A retrospective analysis of administrative claims data from a large U.S. health insurer was performed to study a potential association between oral antibiotic use during early childhood and occurrence of later gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Among 3253 children with ASD, 37.0% had a GI-related…

School nurses often play large roles in implementation of school vaccination requirements aimed at controlling the spread of communicable disease. We analyzed the association between the presence of a school nurse and school-level vaccination rates in Arizona. Using school-level data from Arizona sixth-grade schools (n = 749), we regressed average…

Vaccination coverage among children in kindergarten varies across the country and within states. We surveyed a convenience sample of kindergarten school nurses to investigate self-reported vaccination-related activities conducted at schools nationwide. The majority of the 1,435 kindergarten school nurses responding reported that their schools…

Exposure to childhood adversity is common and associated with a host of negative developmental outcomes. The most common approach used to examine the consequences of adversity exposure is a cumulative risk model. Recently, we have proposed a novel approach, the dimensional model of adversity and psychopathology (DMAP), where different dimensions…

There is a need for more research focusing on the health outcomes of infants born to the understudied group of adolescent mothers. Archivical data from four independent sources were used to answer the following research question: During the child's first year, what adverse health factors are associated with acts of intimate partner violence (IPV)…

Background: Children with Down syndrome have an increased risk of serious health conditions, particularly in early childhood. Published guidelines promote the identification and monitoring of health issues and adherence could reduce health inequalities, yet there is limited research about the extent to which health monitoring occurs as…

Background: Early childhood education and care (ECEC) services have the potential to influence or disrupt sleep patterns given that ECEC attendance coincides with the normative transition towards napping cessation. Objective: In light of the evidence that sleep patterns in early childhood are foundational to lifelong health, this study…

While globally advances have been made to recognize children as social actors in their own right, for psychiatrized young people their experiences of distress are often seen as a limitation and thus used as a justification for denying their meaningful participation in matters of concern to their lives. However, what would it mean if 'mental…

The study aims to examine the readiness of Indian parents towards online classes at kindergarten and junior school levels, by identifying the perceived barriers, perceived effectiveness and health impact of online classes on young children. The study is based on data collected across a random sample of 750 parents of students studying at junior…

Background: In 2020, schools shifted to remote learning in response to mitigating COVID-19. Since then, students have fluctuated between in-person and remote learning environments. Changes to instructional models raise questions about the impact on health. Methods: This study leveraged a statewide surveillance system (Healthy Kids Colorado Survey)…

There is now a wealth of research on obesity both from biomedical and socially critical perspectives. However, less research has focused on the lived experiences of young children and particularly those who are perceived as 'sedentary'. This paper critically examines the issue of obesity as related to children's experiences of physical…

The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 allows school districts to provide free meals to all students if over 40 percent of them are directly certified as free-meal eligible. While emerging evidence documents positive effects on student behavior and academics, critics worry that CEP has unintended…

This paper presents a historical account of conceptual development at the intersection of American education and health. Beginning with early advancements from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development and the World Health Organization, the authors show the movement from early considerations of the codependency of health and…

All children -- regardless of race, class, gender, or national origin -- deserve to fulfill their potential and have the opportunity to thrive. Over the last several years, Texas children and youth have faced serious challenges and disruptions to their lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Children of color, in particular, were disproportionately…

Comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) aim to increase students' physical activity opportunities across the entire school day. Targeted areas include physical education, classes throughout the curriculum, before and after school settings, and time spent both with families and in the community. Home fun (formally known as…