Early childhood and Fulfillment Optimum Nutrition Body For Children

Early childhood and Fulfillment Optimum Nutrition Body For Children
By Arda Dinata
http://ardaiq.blogspot.com

Early Childhood Education (early childhood) is a construction effort that is intended for children aged 0-6 years in aspects of education, health and nutrition improvement.

Improving the quality of human resources (HR) needs to be done since the time of conception / in the womb until the age of pre-school children. Thus, growth will be achieved in an optimal toddlers. So that will have an impact on the problem terhindarnya / nutritional disorders later in adulthood. This paper tried to describe how the fulfillment of the optimum nutrition for the body of a child at an early age.

Children, in accordance with Law No. 4 In 1979, the Child Welfare, stated that the child was aged 0-21 years old and not married. In a broader sense, children are human beings who are still experiencing growth, both physical and mental. Children, defined as people who still have to develop all the potential cognitive, affective and psycho-motor skills.

More than that, the child is a human who has not reached the level of maturity. Still in development stages. In the context of this paper, we as parents need to guide and make the child accustomed to consider the nutritional value of food consumed to be from an early age.

Fulfill the nutritional needs of a child, none other than the fulfillment of the optimum nutrition for the body that recommended and based on the phases of age, gender, and health status.

To get healthy and nutritional levels are in good health for each family member (child), should we need to know in advance the principles of nutrition settings for the whole family.

The basic principles of child nutrition settings, can we regrouped into two. Namely the basic principles of food pre-school age (1-6 years of age) and the basic principles of school-age child's diet (age 7-21 years).

Pre-School Age

Pre-school age are able to distinguish the two groups, namely: (1) Food young children (ages 1-3 years). Type A favorite food of children under five, are usually the foods that are sweet, like chocolate, candy, ice cream, and sweets.

Should, at the age of these infants, foods containing too much sugar is limited, and / or not provided, so that the milk teeth are not damaged or perforated (caries). We know, in general, children's milk teeth will be complete at the age of 2 years. But not strong enough to bite and chew food.

In this period, the child is as passive consumers. In another sense, the kind of food is highly dependent on the given by the mother. In this case, there is one thing to be known by every mother. That is when the child at some time refused to take the food we provide, then do not be forced to eat.

This can cause children to be hostile and probably would reject it for good food. At this age, we should be trying to train, seeking and directing the child to follow the diet of adults.

Age 1-3 years, typically, children are highly vulnerable to nutritional disorders, such as vitamin A deficiency, iron (anemia), calories and protein. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to malfunctioning of the eye, while the lack of calories and protein can lead to impaired growth and intelligence of children.

(2) Food children aged 4-6 years. At this age, children are still vulnerable to nutritional disorders and infectious diseases. Thus, the provision of nutritious foods remain the concern of parents, counselors, and educators in schools.

The ability to digest food, at this stage was seen approaching an adult, so it was time for the children invited to enjoy dinner with other family members (father, mother, and brother), and was told to study sought to feed themselves. Such a situation would be very helpful in educating children. Because of this there are 101 kinds of symbols for the child's educational value has been covered, such as companionship, good manners, respect for others, and others.

Education about the nutritional value of food, there is no harm in starting taught to them. And is a good time to encourage the good in children. Because, in this period, the child was able to recall something seen and heard from their parents and the surrounding environment. So that eventually, the child can choose and enjoy nutritious foods. Children this age have become active consumers of food. However, feeding a sweet tooth still needs to be limited, so do not fast teeth caries.

School Age Child

This school-age children, as well as pre-school age, can we distinguish into three groups. (1) Food pre-adolescent children (age 7-12 years). Group pre-adolescent children, usually have a lot of attention and activities outside the home. So often forget to eat.

Breakfast or breakfast, need to be considered by the parents unrtuk prevent hypoglycemia (drop in blood sugar values), and so easy to catch the child in school. Also, notice that the food menu will be consumed children, in order to really consider the nutritional value of four of five perfectly healthy.

At this age, date of milk teeth are gradually berangur, and replaced by permanent teeth. Children in this group, was more active choosing favorite foods. Greater energy needs, consistent with increased physical activity, such as sports, play, and help their parents. Nutritional needs of boys, will be different with girls. Boys are more physical activity, so the greater nutritional needs.

(2) Food adolescents (aged 13-18 years). At this age, children begin to enter adolescence. Here the physical growth has happened very quickly. So that the nutritional needs for growth and greatly increased its activity.

At this time, generally, the child has a good appetite, so that should be noted that the diet will be consumed by the child's parents, counselors, special counseling, and educators at the school.

This extra need more attention, because at this age they are often looking for additional food or snacks outside mealtimes. Seeing this phenomenon, at least we need to manage and coordinate the handling and feeding that leads to prevention of nutrient consumed by children.

(3) foods kids young adults group (aged 19-21 years). In the 19-21 years of age, children begin to enter a period to young adulthood. Here the physical development has occurred, and stand out features of the differences between men with women.

Physical changes at this age, requires the availability of adequate nutrition for the child to support the process of growth and the increased activity varied.

The habit of eating meals outside on the young adult group, still remain to be done, and even more often. This is because the child has a good appetite, so that should be directed to the fulfillment of a balanced nutrition and food intake can positively affect their physical development.

In order for the food consumed a positive impact on children, especially in supporting the development of early childhood education to the next level, it is recommended to serve and provide a balanced diet, which consists of: (a) a source of carbohydrate (staple food), (b) source protein (side dishes), and (c) a source of vitamins and minerals (vegetables and fruits ).***

Author, is an educator and blogger in the Qur'an and Inspiration Assembly Reality Nature / MIQRA Indonesia, www.miqra.blogspot.com.

This article was included in early childhood Journalism Competition National Level 2007, organized by the Directorate of early childhood - the Directorate General of Special Education Department School of Education.