veins all over himself, his dad, and me.

Recently, he just lost his first tooth. I too lost some teeth, but it was because they were unsalvagable and in preparation for me to get a denture. I made the mistake of telling about this. And he has been bugging me to see my bottom jaw as it is toothless now.

I am wondering if I have created a young doctor or nurse now lol. Please let me know what everyone thinks about this. And please put your input in the poll.

Nick

My daughter just turned 6 and we started the discussion on "good" touching and "bad touching". She's doing very well with it. She is also finding it fascinating to find veins and her pulse in different places and on the dog. She loves playing with my stethescope. So, for me, the cool age to start is 5. They are fascinated by just about anything and love the attention! My dog is less than impressed with her exploring on him, however. :D

kids seem to learn more when they are younger so the earlier you start teaching them the better.

Poor dog LasVegaRN lol. I best your daughter wants to be a nurse too at that age.

Nick

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

umm NONE of the answers fit my opinion...to me, it starts when they start to talk and point to their "parts" ...i have taught correct anatomical names of each part and how to care for it since nearly BIRTH w/my kids. I believe the SOONER THE BETTER. My ds, 10, is not afraid to ask me frank questions pertaining to health, sexuality, or anything else that pops up....and I believe it is because of the honest dialogue that takes place from early on.

Hmm, point well taken. i should have though to make that an option in the poll.

It is very good that you have that sort of a repoir with your kids. I wish more parents would do the same thing. Granted, I am relatively young, not married, and no kids. I see the importance of starting early with education, discipline, and other important factors in a child's growth and development.

Nick

Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.

My son, when quite young, really latched on to the germ concept that his preschool presented. He talked about this, and wanted the whole family to elaborate on, germs and their transmission (to his sisters disgust!). Of course now that he's 12 he can't even be bothered to remember to shower every morning, but that's another topic. He still remembers, just doesn't practice, his germ control!

OMG Germ control!! My son was up at work one day ( We encourage the schools to bring the kids up to visit out ressies, both kids and ressies love it!) and the inf. control C.N. was there, taught the kids that soap was like a slip'n'slide for germs, they loved the whole idea and washed thier hands every time they came out of one room and into the next!! We had to replace nearly all the containers! LOL!!. My boys started learnig anatomical names and if asked they name them correctly, but since they started school..... well, you know the story. I started as soon as they talked, along with wall, cat, dog etc.

I think the more comfortable we are with our skins the more comfortable the kids are. We don't get the giggles if they see stuff on T.V. which is interesting though, don't know quite what to make of it, guess they've seen it all before ( BIG towel shortage in our house, they keep getting used as tents and the like so we have to search for them, not a lot of fun in winter. ):eek:

Ya know, if the kids started reaching for the gloves, that you all over did a little lol. But I can see how the earlier the education the bettter. Its like the kid in Kindergarden Cop who blatently told Arnold what girls and boys have lol. I think that if ever kid started to say that at that age, many people would be shocked and appaled lol. What would be even more shocking would be a kid assisting in cpr by taking the victim's pulse. Granted, the kid would have be trusted 100% in this skill.

Nick

My two older boys( 10 & 8) do St. John Ambulance, I think the know cpr better than some of the adults I work with LOL!!!

oh boy! Now that is scary lol.

Nick

PS: Priase to you and your boys in my opinion.

Specializes in Clinical Risk Management.
Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

umm NONE of the answers fit my opinion...to me, it starts when they start to talk and point to their "parts" ...i have taught correct anatomical names of each part and how to care for it since nearly BIRTH w/my kids. I believe the SOONER THE BETTER. My ds, 10, is not afraid to ask me frank questions pertaining to health, sexuality, or anything else that pops up....and I believe it is because of the honest dialogue that takes place from early on.

Ditto what you said, SmilingBluEyes! My little girl is 5 & has been getting straight answers ever since she started asking the questions. My DH & I began discussing good touch, bad touch with her a year ago.

We talk about germs, handwashing, & even where babies come from. We haven't talked much about HOW they get into a mommy's belly yet, but I'm sure that question will occur in due time.:eek:

+ Add a Comment