A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Monday, Nov. 13:
3 Schools Struggle to Get by Without Nurses
Schools in most states don't come close to the federal government's
suggested guideline of one school nurse for every 750 students -- a problem
that is underscored by the growing number of students with chronic medical
conditions. According to the national Association of School Nurses, only
12 states comply with the federal recommendation, and California 's ratio
is estimated at one nurse for every 2,241 students. (WSJ, 11/2/06, by
Zaslow)
Information, Parent Help Can Curb Infant Abandonment
Cases of infant abandonment and homicide are often very similar,
researchers have found. Young mothers who feel isolated from friends and
family tend to panic after giving birth and try to get rid of the infant.
The article notes that some states, including California , have "safe
haven" laws that allow babies to be surrendered at hospitals or other
sites within three days of birth. (Inside Bay Area, 11/3/06, by Bohan)
Opinion:
'Tough Love' Approach Does More Harm Than Good for Weight Problems
Family members and physicians who ridicule a person about their
weight may think their comments are helpful, but they actually lead the
victim to engage in more unhealthful behavior, according to a recent Yale
University study of more than 2,000 adults and children enrolled in a
weight-loss program. This opinion piece asks people to think twice before
ridiculing an overweight person, and recognize that weight stigma is harmful.
(SJ Mercury, 11/6/06, by Puhl and Brownell)
Voters Say No to Cigarette Tax Increase
Proposition 86, which would have increased cigarette taxes to
fund public health services was voted down in Tuesday's election. Smoking
is the leading cause of preventable death and disease, and 50,000 California
youths become new regular smokers yearly, supporters said. Opponents,
however, argued that the revenue would only go to hospitals and not to
anti-smoking campaigns or increased access to health care for children.
(SF Chronicle, 11/8/06, by DelVecchio)
The Purchasing Power of Preteens
This article, noting Disney's interest in the preteen market,
discusses the purchasing power of 8-to-14-year-old girls. There are an
estimated 19.6 million preteen girls in America . They spend roughly $30
million of their own m oney yearly, and influence $126 million in spending
by their parents. (The Boston Globe, 11/6/06, by Weiss)
From Actress to Author
Actress Rhea Perlman, who may be best known for her role as Carla
on the long-running sitcom "Cheers," stopped by two schools
in San Jose this week to talk about her new book for preteens. Perlman
has written a series of illustrated chapter books for children ages 7
to 11 who struggle with reading. (SJ Mercury, 11/10/06, by McPherson)
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