"Child Care Health Connections" is a bimonthly newsletter published by the California Childcare Health Program (CCHP), a community-based program of the University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing, Department of Family Health Care Nursing. The goals of the newsletter are to promote and support a healthy and safe environment…

There are many issues concerning women of all ages and substance abuse. Women who abuse alcohol or other drugs are particularly at risk for sexual assault; unprotected sex; unwanted pregnancies; and sexually transmitted diseases. Females between the ages of 12 and 17 surpass males in their use of cigarettes; cocaine; crack; inhalants; and…

In Los Angeles County, the GIG intervention offers education to adolescents about pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections at a social event geared to the youth culture. Pre- and posttests completed by 609 Latino adolescents indicated an increase in knowledge and attitude changes. Use of peer educators was an important component of program…

Examines cultural factors associated with pregnancy among Hispanic adolescents, highlighting policy areas within the health care delivery system that must be addressed. The paper discusses migratory patterns and service needs, acculturation and pregnancy, valuing of children, access to health services, the role of the health practitioner, and…

Reviews studies of the effects of prenatal drug exposure on child development, and reviews ideal early intervention programs. Researchers agree that prenatal drug exposure is only one of many factors that can influence a child's development. Specialized treatment programs and family support can ameliorate prenatal drug exposure effects. (SLD)

Reviews recent actions by state legislatures and courts in response to the problems of drug-exposed newborns. Also discusses civil and criminal court decisions regarding women who use drugs during pregnancy. State policy responses cannot be developed without a detailed assessment of the state's resources. (SLD)

Presents a conceptual framework that can be used to estimate the costs of prenatal exposure to tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs. Cost estimates that have been made are presented. It is obvious that preventing drug use or smoking should be a first priority of public policymakers. (SLD)

Describes a Department of Human Services project to research and recommend appropriate strategies to address the needs of boarder babies, infants prenatally exposed to substance abuse, and children living in substance abusing environments in the District of Columbia. Training seminars and the five project objectives are reviewed. (SLD)

Peer counselors and staff members describe the "I Have a Future" Program at Meharry Medical College in Nashville (Tennessee). This program focuses on pregnancy prevention by providing education, health care, and increased life options; social skills training; an entrepreneurial program; and separate classes for African-American youth.…

Reports data from a study assessing the comparative availability of services to teenage mothers and teenage fathers in agency settings in a midwestern state. A survey of 149 agencies indicates that teenage fathers are underserved relative to teenage mothers. Implications for social service policy are discussed. (SLD)

Liberals and conservatives agree that it is best if teenagers delay reproduction, but they disagree over how. Comparisons with Sweden and Great Britain suggest that America's difficulties with teen childbearing and abortion can be traced partly to combined cultural ambivalence about chastity, childbearing, and working. (SLD)

Data shows couples in low-risk circumstances experience individual and marital distress after having a baby; however, no services exist to ease this transition. Interventions have been offered to high-risk mothers, but few are based on before-to-after parenthood studies that would identify risk factors. Describes interventions in both populations…

Although President Bush favors continuous testing, headlines reflect an intense, growing antitesting sentiment. One standard does not fit all, current systems are malfunctioning, and kids are short-changed. A recent report says abstinence-only sex education is ineffective; high teen birth rates underline the need for comprehensive approaches. (MLH)

Background: There are some indications that maternal lifestyle during pregnancy (smoking and stress) contributes to symptoms of ADHD in children. We prospectively studied whether prenatal exposure to maternal smoking and/or stress is associated with ADHD symptoms and diagnostic criteria (according to DSM-IV) in 7-year-olds. Methods: Nulliparous…

Infant crying signals distress to potential caretakers who can alleviate the aversive conditions that gave rise to the cry. The cry signal results from coordination among several brain regions that control respiration and vocal cord vibration from which the cry sounds are produced. Previous work has shown a relationship between acoustic…