CHILDHOOD

The years from two to adolescence are mostly taken up with growing, being educated, and learning to interact
with the family and society at large. By the time children are five and ready to start school, most of their behaviour
problems will have settled down.

A growing child needs a well-balanced diet to provide all the kilojoules, vitamins and minerals that are essential
to maintain physical and mental development. The  child's diet  should  include meat and  fish with plenty of  fresh
vegetables and fruit, as well as adequate calcium, usually from milk, to ensure strong and healthy bones.
Some children start to dislike sleep and to rebel against going to bed. Generally a child will be more amenable
to an early bedtime if a regular routine is adhered to and there is no question that bedtime has arrived. A child who
persistently appears  for a chat after being put  to bed, or constantly asks  for a drink of water or  to go  to  the  toilet,
should  have  its  request met  once  and  then  be  put  to  bed  firmly with  no  further  excuses  for  delay  allowed. Of
course, many children develop a fear of the dark at this time, and if this is the reason for a toddler's reluctance to
stay in bed, a night-light may solve the problem.
Children should have their teeth checked every six months to ensure that the teeth are growing as they should
and  that  they  are  free  from  decay.  Checks  on  hearing  and  vision  are  normally  carried  out  through  the  school
system. A child who  is suspected of having difficulties with hearing or seeing should be  tested without delay, as
these handicaps can affect all areas of  learning and general ability  to  function.  It  is vitally  important  to make sure
that  a  child  has  strong,  healthy  feet,  and  this  depends  almost  entirely  on  their  shoes.  All  children  should  have
shoes that support their feet, protect them and allow them freedom to grow.
Children are affected by repeated infectious viral infections. Serious diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella
and  whooping  cough  are  now  rare  since  the  introduction  of  immunisation  programs.  Scarlet  fever  and  other
bacterial  infections can be  readily cured by antibiotics. Coughs and colds are part and parcel of school  life, and
most children will get such infections every few months. An otherwise healthy child will usually have a few days of
feeling off-colour and then fight off the infection and return to health.
Accidents are a hazard of the childhood years. Obviously this is because a normal healthy child leads an active
outdoor  life,  riding bicycles,  swimming,  climbing  trees and  taking part  in  various other activities. Falls,  fractures,
knee  injuries,  sprained  ankles  and  dislocated  shoulders  are  commonplace  in  the  five  to  twelve  age  group.
Fortunately, most  of  these  heal  quickly  and  completely  if  given  appropriate  care. Nevertheless  some  accidents
should  not  happen.  Parents  need  to  give  their  child  a  basic understanding of safety, and to steer a balance
between  allowing  the  child  freedom  to  explore  and  develop  its  independence,  and  sufficient  supervision  and
protection  to ensure  that serious  injury does not occur. The odd sprained wrist or ankle  from  falling off a bike  is
probably inevitable in an active youngster's life, but being knocked off the bike by a car with possible serious and
lifelong repercussions is a quite different matter.