This document provides an introduction to paediatrics, including its meaning, definition, importance, and historical background. It discusses modern concepts of child care, internationally accepted rights of the child, national policies and legislation related to child health, and national programs and agencies that support child welfare services. Paediatrics aims to promote optimal health, growth, and development of children and adolescents.

2. UNIT - I ( INTRODUCTION )

3. Contents
 Introduction of Peadiatrics.
 Meaning of peadiatrics.
 Definition of peadiatrics.
 Importance of paediatrics.
 Historical background of peadiatrics.
 Modern concepts of child care.
 Internationally accepted rights of child care.
 National policy and legislation in relation to child
health and welfare .
 National legislation related to child health,
 National programmes related to child health and
welfare.
 Agencies related to welfare services to the children

4. INTRODUCTION
Paediatric nursing is the specialized
area of the nursing practice concerning
the care of children during wellness and
illness, which includes preventive,
promotive, curative and rehabilitative
care of children.

5. The term paediatrics is derived
from the Greek word ‘’Pedia ‘’ (meaning a
child or pertaining to a child ) ‘’iatrike ‘’
( treatment ) and ‘’ics ‘’ (meaning a branch
of science .

6. DEFINITION
Paediatrics is concerned with
the health of infants , children,
adolescents and their growth &
development and their attaining
full potential as adult .

7. IMPORTANCE OF PAEDIATRICS
 Major consumers of health care.
 35 – 40 of total population are children below the
age of 15.
 More vulnerable to various health problems.
 Majority of Childs morbidity & mortality preventable.
 Needs special care to survive & thrive.

8. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF
CHILD HEALTH
 Abraham Jacob is known as FATHER OF PEDIATRICS
 The first citation of quality of breast milk and child hygiene
was 225 BC. in Indian SUSURTA SAMHITA
 Hippocrates a Greek philosopher also known as father of
modern medicine has made significant contribution to
diseases found in children.
 The first Indian paediatrician were kashyapa and Jevaka
they worked on children diseases and child care.

9. Historical background – cont’d
 The first manuscript on management of children
diseases was written by kashyapa and Samhita.
• Charaka was the physician of Peshawar. He wrote on
care and management of newborn.
• Arab physician Rhazes wrote the first book on the
diseases of children.

10. Historical background – cont’d
• In 1545 Ad.Thomas Phare wrote the first book in English on
children’s disease.
• In 1802 first paediatric hospital was opened in Paris .
• The first paediatric hospital was the Children’s Hospital of
Pennsylvania, founded in 1855.
• In 1920 the first crèche was opened in India to provide day care
to children.

11. Modern concepts related to child
care through ages

12. CONCEPTS OF CHILD CARE
 Health is a complex phenomenon.
 Health is the fundamental right of every human
being.
 ‘‘A healthy child becomes a healthy citizen , and a
healthy citizen makes a healthy nation.’’
 Health is defined by WHO, it is ‘‘a state of complete
physical , mental, social and spiritual well-being and
not merely the absence of disease’’.

13. MODERN CONCEPT OF CHILD CARE
 Child health nursing is undergoing tremendous advancement
in paediatric medicine and surgery.
 Child care has a prime importance as the mortality and
morbidity rates are highest in this group and most of the
diseases are preventable.
 The goal of Paediatric nursing is to foster the growth and
development of the child and promote an optimum state of
health physically, mentally and socially.
 Holistic view of health Widely accepted term, ”Wholeness”. It
is a philosophy believes in an integration and harmonious
balance of body, mind and spirit to maintain or regain health.

14. Modern concept – cont’d
 Areas to be considered: Health promotion, Prevention of illness,
Health maintenance, Health restoration.
 Caring the health care of the child from the day of conception.
 Participate in the prevention of illness and health promotion
activities.
 Comprehensive care of the child in his home through community
health centers.
 Flexibility in hospital setting.
 Health oriented.
 Warmth and love oriented.

15. Modern concept – cont’d
 Health promotion activities, services related to fertility, sex
education and counselling.
 Safe guard and protect the children's right by health
providing, cultural practice and laws encouraging.
 The Nurse must observe the state of the child’s health illness
state, his strength and weakness, and the effectiveness of
coping mechanism.
 The nurse must have patience and emotional balance, while
dealing with children and their parents especially in critically
ill cases.

16. INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED
RIGHTS OF CHILD CARE

17. RIGHTS OF CHILDREN
 Human rights, which are essential for total
personal development , belong to everyone –
children and adults, men and women, well
and ill person and individuals of all races.
 Children have rights in the areas specific to
knowledge of their state of health or illness,
decisions regarding treatment modalities and
counselling .

18. INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED RIGHTS OF
CHILD CARE -cont’d
On 20th Nov, 1959 the 14th general assembly of the
united Nations approved the declaration of the rights
of the child .
 The right to affection , love and understanding.
 The right to adequate nutrition and medical care .
 The right to free education .
 The right to full opportunity for play and recreation .
 The right to a name and nationality.
 The right to special care if child is handicapped.

19. INTERNATIONALLY ACCEPTED RIGHTS OF
CHILD CARE
 The right to be among the 1st to receive relief in times of
disaster
 The right to learn to be a useful member of society and to
develop individual abilities.
 The right to be brought up in a spirit of peace and
brotherhood .
 The right to enjoy these rights, regardless of race, colour,
sex, religion, national or social origin.
All children shall be entitled to these
rights without discrimination .

20. National policy & Legislation

21. NATIONAL POLICY AND LEGISLATION IN
RELATION TO CHILD HEALTH AND
WELFARE
 In India, several measures have undertaken by the
national government to improve the health of the people.
 Now a days , much importance has been given for the
care of children because ‘’Today ’s children are the
citizen’s of tomorrow ’’.
 So to improve the health of the children , the
government of India adopted a ‘’National policy for
children in Aug-1974 ‘’.

22. National policy & programme
 Programmes in National policy for children :-
Government of India has introduced a number
of programmes in national policy for children . They
are as follows :
 ICDS Scheme (integrated child development services).
 Child welfare services .
 Welfare of the Handicapped children .
 CSSM Programme (child survival and safe
motherhood).

23. National policy & program – cont’d
I) ICDS SCHEME (Integrated child development
services scheme)
i) Supplementary nutrition .
ii) Immunization .
iii) Health check up and health records .
iv) Nutrition and health education .
v) Non-formal pre-school education .

24. National policy & program – cont’d
II) CHILD WELFARE SERVICES : -
 They are child welfare agencies in India. They are as
follows:
 i)Indian Council for child welfare (ICCW).
 ii)Central social welfare board .
 iii)Kasturba Gandhi memorial Trust.
 iv)Indian Red cross society .

25. National policy & program – cont’d
III) WELFARE OF THE HANDICAPPED CHILDREN :
Handicap is defined as a disadvantage for a given
individual resulting from an impairment or a disability that
limits or prevents the fulfilment of a role that is normal for
that individual.
One of the objective of child health services is the
prevention of handicapping condition. Government has
taken initiative for the prevention of handicaps. They are
--- Primary prevention
--- Secondary prevention.

26. National policy & programme – cont’d
 Primary prevention :-
a) Genetic counselling
b) At risk approach
c) Immunization
d) Nutrition
e) Others

27. National policy & programme
2) Secondary prevention :
The broad objectives for all children
whatever their condition or problem are to
bring them as close to normality as possible,
physically, mentally and socially. It includes
a) Early diagnosis of handicap
b) Treatment
C) Training & Education

28. National policy & programme – cont’d
IV) Child survival & safe motherhood programme (CSSM):
This programme are mainly beneficial for
mother and also children . The package services under
CSSM is available for children’s are :
a) Essential Newborn care
b) Immunization
c) Appropriate management of diarrhoea

29. National policy & programme –cont’d
d) Appropriate management of ARI
e) Vitamin A prophylaxis
It is estimated that a large number of children
suffer from clinical deficiency of Vit A under the
programme , 5 doses of Vit .A are given to all children
under 3 years of age .

30. NATIONAL LEGISLATION
RELATED TO CHILD
HEALTH

31. NATIONAL LEGISLATION RELATED
TO CHILD HEALTH
Today children are recognized as complete persons
and they have legal and constitutional rights that are
independent from their parents
 When the children are too young to care for
themselves.
 Parents or their substitutes are required to provide
food , clothing , shelter , education and medical care
for them.
 They are also expected to consider love, support and
protection .
 There are many laws formulated by the Government
to protect the rights of children .

32. National Legislation – cont’d
i) The child labour act
ii) The children act
iii) Juvenile justice act
iv) Child abuse prevention and treatment act
v ) Health maintenance organization act (1975)
vi) Education for all handicapped children act-
1973:-

33. National programmes
related to child health and
welfare

34. Introduction
National health programme , which have been
launched by the central government for the control /
eradication of communicable disease , improvement of
environmental sanitation , nutrition , control of
population and rural health. Various international
agencies like WHO, UNICEF, WORLD BANK have
been providing technical and material assistance in the
implementation of these programmes.

35. National programmes – cont’d
 National malarial eradication programme
 National Goitre control programme
 Mid-day meal programme
 Vitamin – A prophylaxis programme
 Integrated child development services scheme
 National Diarrheal disease control programme
 National Anemia control programme
 National Filaria control programme
 Reproductive and child health programme

36. Agencies related to
welfare services to
the children

37. TYPES OF AGENCIES
Voluntary ( National)
Health Agencies.
Involuntary
(International ) Health
Agencies.

38. Voluntary ( National)
Health Agencies

39. Voluntary Health Agencies
1) Indian council for child welfare
(ICCW )
2)Central social welfare board
3)Kasturba Gandhi Memorial Trust
4) Indian Red Cross Society
5)Tuberculosis Associations of India
6)Bharat sevak samaj
7)All India Blind Relief Society
8)The Hindu Kush Nivaran Sangh

40. INVOLUNTARY AGENCIES
or
INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES

41. INVOLUNTARY AGENCIES
 ( WHO) world health organization
 FAO (food and agricultural organization)
 UNICEF ( United Nations International
Children Emergency Fund)
 CARE (co-operative for assistance and relief
every where)
 USAID (the united states agency for
international development)

42. Conclusion
Paediatrics is concerned with the health of
infants, children and adolescents, their growth and
development, and their opportunity to achieve full
potential as adults. Child health nursing is
undergoing tremendous advancement in paediatric
medicine and surgery. Child care has a prime
importance as the mortality and morbidity rates are
highest in this group and most of the diseases are
preventable.