Every Kid Healthy Week – April 22-26, 2024

U.S.

History
Timeline
FAQs
Importance
Observe
Related

Every Kid Healthy Week, from April 22 to April 26this year, is an observance that aims to spread awareness regarding the health of children. This is essential because, to grow up into healthy adults, it is important for kids to be healthy and active from a young age. To ensure parents and children are aware of the advantages of nutrition and wellness, Every Kid Healthy Week is celebrated every year. We have just the right tips on how you can celebrate and make the week memorable.

History of Every Kid Healthy Week

It all started in 2002 when Action For Healthy Kids (AFHK) began to establish a network across the U.S. after Dr. David Satcher addressed childhood obesity as an epidemic. After the initiative began to be recognized, several steps were taken to improve the health of school-going children. The efforts taken included meetings with policy-makers as well as school administrations. In 2008, AFHK began working on elevating the focus on school wellness by launching a toolkit for parents to better inform them on wellness practices. By 2012, AFHK had numerous events under its belt that all aimed to increase the health and nutrition of kids.

In the year 2013, the AFHK mission was recognized and accepted in numerous schools. However, there was still a great need to spread awareness regarding the mission as not all individuals were aware of the strong link between physical health and learning — especially in this technological day and age where fewer children seem to be involved in physical activities. To further ensure that the focus on kids’ health never took a backseat, AFHK launched Every Kid Healthy Week, which is also recognized on the Calendar for National Health Observances. This week, which is celebrated every year, brings to light numerous physical and mental health problems faced by the children of today, how they can be managed, and, most importantly, how schools and parents can play a vital role in the health of a child.

Do you have any interesting ideas you feel can further improve the physical development of children? Now is the time to give life to your proposals! Participate in Every Kid Healthy Week and spread a positive message in your community.

Every Kid Healthy Week timeline

1st century C.E.

The Early Observations

The philosopher Celsus writes about roundworms in children.

1629

Death by Smallpox

The smallpox epidemic affecting children begins.

1702

Rising Temperatures

Scarlet fever in children takes over Boston.

2018

A Global Issue

Pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria cause 29% of global deaths of children under five years.

Every Kid Healthy Week FAQs

Can people without children participate in this week?

Yes. All you need are ideas to help children.

Do we have to celebrate the whole week?

No. You can pick any day you want.

How do I introduce the week into my community?

Either speak to the school administration or contact Action For Healthy Kids.

How to celebrate Every Kid Healthy Week

Organize a week full of activities
Do you want the children around you to be active? Organize a week full of activities such as football games, basketball games, races, etc.
Write a song
Write a catchy song with lyrics that talk about the correct nutritious food for children. If the song is fun enough, the young ones will have it memorized in no time!
Write a play
To be active, children often need to consume the right nutrition so they have the required energy levels. To provide the information on what they should eat, write an interesting play that brings the message across without boring the children.

Five Facts About Children’s Health

The yearly check-up
Children from ages five to 10 must have a full check-up by a doctor once a year.
Obesity issues
In the U.S., one in three kids are obese or need to lose weight.
The fatal illness
Pneumonia is the most fatal illness for children and kills 800,000 children a year.
An active lifestyle
A child of six needs an hour of vigorous activity, daily.
Many absences
3.2% of children in the U.S. miss more than 11 days of school annually due to illness or injury.

Why a Kid’s Health is Important

Children are more sensitive to illnesses/diseases
The fact is, children are more vulnerable to illnesses and are more likely to lose their lives if not provided with the correct treatment.
Healthy children grow up into healthy adults
The adolescence stage is the most important time for a young person to consume the correct nutrients as this can help the body to develop to its full potential. An unhealthy child may face numerous health issues in the future.
The social and emotional health of a child is the base of their personality
Personality development starts at a young age, hence, a disturbed child is likely to grow up into an unhappy adult. To ensure the future generation is happy and healthy, mentally as well as physically, parents and schools need to emphasize a child’s mental health.