The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) works to make communities aware of dangers posed by misused pesticides, which can be hazardous to the health of children and others. The EPA is involved in outreach to inform the public. People need information about safe and effective pest-control options. They should report suspected pesticide misuse to…

Provides an overview of the potential health benefits of strength training for children, discussing the role of strength training in preventing sports-related injuries and highlighting design considerations for such programs. The focus is on musculoskeletal adaptations to strength training that are observable in healthy children. Guidelines for…

Examined whether chronic illness causes delays in adolescents' perceived developmental status, using annually-completed questionnaires from insulin-dependent and healthy adolescents. Found that, in first year of study, diabetic adolescents reported delays in physical maturity and an independent lifestyle compared with healthy peers. Overall…

Discusses the relationship between health promotion and academic achievement at the middle school level. Considers three reasons to promote wellness, noting that poor health practices drain educational resources, students in poor health do not learn well, and youthful choices affect health. Describes ways to promote health in middle schools. (JPB)

Examined blood lead levels in 1,190 children residing in Mississippi. Found that boys had a higher level than girls, and black children had a higher level than white children. The percentage of children with lead toxicity was 8.5 percent. The winter season had a significantly lower lead level than autumn. (Author/KB)

Evaluates the effects of a self-management educational program on 29 children and their parents. Program consists of six sessions of information giving and cognitive-behavioral strategies for the children, and two talks and a brochure for the parents. Results indicate a significant effect on children's asthma knowledge and practice of…

Describes five common youth sport injuries: Little League elbow, swimmer's shoulder, shin splints, Osgood's Schlatters disease, and jumper's knee, also noting their corresponding causes, behavioral symptoms, treatment techniques, and prevention strategies. The information is intended to help teachers identify sports injuries more readily and…

Conducted focus groups with daily smokers to identify key themes and strategies that would be effective in influencing attitudinal and behavioral change in homes that allowed smoking to occur. Smokers preferred messages that addressed the health of children, respected smokers, were based on research, provided information and assistance on…

This 1949 paper discusses the future role of the school physician, suggesting that it will be important to focus on prevention, to emphasize children's mental as well as physical health, and to have a holistic approach that includes an examination of teachers' and nurses' opinions and of the child's home and school environment. (SM)

This 1979 paper focuses on the education of school nurses, explaining that they are educational health professionals, and their preparation should be at a professional level. The paper recommends that school nurse educational requirements be at least equivalent to those of the teachers with whom they collaborate to promote student health. (SM)

The Human Development Index (HDI) implicitly defines "human development" and ranks countries accordingly. To elucidate the HDI's meaning of "human development," the paper examines the sensitivity of the HDI to changes in its components, namely social indicators of education, longevity and standard of living. The HDI is next compared with two…

Some 600,000 children in the US are allergic to peanuts. Of 400 elementary school nurses, 44% cite increased food-allergic students in the past five years. Peanut allergy doubled in children from 1997 to 2002, and yet peanuts are only one of six foods most often causing allergic reactions in children, including milk, eggs, wheat, soy, and tree…

Concern over what kids eat-in and out of school has exploded in the past two years. Study after study shows that American children are becoming overweight and obese in dangerously high numbers. This is because of the proliferation of super-sized meals, ubiquitous fast-food restaurants, and less time and fewer options for physical activity are…

This article presents a short case presentation and differential diagnosis of impetigo, a common, contagious, superficial skin infection that is produced by streptococci, staphylococci, or a combination of both bacteria. There are two different clinical presentations: (1) bullous impetigo; and (2) nonbullous impetigo. For years, it was thought…

This article presents a short dermatological case presentation involving a 9-year-old black female student who suffered from a severe case of atopic dermatitis (AD). Health history, physical findings on the subject, and differential diagnosis, such as impetigo, atopic dermatitis, contact dermatitis, scabies, and seborrheic dermatitis, are given.…