A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Tuesday, Sept. 5:
Experts:
Pediatricians Not Doing Enough About Parental Smoking
Nearly 5,000 children die from tobacco exposure every year in the U.S.,
according to a study in the latest issue of the American Journal of Health
Behaviors. Children whose parents smoke are more likely to experience
wheezing, asthma and bronchitis; sudden infant death syndrome; middle
ear disease and other cognitive and behavioral problems, researchers say.
Yet pediatricians are reluctant to do more than suggest that parents cease
smoking, the study says. (Center for the Advancement of Health, 8/31/06,
by Esposito)
The
Power of a Good Breakfast
About 50 percent of 4,000 elementary school students who ate breakfast
performed better in a series of tests than their peers who skipped the
meal, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at Harvard
University. After fasting all night, a developing body (and brain) needs
a fresh supply of glucose -- or blood sugar, experts say. (NPR, 8/31/06,
by Aubrey)
On
the Job, Nursing Mothers Find a Two-Class System
As the pressure to breast-feed increases, a two-class system is emerging
for working mothers. For those with autonomy in their jobs -- generally,
well-paid professionals -- breast-feeding, and the pumping it requires,
is a matter of choice. But for lower-income mothers -- including many
who work in restaurants, factories, call centers and the military -- pumping
at work is close to impossible, causing many women to decline to breast-feed
at all, and others to quit after a short time. (NY Times, 9/1/06, by Kantor)
Cervical
Cancer Shots Hard to Find
The newly developed vaccine that prevents infections from the sexually
transmitted human papilloma virus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer,
other genital lesions and genital warts, has become hard to find and is
not yet covered by insurance. Doctors and parents both expect insurers
will start covering the $360 cost of the three-shot-series by January
next year. (SF Chronicle, 8/29/06, by Tanner)
Biggest,
Most Diverse Class Ever Starts School This Fall
This fall marks not only the largest group of students to enter schools
nationwide, but also the most diverse in history. The article notes that,
within a decade, ethnic minority students may outnumber white students
across the country. That's already the case in California and five other
states. (NY Times, 8/27/06, by Dillon)
Experts:
Abduction Risk Lower Than Parents Might Think
A fear of child abduction has led many parents to not allow their children
to walk to school or play in the park without adult supervision. But experts
say that these types of stranger abductions make up only a small percentage
of kidnappings each year, and note that children's ability to explore
and improvise suffers as a result of parental concerns. (Washington Post,
8/27/06, by Bahrampour)
'Black
Box' Helps Parents Track Their Children
A new device for teen drivers, known as "black box," uses global
positioning system (GPS) technology to fix its location, and it automatically
e-mails or calls the parent every time the driver goes too fast or travels
outside a set boundary. And while some parents believe this close watch
over their children is helpful, experts say that keeping too close an
eye on teenagers often backfires. (NPR, 8/29/06, by Smith)
Column:
Emotional Well-Being More Important than External Factors
Rather than focusing on grades, test scores, and social status, parents
should be more concerned about a child's emotional well-being, experts
say. A child with high self-esteem is less likely to drop out of school
or become addicted to alcohol or drugs, and will experience improved physical
health later in life, according to this column by Penn State education
professor Henry Brzycki. The author asks teachers, parents, and health
professionals to pay close attention to a child's emotional well-being
to help children achieve their full potential.
Schools
Embrace Gender Variance Among Young Children
Many children experiment with gender roles at a young age -- girls dressing
as boys and boys dressing as girls. While many schools and parents insist
that children wear gender-specific clothing and engage in gender-specific
activities, an increasing number of schools are embracing kids' curiosity
with gender roles. Experts say that children's overall emotional well
being can suffer if they are forced into a gender role with which they
don't identify. (SF Chronicle, 8/27/06, by Lelchuck)
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