Announcements:

• The teaching assistant for this class is Wendy Hurley. If there are any questions about the course or related materials please email her at wlh127@psu.edu
• All reading assignments should be completed before class.

Lecture notes:
 
  Why is health education important in the lives of children?

• Health related decisions are based on beliefs learned during childhood. The goal of elementary health education is to teach life skills that can lead to good health habits.

Health topics/issues related to children

• Environmental-- examples include child abuse lead in paint
• Chronic--examples include chronic illnesses such as diabetes
• Substance Use--examples include tobacco alcohol drugs
• Personal Health--examples include hygiene and dehydration
• Nutrition--an example is the amount of junk food a child consumes
• Physical Activity--a related issue is obesity
• Family Life Education--this deals with human sexuality
• Injury Prevention--such as safety issues
• Consumer Health--children are brought up to be consumers in our society
• Body Systems--examples include the respiratory system and the digestive system