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This article discusses the many ways to promote good health in children. Hygiene is a big factor in keeping children healthy. Teaching children to wash their hands can help reduce the spread of illness in children. When children are together there is a high chance of spreading germs. It is normal for children to get sick often in the first several years of life because their bodies are still building immunity. This is why it is super important to teach children and know information about ways to keep each other healthy.

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Whenever children are together, there is a chance of spreading infections. This is especially true among infants and toddlers who are likely to use their hands to wipe their noses or rub their eyes and then handle toys or touch other children. These children then touch their noses and rub their eyes so the virus goes from the nose or eyes of one child by way of hands or toys to the next child who then rubs his own eyes or nose. And children get sick a lot in the first several years of life as their bodies are building immunity to infections.

In many child care facilities, the staff simply cannot care for a sick child due to space or staff limitations, although in others, the child can be kept comfortable and allowed to rest as needed in a separate area of the room where they have already exposed the other children. When waiting to be picked up, an ill child who is being excluded should be in a location when no contact occurs with those who have not already been exposed to their infection. Often, it is best for the child not to be moved to another space to prevent their illness from spreading throughout the facility and to maintain good supervision of the child. In some programs, a staff member who knows the child well and who is trained to care for ill children may care for the child to a space set aside for such care and where others will not be exposed. If the child requires minimal care for a condition that doesn't require exclusion, there may a place for the child to lie down while remaining within sight of a staff member when the child needs to rest. In some communities, special sick child care centers have been established for children with mild illnesses who cannot participate or need more care than the staff can provide in the child's usual care setting.

Even with all these prevention measures, it is likely that some infections will be spread in the child care center. For many of these infections, a child is contagious a day or more before he has symptoms. Be sure to wash your and your child's hands frequently. You never know when your child or another child is passing a virus or bacteria. Sometimes your child will become sick while at child care and need to go home. You will need to have a plan so someone can pick him up. See When to Keep Your Child Home from Child Care.

Fortunately, not all illnesses are contagious (like ear infections). In these cases, there's no need to separate your sick child from the other children. Most medications can be scheduled to be given only at home. If your child needs medication during the day, be sure that the facility has clear procedures and staff who have training to give medication. Ask what they do to be sure they have the right child, receiving the right medication, at the right time, by the right route and in the right dose--and document each dose.

Measures to Promote Good Hygiene in Child Care:

To reduce the risk of disease in child care settings as well as schools, the facility should meet certain criteria that promote good hygiene.

Are there sinks in every room, and are there separate sinks for preparing food and washing hands? Is food handled in areas separate from the toilets and diaper-changing tables?

Are the toilets and sinks clean and readily available for the children and staff? Are disposable paper towels used so each child will use only his own towel and not share with others?

Are toys that infants and toddlers put in their mouths sanitized before others can play with them?

Are all doors and cabinet handles, drinking fountains, all surfaces in the toileting and diapering areas cleaned and disinfected at the end of every day?

Are all changing tables and any potty chairs cleaned and disinfected after each use?

Are staff and other children fully immunized, especially against the flu?

Is food brought in from home properly stored? Is food prepared on site properly handled?

Is breast milk labeled and stored correctly?

Are children and their caregivers or teachers instructed to wash their hands throughout the day, including:

When they arrive at the facility

Before and after handling food, feeding a child, or eating

After using the toilet, changing a diaper, or helping a child use the bathroom (Following a diaper change, the caregiver's and child's hands should be washed and the diaper-changing surfaces should be disinfected.)

After helping a child wipe his nose or mouth or tending to a cut or sore

After playing in sandboxes

Before and after playing in water that is used by other children

Before and after staff members give medicine to a child

After handling wastebaskets or garbage

After handling a pet or other animal

Make sure your own child understands good hygiene and the importance of hand washing after using the toilet and before and after eating.

Is health consultation available to deal with outbreaks or to review policies?

Additional Information & Resources:

Council on Early Childhood (Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics)

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child care~ germs~ spreading germs in child care~ sharing toys~ disease transmission~ good hygene~ school~ child care~ illness in child care~ prevent spread of germs~ flu exclusion recommendation~ when to keep child home from school~ sick kid

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Reducing the Spread of Illness in Child Care

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​​​Whenever children are together, there is a chance of spreading infections. This is especially true among infants and toddlers who are likely to use their hands to wipe their noses or rub their eyes and then handle toys or touch other children.

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The article on intentional injuries and violence discussed that intentional injuries include violent attacks and self-harm/suicide. In recent years the topic of intentional injuries has gained more attention. Statistics show that every year intentional injuries and violence harm approximately 875,000 children 18 years and younger. In addition, there are methods to help prevent intentional injury and violence described in the article as well as ways to identify intentional injury are discussed in the article. Always report anything that you feel is not right.

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Injuries and violence are a significant and growing cause of child death and disability, as well as having other health consequences including mental health, behavioural and reproductive health problems. Every year injuries and violence kill approximately 875 000 children (aged less than 18 years of age) and injure or disable tens of millions more. Injury-related causes account for 3 of the top 15 killers of children aged 0-4 years and for 6 of the top 15 killers of children aged 5-14 years. Child maltreatment has been associated with significantly increased risk of alcoholism, drug abuse, depression, suicide attempt, smoking and sexually transmitted disease. The burden from child injury is most felt in low- and middle-income countries, where 95% of all child-injury deaths occur, and where recorded rates of child maltreatment are substantially higher than in high-income countries.

This huge public health problem is all that much more tragic because it is avoidable. Through combinations of prevention and care, most high-income countries have considerably reduced rates of child-injury death and child maltreatment. Consequently, there are huge inequities globally, with annual child-injury mortality of 8.6/100 000 in high-income countries compared with 41.8/100 000 in low- and middle-income countries. In other words, rates of child-injury death are more than four times higher in low- and middle-income countries.

A large burden of death and morbidity could be avoided by bringing violence and injury rates in low- and middle-income countries down to levels similar to those in high-income countries. Such public health benefits could be achieved by use of proven prevention methods, such as implementing and enforcing safety legislation and standards; promoting home and transport safety; modifying products or the environment; and improving care and rehabilitation of injured children. Programmes to promote safe, sustainable and nurturing relationships between children and their parents or caregivers can substantially reduce child maltreatment, and youth violence prevention programmes can significantly reduce violence-related death and injury in adolescents.

These strategies, most of which are affordable and sustainable in all countries, need to be better applied globally. Child injury and violence need to be better incorporated into broader child survival strategies.

Child injury and violence have been only minimally addressed thus far by the global health community and by most governments. Likewise, these topics have been inadequately addressed in the scientific literature. An upcoming theme issue of the Bulletin (May 2009) on child injury and violence will seek to address these shortcomings, to promote greater attention to these significant public health problems, to promote greater uptake of known effective prevention and treatment interventions globally, and to stimulate more research on low-cost and sustainable ways to confront these problems especially in low- and middle-income countries where most children live.

The Bulletin theme issue will examine the spectrum of child injury and violence prevention and control including epidemiology, prevention, care and rehabilitation. It will contain papers in the categories of Perspectives, Policy and practice, Research, and Lessons from the field.

Several papers will be commissioned. In addition, submissions from interested authors are highly encouraged. We welcome papers for all sections of the Bulletin that focus on any of the following topics: surveillance and data collection; evaluation of methods to prevent unintentional injury and violence; health systems strengthening or financing for child injury and violence prevention interventions; or methods for strengthening emergency care and/or rehabilitation of injured and maltreated children. We would especially encourage papers that go beyond the health perspective to address the cross-sectoral nature of the problem. For example, papers on transport safety could encompass the multi-sectoral nature of road traffic injury, including human behaviour, roadway infrastructure and vehicle design, and broader issues of urban design. Papers on violence could include coverage of the multi-dimensional determinants of violence, including parenting, childhood exposures and subsequent health and social consequences, and societal-level factors such as socio-economic disparities. Likewise, papers examining responses to violence could discuss actions involving the educational, welfare and criminal justice sectors, as well as the health sector.

Papers discussing how child injury and violence issues can be better addressed in the broader child survival and global health agendas are encouraged. These could include discussions of the relationship of child injury and violence and Millennium Development Goals such as Goal 4 (reducing child mortality). Papers from authors in developing countries are especially encouraged.

It is hoped that the papers in this issue will contribute important information that will assist public health practitioners, clinicians, researchers and policy-makers to better confront the eminently preventable problem of child injury and violence.

The deadline for submissions is 1 September 2008. Manuscripts should be submitted to: http://submit.bwho.org respecting the Guidelines for Contributors and accompanied by a cover letter mentioning this call for papers. All submissions will go through the Bulletin's peer review process. ■

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Child injuries and violence: the new challenge for child health

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Injuries and violence are a significant and growing cause of child death and disability, as well as having other health consequences including mental health, behavioural and reproductive health problems. Every year injuries and violence kill approximately 875 000 children (aged less than 18 years of age) and injure or disable tens of millions more.

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This article on gender identity discusses ways to teach and become of aware of gender identities for yourself and students. Seven states now require that curriculum incorporates the LGBTQ topics. The article also states that the federal government recommends that schools include gender identity in their education programs. Research also showed that curriculums that include respect for others regarding their sexual orientation and gender identity are more effective. In addition, the article suggests how when you make a school environment safe and supportive for the most vulnerable youth this leads to improving the school environment for everyone.

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Science Teacher Max Firke watches the closing panel at the end of the annual Pride Town Hall at Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda, Md., in May. (Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post)

Some lessons are direct: "Who can describe what transgender means?" In other classes, the discussion is more subtle: "Remember, families can come in all shapes and sizes!"

Sometimes teachers simply shift their language to reflect gender diversity that may be in the room. Instead of "Good morning, boys and girls!" the teacher might say, "Good morning, scholars!"

In Florida and several others states, educators are restricted in teaching about gender identity, but elsewhere, teachers are embracing the topic as the number of transgender and gender nonbinary children rises.

Resources and lesson plans for those who want to teach about gender identity are becoming much more common. Seven states now require that curriculums include LGBTQ topics. The National Sex Education Standards, developed by experts and advocacy groups, name gender identity as one of seven essential topics, alongside puberty, consent, sexual orientation and other subjects.And the federal government recommends that schools include gender identity in their sex education programs.

"There's years of research that demonstrate that curriculums that include respect for others regarding their sexual orientation and gender identity are more effective," said Kathleen Ethier, director of the division of adolescent and school health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's true not just for LGBTQ students, she said. "When you make a school environment safe and supportive for the most vulnerable youth, you improve the school environment for everyone."

Opponents argue that teaching about gender identity is driven by liberal ideology and is inappropriate for children, especially young children. Five states, including Florida, ban or limit how teachers can talk about gender identity and sexual orientation, with at least 10 states considering such measures, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Books that feature transgender or nonbinary characters have been subject to numerous ban attempts.

The restrictions often go beyond the classroom.Many districts have resisted efforts to allow transgender students to use the bathroom corresponding to their gender identity, and 18 states limit transgender women from competing in women's and girls' sports, though some measures are on hold pending a court challenge. Philadelphia's school district even came under fire for informing teachers about an independent Trans Wellness Conference where some attendees discussed how to support youth who are transitioning genders.

Classes that address gender identity are still the exception in American schools. But an increase in the number of young people identifying as trans or gender nonconforming has prompted many schools to change course and adopt lessons that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. A Gallup survey released last year found 16 percent of young adults in Generation Z identify as LGBT, more than any other generation.

The approaches vary, particularly for elementary schoolchildren. In some classrooms, lessons about gender identity focus on gender stereotypes. Students in first grade, for instance, may be prompted to consider that there are no "boy colors" or "girl colors."

Some classes use the book "I Am Jazz," the story of a transgender girl. "I have a girl brain but a boy body," she says. "This is called transgender. I was born this way!"

A lesson meant for first grade called "Pink, Blue and Purple" comes from a curriculum called "Rights, Respect, Responsibility" developed by the activist group Advocates for Youth. It tells students that gender is not a fixed attribute.

"You might feel like you're a boy even if you have body parts that some people might tell you are 'girl' parts," the teachers are told to say. "You might feel like a girl even if you have body parts that some people tell you are 'boy' parts. And you might not feel like you're a boy or a girl, but you're a little bit of both. No matter how you feel, you're perfectly normal!"

The lesson continues with students looking at various toys and assessing if each best suits boys, girls or anyone. Through discussion, the teacher helps students understand that all the toys - dolls, drums, paints, helicopters - are for anyone.

New Title IX rules set to assert rights of transgender students

In his kindergarten classroom, one teacher in western Massachusetts using "Rights, Respect, Responsibility" introduces the idea of gender as part of an exploration of identity. He explains that people use all sorts of pronouns: he, she, they, ze. He introduces the terms transgender and gender queer but doesn't fully define them because that is too much for kindergartners, said the teacher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because his district did not authorize him to speak publicly.

He talks to students about anatomy but declines to classify various body parts as male or female. "We don't say a penis belongs to a man," he said. It belongs to a human, he explains.

And he makes clear that even if a doctor proclaims at birth, "It's a boy!" that baby may not be a boy. "Someone who was born a boy may not feel they are a boy."

Similar lessons are offered in older grades in his school, building in sophistication as children get older.

Others take a more moderate approach. Kara Haug, who teaches sex ed in several Sacramento-area elementary schools, does not bring up the question of gender identity in her classes, which are mostly grades five or six.

But she said her pupils often ask about it, and she will answer. Once, for instance, a student asked: "Can we stop our periods if we don't want them because we feel like a boy?" So she explained how hormones work.

Another curriculum called HealthSmart obliquely addresses gender identity in fifth grade in the context of respect for oneself and others. Students read stories about children their age and discuss whether the characters seem to be boys or girls or whether it's unclear. They read about a child who is bullied because of gender expression and then create a text message campaign to encourage their peers to accept and respect diversity.

HealthSmart explores the subject more directly in middle school, where body parts are presented in a gender-neutral way: It might refer to a "body with a penis," for instance, rather than specifying that boys have penises. People are referred to as partners, not boyfriends or girlfriends.

"There's a real push to be inclusive of all students," said Suzanne Schrag, senior curriculum editor at ETR, which publishes the HealthSmart curriculum. She said gender identity was not discussed in the previous version of the HealthSmart curriculum, published in 2012-2013, but was added in a 2020 update.

In high school, some teachers are more direct. Sam Long, a transgender man who teaches biology at Denver South High School, said he regularly discusses gender identity in his classes.

"LGBTQ identities are a naturally occurring facet of human variation, and that is why we need to learn about them in the context of biology and human anatomy," he said.

Long encourages students to consider that gender on a spectrum is an alternative to thinking of gender as a binary. At the start of each year, he talks about his own personal story and transition.

Bill Farmer, a science teacher in Evanston, Ill., takes a similar approach. Like Long, he teaches about people with intersex traits - those born with reproductive or sexual anatomy who do not fit a traditional male or female binary. And he introduces the idea that gender is a social construction, not a biological fact.

He teaches that there are three separate identities: biologic sex, or what sex organs one has at birth; gender identity, or what gender one identifies with; and gender expression, meaning how one presents to the world. So a student might paint his fingernails - a typically female gender expression - but still identify as a boy.

"There's not many spaces where students have the opportunity to engage in these discussions in a more structured way and where there's a safe space to ask questions," he said. He added that there are at least one or two trans or nonbinary students in each of his classes, more than ever before. "Most students are testing out or trying to figure out where they fall in their gender identity."

Out of 10 biology teachers at his school, he estimated that four or five talk about these issues in class.

In Maryland, officials at the Education Department included gender identity in the statewide standards that were recently adopted for sex ed. But that doesn't mean all teachers will teach these topics, said Lea Jaspers, who helped write the plan.

The framework calls for instruction to represent all students regardless of gender identity and other factors, but as a matter of practice, each district decides for itself how to teach the subject. Jaspers thinks it's mostly used in schools where a student has identified as transgender, and she said one of the goals was to be sure those lessons were state-approved for teachers who need them.

"The framework is very comprehensive so a teacher could never say, 'We are not allowed to say that,' " she said.

Due to the politics, the landscape remains a patchwork, with most students not exposed to these ideas, said Melanie Willingham-Jaggers, executive director of GLSEN, which advocates for LGBTQ students in K-12 schools.

"One district might have a safe and affirming and inclusive curriculum," she said. "Another across the way could be having a vastly different experience ... It's deeply uneven."

Sometimes, schools add these lessons because they become aware of a particular student grappling with identity questions and want them and their peers to feel comfortable. In other cases, the lessons reflect a changing culture where these subjects are considered less taboo, and where school leaders want kids who haven't yet realized they might be LGBTQ to come out in a supportive climate.

"There are trans and nonbinary kids from K through 12. It is not unusual. It is probably true in every school in the country," said Ellen Kahn, senior director of programs and partnerships at Human Rights Campaign Foundation, which offers training for schools that want to adopt an LGBTQ-inclusive approach. "Some are more willing to lean in and learn."

Kahn said the number of training requests from schools have nearly doubled in the last year, with about half coming because they became aware of one or more student who is transgender or nonbinary.

Nonetheless, while these lessons appear to be more common, they are far from universally accepted, and lessons seen as too explicit or aimed at young children often face blowback.

Conservatives argue that inclusive curriculums pose a special challenge. Lessons in schools amounts to " cult grooming and ideological grooming," in which students are taught that their gender is "fluid" and can be changed, said James Lindsay, a conservative activist who has advised legislators on measures dealing with gender and race.

The rise in children identifying as transgender or gender nonbinary, he argued, is being driven by a culture that introduces the idea to children who might never have adopted it on their own.

"The message is if you dress or act a certain way you might not be the sex you are," he said. "When I was a child I wanted to grow up to be a firetruck. Children do not always know exactly what is going on in the world and they need some strong boundaries to protect them."

In Maine, Gov. Janet Mills (D) removed a video where a teacher explains gender identity to kindergartners from the state's education department website after the Maine Republican Party began airing an ad attacking the governor for it. In the video, the teacher says that sometimes doctors "make a mistake" when they tell parents whether their newborns are boys or girls.

"A review of the video led the Department to conclude that the lesson is not something we would recommend including as part of kindergarten instruction, and, as such, has been removed from the site," spokesman Marcus Mrowka said in a statement.

The teacher, Kailina Mills, replied that she was disappointed by the move. "The Maine Department of Education and Mills administration caved to pressure instead of standing up for some of the most vulnerable people, families and students in Maine," she said in a statement.

In New Jersey, statewide standards for teaching sex ed are set to take effect this fall. They include discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity. One school system caused a stir when it presented a possible first-grade curriculum that explained to first graders that some boys may not feel like boys even if they have "body parts that some people might tell you are 'boy parts.'"

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) responded by ordering a review of the guidelines and said some lesson plans "do not accurately reflect the spirit of the standards."

The state education department then issued a clarification that discussion of gender identity should involve gender stereotypes (math isn't just a "boy subject," for instance). It added: "They should also help children to understand that every person deserves respect, no matter their identity or expression."

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Gender identity lessons, banned in some schools, are rising in others

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Conservatives say children are being taught inappropriate material in young grades. What do curriculums actually say about gender identity, sexuality and anatomy?

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This article about Alcohol and Drug use discusses the important factors to know about alcohol and drug use, and ways to help prevent alcohol and drug use from occurring. The article states that the younger a child initiates alcohol and other drug use, the higher the risk for serious health consequences and adult substance abuse. In addition, alcohol and other drug use in the adolescent population carries a higher risk for the school underachievement, delinquency, teenage pregnancy, and depression. In schools, prevention curriculum have been developed for children from preschool ages all the way to young adulthood.

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Objective To review the latest studies on risk and protective factors for the development of substance abuse and the effectiveness of prevention interventions for the pediatric population.Data Sources Multiple bibliographic databases, including MEDLINE and ERIC, were used to develop a...

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This article on Unintentional Childhood Injury discusses what an unintentional injury is and the factors of those injuries. The main causes of unintentional injuries are road traffic injuries, drowning, poisoning, thermal injuries, and falls. Unintentional injuries can lead to long-term disabilities in many children. Statistics show that among children under five years old, most unintentional injuries happen at home. Learning ways to prevent these injuries from happening is critical.

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Prevention of unintentional injuries in children under five years - BMC Pediatrics

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We looked at existing recommendations for preventing unintentional injuries in children under five years of age, and we attempted to identify the main sources used as evidence for formulating these recommendations.We conducted a literature search up to the 18th October 2019 by using key terms and ma…

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This article on Physical activity for children and youth suggests why physical activity is important the how to integrate physical activity into children's and adolescents' everyday life. The article states that in order for children and teens to grow up healthy, it's important they are physically active and eat healthy foods every day. There are many ways to help children develop these habits that will last a lifetime. A healthy lifestyle must start early in life. Children and teens should spend less time sitting at a computer, playing video games, and watching tv, and more time on being active. In addition, the article suggests ways to help your kids get active. Your child learns the most healthy active living from their guardians. Choosing activities that are appropriate for your child's age and stage of development as well as giving your child plenty of time to be active, like putting them in sports, or letting them play on a playground are ways to help your child be active.

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This article on Emotional Health discusses ways to support a Childs mental and emotional health and ways to promote mental health among children and students. Other core subjects in the education curriculum include helping to build the social, emotional, and behavioral skills children need. It is important to also acknowledge the impact of mental health and the effects it can have on children and adolescents. Presenting an opportunity for meaningful conversations about mental health is important. Many schools have now gained access to ways that can provide mental health services to students.

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U.S. Department of Education Releases New Resource on Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health during COVID-19 Era

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Today, the U.S. Department of Education released a new resource: Supporting Child and Student Social, Emotional, Behavioral and Mental Health to provide information and resources to enhance the promotion of mental health and the social and emotional well-being among children and students.

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This article on Healthy Eating how to educate and encourage children to eat healthy, and ways to promote healthy eating for children. Keeping the meals interesting and fun for children will make them me curious and want to eat their food. Filling your plate with colorful vegetables and fruits and choosing them as snacks and spitting the other half between whole grain and healthy protein will help children learn what is healthy to eat and what is not. Its important to note that fat is a necessary part of our diet but what matters most is the type of fat we eat. In addition, the article states that water is always the best choice for drinking, and to limit the amount of juice given to children. Schools throughout the United States have created many programs and resources that equips children with the knowledge,skills, and supportive environment they need in order to lead to a more healthy life.

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The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate is a visual guide to help educate and encourage children to eat well and keep moving. At a glance, the graphic features examples of best-choice foods to inspire the selection of healthy meals and snacks, and it emphasizes physical activity as part of the equation for staying healthy.

Building a healthy and balanced diet

Eating a variety of foods keeps our meals interesting and flavorful. It's also the key to a healthy and balanced diet because each food has a unique mix of nutrients-both macronutrients ( carbohydrate, protein, and fat) and micronutrients ( vitamins and minerals). The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate provides a blueprint to help us make the best eating choices.

Along with filling half of our plate with colorful vegetables and fruits (and choosing them as snacks), split the other half between whole grains and healthy protein:

The more veggies - and the greater the variety - the better.

Potatoes and French fries don't count as vegetables because of their negative impact on blood sugar.

More on vegetables >

Eat plenty of fruits of all colors.

Choose whole fruits or sliced fruits (rather than fruit juices; limit fruit juice to one small glass per day).

Go for whole grains or foods made with minimally processed whole grains. The less processed the grains, the better.

Whole grains-whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa, and foods made with them, such as whole-grain pasta and 100% whole-wheat bread-have a gentler effect on blood sugar and insulin than white rice, bread, pizza crust, pasta, and other refined grains.

Choose beans and peas, nuts, seeds, and other plant-based healthy protein options, as well as fish, eggs, and poultry.

Limit red meat (beef, pork, lamb) and avoid processed meats (bacon, deli meats, hot dogs, sausages).

It's also important to remember that fat is a necessary part of our diet, and what matters most is the type of fat we eat. We should regularly choose foods with healthy unsaturated fats (such as fish, nuts, seeds, and healthy oils from plants), limit foods high in saturated fat (especially red meat), and avoid unhealthy trans fats (from partially hydrogenated oils):

Use healthy oils from plants like extra virgin olive, canola, corn, sunflower, and peanut oil in cooking, on salads and vegetables, and at the table.

Limit butter to occasional use.

Dairy foods are needed in smaller amounts than other foods on our plate:

Choose unflavored milk, plain yogurt, small amounts of cheese, and other unsweetened dairy foods.

Milk and other dairy products are a convenient source of calcium and vitamin D, but the optimal intake of dairy products has yet to be determined and the research is still developing. For children consuming little or no milk, ask a doctor about possible calcium and vitamin D supplementation.

Water should be the drink of choice with every meal and snack, as well as when we are active:

Water is the best choice for quenching our thirst. It's also sugar-free, and as easy to find as the nearest tap.

Limit juice-which can have as much sugar as soda-to one small glass per day, and avoid sugary drinks like sodas, fruit drinks, and sports drinks, which provide a lot of calories and virtually no other nutrients. Over time, drinking sugary drinks can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other problems.

Finally, just like choosing the right foods, incorporating physical activity into our day by staying active is part of the recipe for keeping healthy:

Trade inactive "sit-time" for "fit-time."

Children and adolescents should aim for at least one hour of physical activity per day, and they don't need fancy equipment or a gym-The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest choosing unstructured activities for children such as playing tug-of-war, or having fun using playground equipment.

Overall, the main message is to focus on diet quality.

The type of carbohydrate in the diet is more important than the amount of carbohydrate in the diet, because some sources of carbohydrate-like vegetables (other than potatoes), fruits, whole grains, and beans-are much healthier than sugar, potatoes, and foods made from white flour.

The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate does not include sugary drinks, sweets, and other junk foods. These are not everyday foods and should be eaten only rarely, if ever.

The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate encourages the use of healthy oils in place of other types of fat.

About the Kid's Healthy Eating Plate

The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate was created by nutrition experts at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, based on the best available science, to enhance the visual guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPlate icon. The Kid's Plate reflects the same important messages as the Healthy Eating Plate, with a primary focus on diet quality, but is designed to further facilitate the teaching of healthy eating behaviors to children.

Kid's Healthy Eating Plate Terms of Use

We authorize permission to use the image of the Kid's Healthy Eating Plate in accordance with the following terms and conditions:

You must include the following credit line: "Copyright © 2015 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. For more information about The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate, please see The Nutrition Source, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/kids-healthy-eating-plate."

Your use of The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate is of a non-commercial nature.

Your use of The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate must comply with all applicable laws.

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Harvard may revoke this permission at any time at its sole discretion. In the event that permission is revoked, you shall remove the image from any website or public space within no more than five business days.

Harvard strictly forbids any indication-either explicit or implied-that suggests or might cause others to believe that Harvard, the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, or The Nutrition Source website has endorsed any goods, services, individual, group, or organization of any kind. Therefore, you may not use the names "Harvard," "Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health," or "The Nutrition Source," or any Harvard-owned trademarks in connection with The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate without prior approval, in writing, except for reproducing the specific credit line for the image as set forth above.

You may not use The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate in any manner that could harm the reputation of Harvard.

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The Kid's Healthy Eating Plate is a visual guide to help educate and encourage children to eat well and keep moving. At a glance, the graphic features examples of best-choice foods to inspire the s...