THIS WEEK'S
HEADLINES
NEWS IMPACTING CHILDREN 0-5 AND THEIR FAMILIES
June 26, 2020
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 (@First5Kern) for more kids news, as well as information about our funded programs and initiatives.

Now for the headlines........

HEALTH
MANY PARENTS ARE HESITANT ABOUT FLU VACCINATIONS
New research shows that 1 in 4 parents are hesitant about getting the influenza vaccine for their children.

In the  study , researchers analyzed more than 2,000 survey responses from parents of children between the ages of 6 months and 18 years.

While nearly 26 percent of parents said they were reluctant about getting flu shots for their kids, only 6 percent said they were hesitant about other routine childhood vaccinations.

“We were very surprised by the level of hesitancy for influenza vaccine,” said  Dr. Allison Kempe , MPH, MSPH, the study’s lead author. “The perceptions about the effectiveness of childhood vaccines and influenza vaccines were completely different.” (Healthline)
UK STUDY ON COVID-19 AND CHILDREN

Mounting evidence out of the  United Kingdom  provides more insight into how  COVID-19  affects children, further confirming what researchers have been saying for months: Children are not as adversely affected by COVID-19 as adults.

A newly published study in Lancet found that children, including infants, generally have mild symptoms of COVID-19, and even those who develop the disease severely enough to warrant intensive care unit admission are unlikely to die. (ABC News)
FRENCH STUDY ON STUDENTS SPREADING CORONAVIRUS

School kids don’t appear to transmit the new coronavirus to peers or teachers, a French study found, weighing in on the crucial topic of children’s role in propagating Covid-19.

Scientists at  Institut Pasteur  studied 1,340 people a town northeast of Paris that suffered an outbreak in February and March, including 510 students from six primary schools.

The study suggests it was the parents who had infected their offspring rather than the other way around. (Bloomberg)
First 5 Kern is hiring for a Strategic Initiatives Specialist
This person will work collaboratively with our staff and community partners to research, promote, build and sustain innovative early childhood initiatives supporting life-long health and education opportunities for Kern County children.


EARLY CHILDCARE & EDUCATION
CHILD CARE A PRIMARY CONCERN IN KERN COUNTY WITH BACK-TO-SCHOOL OPTIONS LOOMING
A school reopening task force, made up of educational partners from districts small and large throughout Kern County, has been meeting for several weeks to discuss possible back-to-school scenarios for the county's more-than 190,000 students.

No local plans have been announced, but the options being proposed suggest distance learning is here to stay in some regard.

For working parents, this raises the question of child care if students will be home part of the week. (Bakersfield Californian)
COVID-19 CASES ARE INCREASING AT TEXAS CHILD CARE CENTERS

As child care centers across Texas slowly reopen, reported COVID-19 cases among children and staff are rising even as the state eliminates temporary safety rules put in place to lower risks during the pandemic.

Many parents are terrified about sending their children to child care, as the state's overall hospitalization and infection rates continue setting record highs. (Texas Tribune)
A NEW LESSON FOR PRESCHOOL KIDS:
NO SHARING

Walk into a California preschool during the coronavirus pandemic, and you might see children playing alone inside their own hula hoop.

“All their years here, we’ve been teaching them to work together, play together,” said Gerardo Soto, site supervisor at the Lindbergh Child Development Center in Costa Mesa. “Now we’re doing the complete opposite.” (EdSource)
SUBSIDIZED CHILD CARE PROVIDERS SPARED CUTS IN CALIFORNIA BUDGET
Child care subsidies for low-income and at-risk children will not be cut under the  2020-21 California budget agreement reached by the Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom this week.

Newsom had originally proposed to cut the payments for subsidized child care providers by 10%.

The budget still  slashes major investments  made in last year’s budget for child care and preschools, but the cuts are an attempt to balance a budget dramatically impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. (EdSource)

PARENTING & FAMILIES
KIDS KNOW HOW TO OCCUPY THEMSELVES.
LET THEM DO IT.
If you're a parent working from home with minimal or no help in the childcare department, this summer is likely going to be tough. Even getting an hour or two to focus on your work can seem like a dream when your kid is stuck inside and clamoring for attention.

Michaeleen Doucleff  is a reporter on NPR's Science Desk, and she's been fielding requests from her 4-year-old daughter, Rosy: "Draw me a narwhal!" "Read me a book!" "Bring me some milk!"

Frustrated by Rosy's interruptions, Doucleff decided she would retrain her daughter  to occupy herself and demand less attention . (NPR)
ONE UPSIDE OF COVID-19? KIDS ARE SPENDING MORE TIME WITH DADS

Men have been fired, demoted or lost job opportunities for taking paternity leave or seeking a flexible schedule, because of stigmas against men as caregivers. So even when paid paternity leave is available, men often feel they can’t take it. Some fathers have told me their bosses even specifically told them not to.

There’s no question that children are now having more time at home with their parents. And it’s worth looking at the myriad proven benefits to children of having more “dad time.” (Scientific American)
MOM'S DEPRESSION CAN LEAD TO KIDS' BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

Children of mothers with long-term depression have an increased risk of behavioral problems and poor development, researchers say.

The new study included nearly 900 Australian mothers and 978 of their children. Levels of depression were examined in the mothers before, during and after pregnancy. The investigators also analyzed their children's development and behavior.

"The longer a mother suffered maternal depression, the worse the outcomes for the child," study author Katrina Moss said. (US News & World Report)

PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH
PREGNANCY, CHILDBIRTH COMPLICATIONS GROW BY DOUBLE DIGITS
Pregnancy and childbirth complications increased by double digits over the past five years driven by a rise in underlying conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure and depression, a new study by Blue Cross Blue Shield of America found.

The Covid-19 pandemic also had a direct impact on pregnant women, the “ Trends in pregnancy and childbirth complications in the U.S. ” study found, with one in four women missing a prenatal visit during pandemic lockdowns and 53% reporting that they could not have a loved one in the delivery room with them. (BizJournals)
...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