When the Flint, MI water crisis hit the news in 2015, people around the world took notice. Hundreds of children across Flint had alarmingly high blood lead levels. Many still do. The problem was quickly traced back to lead contamination in the city’s water supply. The water that Flint’s families and caregivers used to cook, drink and bathe in was poisoning their children. 

Now a new water crisis is making news, this time in Newark, NJ. Once again, families in a major U.S. city are being poisoned by lead in their environment. Newark is in the news now, but children’s blood lead levels in places like Milwaukee, Baltimore and Philadelphia are actually much higher than in Flint.  And the children most in danger of lead poisoning are children from families with low incomes and children of color. 

Parents rely on child care so they can go to work, and many are left scrambling when their child gets sick. Providers have more than one child to care for, so they have to make tough decisions about whether to allow a sick child to come and risk the health of other children. That’s why it is important that child care resource and referral (CCR&R) agencies and child care health consultants work with providers to develop easy to understand Inclusion and Exclusion policies that define when a child is too sick to be in child care, and when they can stay in care.

Los hábitos relacionados con la alimentación y el ejercicio se aprenden. Los niños no nacen sabiendo lo que es “bueno” para ellos. Los niños observan y hacen lo que hacen sus padres y sus hermanos. Quieren comer lo que todos los demás comen, y quieren hacer lo que ven hacer a los otros miembros de la familia.

El uso de medicamentos para tratar a los niños pequeños va en aumento. Este aumento puede atribuirse a diversas causas: el aumento en los tratamientos para el asma, una mayor dependencia de los médicos para controlar el comportamiento, y el aumento en la incidencia de ciertas enfermedades. Aunque la mayoría de los medicamentos que se administran a los niños son para resfriados, infecciones, y dolor o fiebre, a muchos niños se les ha diagnosticado condiciones crónicas, tales como el Síndrome de Deficiencia de Atención/Hiperactividad (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, o ADHD), diabetes, depresión o asma, donde los medicamentos terapéuticos se han constituido en una rutina diaria.

The use of medication for young children is on the rise. This increase is due to several reasons: the increase in asthma treatments, a greater reliance on medication for behavior control, and the increased incidence of some diseases. Most medications given to children are for colds, infections and pain or fever, but many children are diagnosed with chronic conditions such as Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), diabetes, depression or asthma where therapeutic drugs have become a way of life.

The Problem:
Child care providers are expected to do a daily health check for each of the children in their care. However, not all providers are aware of what a comprehensive health check entails.