Effect of nutritional education on anthropometric deficits among pre-school aged children in south West Ethiopia: quasi-experimental study

Background Under-nutrition is a global problem and one of the most serious public health issues. Globally, 156 million under-five children were stunted, and 50 million were wasted in 2016. Malnutrition among preschool-age children is caused by low socioeconomic status, food insecurity, poor feeding practices, and infectious diseases. This intervention aimed to evaluate the effect of nutrition education delivered through trained health professionals in improving the nutritional status of preschool -aged children. Methods A quasi-experimental design among 588 preschool –aged children was used. A multistage sampling technique followed by a systematic random sampling technique was used to identify caregivers with preschool-aged children. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data. The baseline difference in demographic and socioeconomic characteristics between the two groups was examined using a chi-square test and an independent sample t-test was used to determine the mean difference in under-nutrition between the intervention and control groups. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to determine the change in the difference in outcome between the intervention and control groups as well as the association of predictors with under-nutrition in children. The Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals was reported to show the strength of the association. Variables with a p-value of less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant in multivariable analysis. Results In this study, the nutritional status of preschool age children was significantly associated with nutrition education intervention [AOR = 0.566, 95% CI: (0.347, 0.923)], place of delivery [AOR = 0.724, 95% CI: (0.551, 0.951)], ARI in the last 2 weeks [AOR = 1.823, 95% CI: (1.226, 2.710)], source of drinking water [AOR = 0.624, 95% CI: (0.484, 0.805)] and household food security [AOR = 1.311, 95% CI: (1.030, 1.669)] . Conclusions Findings of this study showed that nutrition education can effectively reduce the magnitude of under-nutrition among preschool children. Under-nutrition was e significantly associated with nutritional education, place of delivery, ARI in the last 2 weeks, source of drinking water, and food security. Therefore, both government and non-government should consider the impacts of nutrition education to alleviate under-nutrition and improve the health status of preschool-age children.

Implementation of Hand Washing Dance Method to Knowledge of Hand Washing Techniques of Preschool Age Children During the Covid 19 Pandemic

Positive habits need to be instilled from an early age, so that children get used to it, including the habit of washing hands with soap. Instilling hand washing techniques in children must be carried out with something unique, for example by playing, so that children feel happy. Hands Washing Dance is packaged expressively according to the character of PAUD (Early Childhood Education) students who prioritize learning while playing, which is expected to foster a sense of enthusiasm for children in washing hands after activities. The purpose of this community service is to provide care for preschool-aged children so that they can practice good hand washing techniques with the handwashing dance method during the Covid-19 Pandemic Period”. The method used is an observation method. Results: from the results of the pretest, 60% of respondents got bad criteria, and 40% of other respondents got very bad criteria. After applying the Hand Washing Dance and doing the post test the results were 10% of respondents with sufficient results, and 90% of respondents with good results. Conclusion: The ability of the respondent to wash hands after using the Handwashing dance method increased.

Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six: Validation of Language Skills in the Jamaican Context

The Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS) is one of a few validated outcome measures related to children’s communicative participation. Additional validation of the FOCUS measure could address the paucity of validated outcomes-based measures available for assessing preschool-age children, particularly for those who are multilingual. The data collected for this study, with a representative sample of Jamaican Creole-English speaking children, extend the applicability of the FOCUS to a broader range of preschoolers and expand psychometric evidence for the FOCUS to a multilingual and understudied context.

Penerapan Kompres Hangat Terhadap Penurunan Suhu Tubuh Anak Demam Usia Pra-Sekolah

Fever is a condition where body temperature exceeds normal limit, caused by an increase in the temperature-regulating center in the hypothalamus. Warm compress is an easy way to lower body temperature. This type of compress involves a clean cloth soaked in warm water, which is applied to the skin. The purpose of this case study is to evaluate a warm compress method in reducing fever. Two preschool-aged children with fever were treated by warm compresses. The results of this case study showed that the first and second patients experienced a decrease in body temperature after warm compresses. Body temperature for the first patient was 39ºC and dropped to normal (37ºC). meanwhile, the second patient temperature was 38,7ºC dropped to 36,5ºC. The conclusion of this study is warm compress can reduce body temperature in children with fever. Nurses or patients may be albe to apply warm compresses as a first ald in reducing fever.Keywords: Preschool Age Children, Fever, Warm Compress AbstrakDemam adalah kondisi suhu tubuh melebihi batas normal yang diakibatkan oleh meningkatnya pusat pengatur suhu di hipotalamus. Salah satu tindakan untuk menurunkan suhu tubuh anak yaitu dengan kompres hangat. Kompres adalah pemeliharaan suhu tubuh dengan menggunakan cairan atau alat yang dapat menimbulkan hangat atau dingin pada bagian tubuh. Tujuan dilakukan penerapan ini untuk mengambarkan penerapan kompres hangat terhadap penurunan suhu tubuh anak demam usia prasekolah. Metode yang digunakan dalam studi kasus ini adalah penelitian deskriptif dengan subyek dua pasien anak usia prasekolah yang mengalami demam. Hasil dari studi kasus ini menunjukan bahwa klien pertama dan kedua mengalami penurunan suhu tubuh setelah dilakukan kompres hangat, pada kasus 1 suhu awal 39ºC setelah dilakukan kompres hangat suhu menjadi 37,1ºC, sedangkan pada kasus 2 dengan suhu awal 38,7ºC setelah dilakukan kompres hangat suhu menjadi 36,5ºC. Kesimpulannya adalah pemberian kompres hangat dapat menurunkan suhu tubuh pada anak dengan demam. Saran bagi perawat dan orangtua untuk dapat menerapkan kompres hangat sebagai alternatif menurunkan suhu tubuh anak dengan demam.Kata kunci: Anak Usia Prasekolah, Demam, Kompres Hangat

Eating behavior of preschool-age children during social distancing period due to COVID-19

The aim of the study was to investigate the eating behavior of preschool children during the social isolation period of the first wave of COVID-19 in Fortaleza, Ceará. This is a cross-sectional observational study, carried out with caregivers of preschool children aged from 2 to 6 years. The PENSE questionnaire (IBGE) was used to collect socio-economic data and the data referring to eating behavior was used the CEBQ. 286 parents (mother and father) and their children participated in the research, of which 53.8% were female. The preschoolers in the study constituted 5.2% of infant I, 9.8% infant II, 14.7% infant III, 20.6% infant IV, 23.1% infant V, 15.4% 1-year elementary school and 11.2% did not attend school. As for the education of most mothers, 83.9% completed higher education. Regarding the number of people who lived in the household, 44.4% lived with 4 people and 73.1% had 1 child. The highest mean values ​​are present in the dimension "Pleasure to eat" (EF) and "Response to satiety" (SR), while the lowest refer to the dimensions "About Emotional Intake" (EOE) and "Response to food" (FR). The statistical results of the “Food Fussiness” (FF) subscale point out important aspects about the selectivity in the sample of the present study, demonstrating a good tendency to picky eating. The dimension with the lowest mean was “Emotional Overeating”, demonstrating that when confined due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preschoolers still have EOE lower than all other subscales. It follows that children in preschool stage have presented a higher prevalence in subscales that are linked to food avoidance behavior.

A multilevel analysis of the social determinants associated with symptoms of acute respiratory infection among preschool age children in Pakistan: A population-based survey

Background As advocated by WHO in “Closing the Health Gap in a Generation”, dramatic differences in child health are closely linked to degrees of social disadvantage, both within and between communities. Nevertheless, research has not examined whether child health inequalities include, but are not confined to, worse acute respiratory infection (ARI) symptoms among the socioeconomic disadvantaged in Pakistan. In addition to such disadvantages as the child’s gender, maternal education, and household poverty, the present study also examined the linkages between the community environment and ARI symptoms among Pakistan children under five. Furthermore, we have assessed gender contingencies related to the aforementioned associations. Methods Using data from the nationally representative 2017–2018 Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey, a total of 11,908 surviving preschool age children (0–59 months old) living in 561 communities were analyzed. We employed two-level multilevel logistic regressions to model the relationship between ARI symptoms and individual-level and community-level social factors. Results The social factors at individual and community levels were found to be significantly associated with an increased risk of the child suffering from ARI symptoms. A particularly higher risk was observed among girls who resided in urban areas (AOR = 1.42; p<0.01) and who had a birth order of three or greater. Discussions Our results underscore the need for socioeconomic interventions in Pakistan that are targeted at densely populated households and communities within urban areas, with a particular emphasis on out-migration, in order to improve unequal economic underdevelopment. This could be done by targeting improvements in socio-economic structures, including maternal education.