January 14, 2005
Sure, most kids understand that colds cause sniffly noses and chickenpox make them itch like crazy. But did you ever wonder what children know - or think they know - about general health (everything from eating right to spreading germs)? And where, exactly, are they getting their information, as well as their misinformation? Are they turning to peers to answer their health-related questions, or are familiar adults still their health teachers of choice?
According to a new KidsHealth® KidsPoll survey of 1,178 9- to 13-year-olds, it turns out that the majority of kids surveyed say they would turn to trusted adults if they had an important health question:
- 31% would ask a parent
- 29% would ask a doctor or nurse
- 21% would ask a teacher
A collaboration of the Nemours Foundation/KidsHealth.org, the Department of Health Education and Recreation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, the National Association of Health Education Centers (NAHEC), and participating health education centers throughout the United States, the KidsPoll also found, surprisingly, that many children say they would not trust their friends or TV for health information. About three-quarters of the kids surveyed say those two sources give the most wrong information about health.
What's Health Literacy and Why Is It Important for Kids?
Health literacy refers to the ability to read and understand information provided about health conditions. This can be a serious problem for those who are older or don't speak English - they may get health information or instructions from their doctor that they don't understand. As a result, they may not know how much medicine to take or how to best take care of their illness. So, it's especially important for kids and adults who may have trouble understanding written information to know where - or to whom - they can go if they have questions.
Getting sick (even if it's a common condition like pinkeye) can be scary and overwhelming for children and adults alike. And medical procedures - whether they're as basic as getting a shot or as complex as going through surgery - can seem downright terrifying.
Being armed with the answers - the right ones, that is - can help to educate and, therefore, reassure your child about his or her own health. Being health literate can help people of all ages understand information about their own health so that they know how to take better care of themselves and make good decisions that will affect them not only now, but later.
If your child has a health condition, such as asthma for example, being health literate means that your child knows what asthma is and how to treat it. It means your child has gone to a trustworthy source, like your doctor, and received information that he or she understood. And now, if your child has any breathing troubles, he or she will know that a certain number of puffs from an inhaler will help. Your child will also know when to call the doctor or go to the emergency room for more serious problems.
Of course, being health literate may not prevent kids or adults from getting sick, but it will help them know what to expect if they do. Fortunately, the KidsPoll indicates that children are, indeed, interested in learning about health (almost 80% of kids say they're "very interested" or "sort of interested").
How Can I Help My Child Be More Health Literate?
Here are some tips to help your child obtain, understand, and apply health information:
1. Make sure your child knows where to get correct health information.
Explain that although some sources (i.e., friends, websites, and TV shows) may seem reliable, the best people to ask health-related questions are parents, family doctors, and nurses. According to the survey, older children are more likely than younger to name school as the place they learn the most about health, whereas younger children say they're getting their information from doctors and nurses.
One way you can help your child feel more comfortable about asking doctors and nurses, especially, about health information is to involve your child in the process of doctor's visits. Have him or her:
- Gather information for the doctor. If the situation isn't an emergency, allow your child to contribute to a list of symptoms that you create for the doctor.. Also, before the visit, prepare a history (in the form of a list) with your child of his or her previous illnesses and medical conditions, and a history of illnesses and medical conditions among close family members (parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, and uncles).
- Write down questions. Ask your child to think of questions that he or she would like to ask the doctor. Write them down and give them to the doctor. Kids who are old enough can write down and ask the questions themselves.
The same goes for your child's health class. If your child doesn't understand what the teacher is saying, encourage him or her to ask questions. If your child is embarrassed about the question, tell him or her to write it down or ask it after class.
Of course, some children do opt for the Internet as their first choice for health information (12% of kids surveyed). Let your child know that just because a site advertises itself as a health site, doesn't necessarily mean that the information on it is accurate. To help ensure that your child is using the very best health resources the Internet has to offer, bookmark your favorite Web addresses (this site, for example, and those sites listed under the Additional Resources tab on this article) to give your child easy access to correct, age-appropriate information.
2. Make sure your child understands the health information he or she finds or hears.
Even when the information is delivered by a reliable health professional, it isn't always easy to understand. About 37% of the kids surveyed (more younger children than older), say health information is "very easy to understand." Another 41% say it's "sort of easy to understand." And about 22% say it's "sort of hard" or "very hard to understand."
Many parents - as well as kids - often leave doctors' offices with more questions than answers, simply because the information given was confusing or unclear. After all, health and the body are complicated scientific subjects. Fortunately, many people in the health care field are working to make health information easier to understand.
No matter from where kids are getting their information, it's important for parents to follow up with their own questions about what their kids "know." It might be about a topic for school (such as how the lungs work), why their face is breaking out, or why their big sister is growing breasts. Whatever the subject, it's important to make sure your child is not only getting the right information but understands what he or she has read or heard.
This also opens up the doors of communication for starting regular conversations about topics for which some children may tend to turn to the Internet. When it comes to sometimes embarrassing areas of interest like puberty (from acne to voice changes), kids need to know that, although it's perfectly OK to want to find out as much as possible about these sensitive topics, you're still there to answer any questions. This also gives you the chance to clear up any confusion and correct any misinformation.
3. Make sure your child applies the information he or she reads or hears to make healthy decisions.
According to the survey, 93% of kids know that what they do in their childhood can affect how healthy they will be as adults. But how often do kids actually do something with what they learn about their health? According to the KidsPoll, about:
- 66% say they try to follow health advice all the time or most of the time
- 19% say they try to follow health advice sometimes
- 15% say they follow health advice hardly ever or never
Of course, even parents have trouble following the health advice they get. It can be tough to exercise after a long day at work. It's hard for kids, too, to eat fruits and vegetables. But being a good health role model can go a long way in teaching children to apply what they've learned to their lives.
For example, let your child see you:
Teaching kids that what they do now can affect their health well into adulthood can send a lasting message that taking care of yourself is important every day, whether you're feeling under the weather or at your very best.
It's even more crucial for parents themselves to be health literate in order to take the best possible care of their children. So, make sure to seek out understandable answers to your health questions, as well as follow all the recommendations of your child's doctor. If you have any questions about your child's health - be it emotional or physical - never hesitate to call your child's doctor for answers and reassurance.
Reviewed by: Barbara P. Homeier, MD
Date reviewed: January 2005
