Children and Youth
When it comes to raising your child and their health, you may sometimes need help or advice from a professional. At the Haarlemmermeer Health Centers, we offer various care programs for children and adolescents, and we have specialized practice support staff who focus on youth mental health. You can find more information about care programs and youth mental health care in the menu on the left.
Consent for Minors
Consent from a minor’s legal representative is required for treatment. All information regarding this consent is available on the KNMG website.
In short:
- For children under 12, parental or guardian consent is required.
- For young people aged 12 to 16, consent is required from both the parents or guardians and the young person themselves.
- Young people aged 16 and older make their own decisions and have an independent right to information. Parents do not need to give consent for medical treatment.
Haarlemmermeer Health Centers is a partner of JOGG-Haarlemmermeer. JOGG stands for “Youth at a Healthy Weight.” The municipality, community organizations, and the (local) business community are working together to promote healthy youth in a healthy environment.
- Healthy eating
A healthy diet, combined with regular exercise, is the foundation of a healthy weight. It’s important for children to learn from an early age that healthy food tastes good and that exercise is fun and enjoyable. So start as early as possible.
You might think: being a little chubby isn’t such a big deal, is it? Unfortunately, research shows that overweight children struggle with this. They feel less healthy and less happy. For example, because it’s harder for them to play sports or because they feel a little embarrassed in front of their friends.
Fit children feel better about themselves, perform better in school, and often stay healthier as adults. A child who develops healthy habits from an early age will therefore reap the benefits both now and in the future.
- What can you do yourself?
Giving your child the best while also making healthy choices isn't always easy. That's why we've put together a few tips.
- Healthy eating
A healthy diet includes eating breakfast every day, getting plenty of fruits and vegetables, and avoiding soda. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Take your time and enjoy your breakfast. Snacking isn’t a problem at all, but limit it to one treat a day or save it for special occasions.
- Get enough exercise
To stay healthy as a child, it’s a good idea to get 60 minutes of exercise every day. That might seem like a lot, but it’s actually not that hard. After all, you can be active anytime, anywhere! Just think about climbing on the playground, playing soccer in the park, or biking to school.
- Less use of smartphones, TV, and computers
When your child is on a smartphone, watching TV, or sitting at the computer, they aren’t being active. So make clear rules about smartphone use, computer time, and TV watching. For example, limit it to a total of 2 hours a day, or allow only certain shows. Then turn off the smartphone, TV, or computer. Let your child play outside for as long as they like.
- Drinking water is perfectly normal!
Water is healthy and refreshing. You can drink it straight from the tap or from a bottle. Drink at least one glass of water twice a day. This keeps kids healthy and fit!
- Sweet drinks
Our bodies are mostly made up of water. To stay healthy, it’s important to drink enough fluids. Many children love sweet drinks. But sweet drinks contain a lot of sugar, which can make you gain weight. Did you know, for example, that one packet of Wicky contains 4 sugar cubes? And that one glass of cola contains 5 sugar cubes?
- Recommended amount
If your child is thirsty, give them tap water or bottled water. If you want to give them something with a little flavor, offer unsweetened (fruit) tea, broth, buttermilk, or milk. In diet drinks, the sugar has been replaced by sweeteners. Sweeteners are artificial substances. It is not at all necessary to give children diet drinks. If you do, the recommendation is to give them a diet drink no more than twice a day.
- Did you know?
Tap water is just as clean and fresh as bottled water. Work with your child to choose two “water breaks” each day. You can always drink more!
Water not only contains all kinds of minerals your body needs, it’s an excellent thirst-quencher with no sugar, sweeteners, fat, or artificial colors. And… it has 0.0 calories.
In the Netherlands, for an average of 30 euro cents, you get as much as 200 liters of tap water—that’s about 1,000 glasses. That’s incredibly cheap.
Water doesn’t always taste the same. You can do fun little experiments with your child to see what happens when you add lemon, mint, strawberry, or a tea bag to the water. See together with your child which one tastes best.
- Need help?
Do you have questions about healthy childhood development and parenting? If so, please contact theHaarlemmermeer Center for Youth and Family.
There are also various programs for children and teenagers who are slightly to severely overweight. If you would like more information, please contactSportservice Haarlemmermeer.
Health centers have a mental health nurse practitioner specializing in youth care. Upon referral from a family doctor, a youth mental health nurse practitioner provides support to young people with a variety of mental health issues. This support is easily accessible and can address a wide range of questions regarding the development of children and adolescents.
- What issues does the POH-GGZ Youth program address?
Our youth mental health nurse practitioners can provide support for a wide range of issues related to child and adolescent development. Common issues that a youth mental health nurse practitioner may address include:
- parenting issues
- behavioral issues
- Support for ADHD
- not feeling like doing anything, not even things your child usually enjoys
- not wanting to go to school
- difficulty falling or staying asleep
- low self-confidence (“I can’t do anything,” “nobody likes me”)
- academic performance is declining
- withdrawn behavior: being quieter or getting tired quickly and easily
- behavioral problems, such as explosive reactions or getting angry quickly
- unexplained physical symptoms, such as stomachaches or headaches
- parenting challenges
- fear of failure, social anxiety, or other barriers that cause your child to avoid certain situations.
- Make an appointment
Before you can make an appointment with a youth mental health nurse practitioner (POH-GGZ), you must first see your family doctor. Your family doctor can then refer you to one of the youth mental health nurse practitioners (POH-GGZ).
Ms. L. van Ginkel
- Available: Tue, Wed, Fri
Ms. J. Dessens
- Available: Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu
Ms. M. v.d. Strate
- Available: Tue, Wed, Thu
ADHD is an attention deficit disorder that affects both children and adults. People with ADHD have trouble concentrating, are easily distracted, and may exhibit hyperactive behavior. This behavior can cause problems at school, at home, and in social situations.
- Characteristics of children with ADHD
Young children with ADHD are particularly noticeable because they:
- find it hard to sit still
- easily distracted
- find it hard to wait their turn
- rushing from one activity to the next
- unable to play quietly
- talking too much
- to interrupt others
- don't listen to what others say
- often put themselves in dangerous situations
- has difficulty following instructions
- respond differently to punishment and rewards
- tend to misplace things or lose things often
- having difficulty sustaining attention
- find it hard to control themselves
- Guidance
If someone exhibits symptoms or is suspected of having ADHD, a primary care physician can refer them to a mental health nurse practitioner (POH-GGZ). A youth mental health nurse practitioner can assess the situation and, for example, provide support and guidance to children with ADHD and their parents. For treatment and diagnosis, a youth mental health nurse practitioner refers patients to specialized mental health services.