Main trends in physical and psycho-emotional health of preschool children in Ukraine

Abstract

Children are increasingly at risk of various diseases, which has a rather negative impact on their intellectual development and can slow down social development in general, and therefore there is a need to address this issue. The main purpose of this study was to examine and analyse the state of physical, psychological, and social health of children in Ukraine based on preschool educational institutions in Mukachevo. The study used the Sensorimotor technique and the computer programme Efecton Studio 2009 to investigate preschool children’s visual-motor reactions. The Rufier-Dixon and Henchy tests were used to assess the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It was found that every third child has problems in physical or intellectual development. It was substantiated that the tense sanitary and epidemiological situation in the country, environmental pollution, lower living standards of most families and access to medical care, insufficient physical activity, as well as environmental problems contribute to the deterioration of the psychophysical state of preschool children. It was emphasised that maintaining a healthy physical condition is an important element for the normal functioning and growth of a young organism. It was emphasised that the period of adaptation to school, which current preschoolers will go through in the future, depends considerably on the child’s health, as healthy children can better cope with mental and physical stress. It was found that most preschoolers have limited knowledge about healthy lifestyles. Only 28% of children understand what food is healthy, and 18% know the importance of eating fresh food. This indicates the need for more active work with children on healthy eating and lifestyles in general. It was found that many adults also do not have a holistic understanding of the principles of proper nutrition and do not discuss these issues with children, and therefore it is important to pay attention to adult education in the field of health and nutrition. The practical significance of the study is that all the theoretical provisions, conclusions and recommendations can be used by teachers and students of educational institutions to improve knowledge about the trends in the health status of preschoolers and schoolchildren in Ukraine, as well as by other scientists for in-depth study of the problem.