Humanities | Prevention of Diseases

Hello, Health Heroes! Let's Learn About Staying Healthy!

Welcome to a super important topic: Prevention of Diseases! Doesn't that sound serious? Don't worry, it's actually all about learning simple and fun ways to keep our bodies and minds strong and happy.

Think of yourself as a superhero. To be a great superhero, you need to protect yourself from pesky villains called 'germs' and 'sickness'. In these notes, we'll learn all the secret powers you have to stay healthy, who our community's health helpers are, and how we can work together to keep everyone safe. Ready to power up your health knowledge? Let's go!

Part 1: Common Health Problems & Our Health Superpowers

Sometimes, our bodies or our feelings don't feel their best. These are called health problems. It's important to know about them so we can avoid them!

Our Bodies (Physical Health)

Physical health is all about how your body is doing. Here are some common problems we should know about:

• Obesity: This is when a person's body has too much extra weight, which can make it hard to run and play, and can make the heart work too hard. It’s like trying to carry a really heavy school bag all day, every day!

• Eyesight Problems: This happens when it's hard to see things clearly. Things might look blurry, like a photograph that's out of focus. This is why it's important not to sit too close to the TV or spend too much time on tablets without a break!

• "Triple H" Conditions: This is a name for some problems that usually affect grown-ups, like high blood pressure. Imagine your blood flows through tiny tubes in your body. High blood pressure is when the blood pushes too hard against the tubes. Eating healthy foods helps prevent this!

Our Minds (Mental Health)

Mental health is just as important as physical health! It’s all about our feelings, our thoughts, and how we feel on the inside. It's okay to have lots of different feelings!

• Depression: This is more than just feeling sad for a little while. It's when someone feels very, very sad for a long time, and it's hard for them to feel happy again. If you ever feel this way, it's super important to talk to a parent or teacher.

• Online/Video Gaming Addiction: This is when someone wants to play video games so much that they forget to do other important things, like homework, playing outside, or sleeping. Games are fun, but life needs balance, like a seesaw!

• Shopping Addiction: This is when a person feels like they have to buy new things all the time to be happy, even if they don't need them.

Quick Review: Your 3 Health Superpowers!

The great news is that we can prevent many of these problems by using our Health Superpowers! Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is the key.

1. Eat a Balanced Diet: Your body needs different kinds of food to grow strong. Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day! Your body is like a car – it needs the right kind of fuel to work well.

2. Get Regular Exercise: Run, jump, swim, and play! Moving your body every day makes your heart strong and your mind happy. Exercise is like charging your batteries!

3. Maintain Good Hygiene: This means keeping yourself and your space clean. Wash your hands with soap, brush your teeth, and help keep your room tidy. A clean hero is a healthy hero!

Key Takeaway for Part 1

To stay healthy, we need to take care of our bodies AND our minds. We can do this with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and good hygiene!

Part 2: Our Community's Health Helpers

What happens when we do get sick? Don't worry! Our community has a whole team of helpers and special places to help us get better.

Doctors, Clinics, and Hospitals

In Hong Kong, we have many places to go for medical help.

• Public and Private Medical Facilities: There are public hospitals that everyone can use, and private doctors or hospitals too. Think of it like this: a public library is for everyone, while a bookstore is a private shop. Both have books, just like both types of hospitals help sick people!

• Chinese and Western Medicine: There are different ways to treat sickness. Western medicine often uses pills or injections. Traditional Chinese medicine might use herbs or acupuncture. Both aim to make you feel better!

Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Patient

When you see a doctor, you are a "patient." Patients have rights and responsibilities!

Your Rights:
- You have the right to be treated with respect.
- You have the right to ask questions if you don't understand something.
- You have the right for your health information to be kept private.

Your Responsibilities:
- You should tell the doctor the truth about how you are feeling.
- You should listen to the doctor's advice and take your medicine correctly.
- You should try your best to follow the plan to get better.

Health in Our Neighbourhood (Community Health)

Keeping our whole community healthy is a team effort! There are organisations and services that help everyone in the neighbourhood stay well.

Our Individual Responsibility: We all have a part to play! We can help our community by:

• Covering our mouth and nose when we cough or sneeze.

• Staying home from school if we are sick so we don't spread germs.

• Helping to keep our parks and public spaces clean.

Key Takeaway for Part 2

Our community has doctors, hospitals, and health services to help us. We also have a responsibility to be good patients and help keep our whole community healthy.

Part 3: A Clean City is a Healthy City!

Keeping our environment clean is one of the best ways to prevent diseases. Let's look at some problems in Hong Kong and how we can solve them.

Pesky Pests: Mosquitoes and Rodents

Pests are small animals that can carry and spread diseases. Two common ones are mosquitoes and rodents (like rats and mice).

Mosquito Infestation: This means there are too many mosquitoes around. Mosquitoes love standing water.
Did you know? A mosquito can lay hundreds of eggs in a tiny puddle of water, even one as small as a bottle cap!

Rodent Infestation: This means there are too many rats or mice. They are attracted to leftover food and rubbish.

Quick Review: Our Pest-Prevention Plan!

We can stop these pests! Here is a simple, step-by-step plan:

1. Get Rid of Stagnant Water:

• After it rains, help your parents tip over any buckets or empty flower pots in your home that have collected water.

• Make sure water trays under plants are kept dry.

2. Store Food Properly:

• Always keep food, like biscuits and snacks, in containers with tight lids.

• Clean up any crumbs or spills on the floor or table right away.

3. Handle Rubbish Correctly:

• Never leave rubbish lying around. Put it in a bin with a lid.

• Make sure rubbish bags are tied up tightly before you throw them away.

Common Mistake to Avoid!

A common mistake is leaving an empty juice box or snack wrapper on your desk. Even a little bit of leftover food or drink can attract pests like ants or mice overnight. Always put your rubbish in the bin right away!

Key Takeaway for Part 3

A clean environment prevents pests from spreading diseases. By keeping our homes and city clean, dry, and tidy, we are all Hygiene Heroes protecting Hong Kong's health!