Middle Childhood Health Concerns
Taylor Brown
Hearing
- Awareness of midrange sounds develop first
- followed by high-range and low-range
- Untreated ear infections can cause permanent hearing loss
- The Eustachian tube helps prevents bacteria and fluids from moving from mouth and the ear
Vision
- By age 6 most children are ready to read
- Many preschoolers are somewhat farsighted (can see object far clearly)
- Throughout middle childhood, nearsighted (can see objects close up clear)
- Estimated 25% of children will need to have their vision corrected by the end of the school years
Teeth
- Begin losing their primary or "baby" teeth
- The first teeth to fall out are the central incisors (lower and upper front teeth)
- Facial bones will grow to help accommodate the larger, permanent teeth
- Tooth loss can have can have a psychological effect on some children
- Most common health problem is tooth decay
Obesity
- Children will tend to have less friends
- As a result low self esteem
- Environment, genetics, and family stress are and can be factors to a child's weight gain
- A child's eating habits can be affected by abuse, death of family member, alcoholism, or divorce
- Obesity is commonly now days by always watching television, and playing video games rather than playing outside and being active
- Obesity can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes