Inhalant abuse often starts as young as sixth grade. Inhalants are attractive to children because they are cheap and accessible. Though inhalant use has significant consequences, many parents fail to recognize the signs of abuse. The article suggests how to prevent inhalant abuse or intervene when there is a problem. A list of products abusers…

Violence in all settings has reached epidemic proportions. Most shootings are committed by friends or relatives following an argument or when playing with guns. The public needs education about nonviolent ways of coping with anger and about the high cost of gun violence. Suggestions for avoiding gun violence and the PTA position on firearms are…

Outcomes for infants with birth weights less than 800 grams, consequences for their families, and implications for primary care providers are considered. Early identification of difficulties, such as disorders of sensory integration and learning disabilities, and early intervention are advocated. Follow-up when the child is school-age is also…

Caregivers need to be alert to signs that a child is not hearing well so that children with hearing problems will receive prompt treatment. Explains the hearing process, what causes hearing loss, how to identify hearing loss at various stages of a child's development, and what caregivers can do if they suspect that a child has a hearing problem.…

Caring Start is a mobile-clinic program that provides prenatal care, well-baby clinics, childhood immunizations, counseling services, and contraceptives to rural poor families in northwest Pennsylvania. Before the mobile clinic, many rural women (mostly teenagers) went without prenatal health care due to lack of transportation. (LP)

Describes the essential self-care of an eight-year old second-grade student. This study illustrates a school counselor's use of a multimodal, behavioral intervention to increase the level of self-care in the classroom. Relevant reinforcements, individual and group counseling, and peer support, resulted in improved self-care. (RJM)

Children of Hispanic migrant farmworkers are more susceptible to health problems than children in the general population. This paper discusses the common health problems seen in these children, highlighting special health needs of preschoolers pertinent to this multicultural population. Implications for professional preparation in health education…

Reports developmental outcomes of a child who experienced a tracheostomy and had prolonged hospitalization and psychomotor therapy in an intensive care unit. Found a pattern of delay in speech and language production with no hearing loss, no cognitive impairment, an average level of fine motor disorders, no behavioral disorders, and normal…

A pilot system of individualized and rurally compatible community-based alternatives to residential and institutional treatment settings for seriously emotionally disturbed children was evaluated. The results indicate that this intensive, community-based, service-delivery system appears to improve children's behavioral and emotional functioning,…

A statewide survey of 1,574 Texas public school nurses examined the characteristics, needs, and involvement of nurses in the health and education management of students with special health care needs (SSHCN). Although the nurses have responsibility for a range of health services delivered to SSHCN, only 32 percent of respondents reported routine…

Evaluated the impact of chronic illness on the psychological functioning and social behavior of adolescent patients. A questionnaire was given to thalassaemics (n=90) and a control group (n=100) investigating coping strategies in stressful situations. Study supports hypothesis that chronic illness does not necessarily imply psychopathologies, but…

In sub-Saharan Africa, aggregate data show that female literacy is associated with higher agricultural productivity and is more strongly correlated than GNP with mortality and immunization rates of young children. A case study of Gambia confirms these relationships, with high female illiteracy apparently impeding both human and economic…

Studies dietary patterns that distinguish children with higher and lower mean daily percentages of calories from saturated fat using data from mothers of 205 Latino children aged 4-7 years in New York City. Substituting low-fat for whole milk appears a key strategy for lowering saturated fat intake. (SLD)

The squatter settlements in Kuala Lumpur exhibit a high incidence of communicable diseases, teenage pregnancies, and psychological and familial stress. The Sang Kancil Intervention Program responds to this situation by providing preschool education, maternal and child health care clinics, and activities that generate income for low-income…

Surveyed 13,454 rural Native American adolescents. Found 2 percent reported poor physical health and high rates of health-compromising behaviors, which were significantly correlated with physical or sexual abuse, suicide attempts, substance abuse, poor school performance, and poor nutrition. Academic risk was strongly associated with physical,…