August 9, 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.

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Now for the headlines........
LOCAL BACK-TO-SCHOOL STORIES ABOUT KIDS HEALTH

With kids heading back to school throughout the county, several local stories talked about preparing them for the school year , health-wise. KGET included a feature on the Adventist Health Mobile Immunization Unit (a First 5 Kern-funded program). The Bakersfield Californian published a story about the Bakersfield City School District's four wellness centers throughout the city. KERO focused on the Kern County Department of Public Health vaccination clinics.
WORLD BREASTFEEDING WEEK NEWS:
BREAST MILK MAY PROVIDE AN INTERNAL CLOCK

So much is still to be learned about breast milk and its impact on a growing baby. This interesting study analyzed its potential to provide infants with an internal clock, because breast milk is different during different times of day . Its findings suggest that it may be possible to give your baby "mistimed" milk, interfering with that internal clock if, for example, you give your baby milk in the evening that was pumped in the morning.

RELATED: This TED Talk on " What we don't know about breast milk" is nine minutes and fifty-one seconds worth watching about this still-misunderstood process, especially if you are expecting.
PRESCHOOL INSTRUCTORS AND THE TEACHER'S UNION

Union members for teachers in District Council 1707 in New York City voted late last week to include preschool teachers in their organization. The deal with Local 205 should significantly boost salaries for about 300 teachers who work in publicly funded but independently run programs, bringing them on-par with starting salaries for public school teachers. It reportedly could mean a salary boost of up to $20,000, and also could put the conversation about early childhood workers' salaries on the national map.

RELATED: A recent study out of the Center for the Study of Child Care Employment at UC Berkeley and the Economic Policy Institute shed some light on the issue of childcare worker salaries in California, spawning countless stories . But the answer is more difficult than just issuing raises. A separate study by the EPI has found that infant care already cost more than in-state college tuition in 35 of the 50 U.S. states.
A PREGNANT MOM'S EXERCISE BENEFITS THE BABY

Newborns whose mothers exercise during pregnancy may become physically coordinated a little earlier than other babies , according to a new study profiled in the New York Times. Doctors monitored 71 pregnant women through pregnancy , and found that those moms who were active had babies that performed better on all tests of motor skills and reflexes.
INFLUENCERS CHIME IN ON ECE

This Sacramento Bee opinion article asked influential people around the state this question : What specific steps can California take to prepare our children for school in the first years of their lives?   The answers are varied, and came from people across different fields. First 5 LA Executive Director Kim Belshe was among the influencers included in the article.
ADDITIONAL STORIES FROM THIS WEEK...

There’s nothing new about tiny troublemakers being pushed out of preschools. A 2016 federal study found that an estimated  50,000 preschoolers had been suspended in the previous year and 17,000 were expelled . But NBC News asks, if researchers say kicking kids out of preschool is damaging, why is it still happening?

A company based in California is branching out into Colorado in an effort t o address acute child care shortages. Wonderschool, which has made in-roads in San Francisco and Los Angeles, makes it easier for providers to operate child care businesses out of their homes, providing bulk access to supplies, linking sites to substitute help and offering marketing assistance.

An investigation by two child safety groups found that despite being blamed in dozens of infant deaths , recalled baby sleeper products are still commonly sold online and even used in licensed childcare facilities. Over 5 million of them have been recalled in 2019 alone, and the American Academy of Pediatrics warns against the use of any inclined sleeper, even those that haven't been recalled.

This month, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health issued a warning to pregnant women to steer clear of certain bottled water brands commonly available at regular stores. They point to high levels of a moisture-repelling chemical called PFAS, which has been linked to a list of health issues.
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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