COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS

The early childhood years can pose significant health risks to the growing and maturing child. Injuries are the lead­ing cause of death in children between the ages of 1 and 4 years; only adolescents experience more injuries. Loco­motion, together with a lack of awareness of danger, places toddlers and preschoolers at special risk for injuries. Motor vehicle accidents are responsible for almost 50% of all ac­cidental deaths in this group. Many of the injuries and deaths can be prevented by appropriate seat belts and re­straints in car seats. Other major causes of injuries include drowning, burns, poisoning, falls, aspiration and suffoca­tion, and bodily damage.⁷

Infectious diseases can be a problem for children dur­ing early childhood because of their susceptibility. This also

may be the time when children first enter day care, which increases their exposure to other children and infectious diseases. The major disorders include the communicable childhood diseases (e.g., common cold, influenza, varicella [chicken pox], and gastrointestinal tract infections).⁶

Child maltreatment is an increasing problem in the United States. Although the numbers vary according to the methods and definitions used, the best estimates indi­cate that approximately 1.4 million children in the United States undergo some form of abuse.³³ Child maltreatment includes physical and emotional neglect, physical abuse, and sexual abuse. Neglect is the most common type of maltreatment and can take the form of deprivation of basic necessities or failure to meet the child's emotional needs. It is often attributed to poor parenting skills. Phys­ical abuse is the deliberate infliction of injury. The cause is probably multifactorial, with predisposing factors that in­clude the parent, child, and environment. Sexual abuse is on the rise and includes a spectrum of types. The typical abuser is male. Children often do not report the abuse be­cause they are afraid of not being believed.⁷,³³

In summary, early childhood is defined as the period from 18 months to 5 years of age-the toddler and preschool years. Growth and development continue but are not as dramatic as during the prenatal and infancy periods. Early childhood is a time when most organ systems reach maturity and the child becomes an independent, mobile being. There continue to be significant health risks during this period, especially from in­fectious diseases and injuries. Injuries are the leading cause of death during this period. Child abuse is rapidly increasing as a major health problem.