Standards to follow to ensure the health and safety of children

Standards to follow to ensure the health and safety of children

Children, since their birth, have captured the full attention of their parents, starting from the way they are fed until they obtain all the health and safety standards required for children to live in a safe and warm atmosphere, as children’s immunity is a fragile thing, and needs special care to help maintain their health. Proper nutrition is the key to building their natural defenses:

• It is important to ensure that they eat a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals, especially zinc, to strengthen their immune system.
• Parents should ensure that their children receive the necessary vaccinations in stages to provide the best protection.
• Supplementing their diet with fruits and vegetables, as well as avoiding dehydration by drinking plenty of water, can help boost their immunity.
• Finally, be sure to keep up with regular checkups with your doctor as part of a proactive approach to maintaining a strong immune system.

Child safety is the practice of protecting children from harm, abuse and exploitation. It involves creating safe environments for children to grow and develop healthily, as well as providing them with the skills and knowledge needed to keep themselves safe. Child safety includes:

• Providing a safe physical, emotional and social environment for children, as well as promoting their rights and well-being.
• It also includes developing policies and procedures to protect children from abuse, neglect or exploitation.
• Child health safety involves raising awareness among adults about their responsibility to protect children and educating children about the risks they may face.

Because we all want the best for our children, and that includes keeping them safe and healthy , in this blog, we will take a look at the standards that must be followed to ensure the health and safety of children, from proper nutrition to physical activity, we will cover it all so that you can provide your children with the best possible upbringing.

What are the health and safety standards for children?

From birth, it is essential to ensure the health and safety of children. High-quality care is an integral part of the right to health, the path to justice and the preservation of the dignity of women and children.

There are many steps that parents and caregivers can take to protect a child's health from birth, including:

1- Sterilization to maintain the safety and health of children

Sterilization is very important. It is a comprehensive process of removing or killing microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses, from things that the child may come into contact with, such as toys, food, and utensils used to feed the child.

• Ensure that the child's environment is free of any harmful bacteria or viruses.
• Pay careful attention to the instructions for preparing baby food formulas and to the rules for the safe and effective use of cleaning supplies.
• Sterilize the tools that can be shared between children and nannies regularly, this way, we can make sure that our children are safe and healthy.

2- Protecting children from diseases

Protecting children from diseases is an important part of ensuring their health and well-being. Simple habits such as:

• Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds helps prevent the spread of disease in classrooms and other places where children gather.
• Countries are concerned about the problem of child injuries as well as infectious diseases, and humanitarian organizations provide guidance on how to protect children from such diseases.
• To protect children from infection in the winter, pediatricians recommend some simple tips, such as avoiding contact with sick people, washing hands regularly and thoroughly, and making sure that toys do not transmit diseases between children. Parents should also note when a child's cough or other symptoms prevent them from going to school.

Ultimately, these simple habits and precautions can help ensure that children stay healthy and protected from illness.

3- Proper nutrition for the child

Breastfeeding is a natural and adaptive form of infant nutrition, and has many benefits for both mother and baby.

• Research has shown that breastfeeding helps reduce the mother's risk of ovarian and breast cancer, as well as reducing bleeding immediately after childbirth.
• It helps provide ideal nutrition for the baby and is the best source of nutrition for infants.
• Pediatricians recommend exclusively breastfeeding infants during the first three months of life.
• Although babies may be fed formula, it is not recommended over breastfeeding. Breastfeeding protection laws are in place to ensure that young babies receive this ideal form of nutrition.

4- Vaccination against diseases

Vaccination is an important part of keeping children healthy and safe. Vaccines are available to protect against a variety of preventable diseases, such as:

• Tuberculosis
• Hepatitis B
• Diphtheria
• whooping cough
• Tetanus
• polio

Vaccines help protect children from serious diseases that can cause harm or death, as their immune systems are still developing.

Vaccines can also help protect mother and baby from diseases, as the immunity gained from the vaccine during pregnancy is passed on to the baby.

Furthermore, delaying vaccination leaves the child exposed to diseases that could have been protected from.

5- Psychological comfort for children

Caring for children’s health begins when you start thinking about and wanting to get pregnant. Psychological comfort is an important factor. Parents should avoid exposing the child to psychological pressure and provide them with emotional support.

• Hospitals rely on psychological comfort to support children's health during their stay, provide psychological comfort to families, and speed up the recovery process.
• A psychologist can offer advice on how to help children cope with loss and grief during the coronavirus pandemic.
• Additionally, parents can help maintain their children's mental health by creating a safe and stable environment, focusing on positivity, and reducing prolonged exposure to screens.
• Taking frequent breaks, getting enough sleep, and providing mental health care for children are also important steps.

6- Exercise and social activities

Playing sports is an important part of a child's development, as it not only helps them maintain their physical health and safety, but it also helps them learn important social skills.

• Regular participation in physical activities and sports helps children keep their weight under control, develop their muscles, and improve their overall health.
• Examples of physical activities include biking, cycling, playing sports, and recreational activities.
• The UAE particularly supports sports and physical activity, offering many sports clubs and activities, including falconry, horse racing and camel racing.
• According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, adults should make time to exercise each week to stay healthy.
• Choosing the right sport or activity for your child can be difficult, so it's important to consider age-appropriate fitness activities.

7- Periodic follow-up of the child’s health

Regular monitoring of a child's health is important to ensure their growth and development. Regular doctor visits, also known as well-child visits, allow parents to receive information about their child's progress.

• During these visits, the doctor will educate parents about the child's sleep, nutrition, behavior, safety, exercise, and good health habits.
• The doctor will check for any physical abnormalities such as difficulty tracking objects with the eye, chronic eye redness, crossed eyes (strabismus), changes in eye color, or a white/black spot in the eye.
• The Ministry of Health has also updated the child immunization program by adding oral polio vaccine at the age of four.
• It is important for mothers to be aware of the stages of motor and neurological development to understand how to interact with their children.
• As needed, additional tests may be performed to diagnose the condition of the fetus.
• Some tests are provided in the health services basket, but parents should inquire with the health fund if they need to finance additional tests.
• Finally, comprehensive examinations and tests can help the doctor warn of any abnormal signs that may affect the health and safety of the children.

Child Safety Standards

As for child safety, there are more than one standard to achieve this, including:

1- Protecting children from bullying

Protecting children from bullying is an important measure to maintain the health and safety of children.

• School administrators should ensure that child safety and protection policies are in place, and that teachers are aware of bullying and how to address it.
• The school should provide resources to identify needs, and the Ministry of Education's Child Protection Unit should be contacted in the event of a serious case of bullying.
• Awareness activities should also be implemented to ensure that students and parents are informed about bullying prevention measures.

2- Protecting children from domestic violence

To ensure the safety and health of children, it is important to protect them from domestic violence, as it is the responsibility of parents and the government to provide all necessary opportunities to preserve the child's right to life, survival and development, and to protect him from any form of neglect, exploitation, harm and physical or psychological violence.

This can be done through the Child Protection Committees present in the seven emirates within the UAE and help parents become the best they can be. The Child Protection Law defines the child’s rights to care, reporting and examination of violations of the law, its regulations and the time of its implementation.

3- Securing educational facilities

The UAE government is committed to ensuring children’s rights and has taken many steps to ensure the safety and health of children in educational institutions. To this end:

• The government launched the (Himayati) application to report any child abuse, and provided general and practical safety measures.
• The Environment, Health and Safety Department of Abu Dhabi Education Council has completed field inspections and training for public and private schools.
• The Health Authority website also provides instructions and regulations for medical and pharmaceutical facilities.
• Early childhood centers take measures to maintain the health and safety of children, such as providing material needs for survival and protection, providing assistance in the field of maternal and child health, and establishing hospitals in various sectors.

4- Health and safety training required for adults who care for children

All adults who care for children should receive training in key health and safety topics in order to ensure the safety of the children in their care.

• Training in first aid and CPR, safe sleep practices, shaken baby syndrome prevention, and emergency preparedness.
• Requirements vary by state and may require additional training such as fire safety.
• It is important for providers to understand health and safety training requirements in order to create a safe environment for children.

5- Use safe products

In addition to the above criteria,

• Organizations must consider the safety of products and services used by children.
• Most products have applicable safety standards that organizations must adhere to.
• Organizations should also take into account International Labour Organization (ILO) standards that aim to prevent occupational safety and health issues.

This ensures that the products and services used by children are safe and appropriate for their use.

6- Encouraging children to be aware of the risks.

It is also important to help children develop an understanding of risks and how to manage them, including:

• Teaching them about child health safety at home, on the road, in public places and on the internet.
• Through these conversations, children can learn how to identify risks, how to avoid them, and when it is safe for them to take risks, such as when playing outdoors.
• To further support their safety and well-being, parents should follow some simple rules such as setting a good example, closely supervising their children and talking to them about internet safety.

7- Preventing child abuse

It is essential to be aware of the signs of abuse and neglect, and to have strategies to prevent it.

Effective prevention strategies focus on modifying community policies, practices, and norms to create safe, stable, and caring relationships and environments.

The seven strategies are:

• Implementing and enforcing laws, standards and values
• Safe environments
• Parental support
• Caregiver support
• Income and social support
• Education and awareness
• Responding to and reporting abuse

8- Health and safety requirements for schools and early learning service leaders

It is essential that school leaders and early learning services are aware of the health and safety requirements of children.

• They must ensure that all staff are properly trained and that their premises meet the necessary standards.
• Ensure they have systems in place to reduce risks to children, and that they provide information, education and communication resources to help children understand and stay safe.
• Schools have a role to play in reviewing and updating their child health safety policies on a regular basis.
• They should provide first aid supplies and conduct regular risk assessments to identify potential hazards.
• Finally, schools must adhere to national health and safety performance standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency.

How does the UAE support children's health safety?

The UAE is committed to protecting the health and safety of all its children, and has taken many steps to ensure their well-being, including:

• The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge has put in place specific protocols and precautionary measures that all educational institutions must follow.
• GEMS Education (the leading education provider in the UAE) has also implemented strict measures to protect the safety of students, staff and parents.
• The country is dedicated to supporting the Paris Principles for National Human Rights Institutions, meeting occupational health and safety standards for children, and providing first aid supplies to schools and early learning services.
• Children in nurseries are regularly screened to ensure their health is monitored.

The UAE makes great efforts to protect all children within its borders by enforcing laws that support their well-being, as well as providing them with education, good health and other facilities.

Finally, from the moment of birth, it is important to ensure that the child grows in a safe and healthy environment. To achieve this, parents and guardians must take the necessary steps to protect and care for their children. For physical safety, the American Pediatrics Association recommends breastfeeding for the first six months of life. To ensure a safe sleeping environment, the child should be in the same room as the parent or guardian for the first year. To further ensure the safety of children’s health, it is important to secure any drawers or cabinets that are close to the child’s reach. Children’s bodies need intensive care to ensure their safety and good health. This includes providing a healthy environment for the child, encouraging and empathizing with him, and implementing appropriate hygiene and feeding practices. In addition, children need appropriate medical care to treat any diseases or illnesses. Moreover, healthcare professionals must be properly trained to provide the highest quality of service when caring for children with special needs such as autism. All of these factors are essential to ensure the health and safety of children and their bodies.