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Healthy Young Children, Sixth Edition

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Alicia L. Haupt, MD, Brittany Massare, MD, Jennifer Nizer, MEd, Manjula Paul, CRNP‑Fam, MSN, MPH, Louis A. Valenti

About the Book 

Now more than ever, the health and safety of children requires the collaboration of educators, program administrators, healthcare professionals, communities, and families. Understanding children’s health; creating, implementing, and following sound health and safety policies and procedures; and learning to treat and respond to health concerns and emergencies are critical to the success of every early learning program.   
 
Developed by pediatric physicians, healthcare providers, and early childhood educators, the fully revised sixth edition of Healthy Young Children focuses on how education and healthcare professionals can work with children and families to promote physical and mental health and provide safe and healthy environments.  
 
Highlights of the new edition include discussions on   
  
  • The need for increased safety measures and training  
  • The latest nutrition and physical and mental health standards and guidelines  
  • The importance of creating and updating health and safety policies and procedures  
  • The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children, families, healthcare professionals, early childhood educators, and early learning programs  
 
Plus, new features provide  
 
  • Recommendations for making family connections  
  • Tips for health and safety actions that can be implemented quickly  
  • A test bank of over 150 questions for instructors   
  • A full and extensive list of references (available online)   
  
This text references national standards and guidelines from organizations including the American Academy of Pediatrics (Caring for Our Children), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). 

Table of Contents

  • Part Editors, Chapter Contributors, and Content Reviewers
  • Introduction and About the Book
  • Part 1: Health and Safety in Early Childhood Education
    • Chapter 1: Health and Safety for Children and Early Childhood Educators | Julia Luckenbill, Shaun‑Adrián Choflá
    • Chapter 2: Healthcare Professionals and Educators Work Together to Support Healthy and Thriving Children | Kristen Copeland, Amy L. King, Mary Beth Pero
  • Part 2: Promoting Children’s Health | Brittany Massare, Alicia Haupt
    • Chapter 3: Enrollment, Health Documentation, Assessments, and Screenings | Multiple Contributors
    • Chapter 4: Health Education for Nutrition and Oral Health | Nicole Hackman, Madiha Jamil
    • Chapter 5: Physical Activity | Brittany Massare, Abigail Myers
    • Chapter 6: Social‑Emotional and Mental Health | Banku Jairath, Ruth E. Gardner
  • Part 3: Prevention, Planning, and Treatment | Brittany Massare, Alicia Haupt
    • Chapter 7: First Aid and Injuries | Terri McFadden
    • Chapter 8: Understanding Common Illnesses and Conditions | Terri McFadden
    • Chapter 9: Preventing and Managing Infectious Diseases | Abbey Alkon, Timothy R. Shope
    • Chapter 10: Inclusion of Young Children with Special Healthcare Needs and/or Medical Complexity | Alicia Haupt, Stacey Cook
    • Chapter 11: Child Maltreatment: What It Is and What to Do | Nikki Gambhir
  • Part 4: Program and Facility Management | Jennifer Nizer, Manjula Paul, Louis A. Valenti
    • Chapter 12: Emergency and Disaster Preparation and Planning | Jennifer Nizer, Manjula Paul, Louis A. Valenti
    • Chapter 13: Creating a Safe Environment | Jennifer Nizer, Manjula Paul, Louis A. Valenti
  • Appendixes
  • Index

Appendix B.2

Caring for Our Children Standards by Chapter (online only)

References

Chapter references (online only)

Test Banks

To access the test banks that accompany the sixth edition of Healthy Young Children, please complete this form. You'll be able to download the resources after you complete the form.

Book Details

Product Code: 1167
ISBN: 978-1-952331-21-3 
Publish Date: 2024 
Citation (in Chicago 17th ed. style):
Haupt, A.L., B. Massare, J. Nizer, M. Paul, & L.A. Valenti, eds. 2024. Healthy Young Children. 6th ed. Washington, DC: NAEYC.  

Related Resources

Articles 

"Supporting Medically Fragile Children and Their Families" - Julia Luckenbill and Amy Zide share their experience with having a medically fragile child in their early childhood program. (Young Children, September 2017) 
 
"The Calm in the Storm: Supporting Young Children Before, During, and After a Community Disaster or Trauma" - In this article by Julia Yeary, explore how to meet children's needs in the event of a disaster or traumatic event. (Young Children, November 2018) 
 
"Fresh Air, Fun, and Exploration: Why Outdoor Play Is Essential for Healthy Development" - Kathy Kinsner highlights the benefits of outdoor play for young children. (Young Children, May 2019) 
Audience: Administrator (director or principal)
Age: Early Primary, Infant/Toddler, Kindergarten, Preschool
Topics: Child Development, Physical, Fitness, Health, Heath, Safety, Nutrition
Alicia L. Haupt, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA
Brittany Massare, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics
Division of Academic General Pediatrics
Penn State College of Medicine
Hershey, PA
Jennifer Nizer, MEd
Senior Vice President for Child and Youth Programs
Armed Services YMCA National Headquarters
Woodbridge, VA
Manjula Paul, CRNP‑Fam, MSN, MPH
Laurel, MD
Louis A. Valenti
Branch Chief‑Licensing
Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Child Care
Baltimore, MD

Reviews

This edition of Healthy Young Children offers early childhood educators useful, timely information to support children’s health and safety. We have all learned from the pandemic how important effective health practices and policies are in our daily operations and how critical children’s health is to their development.  This book is organized to support teachers’ learning and ground their work in high-quality practices. It also helps educators think about strategies for engaging with families and their health practitioners on this critical topic.   
—Deborah Flis, Division Director of ECE and Quality Improvement, Connecticut Office of Early Childhood   
 
This is a comprehensive book for those who want to understand, teach, and model nutrition, health, safety, and wellness with young children and their families. It is a relevant and useful resource that prepares higher education students and guides educators to promote health and well-being following the pandemic. The scenarios as well as the Immediate Impact and Family Connections features throughout the book provide authentic applications to practice.  
—Anne Karabon, Wendell and Marlys Thompson Director of the School of Education, Counseling, and Human Development, and Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education, South Dakota State University 
  
The sixth edition of Healthy Young Children is an extremely valuable resource for early learning professionals. Clear, concise, and comprehensive guidance is provided on all facets of how to best care for children’s health and well-being. NAEYC is a leader in protecting children from environmental hazards within early learning environments in an ever-changing climate. 
—Hester Paul, National Director for Eco-Health Child Care®, Children’s Environmental Health Network 
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Cover of Healthy Young Children, Sixth Edition
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