3 A child’s view of health

The content of the course so far has illustrated some of the factors that influence children’s health. There are many factors that impact on health, and many overlap and interrelate, all of which mean that health is a complex concept. This highlights the importance of adults, whether you are a parent or working in a professional capacity with children being aware of their role in relation to supporting and promoting children’s health. The following section examines health promotion in education settings.

Surprisingly little is known about children’s views of health. In this audio, Oscar, aged 8, is asked a series of questions about what health means to him.

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Transcript: Audio 1

JACKIE

Oscar, tell me what health means to you please.

OSCAR

Health to me means that it is a source of life so people live without things like cancer.

JACKIE

And how do you stay healthy?

OSCAR

Doing one-hour exercises and eating plenty of meat protein, veg, and oranges.

JACKIE

And what makes you feel unhealthy?

OSCAR

Too much sweets and chocolate.

JACKIE

How does your school help you to stay healthy?

OSCAR

Improves my knowledge and wellbeing.

JACKIE

What makes you feel unwell?

OSCAR

I mean, it makes me feel very droopy and hot.

JACKIE

So how important is washing your hands to your health?

OSCAR

Unbelievably healthy.

JACKIE

And why is that?

OSCAR

Because if you don't, you spread germs.

JACKIE

And how does eating affect your health?

OSCAR

It affects my health by making my heart just want to go and run around like to get-- to get my one-hour exercising. So I think-- I think that everyone could stay healthy now, but from COVID is social distance by like at least a one meter distance and wash your-- wash your hands more than it-- more than sanitizing because sanitizing makes your hands go very dry sometimes.

JACKIE

When you were at school do they have lots of hand wash and towels available?

OSCAR

No, it's more sanitizing than washing hands at school.

JACKIE

And you don't like using the sanitizer because it dries your hands out?

OSCAR

Yeah, I have to go into the wash station to wash my hands at school.

JACKIE

Do you always remember to wash your hands?

OSCAR

Yes.

JACKIE

When do you think it's most important to wash your hands?

OSCAR

After I've handled my gecko--

JACKIE

Your lizard--

OSCAR

--because he spreads off germs. And if you like touch your face, you'll get like a really bad tummy ache and you'll feel sick.

JACKIE

And are there any other times when you think it's important to wash your hands?

OSCAR

I would say before you have dinner.

JACKIE

Yeah.

OSCAR

And when-- I would say also-- I would also say when-- after you've eaten. And well, Jackie, what makes you feel healthy? What do you do to stay healthy?

JACKIE

I like drinking lots of water.

OSCAR

That's always a good thing.

JACKIE

And I do like to watch what I eat. I don't like eating processed foods.

OSCAR

Yes, so like cheese strings.

JACKIE

Yeah. I like going for walks.

OSCAR

Yes, me too. Me too. I get most of my one hour-- my one-hour exercising by doing football in the garden, so that affects my health by making me healthier because I'm doing exercise. Because if I was just sitting down and watching TV all day, I'd be like-- I'd feel like really unwell because everyone needs to put in exercise at least once a day-- at least once a day. It's better, better over once a day?

JACKIE

I think, you're absolutely right, sorry to interrupt, but I can-- if I spend a lot of hours at the computer, the whole day can go by and I won't have done anything. So I have to get out.

OSCAR

So maybe to make it work, you could spend a bit of time off taking Maggie for a walk, because well, she needs her hour in his wallet. It's the same for animals than humans.

JACKIE

Can I just ask you about drinking water at school, do you have access to water?

OSCAR

Yes, I fill my water bottle up, and I at least fill it up twice a day. But once when I had really spicy cheese-- once when I had really spicy crisps, chips, whatever you call it, I went through four bottles of water at lunchtime. They were like so spicy.

JACKIE

What kind of foods do they serve at school?

OSCAR

Well, we did have school dinners, but until you get to year three, you just have a pack lunch box.

JACKIE

And what do you have in your pack lunch box?

OSCAR

Usually like a sandwich, some kiwi in a pot. Usually I've-- I usually have like a packet of biscuits or I have two biscuits with raisins in them. Also I have an ice pack in there usually because I've got to keep my stuff fresh. I usually have like some sort of bar for my snack, a sticker cheddar cheese for my calcium-- for my calcium.

JACKIE

And why is calcium so important?

OSCAR

It's because it keeps your teeth and your bones strong. And kids out there, remember to brush your teeth-- twice a day, if not three, three times-- if not three times a day not once a day because you'll just get teeth like and-- like a squirrel.

JACKIE

And why do you think it's important to keep your teeth clean and to clean them at least twice a day?

OSCAR

Because once they go yellow they will start getting less strong, and they'll wobble and they'll keep on wobbling. But I've got a wobbly adult tooth on the top and bottom here, because I chipped both those teeth so they're wobbly. But I think they're just going to wobble into place next, so I might have braces, I don't know

JACKIE

Thank you, Oscar.

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Figure 7 Oscar, aged 8

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A photograph of Oscar

Figure 7 Oscar, aged 8

In the audio, you’ll have heard that Oscar appears to have a very well-developed understanding of what makes him healthy. Oscar talks about health in terms of having a condition such as cancer. But he also talks about the importance of health promoting activities such as getting enough exercise and having a healthy diet. Interestingly he has a very heightened understanding of how to avoid becoming unwell because of an infection. This understanding was probably developed because of the attention that was given to the importance of handwashing during the pandemic. You may have found it interesting that he mentions how using a hand sanitiser dries his skin out, and to avoid this, he uses the hand washing station. If a child has eczema, or sensitive skin, it’s important to bear in mind that the uncomfortable feeling that hand sanitisers, or indeed, harsh soaps can have on children’s skin, may be a deterrent to them using hand washing facilities. In turn, this can increase the risk of the spread of infection, so alternative measures and close supervision are important.

Figure 8 Oscar’s thoughts about what health means to him

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A handwritten list

Figure 8 Oscar’s thoughts about what health means to him

From this brief exchange, it can be surmised that Oscar has formed his view of health by making connections with what he has learned from factors within the context of his life. He has more than likely been influenced by the adults around him, and the media. Importantly, he appears to have been influenced by his school environment and recognised that being at school improved his knowledge and wellbeing. You may draw other conclusions from Oscar’s responses.