A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Monday, Dec. 10, 2007:
Congress Considers Ban on Sale of Junk Food at School
Congress is considering legislation that would ban selling candy, sugary soda and salty, fatty food on school campuses, in order to limit the junk food intake of students. Schools in the Palo Alto Unified School District and Santa Clara Unified School District , among other Bay Area schools, already have banned the sale of junk food during school hours. (NY Times, by Severson)
Study: Fever May Improve Autistic Behaviors
A study conducted by the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore
has shown that a fever in children with autism spectrum disorders improved
autism-caused behaviors for more than 80 percent of the study participants.
However, the study found that the changes end within a week after the
fever subsides. (HealthDay News, 12/3/07, by Vann)
Parents Want Better End-of-Life Care for Kids
Parents of terminally ill children say they would benefit from
more communication, honest information and emotional support when dealing
with end-of-life care for a dying child, according to a survey published
in the journal Pediatrics. (HealthDay, 12/2/07, by Gordon)
New Guidelines for Preventing Childhood Obesity Released
The American Medical Association has issued to U.S. doctors a thorough set of guidelines for preventing childhood obesity. The plan includes check-ups, counseling and continuous weight-related guidance for kids, whether or not they are overweight. (USA Today, 12/2/07, by Elias)
Brain Differences in Autistic Children
Autistic children have more gray matter in the parts of the
brain associated with empathy, emotional experience and learning through
sight, according to a study conducted by researchers at Children's Hospital
of Philadelphia . The study also found that autistic children have less
gray matter in the area of the brain responsible for social interaction.
(Reuters, 12/1/07)
Column: Teen Dating Violence a Big Threat
This Los Angeles Times column by preventive medicine specialist
Valerie Ulene, MD, notes high rates of relationship abuse among teens
nationwide. A 2003 study found that one in 11 high school students nationally
repo rt that they have experienced physical dating violence, Ulene says,
pointing out that many cases go unreported. (LA Times, 12/3/07,
by Ulene)
Physical Fitness Test Results Show Minimal Improvement
The results of the California Physical Fitness test were slightly
better in the 2006-'07 academic year than the previous school year, but
more must be done to ensure that all students can meet state fitness standards,
education officials said. Statewide in the last academic year, 27 percent
of fifth-graders, 31 percent of seventh-graders and 30 percent of ninth-graders
passed all six fitness standards, compared to 26 percent, 30 percent,
and 27 percent, respectively, the previous year. (San Diego Union-Tribune,
12/7/07, by Lieberman)
Childhood Cancer Death Rate Drops
The death rate among children with cancer in the U.S. dropped
20 percent from 1990 to 2004, according to a report from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. Health officials said better treatments
for leukemia and other cancers helped bring about the decline. While rates
fell overall, the report found that death rates for Hispanic children
with cancer declined only 1 percent during this timeframe. (Reuters, 12/6/07)
Report: Teen Birth Rate Increases for First Time in 15 Years
After a steady decline of 34 percent from 1991 to 2005, the U.S.
teen birth rate rose 3 percent from 2005 to 2006, according to a recent
report from the National Center for Health Statistics. Lawmakers say the
report revives a debate about the effectiveness of federally funded abstinence-only
sexual education in schools. (Washington Post, 12/6/07, by Stein)
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