The Kidsdata News Roundup
News, Research, and
Data About Children's Health and Well Being
September 2010
Youngest Children in Kindergarten More Likely to Be Diagnosed with ADHD; Up to 1 Million May Have Been Misdiagnosed, Study Finds
(USA Today, 8/17/10, by Szabo)
Study: Prenatal Pesticide Exposure May Raise Risk of ADHD in Kids
(LA Times, 8/19/10, by Maugh)
See the Data:
Almost a quarter of children with special health care needs in California had ADD or ADHD in 2005-06.
Ultra-Fine Particles from 'Thirdhand Smoke' Especially Harmful for Young Asthma Sufferers, Study Reveals
(LiveScience, 8/18/10)
Study: Acetaminophen May Double Asthma Risk in Kids
(CNN, 8/13/10, by Mann)
See the Data:
About 15% of children in California have been diagnosed with asthma, according to 2007 data, and in some regions across the state more than one in five kids were diagnosed with asthma.
Mother of Autistic Child Shares Back to School Stories and Struggles
(SF Chronicle, 8/26/10, by Shumaker and Winegardner)
See the Data:
Of all California children enrolled in special education, about 8% have autism, according to 2009 data, compared to 3% in ‘02.
Recession May Have Pushed US Birth Rate to New Low
(SJ Mercury, 8/27/10, by Marchione)
See the Data:
In 2007, the year before the recession hit California, there were 566,137 babies born in the state.
Less Than 25% of 2010 High School Graduates Passed the ACT College Entrance Exam; Questions Rise About College-Readiness
(WSJ, 8/18/10, by Banchero)
See the Data:
In 2008, the percentage of California high school graduates who completed college prep courses with a grade of “C” or higher varied widely by county, from 11% to 57%.
Bay Area Nonprofit Works to Lessen Stigma Around Mental Health Services Among Youth
(SJ Mercury, 8/19/10, by Wilson)
Excessive Internet Use Linked to Teen Depression, Study Finds
(NY Daily News, 8/3/10, by Black)
See the Data:
Depression-related feelings are common for Californian students of all races/ethnicities; about 1/3 of all groups report they have felt so sad and hopeless every day for two weeks or more that they stopped doing some usual activities.
California Standards Test Results in Reading, Math Proficiency Show Biggest Improvements in Years
(SF Chronicle, 8/17/10, by Asimov)
See the Data:
About 30% of economically disadvantaged 3rd graders scored proficient on the English Language Arts California Standards Test in 2009, significantly lower than the 64% of non-economically disadvantaged students who scored proficient or higher on the same test that year.
San Francisco Public Health Department Plans to Order Unvaccinated Kids to Stay Home if Classmates Get Whooping Cough
(Bay Citizen, 8/17/10, by Mieszkowski)
Vaccination Rates Remain Steady, but Cases of Whooping Cough Are Surging Nationwide
(NY Times, 8/16/10, by Parker-Pope)
See the Data:
Across California, the percent of kindergartners with all required immunizations (including for whooping cough) ranged from 75% to 98% in 2008.
Muscular Dystrophy Gene Riddle Cracked, May Lead to Treatments for Children
(SF Chronicle, 8/20/10)
See the Data:
Among children with special health care needs in California in 2005-06, an estimated 0.3% had muscular dystrophy.
Early Head Start Program Pays Home Visits to Poor Families, Teaches Parents How to Support Their Child’s Health
(Sacramento Bee, 8/24/10, by Oppenheim)
See the Data:
Poverty in California varies widely by race/ethnicity; 28% of African American children lived in poverty in 2006-08, compared to 8% of Caucasian children.
Tobacco Companies Reaching Out to Kids on YouTube, Researchers Find
(LA Times, 8/26/10, by Kaplan)
See the Data:
In 2006-08, 25% of 11th-grade girls in California said they had tried a cigarette, compared to 6% of 7th-grade girls.
Schwarzenegger Announces Launch of Nation’s Largest ‘Telehealth’ System; Will Make Specialty Care More Accessible for Children with Special Needs in Medically Under-Served Areas
(LA Times, 8/18/10, by Hennessy-Fiske)
Young Adults with Special Needs Find it Hard to Part with Their Pediatrician
(WSJ, 8/10/10, by Beck)
See the Data:
In 2005-06, 63% of youth with special health care needs did not receive services to help them transition from pediatric to adult health care, according to survey data.
Obesity Rates in California Falling for White, Asian American Children, but Rising for Other Groups, Study Finds
(SF Chronicle, 8/16/10, by Allday)
See the Data:
In 2008, about 81% of Asian American 7th graders in California and 77% of Caucasian/White 7th graders were at a healthy weight, while 66% of African American, 61% of Latino, and 56% of Pacific Islander 7th graders in CA were at a healthy weight.
Philanthropic Efforts to Address Childhood Hunger and Nutrition
Grantmakers for Children, Youth & Families and the Grantmakers Income Security Taskforce released a report on childhood hunger and food insecurity in the U.S. This report addresses how the philanthropic community can inform and influence policy decisions on child nutrition and hunger issues, including the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which aims to reform the national standards for the school lunch program. In 2009, there were over 3.2 million kids enrolled in the Free or Reduced Price Meal Program in California alone.
English Language Proficiency, Family Economic Security, and Child Development
This National Center for Children in Poverty brief addresses the policy implications of the nation's growing number of families who do not speak English at home and the effect this has on child well being. The report says "bilingual language skills can positively affect children’s educational achievement"; however, a significant number of children who don’t speak English at home struggle with English language proficiency, which negatively affects educational, health, and economic outcomes. Read the full brief at http://nccp.org/publications/pdf/text_948.pdf.
Know of news that we should include in our next edition of the Kidsdata News Roundup? Send us an e-mail.
