The topic I have chosen to research is Access to healthy water; this topic is particularly meaningful to me because recently in the news there have been conversations about the increase size of soft drinks and the amount of sugar our young people are taking in today. There is also the increase of diabetes among teenagers. Providing access to drinking water gives students another alternative to sugar sweetened beverages (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Ensuring students have access to free drinking water throughout the school day is one strategy the school can use to create an environment that supports health and learning (Center For Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). Providing clean properly maintained fountains, water dispenser and hydration stations throughout all school should be a great way to get attract children to drink water (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). School could allow students to bring their own water bottles or go to the water fountain when they need to drink water (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2013). I would like to see a decrease in number of children who develop diabetes. Last summer one of our preschool families discovered their child has diabetes the child is five years of age. After numerous meeting with the parents, teachers and administers they finally worked out a regiment that was right for him. The teacher had to learn to pay attention to the mood of this child because when he was aggressive his levels were too high and when was whining his levels were to low and he would need something to eat immediately. The teacher had a lot of support from the child’s parents, other teachers and administers; the little boy has since moved on to kindergarten.
Improving health in Africa 2014 states that 1 out of every 5 deaths under the age of 5 worldwide is due to water related disease. Clean safe water is essential to healthy living. There is evidence that tiny worms and bacteria live in the water but most bacteria are harmless but, some bacteria can cause disease in humans (Improving health in Africa, 2014). Waterborne disease such as typhoid fever, cholera and other diseases are running rampant in countries like Africa (Improving health in Africa, 2014). Sickness caused by dirty water reduces people’s energy; Improving health in Africa 2014 states that when people are sick someone else has to take care of them which means the second person cannot work either.
The Water Project is working with local partners to provide people in Africa with access to clean water as well as hygiene and sanitation programs. Improving health in Africa 2014 said the programs have reduced disease in African communities allowing villagers to increase productivity and begin working themselves out of poverty.
The ways access to healthy water may impact my future work is to being to encourage all children to choose water first verse a soda. I have notice there are more families at our center who requesting their child have water instead of juice. In the beginning, I did not see the importance of this request but in recent years as I have mentioned more young children are developing diabetes. It is time for a change Improving health in Africa 2014 said “improving health in Africa begins with access to safe water”.
Reference:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013, December 18). Water access in schools.
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/npao/wateracess.htm
Improving health in Africa. (2014, March 15). Retrieved from
http://thewaterproject.org/health.asp
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