California State University, Chico

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

HCSV 363 CHILD HEALTH

Section 01 TRACS # 2773

Wed 6:00 – 8:50 in Butte 229

Instructor: Linda Morrison Ory, MSN, FNP

 

OFFICE:                                 Butte 606

OFFICE HOURS:                  Wed 5:00 – 6:00 and  by appointment

PHONE:                                 898-4620 #1

E-mail:                                    lory@csuchico.edu, May use portal e-mail

 

DESCRIPTION OF COURSE: 

This course is part of the Upper Division Theme: The Child. For this course to count towards the theme, you must have already completed 45 semester units.

Child health is an examination of the status, needs, and trends in the health of America’s children, including selected racial/ethnic groups.  This course will present an overview of physical growth and development from the prenatal period to early adolescence and include discussion of common health problems, causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention of childhood illnesses.  The course will also address selected health issues such as diet, physical activity, stress, violence, drugs, sexuality, and environmental risks faced by today’s children.  An overview of current and potential health services and prevention programs for children will be given.

COURSE READING MATERIALS:

ATTENTON:  There is NO text for this course.

Child Health-related articles and websites are posted on the WebCT course pages.  There are readings for each week linked to the site. Please complete all readings before the class.

THEME OBJECTIVES:

This course is part of the upper division theme, The Child.  In order to receive theme credit, you must have completed at least 45 units of coursework.  This course, Child Health, includes principles and current knowledge from the Natural Sciences and the Behavioral and Social Sciences.  The theme objectives will be met by using at least five of the six unifying concepts (the six Es).

1.      Epistemology: Students will explore alternative explanations of how children come to know or comprehend the nature of the physical universe and social world in which they live.      

2.      Evolution: Students will investigate whether or not childhood and notions of childhood have actually evolved, and, if they have, in what manner.  They also will delve into one of the great controversies of the past three centuries: the contributions of heredity and environment to the development of thought, behavior, and personality.   Finally, students will consider whether childhood is a true developmental stage in the ontogeny of an adult or merely a social construction of wealthy cultures.

3.      Economics: Students will consider the distribution of both wealth and power in a society and its implications for children and the nature of the impact of economic factors upon children and their development (especially the extremes of poverty and bounty).

2.      Ethnicity: Students will focus on questions such as the pros and cons of raising children to maintain their ethnic identities in pluralistic societies, and whether or not homogeneous societies are preferable to heterogeneous ones.

3.      Experience: Students will explore the significance of early experience and the extent to which early experiences set a child on a more or less irrevocable path, and the influence of numerous socializing agents in society (e.g. parents, teachers, peers), and experience in general.

4.      Epidemiology: Students will study the factors that determine the origin, frequency, and distribution of diseases in children.  They will also learn ways to alter these factors to prevent or delay negative health outcomes.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

The student will be able to:

1.      List the types of research utilized in the study of the health of the child and distinguish the scientific

method from hearsay in interpreting material written about the health of children.

2.      Discuss the status and trends in the health of America’s children with special attention to selected national studies.

3.      Distinguish the differences in health status and need among ethnic and racial subgroups and explore the variables affecting health status and need, giving special attention to the effects of poverty.

4.      Describe the stages that influence the physical development of the child from conception to early adolescence, including genetic and environmental influences.

5.      Analyze the genetic and cultural influences upon the development of sexuality of the child from conception to adolescence, including issues such as homosexuality, sex education and child sexual abuse.

6.      List and discuss the common diseases and disorders occurring from conception to early adolescence: description, cause, prevalence, risk factors, symptoms, treatment, prevention and measures.

7.      Analyze the major factors influencing the health of the child (early experience, diet, physical activity, accidents, stress, violence, drug use and sexuality) and be able to list ways that parents, teachers, community workers and policy makers can enhance health promotion behaviors.

8.      Analyze the risks the physical environment places upon the health of the child and be able to discuss several advocacy efforts to counteract their negative influence.

9.      Address social influences and public policy regarding the quality and availability of health services for children, including past, current, and future directions with special attention to the impoverished.

10.  Discuss the role of the parent, the school, the community and government programs and policies in enhancing the health of the child.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Attendance is mandatory. Attendance points will be given weekly, but recorded at the end of each unit. You are required to read each group of readings for the day assigned.  Please come to class prepared to ask questions, comment on what you’re reading and demonstrate motivation to learn through active participation.  Specific course requirements include:

Examinations:  There will be NO mid terms or finals. There Will Be weekly quizzes that cover the required reading and class discussions. These will be multiple choice and true/false. Each quiz is worth 15 points, the last quiz (final) is worth 20 points; a total of 200 points, 31% of your grade. ONLY ONE MAKE UP QUIZ WILL BE ALLOWED FOR FULL CREDIT---BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.

Playground Observation: You will arrange a visit to a local playground and observe the following:  physical development of the children, layout and safety of the play equipment, physical activity and interaction among children and between children and adults, gender differences demonstrated during play. There should be at least 4 unrelated children in the playground at the time of observation.  Write your perceptions and summary (including suggestions for positive change) in a 2 – 4 paged, typed paper. A worksheet is posted on the web site.  This report should be 2 – 4 pages, is worth 100 points, or 18.1% of your grade.  LATE WORK MAY BE ACCEPTED WITH A GRADE DEDUCTION  See Portal for more information Due 11/16.

 

CHOOSE ONE OF THE TWO FOLLOWING PAPERS:

 

Child Health Paper:  You will research a child health related topic or service using at least 3 professional journals and may use other suitable sources. There is a list of suggested topics, but you may choose an original topic—with prior approval. The content and requirements are on the web site. A written 3 – 4 paged paper, and a bibliography are due . This paper is worth 100 points, or 18.1% of your grade.  See Portal for more information.              OR

Long Term Effects Paper: Choose one of these five topics: Long term effects of :  1. Child abuse; 2. Parenting styles (discipline, divorce, same-sex marriages, adoption, single parents-never married, two parents never married); 3. Poverty; 4.  Media; 5.  Obesity. Write a 3- 4 page paper describing the condition you chose and the long term effects on the physical, emotional and/or mental health of the child.  You must use at least 3 professional journals in your bibliography.  The paper is worth 100 points, or 18.1% of your grade.  See Portal for more information. Due 9/28

Worksheets:  At the end of each unit, a worksheet will be turned in. These must be typed and ready for discussion on the last day of the unit. These worksheets are posted on the portal. You are to get your information from the readings suggested, but may use, if cited, other resources. Readings are posted on the portal under each unit. The total points for worksheets is 120, or 21.6% of your grade.

PAPERS  All work completed is to be typed, double-spaced , using APA format unless you have prior permission to use another style.. Sentences should be completed. Good grammar is expected. Late papers will be docked 5 points per day, and not accepted after 5 days.

 

ACADEMIC HONESTY: Just a note. I support the University’s zero tolerance for plagiarism of any kind on papers. Consequences for not citing sources or using someone else’s work include; receiving zero credit on the paper, failing the class and being called before Student Judicial Affairs, and the possibility of dismissal from the University.

 

EVALUATION

 

PROJECT                                                                  % OF GRADE                       POINTS

1.      Weekly Quiz                                                                      36.3 %                             200

2.      Playground Observation                                                      18.1 %                              100

3.      Child Health or Long Term Effects Paper                            18.1 %                              100

4.      Worksheet 1                                                                        3.6 %                                20

5.      Worksheet 2                                                                                    4.5 %                                25

6.      Worksheet 3                                                                        4.5 %                                25

7.      Worksheet 4                                                                           4.5 %                                25

8.      Worksheet 5                                                                           4.5 %                                25

9.      Attendance                                                                          5.4 %                                 30

TOTAL                                                                                   100%                                 550                                

ASSIGNMENT OF COURSE GRADES

A

94 – 100 %

517 – 550

A-

90 – 93.9 %

495 - 516

B+

87 – 89.9

479 - 494

B

84 – 86.9

462 - 478

B-

80 – 83.9

440 – 461

C+

77 – 79.9

424 - 439

C

74 – 76.9

407 – 423

C-

70 – 73.9

385 - 406

D+

67 – 69.9

368 – 384

D

64 – 66.9

352 - 367

D-

60 – 63.9

330 – 351

F

Below 60

Below 330

Fall 2005 Schedule

Unit 1:  Introduction: health status and health services: 8/24 – 8/31

Unit 2: The child as a sociological being: 9/7 – 9/21

Unit 3: The child as a physical being 9/28 – 10/26

Unit 4:  The child an his/her environment 11/ 2 – 11/9

Unit 5:  The child as a psychological being 11/16 – 12/7

Week

Topic

Readings

Assignment due dates

1

8/24

Introduction to Child Health, Reliable Research, Plagiarism

Week 1

In Class Survey

2

8/31

Health Status: CA, US and World. Child Health Services

Week 2

Unit 1 worksheet due    20 points

Class discussion/worksheet

3

9/7

Socioeconomic Status/Poverty/Access to health care.

Week 3

Quiz 1                              15 points

4

9/14

Sexuality/Culture

Week 4

Quiz 2                              15 points

5

9/21

Consumer Health

Week 5

 

Unit 2 worksheet due     25 points

Class discussion/worksheet

Quiz 3                              15 points

6

9/28

Prenatal/Infant Growth and Development

Week 6

Child Health/Long Term Paper due                                   100 points

Quiz 4                              15 points

7

10/5

Childhood Growth and Development

Week 7

Quiz 5                              15 points

8

10/12

Nutrition, Physical Activity/Inactivity, Obesity

Week 8

Quiz 6                                 15 points

9

10/19

Chronic and Noninfectious Diseases of Children

Week 9

Quiz7                                  15 points

10

10/26

Epidemiology, Infectious diseases/Immunizations

Week 10

Unit 3 Worksheet due      25 points

Class discussion/worksheet

Quiz 8                                 15 points

11

11/2

Unintentional injuries, Safety and Pets

Week 11

Quiz 9                                 15 points

12

11/9

Environmental Health

Week 12

Unit 4 Worksheet due      25 points

Class discussion/worksheet

Quiz 10

13

11/16

Children and Stress, Behavioral Health, Family Life

Week 13

Playground Paper Due    100 points

Quiz 11

14

11/23

Thanksgiving week NO CLASS

 

 

15

11/30

Violence and Children

Week 15

Quiz 12

 

16

12/7

Children and the Media

Week 16

Unit 5 Worksheet due      25 points

Class discussion

17

12/14

FINALS WEEK

 

Final Quiz                          20 points