Health education course, chapter 1 - part 1: serving children's

Healthy children can learn

The United Nations Cyber Schoolbus tells us about essential issues surrounding health.

FACT :

Infectious diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. Of 52.2 million deaths in 1997, at least 17.3 million were due toinfectious diseases.

FACT:

Thirty new diseases have been identified over the past 20 years, among them the deadly Ebola and HIV/AIDS.

FACT:

In the long history of struggle against infectious diseases, humans have only managed to conquer one: smallpox, which wasdeclared eradicated in 1980.

HOPE:

Polio, already eliminated from the western hemisphere, is targeted for global eradication by the year 2000.

What will world health look like at the end of the millennium?

Who will be infected, who's likely to be safe? What is the relation between poverty and disease? Will we eradicate otherdiseases? What are these new viruses?

But wait, let's take it from the beginning. What are infectious diseases anyway? What are viruses and bacteria? How do we defendagainst them?

These small units of study shall provide you, the teacher, with some crucial information you need to be an effectivecaregiver for the children you teach.

Protection against insects - mosquito nets and checking for ticks

This site describes precautionary measures against malaria: Preventing Malaria

Mosquito Nets

Insect-borne infections, such as malaria, can be reduced 10-20 times by mosquito netting. An ideal mosquito net would have amesh size of 1.2mmX1.2mm and be made of synthetic material or cotton. The net should be wide enough to cover the body but should not touch the body, asinsects may then reach the skin through the mesh. The net should completely surround the human so that there are no open gaps through which the insectsmay enter. Holes should be checked for often, and the net should not be washed. If sprayed with insecticide every six months, the net is much moreeffective as it then kills any mosquitoes who do enter. For this reason, people already infected with insect-borne illnesses should sprayinsecticide on their mosquito nets every two weeks, as this will kill any mosquitoes that do feed off the infected bodies and become diseasecarriers. Permethrin is a safe insecticide that paralyzes mosquitos.

Ideally the nets should be impregnated with the insecticide and would last for six months.

Checking for Ticks

One advantage about ticks is that they do not fly; they can only attach themselves to humans who brush against them. Ticks are mostlikely to be found in grassy or shrubby areas. They are black and round. If in a tick-infested area, be sure to visually check everyone before leaving. Donot miss hidden places such as under the armpits, or behind the knees. If you find a tick, detach it immediately to prevent further penetration of theskin. If too resistant to hand plucking, use tweezers to pull it out. Then wash the surrounding skin with soap and water.

Protection against insects - wearing proper clothes

Wearing Proper Clothing