A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Monday, July 16:
Denti-Cal
Funds Leave Some Out
Despite a shortage of dental services for low-income Californians,
the state government did not spend $130 million in available funding over
the last seven years. Critics say the unspent money is a result of government
barriers that prevent dentists from accepting patients with Denti-Cal.
Dentists say the state does not reimburse them enough to offer dental
services for patients with that coverage. (Sacramento Bee, 7/3/07, by
Rojas)
Newborns
Will Be Screened for Cystic Fibrosis
A test for cystic fibrosis has been added to the routine group
of screenings that Californian newborns receive. The goal is to get earlier
treatment for children with the disease and help parents better prepare
for symptoms. (SJ Mercury, 7/6/07, by Kleffman)
Insecure
Dads Influence Daughters' Behaviors
Stanford researchers have found that a father's satisfaction
with his own body is a factor in rates of bulimia and binge eating in
teenage girls. Girls exposed at a young age to messages that their fathers
are unhappy with their bodies are more likely to grow up feeling that
they, too, have unfavorable bodies, leaving them at greater risk for disorders
later in life, researchers say. (USA Weekend, 7/8/07, by Lennon)
Study:
Poorer Kids at Higher Risk for Migraines
A new study published in the July issue of Neurology found that
lower-income kids are more likely to suffer from migraines than their
affluent peers, providing insight into the factors that may contribute
to migraines, such as stress, poor diet and lack of medical care. (Washington
Post, 7/3/07, by Gardner)
Study:
Home Better Than Foster Care
A new study funded by the National Science Foundation found that
kids who experienced minor abuse or neglect fared better when allowed
to stay with their families than if they enter foster care. The kids who
stayed at home attended school longer and committed fewer crimes. This
contradicts several smaller studies which found that kids who stayed with
their families got lower grades, had more teen pregnancies, and experienced
more abuse than kids in foster care. (USA Today, 7/3/07, by Koch)
Washington
Showdown on Children's Health Insurance
According to this New York Times article, congressional Democrats
want to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program to cover
many more children, while the Bush administration seeks to limit the program's
scope. Much of the opposition in Congress comes from conservative Republicans,
who see expansion of the program as a first step toward universal healthcare.
(NY Times, 7/8/07, by Pear)
Study:
Family Dinners Reduce Drug Use
A study from the National Center on Substance Abuse at Columbia
University found that teens who eat dinner with their families are less
likely to try marijuana, smoke cigarettes, or drink alcohol. Denise Clark
Pope, Stanford lecturer and director of Stanford's Stressed Out Students
Project, which was co-founded by our foundation, is quoted. (PA Weekly,
7/11/07, by Hong)
Report:
Teen Pregnancy Declines, More Kids Graduate
Teen birthrates continued to decline in 2005 thanks to a higher
rate of high school students using condoms and fewer teens having sex,
according to the America 's Children report by the Federal Interagency
Forum on Child and Family Statistics. The report also found that more
young people completed high school in 2005 than previous years, but fewer
children had health insurance. (Washington Post, 7/13/07, by Kaufman)
Study:
School-Based Autism Programs Face Challenges
School programs developed to help autistic children improve
social skills are only “minimally effective,” according to a study by
researchers at the Indiana Resource Center for Autism at Indiana University
. Researchers reviewed 55 previous studies of school-based autism programs
and found that most programs did not offer enough hours of instruction,
and many programs were administered by unqualified teachers. (Reuters,
7/13/07, by Norton)
Overweight
Kids Stigmatized Early
A new study contends that overweight children suffer from the
same low quality of life as children with cancer. Due to constant bullying,
teasing, and critical media images, these children are two to three times
more likely to have suicidal thoughts. (AP, 7/12/07)
More
Babies Receive Genetic Screenings
The March of Dimes reports that nearly 90 percent of American
babies are screened for rare but dangerous disorders. Specialists suggest
testing for 29 different disorders, and 13 states and Washington DC test
for the full list. (Wall Street Journal, 7/11/07)
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