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THIS WEEK'S
HEADLINES
NEWS IMPACTING CHILDREN 0-5 AND THEIR FAMILIES
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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 share information, and do not necessarily reflect First 5 Kern's areas of support, opinions or efforts towards these issues.
Follow First 5 Kern on social media (@First5Kern) for more kids news, as well as information about our funded programs and initiatives.
Now for the headlines...
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CHILD DEVELOPMENT & EARLY EDUCATION
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Transitional Kindergarten Is the centerpiece of Newsom’s early Childhood education plans |
Gov. Gavin Newsom envisions opening public school early education programs to all 4-year-olds in the state by the start of the 2024-25 school year.
Right now, transitional kindergarten is only available for kids who have their 5th birthday between September and December of the current school year. The Governor’s plan calls for phasing in new students starting in 2022.
To be clear, no family would be required to enroll in transitional kindergarten — it’s an optional program. (LAist)
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Editorial: Look before leaping into transitional kindergarden
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s bold new pledge to make TK universal for California’s public schools is intriguing; better reading alone could make it worthwhile.
Or not. Before Newsom commits to potentially quintupling enrollment in transitional kindergarten, he should resolve five issues with significant ramifications for schools, students, parents and the preschool industry. (LA Times)
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Childcare is replacing housing as the top reason California is unaffordable
Families are struggling to make ends meet in the Golden State: One in three Californian households find it hard to pay for the essentials, according to a new report, The Cost of Being Californian.
It finds that childcare costs have surged to become the highest expense, outpacing housing in all but five of the state’s 58 counties. (Fast Company)
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#IamTraumaAware campaign encourages community to share stories of healing and resilience |
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In recognition of national Trauma Awareness Month, the California Department of Public Health and the California Office of the Surgeon General, in partnership with ACEs Aware, have produced a social media campaign titled #IamTraumaAware.
The focus of the campaign is to encourage community members to share stories of healing and support on social media.
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The story of your number is the story of your ACE history. |
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ACEs have affected all of us in one way or another. ACEs are what happened to us. They are not who we are. They are part of our story and they shape it. If our well-being has been affected, change is possible and there is hope.
NumberStory.org has recently been unveiled to help educate on ACEs and help build resiliency.
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Can being born preterm or with a socioeconomic disadvantage in early childhood accelerate biologic aging? |
The association of adverse childhood experiences and subsequent increased risks of adult diseases years later have been well-documented. What role might accelerated aging be playing in connecting an early period of stress with worsened adult health morbidities?
This week we are releasing two studies and commentaries that focus on looking at accelerated aging due to stressors in early infancy or childhood. (AAP)
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Major chronic health problems facing children linked to air pollution
The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement this week that pointed out the connections between ambient air pollution and a range of associated health problems in children, and note how improvements in air quality have been associated with improved health outcomes. (MedicalXpress)
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Central Coast org. helps immunotherapy drug get FDA accelerated approval for cancer in children
A breakthrough in the fight against a deadly cancer that mainly occurs in children; an immunotherapy drug received FDA accelerated approval to help fight neuroblastoma, a form of cancer that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord of children. (KSBY)
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Family history, race and gender all factor into a child's asthma risk
Having just one parent with a history of asthma can double or triple a child's own asthma risk, especially through age four, according to a new study.
Researchers also found that Black children were more likely than white children to develop the condition in their preschool years. This risk lessened after age nine. (Philly Voice)
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Pandemic caused telemedicine visits rise for kids, but will it continue?
Virtual doctor visits for children grew this past year during the pandemic, but a new poll shows U.S. parents are divided on whether they will continue using this option in the future.
The children's health poll found that about one in five children had a virtual visit with their doctor for check-ups, minor illnesses, mental health or a follow-up appointment. (Health Day)
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7 Child behaviors that have nothing to do with parenting |
Whenever young people exhibit behavioral problems, many mental health professionals are quick to blame their parents.
Of course, no one can deny the profound effect that parents have on children, but is parenting really all that influential? Is parenting truly the omnipotent determinator of a child’s future? (Psychology Today)
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Kern Public Health urges everyone to practice water safety
As temperatures rise and families take to their backyard swimming pools and visit other bodies of water to cool off, Kern County Public Health urges everyone to take steps to keep their kids safe.
According to the Kern County Child Death Review Team, since 2014, 35 Kern County children died to accidental drowning. (KVSun)
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Most of McCarthy's constituents benefit from programs he's slammed
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s constituents are among those who have benefited most from the American Rescue Plan and other coronavirus relief funds, despite the top GOP member’s criticism.
An analysis by The Washington Post found that more than 93 percent of children in McCarthy’s district will likely benefit from the expanded child tax credit included in the American Rescue Plan. (The Hill)
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This is why your kids act out - and how to respond |
Whether they've drawn on the walls or spat in grandpa's face, acting out is always a symptom among children—not the problem itself.
“Acting out" literally comes from “acting out their feelings," which means when children can't express their needs and emotions in healthy ways, they will act them out through displeasing behavior.
Here are some tips on how to better understand those feelings and get on track to good behavior. (Motherly)
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How exercise affects pregnant women |
When it comes to pregnancy, nobody wants to be on the hook for advice that ends up being associated with a negative outcome.
For that reason, rigorous research on the effects of exercise on pregnancy is relatively rare—which makes a new study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise worth exploring.
The study takes a look at the properties of the placenta immediately after birth in a group of pregnant women assigned to mild, moderate, or no exercise. (Outside)
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Race and ethnicity are bigger risks In childbirth than age
In the wake of growing recognition of a crisis in Black maternal mortality, last month the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) announced a new goal to reduce racial disparities in maternal health by 50% in five years.
New data released today from BCBSA highlights just how ambitious—and important—that goal may be. (Forbes)
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A survey of how the pandemic has affected new mothers
Researchers surveyed 641 pregnant women between early April and July of 2020 to assess COVID-19 impact on social connection, prenatal health care, and income and employment.
Here's what the women reported experiencing during the pandemic's first wave. Respondents were from all over the United Stares. (California News Times)
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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.
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Special thanks to Vecteezy for assistance on graphics
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