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[The daily schedule of children attending nurseries]
1Výskumný ústav preventívneho lekárstva, Bratislava.
Insights
Many young children in Bratislava nurseries spend excessive time indoors, particularly during winter. Insufficient outdoor activity may negatively impact their respiratory health and disease resistance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Environmental Health
- Child Development
Background:
- Childcare settings like nurseries play a crucial role in early childhood development.
- Limited outdoor exposure in early childhood is a growing concern for public health.
- Winter months often present challenges for ensuring adequate physical activity for young children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the time spent by young children in nurseries and outdoors.
- To investigate the relationship between nursery attendance duration and outdoor activity levels during winter.
- To identify potential health implications of insufficient outdoor time for preschool-aged children.
Main Methods:
- Data collected via questionnaires completed by health community pediatricians.
- Study involved 94 children aged 2-3 years attending nurseries in Bratislava.
- Information gathered in cooperation with parents during February 1984 and 1985.
Main Results:
- 18% of children spent 10-10.5 hours daily in nursery settings.
- On weekdays, 50% of children went directly home from nursery, limiting outdoor time.
- On non-working days, 37.2% of children spent less than two hours outdoors.
Conclusions:
- A significant proportion of young children in Bratislava nurseries experience prolonged indoor stays.
- Insufficient outdoor exposure during winter is prevalent, affecting both weekdays and non-working days.
- Reduced outdoor time may compromise children's immune system, increasing susceptibility to respiratory illnesses.
Abstract:
Evaluation of data in questionnaire completed by the health community paediatrician in February 1984 and 1985 in cooperation with one of the parents of 94 2-3-year-old children attending nurseries in Bratislava (Vth district) revealed that 18% of the children spend too much time (10-10.5 hours per day) in the nursery. The assumption was confirmed that in winter the children do not spend enough time outdoors, not only on working days (50% of the children go home from the nursery straight way) but also on non-working days (37.2% of the children spend less than two hours outdoors). This can have a negative effect on the resistance against diseases, in particular of the respiratory system.