Children

3,000 Bottles of Pediatric Anti-Viral Arrive Today

November 5, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that the state has received 3,000 bottles of pediatric Tamiflu from the federal government to help medical personnel at hospitals and clinics treat the growing cases of H1N1 influenza among children.

“We continue to see a marked increase in the number of confirmed cases of the H1N1 virus in both children and adults,” Governor Rell said. “But any parent who has ever stayed up all night with a sick child knows how difficult and heartbreaking it can be. It is important to treat the symptoms as soon as possible and so we must ensure that the medication is available.”    » read more »

October 30, 2009 -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is alerting consumers to immediately stop using Mia Moda Viva and Viva Supreme infant child restraint systems due to safety defects. Owners will need to obtain another seat; young children should never be transported in a motor vehicle without a proper safety restraint system.

Lerado, the manufacturer, is recalling 5,540 seats and bases because they could fail to adequately restrain a child in the event of a crash. The restraint’s harness splitter plate located on the rear of the seat has sharp edges which could cut the harness straps. In addition, the restraint’s base is vulnerable to cracking during a crash.    » read more »

With Hundreds of Millions of Race to the Top Education Dollars at Stake, Governor Urges Senate Appropriations Committee to Pass Measure

11/02/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the statement below after the state Senate Education Committee voted 5-0 to approve SBX5 1, a bi-partisan measure proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger and authored by Senator Gloria Romero (D-Los Angeles) to ensure California is highly competitive in the Obama Administration’s $4.35 billion Race to the Top national funding competition – which has been federally designed to support education reform and innovation across the nation.    » read more »

October 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is marking National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week by announcing several actions the agency proposes to take to prevent lead poisoning. Lead poisoning may cause a variety of adverse health effects, including brain and nervous system disorders, high blood pressure, and hypertension. Children six years old and under are most at risk.

EPA has issued a proposed rule to expand the coverage of the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule. The new rule proposes to eliminate a provision that exempted some housing from the rule’s requirement that contractors be trained and certified and use lead-safe work practices when renovating, repairing or painting a pre-1978 home.    » read more »

October 18 -24 is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

(San Francisco, Calif. -- 10/19/2009) National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, October 18-24, is set aside to educate parents and children about the dangers of lead exposure, especially lead-based paint hazards in housing.

Lead poisoning is the number one environmental hazard threatening children in the United States -- affecting more than 300,000 children who are less than six years old. Lead exposure can harm young children and babies even before they are born, and children who appear healthy can also have high levels of lead in their bodies. The behaviors and rapid growth of children less than six years old make them more likely to be harmed by lead.    » read more »

WASHINGTON — The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program should adopt a new set of nutrient targets and standards for menu planning, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine. The recommended targets and standards would update and improve the programs' abilities to meet children's nutritional needs and foster healthy eating habits.    » read more »

"Step Up To The Plate" Will Focus On Food Provision As Well As Medical Intervention For Children Suffering From Acute Malnutrition

Oct 19 2009 -- New York -- Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) announced today that the Firm will launch "Step Up to the Plate," a global initiative to reduce childhood malnutrition and save lives worldwide. This two-pronged approach is designed to address malnutrition by providing food to children most in need in developed nations, while also addressing the medical effects of children already experiencing malnutrition in the developing world.    » read more »

October 15, 2009 -- Below are the prepared remarks that U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will deliver on Friday, Oct. 16, at the National Association of State Boards of Education in Cincinnati, Ohio:

It’s my pleasure to be here today. Thank you for rescheduling my speech. As you know, when the President calls and asks you to be with him on an important trip, you go.    » read more »

Oct. 16, 2009 -- SANTA FE -- New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today applauded a $5.8 million grant from the U.S.

Department of Education to provide services to more than 2,000 children over 3-years-old that receive early intervention services through the Department of Health’s Family Infant Toddler Program. The funding is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and will help New Mexico create and retain developmental specialist and therapist jobs in communities across New Mexico.

This grant recognizes New Mexico as a national leader in early childhood services. New Mexico and Maryland were the only states to be awarded State Incentive Grant funds, which are in addition to other federal funds.    » read more »

October 14, 2009 -- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan issued the following statement on The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2009, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) at Grades 4 and 8:

“Today's results are evidence that we must better equip our schools to improve the knowledge and skills of America's students in mathematics. Our students have made real gains in math over the past two decades, but for the first time since NAEP's mathematics test started in 1990, student achievement in fourth grade has not improved. More must be done to narrow the troubling achievement gap that has persisted in mathematics, and to ensure that America's students make greater gains toward becoming competitive with their peers in other countries.    » read more »

October 8, 2009 -- Despite high rates of health insurance coverage among children in the District of Columbia, children's access to health care is inadequate and poses a significant health problem for the city's young residents, particularly those who are publicly insured, according to a RAND Corporation study issued today.

The study, conducted by RAND Health and funded by Children's National Medical Center, assesses health and health care among the more than 100,000 youth residing in Washington, D.C. Researchers suggest that health promotion efforts must focus on a partnership involving numerous private and public sector organizations that serve children, including schools, community-based organizations and child care centers.    » read more »

Persistent, Growing Disparities Underscore Need for National Reform

New York, NY, October 8, 2009— The cost and quality of health care, as well as access to care and health outcomes, continue to vary widely among states, according to the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System's second state scorecard report released today.    » read more »

October 06, 2009 -- MIDDLETON – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle today signed into law AB 119, a bill requiring children to complete five−year−old kindergarten as a prerequisite to being admitted to first grade in a public school. The Governor signed the bill at West Middleton Elementary School in Cindy Littel’s kindergarten classroom.    » read more »

Number of Children with Food Allergies and Number of Severe Allergic Reactions Have Skyrocketed in Recent Years

October 7, 2009 -- Today U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced that he will push legislation to address the growing problem of potentially life-threatening allergic reactions in school age children. Schumer said that despite growing numbers of allergic reactions, schools lack resources to train parents, students, faculty and staff in the best way to prevent and treat these incidents. He also said that there are no federal guidelines that detail how schools can address student allergies, which has resulted in neighboring school districts, and even neighboring schools, having different policies with wildly different results.    » read more »

According To New Data, An Estimated 48,000 New York Children Are Diagnosed With Autism

October 5, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. - New numbers released today by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that 1 in 91 children suffer from Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). According to the new data, an estimated 48,000 children across New York suffer from Autism - more than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined.

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand renewed her call today for quality, affordable autism treatment for families. She is pushing legislation that would mandate autism coverage and urging greater federal investment in Autism research.    » read more »