PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL READINESS FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION IN FREQUENTLY ILL CHILDREN

Abstract

The level of formation of school maturity directly depends on the health of preschool children. In order to assess the psychophysiological readiness for schooling of frequently ill children, 77 preschool children attending preparatory groups of kindergarten No. 8 “Rodnichok” in Yakutsk were examined. According to the results of the medical examination, 7.7 % of children belonged to the 1st health group, 81.8 % – to the 2nd group and 10.5 % of children – to the 3rd health group. Children of the 3rd health group suffered from respiratory diseases more than 7-8 times during the year and had monthly absences on average from 8 to 12 days. Diagnostics of the readiness of future first–graders to study at school was carried out using the Kern-Yerasek psychological test aimed at identifying psychosocial maturity, the level of development of visual-motor functions and speech, as well as school-necessary functions in the form of the ability to arbitrary behavior. According to the results of the study, 67.5 % of the children were ready for school (who showed a high level of development on all tests), 19.5 % had an average level of “school maturity”, and 1.3 % of children had a low level. Assessment of psychological readiness to study at school according to all components of the Kern–Yerasek test allowed us to conclude that frequently ill children, without statistically significant differences from healthy peers in terms of the development of visual-motor coordination, lag behind them in terms of the development of social qualities associated with general awareness, which may be a significant reason violations of children’s adaptation to school. The results of the study indicate the need for a targeted examination of children before entering school, and the preparation of frequently ill children for systematic schooling using special health-saving programs.