We have to face various challenges in our day-to-day life. Illnesses, accidents, disasters, abuse and stress are some of these challenges that we face in daily life. Being able to face these challenges will give us the opportunity to live a happy life.
By studying this lesson, you will get to know, causes of diseases, their complications and preventive measures. Similarly, get the knowledge of handling situations such as accidents, disasters, abuse and expectations.
Diseases that can affect our bodies can be divided into two main types, namely, communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases.
Kumari has caught a cold. Therefore, she is finding it difficult to concentrate in class. She is sneezing often and her eyes are tearing. A few days later, Kumari’s friend Selvi too developed a cold.
How did Kumari catch the cold? Is it possible that Kumari’s friend Selvi caught the cold from Kumari after a few days? What are the diseases that can spread from person to person?
Some diseases that can spread from person to person are listed below along with the way it spreads.
The above mentioned diseases either directly or through vectors (desease transmitters) such as mosquitoes can spread from one person to another.
Diseases that do not spread from one person to another are known as non-communicable diseases. Diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac diseases, cancers and mental illness are some of the non-communicable diseases.
The following factors increase the risk of non-communicable diseases:
Eating food that has high salt, sugar or fat content
Not eating sufficient quantity of vegetables, fruits and high fibre food
Not having an active lifestyle and not engaging in exercises
Being overweight or obese
Mental stress
Use of alcohol and drugs/smoking
Spending more time in sedentary activities (watching television/ playing computer games) for long hours
Genetic factors (what is passed down from generation to generation).
Personal hygiene is very important in preventing the spread of diseases. Personal hygiene refers to the good habits that we can follow to maintain cleanliness. Cleanliness will prevent illnesses and help us stay healthy while creating pleasantness.
The following are good habits that we must follow to maintain our personal hygiene:
Brushing your teeth in the morning and before going to bed
Bathing daily
Wearing clean clothes
Combing and keeping hair clean
Clipping nails short and keeping them clean
Brushing teeth or rinsing the mouth after meals
Washing hands with soap before meals
Washing hands with soap after using the toilet
Avoid sharing clothes, towels, combs etc.
A clean environment will help prevent the spread of diseases and it will also create a pleasant surrounding. It is very important for our well-being. A clean environment will prevent the breeding of vectors of diseases such as flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches and mice. The following are actions that can be taken to maintain the cleanliness of the environment:
Keeping our homes clean
Dispose garbage in the proper manner
Maintaining and keeping the drainage system clean
Ensure to maintain standard distance between the well and the toilet pit.
Constructing a protective wall to prevent contaminating the well from dirty water
Using a toilet
Taking the following action to destroy mosquito breeding grounds - Burying plastic cups, empty bottles and coconut shells etc. that could collect water (breaking egg shells, rambutan peels etc. into smaller bits before disposing them)
- Removing gutters or keeping them clean so that water does not stagnate
- Destroying places that can collect water and become mosquito breeding grounds
- Specially breeding places of Dengue mosquitoes should be destroyed on a weekly basis.
Natural immunity of our body prevents diseases and it can be improved by having a balanced diet and engaging in proper exercise. In addition to that, we can get immunity against certain diseases through vaccination.
Let us Learn More
The following are some of the diseases that can be prevented through vaccination:
Tetanus
Tuberculosis
Diphtheria
Whooping
cough
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Hepatitis A and B
Japanese encephalitis
Polio
Chicken pox
Following a healthy lifestyle will help us to prevent non-communicable diseases. As mentioned above, the risk of illnesses such as diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac diseases, cancers and mental illnesses will depend on our genes and our lifestyle.
The following will help us to prevent non communicable diseases:
Following good food habits
Active lifestyle and exercises
Maintaining the appropriate Body Mass Index (BMI)
Sufficient sleep and rest
Avoiding alcohol, drugs and smoking
Getting rid of mental stress.
When we have developed an illness such as the cold, the physical discomfort makes it hard for us to carry out the daily activities in the usual manner. People with illnesses such as heart attacks and cancers might continue to be ill over a long period of time. That would disrupt education and employment and also increase economic hardships.
The following are negative consequences that may arise due to illnesses in general:
Physical and mental discomfort
Difficulty in carrying out day-to-day activities
Disruption of education
Weakening of the body due to recurrent illnesses
Illnesses such as diarrhoea can cause malnutrition and stunted growth
Reduced income due to disruption of livelihood
Economic hardships due to higher expenditure for treatment
Disability
Death due to critical illnesses.
1. Accidents
2. Disasters
3. Abuse and sexual assault
4. Expectations
We may face various accidents during day-to-day activities. These accidents could happen at any place like home, workplace, school or the road.
Getting injured by sharp tools and pointed objects
Falling from unprotected, higher places
Being bitten by dogs, cats, rats or snakes
Being poisoned due to unsafe storing of Agrochemicals or medicinal drugs
Food poisoning
Getting electrocuted by electricity leakage, exposed electricity cables, sockets, etc
Injuries due to lightning
Burns caused by firewood, gas cookers unsafe oil lamps,and hot liquids while cooking
Facing accidents while lighting fireworks
Small children are especially prone to accidents while at home or at school. Home accidents can be minimized by watching over small children by adults, keeping sharp tools and pointed objects out of the reach of small children, and storing poisonous substances safely under lock and key.
Let us put it into practice
Discuss the nature of home accidents and precautionary measures that can be adopted to prevent such accidents.
What are the accidents that could happen at school? What precautions can be taken to prevent such accidents?
1. Motorists and pedestrians must obey road rules.
2. Avoid driving when feeling sleepy or tired.
3. Vehicles must be maintained in good condition.
4. Drunk driving and walking on roads after consuming liquor must be avoided.
5. Pedestrians must walk on the right hand side of the road.
6. Pedestrians must cross the road using pedestrian crossings and avoid crossing the road when the red light appears at crossing.
7. Pedestrians must wear light coloured clothing when walking on roads at night.
8. Walking more than two abreast on roads must be avoided by pedestrians.
Natural disasters are unfavourable situations that arise due to unexpected changes in nature. Floods, landslides, tornadoes, draught, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes are examples of disasters.
We can protect the lives of all by being thoughtful and acting with care at a time of disaster.
The following are methods that can be adapted to do so:
Having a pre prepared plan on how to face a disaster
Keeping a list of telephone numbers of relevant persons and places to inform at the time of a disaster
Immediately moving to a safe location from the place where the disaster has occurred
If people have been injured, providing first-aid before sending them to hospital
Being mindful of the food and beverages that are taken.
Some individuals that violate social norms and laws may engage in abusive activities, especially against children and women.
The following are some actions that can be taken to be safe from abuse:
Avoiding being alone at home or other places
Avoiding talking to unknown people if an unfamiliar person tries to take you away from a safe environment such as the school, refuse to do so and inform an elder about it
If anyone tries to kiss you, touch you or if you are asked to do something you do not want to do, or do anything that makes you uncomfortable, leave that place immediately and inform parents or teachers about it.
You might feel stressed when you are coping with expectations such as becoming a leader, getting through an examination, winning sporting event or competition. These are challenges that we all have to face in our life. Therefore, it is important to develop the skills that would enable us to face such challenges successfully.
Developing life skills to face expectations;
1. Self understanding and self esteem
2. Decision making
3. Problem solving
4. Coping with stress
5. Critical thinking
6. Creative thinking
7. Emotional balance
8. Good interpersonal relationships
9. Productive communication
10. Empathy
The above skills needed to face the challenges of day-to-day life in a successful manner, are known as life skills. We have already learnt about most of these life skills under mental and social well being in first lesson. We are able to face challenges successfully by increasing our awareness and developing those life skills.
Let us put it into practice
Create a story on finding solutions to an issue using the above life skills. Apply life skills to each incident in your story.
Read the story given in the first lesson for example.
Now we know....
Diseases can be divided into two groups as communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases.
Communicable diseases can spread directly from person to person or through a vector such as mosquitoes.
Diseases can be prevented by maintaining personal hygiene, cleanliness of the environment, obtaining treatment for the illnesses without delay, immunization and following a healthy lifestyle.
Other challenges we have to face in life include accidents, disasters, abuse and expectations.
Awareness and development of life skills will help us to face these challenges and stress in life.
Let us test our knowledge
1. What are the two main categories into which the diseases that affect us can be divided?
2. Name three communicable diseases.
3. What are the negative consequences of illness?
4. Give four methods used to control and prevent diseases?
5. What are the challenges that we have to face in our day-to-day life?
6. Write five things that can be done to prevent road accidents.
7. Write three things that can be done to be safe from abuse.
8. Write down some actions that can be taken at a time of a disaster
9. Name several life skills, that help us to face expectations.
