Day-care centres, children and health

• Autor(a) principal: Faria, Maria Luiza de
• Data de Publicação: 2014
• Outros Autores: Wichr, Patrícia
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por; eng
• Título da fonte: Reme (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.ufmg.br/index.php/reme/article/view/50178
• topic: Child Day Care Centers; Child; Comprehensive Health Care; Pediatric Nursing; Jardines Infantiles; Niño; Atención Integral de Salud; Enfermería Pediátrica; Creches; Criança; Assistência Integral à Saúde; Enfermagem Pediátrica

Day-care centers appeared with the advent of capitalism, growing urbanization and the need for reproduction of labour power. The difficulty to control childhood illnesses and the vulnerability of the age group from 2 months to 5 years old call for health specialists working in day-care centres. The objective of this study was to analyze the perception of early childhood educators about the care provided in those institutions. It is a qualitative research carried out in the city of Diamantina with 30 professionals. Data were collected through individual and open interviews conducted at the respondent's workplace and during working hours. Data were analyzed by discourse analysis and subsequently categorized. The results suggest that according to the educators children become sick due to factors not related to the institution such as weather conditions, lack of sanitation and poor medical follow-up care. Moreover the care delivered is based on the educators' experience which is worrying since it indicates there is no specific health education training program addressed to them. Such context points out to the need of specific training and/or of a health care professional working within the institution and conducting preventive and health promotion activities, with no disregard for the responsibilities of basic health units.