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Amidst the recent H1N1 virus scare, public schools are being celebrated for their proactive efforts to minimize student illness and the spread of disease. As the explains, “Schools play a critical role in protecting the health of their students, staff, and the community from highly contagious, infectious diseases such as seasonal or pandemic influenza.”

To contain the pandemic threat, a number of public schools chose to close their doors upon reports of symptoms of the H1N1 virus. Many experts assert that public school leaders have helped contribute to the diminished threat of this potentially serious illness.

Public Schools and Health Regulations

Based upon extensive studies and investigations conducted by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services asserts that public schools’ proactive efforts to administer schoolwide closures amidst health threats have been proven to mitigate the incidence of pandemic influenza viruses. With this precautionary step, public school leaders have the ability to help protect their students, families, and extended community members from the dangers of serious contagious diseases.

While public schools have historically closed for weather-related factors and illness-related incidents, public schools are not actually legally required to close their doors amidst times of non-emergency illnesses. As each school district, county, and state hold varying authorities over closing their schools, leaders are urging parents to find out about their local schools’ pandemic response plans. Parents and community members should be aware of

With the startling rise in obesity among young children, many schools are striving to combat issues of weight and poor health by enforcing new dietary restrictions. For example, some schools are creating workout and wellness plans that help students lose weight through fun activities. Similarly, some schools are prohibiting their cafeterias from selling certain types of foods to prevent poor eating habits.

Ultimately, while all can agree that children are best served when they are at their optimal health and physical size, many individuals assert that the schools’ new focus on weight can lead to an array of mental and personal issues in young kids.

The Obesity Issue

According to reports, approximately 1 in 3 kids is considered to be overweight or obese. As the percentage of overweight children continues to rise at a startling rate, leaders are striving to seek out solutions to this serious crisis. According to , children today are spending less time playing outdoors and engaging in physical activities due to the new appeals of technology, video games, and television. Subsequently, children are becoming lethargic, lazy, and large. Adding to the change in children’s activities, Kids Health further asserts that busy parents no longer have the time to prepare healthy and balanced meals: “From fast food to electronics, quick and easy is the reality for many people in the new millennium.”

This video suggests that school lunches and too much TV time play a role in childhood

Depending on your child’s school and state policies, your son or daughter may not be able to attend their first day of class until they’re fully vaccinated. In an attempt to reduce common illnesses and eliminate potentially fatal or harmful diseases, medical leaders have created mandates that command all kids to be vaccinated. According to many experts, students who are not vaccinated are susceptible to an array of prospective health issues.

While these regulations were created to help protect all children, many parents argue that the vaccines pose too many unknown risks. Ultimately, a new debate has emerged: are these mandatory vaccines helping or hurting our children?

Why Vaccinate?

According to , by the time a child is 2 years old, he or she has most likely been injected with over 20 vaccines to prevent various health problems. Aligning with this early treatment method, most public schools demand that all children are vaccinated for common child-related sicknesses, including vaccines to prevent illnesses such as:

• Mumps
• Measles
• Chickenpox
• Flu
• Meningitis
• Tetanus

In addition to a wide spectrum of other potential preventative vaccines, the (CDCP) asserts that immunization regulations must be enforced to protect all children in society. Ultimately, with the support of vaccinations, medical leaders, along with CDCP, believe that optimal immunization against illnesses is the best way to prevent a widespread breakout of common contagious diseases. Since children are forced into a small classroom area with countless physical interactions in a given

Did you know that your child’s public school may be the best source of after-school daycare? Whether parents need a little after-school support due to work or personal obligations, many public schools may provide much-needed support.

With rising parents needing childcare assistance, many public schools have introduced after-school programs, child-sitting, and additional activities. For parents needing a few extra hours of child care after school or seeking support during school breaks and holidays, children can enjoy supervised activities and attention at an array of public school childcare venues!

After School Child Care

Depending on a child’s school policies and programs, most public schools offer free or reduced-cost childcare services. For example, , located in Michigan, supports parents before and after school. According to the county, children ranging from 6 weeks to 12 years of age can receive childcare services Monday through Friday from 6:30 am to 6 pm. While costs of the child care range depending on the child’s age, the time of day, and the duration of service, Charlotte offers support that ranges from $7 to $40 per day.

In addition to Charlotte Public Schools, , located in Virginia, provide parents with after-school support for kids. Unlike Charlotte schools, however, Fairfax allows parents to receive child care support with a sliding fee scale. Essentially, each parent/family is provided with a unique and specialized price option based on the family’s gross household income. This helps parents of all economic

Research in autism has exploded in recent years as experts strive to find clues as to this spectrum disorder's causes, symptoms, and conditions. While the symptoms and classifications of autism are broad, autism manifests itself as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, which falls into the category of neurological impairment.

According to the (ASA), autism impacts an individual’s social and communication abilities. “Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.” As scientists and researchers continually discover more information about this condition, more children and adults are diagnosed with autism.

Startlingly, as ASA reveals, autism is currently the most common developmental disorder, impacting 1 out of every 150 children. With this data, an estimated 1.5 million Americans are currently coping with some form of autism spectrum disorder. This number continues to rise at approximately 10 to 17 percent each year. Experts suspect that approximately 4 million Americans will cope with autism within the next 10 years. With this rising number, schools are rapidly striving to implement programs, resources, and support tools for families and children dealing with autism. To help provide autistic children with added support, parents can utilize five core tips to improve their child’s progress and development in public schools.

This video looks at autistic children in school settings.

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