Quality Health Care Improves Children's Learning Abilities

Quality healthcare begins in the womb. The child's development depends on the mother being healthy. An undernourished child, born to a mother who did not receive quality healthcare is often times off to an unhealthy start. This may include slow brain development, leading to learning disabilities. Each child deserves the best quality healthcare to start their young lives, so that they have an optimum advantage to learn.

Types of Quality Care

When we think of quality healthcare we consider normal childhood check ups and scheduled immunizations. Healthcare goes much deeper than "required" appointments. Healthcare is also much more than going to the doctor when your child is sick. There are many types of preventative measures to insure your child is healthy and ready to learn.

Quality eye care is important for a child's learning. Yearly check ups may not catch significant problems in time. If the child cannot see the chalk board well, or cannot read or understand the assignment due to eye problems, he or she can not learn. The child may not realize there is a problem; therefore the parent does not know either.

Getting your child's eyesight checked on a regular basis is essential to catch any eye problems at an early state. Watching the child for any signs of squinting or misreading of words will also signal any eye problems. Dyslexia goes undetected in many children; instead they are labeled as under achievers, or poor students, when in fact the child has a medical problem.

Hearing tests are often overlooked on children. A child with a hearing problem will withdraw and consider their self "dumb" when in fact the child can not hear what the teacher is saying. They may even hear the answers wrong and believe they know the material.

Quality healthcare will catch the poor eyesight or hearing. Perhaps the problem is as simple as eyeglasses or a hearing aide. The child will then be able to see the chalk board and hear the teacher's words! Quality healthcare is a tool to our children's future.

Quality Physical Healthcare

Many children attend school when they are ill because their parents can not afford to take them to a doctor. The child may be suffering from a sore throat, an ear ache or even a toothache, due to lack of quality healthcare. The child is so focused on his/her pain and misery that she/he is unable to listen to the teacher. A happy healthy child is more attentive. But this attentiveness can only be achieved with quality health care.

Schools recognize the importance of quality healthcare and learning. Many have policies and programs to help students and families promote good health and nutrition. Governments also have programs designed to help promote healthy kids through quality health care. A healthy mind and body is imperative to an alert, ready to learn child. A healthy body nourishes the brain, keeping it healthy and primed for learning. If you cannot afford quality healthcare for your child, check with local agencies to see if you can get help.

Some states have programs to insure the health of Mother and child (W.I.C. Women Infants and Children) and offer health check ups until the child is age 5. Some counties offer health departments, where they will assist you in getting the care you need for your child. Check phone books and internets to see if help is available in your area.

Sources:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1403595/pdf/pubhealthrep00075-0005.pdf Collection of Healthy Care Articles and Studies (PDF)http://www.raisesmartkid.com/raise-smart-kid-articles/how-eye-health-affect-kids-learning.html Eye Health and Learninghttp://www.mchoralhealth.org/pdfs/learningfactsheet.pdf Dental healthcare and Learninghttp://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/554440/658678 Health and Learning Studies