November 8, 2019
Here is a quick look at some headlines from this week impacting the lives of kids 0-5 and their families. The purpose of these stories is simply to inform, and they do not necessarily reflect First 5 Kern's areas of support or efforts towards these issues.

Follow First 5 Kern on social media for more kid-centric information.

Now for the headlines........
CDC REPORT THE LATEST TO LINK ACEs AND PHYSIOLOGICAL HARM

U.S. health officials estimate that millions of cases of heart disease and other illnesses are linked to abuse and other physical and psychological harm suffered early in life. In a report released Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tried to estimate the impact of harmful childhood experiences on health in adulthood.

Health officials acknowledged the study does not prove that these experiences directly cause certain illnesses. And they were not able to rule out other possible factors, such as the stress caused by financial family problems.

But the link is strong, and is bolstered by many other studies, said Jim Mercy, who oversees the CDC’s violence prevention programs.

This study has received widespread coverage, including NPR , the Chicago Tribune , and Newsweek , among others.

A LOCAL COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE, Trauma-Informed Kern County, has led to multiple agencies taking steps to address childhood trauma and minimize its impacts. For more information, contact First 5 Kern .

RELATED: Researchers have endeavored to put a price tag on the toxic stress to children caused by exposure to violence and crime. That figure? $458 Billion per year, according to a report by Michal Gilad, a researcher at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, and the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Abraham Gutman. And that estimation, they say, is likely a conservative one.
REPORT SHOWS KERN COUNTY STRUGGLES WITH PRETERM BIRTHS

The March of Dimes has released its annual preterm birth report card, and once again , San Joaquin Valley counties ranked among the worst in the state , as explained in this feature from Valley Public Radio. Throughout California,  just shy of 9 percent of babies are preterm , which can put them at higher risk of long-term health complications and even death. Although Fresno County’s preterm birth rate improved in the last year, it still fares worse than the state as a whole with 9.1 percent of babies born preterm. Meanwhile, Kern County’s preterm birth rate worsened to nearly 10 percent.
CATCHING THE MEASLES IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN PREVIOUSLY BELIEVED

The measles vaccine does far more than keep one disease at bay. Two separate studies by the same team have shown that catching the measles virus can give your antibodies 'amnesia', leaving you open to future illnesses. This means that even once you've recovered from measles, you can potentially lose immunity to other pathogens you've already been exposed to or vaccinated against, including pneumonia, influenza, the common cold, and human papillomavirus. What's more, this vulnerability can last for months on end, maybe even years.
EXCESSIVE SCREEN TIME IS ASSOCIATED WITH STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN'S BRAINS

Young children who get more screen time than doctors recommend have differences in parts of the brain that support language and self-regulation, a study at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has found. It's not clear how the changes affect a child's development, the researchers said.

“These findings highlight the need to understand effects of screen time on the brain, particularly during stages of dynamic brain development in early childhood, so that providers, policymakers and parents can set healthy limits,” said Dr. John Hutton, the author of the study and director of the  Reading & Literacy Discovery Center  at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
CHILDCARE COSTS IN FOCUS / STUDY AUTHORIZED IN SLO

Childcare costs are forcing 59% of parents of young children to cut back on everyday essentials like food, clothing, and gas, asserts a new survey by the Bipartisan Policy Center . Childcare has forced about the same number to delay or decrease spending for emergencies according to the poll while 75% of parents have reduced spending on nonessentials. Nearly seven out of 10 parents told the researchers childcare challenges affected their ability to stay in the workforce.

RELATED: The cost of living is high for most living in San Luis Obispo County. It can be even higher for parents due to the cost of childcare. On Tuesday, the SLO County Board of Supervisors approved a $20,000 study aimed at increasing high quality and affordable childcare.
BEST ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN'S BOOKS OF 2019

There is no need to wait until the end of the calendar year , this children's book list comes out just in time for holiday shopping. The New York Times list of the best illustrated children's books of 2019 includes some unique selections. With topics ranging from math, boredom, farming, and even a picture book with no words, this list has a book for every taste.
ADDITIONAL STORIES FROM THIS WEEK...

When it comes to improving children’s grades and behavior , social play, has a significant role in early childhood development. This article in Parentology explains a recent study on social play for kindergartners found a  lack of playtime  greatly impacts students’ development.

A 30-year old Texas woman with no history of cardiovascular disease in her family is making headlines for surviving a pair of heart attacks during her pregnancy . Doctors have determined the woman's unborn twins were the cause, having put too much strain on her heart.

Why Are Kids So Obsessed With Poop Jokes? Toilet humor can be a powerful tool for children, but there are ways to limit the potty talk.

Do you feel like your pregnancy has come at an inopportune time and wish you could stall a few months? Well, if you were an armadillo, you could do something about that. It's not just armadillos, but also bats, bear, deer, kangaroos and more... Over 130 species of mammals are known to be able to "pause" their pregnancies - sometimes by up to 11 months. Science is trying to unlock the mystery of how they do it and explore whether human can as well.

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...about First 5 Kern
First 5 Kern was established in 1998 when California voters passed Proposition 10, which levied a 50-cent tax on tobacco products. Revenues generated from the tobacco tax are used to fund local programs in the areas of health and wellness, early childcare and education, and parent education and support services that promote early childhood development for children ages zero to five.

For more information on First 5 Kern and the agencies we support, please visit www.First5Kern.org   and follow us on social media.
Special thanks to Vecteezy for assistance on graphics