Growth, Measurement, and Nutrition
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the rate of childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years, with an estimated 12.5 million children considered obese (CDC, 2012). When seeking insights about a patient's overall health and nutritional state, body measurements can provide a valuable perspective. This is particularly important with pediatric patients.
Measurements such as height and weight can provide clues to potential health problems and help predict how children will respond to illness. Nurses need to be proficient at using assessment tools such as the Body Mass Index (BMI) and growth charts in order to assess nutrition-related health risks and pediatric development while being sensitive to other factors that may affect these measures.
This week, you will examine assessment techniques, health risks and concerns, and recommendations for care related to patient growth, weight, and nutrition.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Assess weight-related health risks for pediatric patients
Design effective strategies for communicating with parents or caregivers about children's weight-related health
Apply concepts, theories, and principles relating to health assessment techniques and considerations related to growth, measurement, and nutrition
Apply assessment skills to collect patient health histories*
The Assignment related to this Learning Objective is introduced this week and submitted in Week 4.
Discussion: Health Assessment of Children's Weight
Body measurements can provide a general picture of whether a child is receiving adequate nutrition or is at risk for health issues. These data, however, are just one aspect to be considered. Lifestyle, family history, and culture-among other factors-are also relevant. That said, gathering and communicating this information can be a delicate process.
For this Discussion, you will consider examples of children with various weight issues. You will explore how you could effectively gather information and encourage parents and caregivers to be proactive about their children's health and weight.
To prepare:
Consider the following examples of pediatric patients and their families:
Overweight 5-year-old boy with overweight parents OR
Slightly overweight 10-year-old girl with parents of normal weight
5-year-old girl of normal weight with obese parents
Slightly underweight 8-year-old boy with parents of normal weight
Severely underweight 12-year-old girl with underweight parents
Select one of the examples on which to focus for this Discussion. What health issues and risks may be relevant to the child you selected?Heart disease, Asthma, or sleep apnea
Based on the risks you identified, consider what further information you would need to gain a full understanding of the child's health. Think about how you could gather this information in a sensitive fashion.
Consider how you could encourage parents or caregivers to be proactive toward the child's health.
Post an explanation of the health issues and risks that are relevant to the child you selected. Describe additional information you would need in order to further assess his or her weight-related health.
Taking into account the parents' and caregivers' potential sensitivities, list at least three specific questions you would ask about the child to gather more information. Provide at least two strategies you could employ to encourage the parents or caregivers to be proactive about their child's health and weight.