While for many children back to school season brings exciting new changes"” new teachers, classrooms and friends"” children with asthma face an old foe. Summer is often a reprieve from attacks and exacerbations, but in the fall, increased exposure to respiratory viruses and new allergens and irritants can bring asthma out of hiding.
The end of summer vacation signals the beginning of school for the nation's estimated 56 million elementary and high school students. In preparing for the new school year, the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) remind parents and caregivers to include a dental examination as part of their children's routine back-to-school health check-ups and immunizations.
As school starts, many teachers will spend weeks re-teaching material that students forgot over the summer. The executive director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Summer Learning can discuss the impact of "summer slide" on the learning process, particularly for economically disadvantaged children.
Education and child development experts from the Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development are available for back-to-school interviews. Peabody College was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the No. 3 education school in the nation in 2007.
Back to School Story Idea -- NYC research shows impact of school bullying on gay and lesbian kids.
Maryland Education Professor Melanie Killen argues that parents must help their students balance school and play - especially where playing videogames is concerned: "Parents need to open their eyes and watch the games that their children are playing. They should examine the content of the games, and what's involved. Many of the games involve horrific violence; repeated exposure to this content has short-term and long-term negative consequences."
Many of the 9 million U.S. children who have asthma need more than just pencils and paper when they return to class each fall. U-M pediatric allergy specialists say these kids require easy access to their inhalers and other medications, and the awareness of teachers and school officials about their condition.
The first day of school always requires preparations -- notebooks, pens and a new set of clothes. But don't forget to prepare for your child's health, says Dr. Pamela F. Gallin, a pediatric ophthalmologist with the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, a mother of four, and the author of The Savvy Mom's Guide to Medical Care. Dr. Gallin provides parents and caregivers with tips to help their kids get a smart start to the academic year.
Millions of children returning to school this fall will struggle under the weight of an overstuffed backpack, putting themselves at risk of injury, according to Dr. Joshua Hyman, director of orthopedic surgery at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian.
Much attention has been given recently to "helicopter parents" so named because of their tendency to hover overhead of their children. Parents often take exception to that characterization. "When I hear that term, I resent that it's used to describe our generation," commented one parent during freshman orientation at Saint Joseph's University this summer.
It has been estimated that at least one half of the population will experience some type of bite in their lifetime. Human bites are the third leading cause of all bites seen in hospital emergency departments. The real threats from a human bite are hepatitis B and/or C transmission and wound infection. In the school setting, a teacher or other staff member can sustain a human bite while trying to protect a student from injury.
Today's college students are much more astute than their predecessors when it comes to food trends, variety and brands. That's why one university's food service, Bama Dining, is making sure its students have access to nutritional information, both in person and online.
One source of anxiety during a child's transition to middle school is the "scary stories" others share about what to expect at the new school, says an expert. These scary topics include bullying, unreasonable expectations, harsh discipline and drugs. But one fear stands out above all the rest: gym class.
Schools can take steps to prevent and prepare for active shooter situations. Jason Winkle, Indiana State University professor, president of the International Tactical Officers Training Association, and highly sought international speaker, offers tips for security personnel as well as administrators.
Bullying is not a new problem; however, the way it manifests itself, such as via the Internet, is evolving. It has been around for years, but it has taken society twice as long to finally wake up and realize we need to be proactive rather than reactive.
For some kids, the only exercise they get is during gym class at school, and fewer schoolchildren nationwide are even being offered that option. Exercise science professors are teaching future physical education instructors how they can make the most of that valuable time; and offer tips on what P.E. classes should include.
Busy engineering students at The University of Texas at Austin can access career resources from their college from more than a dozen innovative podcasts. The podcasts include slides and video recordings. They cover interviewing tips, internships and other career knowledge, and have been downloaded more than 6.000 times since fall 2006.
This fall, 1,400 honors students will read and discuss the book "Terror in the Name of God" in their Dean's Book Course, a small-group seminar series required of all Commonwealth College students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Bill Coplin, author of "10 Things Employers Want You to Learn in College" (Ten Speed, 2003), has written a new book, this time reaching out to the parents of college-bound and college-aged students. The new book, "25 Ways to Make College Pay Off: Advice for Anxious Parents from a Professor Who's Seen It All," will be released July 17 by AMACOM Books.
As back-to-school time approaches, Central Michigan University faculty and staff experts are available to comment on related topics, including school safety and violence, cyber-safety, stalking and sexual aggression, cheating and ethics, athletics, service-learning, school-lunch nutrition and more.
Vanderbilt University professor Malcolm Getz has done extensive research on the college and university enrollment process, including private versus public schools, rankings, the admissions game and payment options. His new book, "Investing in College: A Guide for the Perplexed" helps students and parents find the best school for them.
As a new school year approaches, Tulane University experts in early childhood education and childhood development can comment on a variety of topics.
"Safe Routes to School" is a federal initiative aimed at encouraging kids to walk or bike to school.
After an extensive, 12-week project to assess New Orleans public schools, a coalition including the Scott S. Cowen Institute for Public Education Initiatives at Tulane University issued six recommendations and a call to transform the city's public schools.
Chinese preschool children will have a better chance of overcoming delayed motor skills development now that the standard U.S. test has been translated into Chinese.
For a number of students entering college"”or returning to school in the fall"”staying healthy and fit can be a challenge. But West Virginia University is making it easy for students to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles during that initial back-to-school period and beyond through its Wellness and Nutrition Initiative.
Asthma is the No. 1 cause of hospitalizations among children, but with proper management, children can have full participation in school and sporting events.
With the start of the new school year, it's important for parents to keep a watchful eye on their children for behavioral problems. One of the most common back-to-school burdens is bullying.
About 2 million school age children have a food allergy, and one child in 20 under age 3 has a food allergy.
Experts recommend routine eye screening at all well-child visits. Pediatricians look for abnormalities in the reflex of the eye, the alignment of the two eyes and how well a child responds visually to light or to objects.
An increasing number of children and teenagers are obese and at risk for developing high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, including diabetes. This could be considered an emerging epidemic with significant impact upon the health of our nation and the world, says a physician at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and St. Louis Children's Hospital.
To avoid back-to-school "shock," the Center for Summer Learning recommends easing kids back into learning before the school year begins.
Back to School tip sheet on technology, health, campus safety and behavior.
The UIC Chicago Institute for Voice Care is hosting the 2007 Midwest Voice Conference "A Focus on the Classroom", a one-day conference that will focus on occupational voice hazards, the basics of voice therapy for teachers, and how to protect teachers voices.
Parents those who "hover" too much, too closely, and too often over their adolescent and college-age children rob children of maturity, the ability to make decisions for themselves.
The supposedly unavoidable 15 pounds that students gain during their first year of college is not a myth. Virginia Tech's Student Programs registered dietitian explores the reasons and strives to educate and encourage students to live healthy.
Experts from the University at Buffalo are available to comment on a variety of topics related to the coming school year. The professors are top researchers who have studied the behavioral, psychological, social, physical, technological, financial -- even environmental -- issues of education. Contact information and summaries of their research follow.
After wearing flip-flops all summer, students head back to school with painful feet.
We live in a noisy world. Traffic, construction, stereo and airport noise can disrupt our sleep, work and play, and has been linked to stress-related health problems. If sufficiently loud and prolonged, some of the noises we encounter during our average day can cause permanent hearing loss.
Hearing bacterial meningitis mentioned on the evening news can strike fear in any parent, especially if their child is in a high risk setting such as a high school or college dorm. U.S. health officials recently advised distribution of the vaccine to a wider age group as vaccinations are now widely available.
About 20 percent of children have flat feet, which can cause foot and ankle pain, night cramps, pain when walking or lower back and knee pain. If this is the case, said Temple University podiatrist Kieran T. Mahan, a child might withdraw from activities and can become more and more inactive.
Looking for experts on "back to school" stories? Washington State University's experts can help you in a variety of topics including: helping your children with today's math, snooping into your kids' online profile (yes, it's OK), characteristics of a good principal, how counselors help students, how to detect learning disabilities and how teachers' help improves their colleagues' performances.
Many children return to school sports, such as soccer, football, cross-country and volleyball in late-July or early-August. Jon Divine, M.D., director of Sports Medicine at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, says it's most important for children to be in shape even before showing up for the first day of practice or tryouts to reduce the risk of injury.
The start of the school year also means the return of school lunches, and the choice of brown-bagging or eating in the cafeteria. A nutritionist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center says that it may seem contrary to perception, but a lunch from home may be the better choice, nutritionally.
"Taking time to talk with and listen to children about the upcoming school year is one of the best ways parents can help them make the transition to school life," says David Smith, Ph.D., child psychologist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Smith advises parents to begin talking about school a couple weeks before it starts, and to listen closely for their children's fears or concerns.
Students about to head off to college for the first time have gotten advice from parents, no doubt, but two St. Lawrence University students "“ a senior and a junior "“ have the real scoop on things they wish someone had told them before they arrived on campus.
Healthcare professionals increasingly are concerned about the role tbackpacks and bags play in the development of serious conditions, such as chronic back pain and functional scoliosis. Indiana University occupational and environmental health expert Kevin Slates found that more than half of the students he surveyed experienced pain related to their bags, with a higher percentage of women reporting such pain.
Indiana University shyness expert Bernardo J. Carducci says college freshmen binge drink because of fear and loneliness, not because of freedom. Universities need to hire social assistants, the social equivalent of teaching assistants, to help new students learn how to talk to others and to make friends.
Pesticides in schools are a pervasive, unnecessary health hazard, said Marc Lame, an entomologist in Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs. "Over 80 percent of schools in America are applying pesticides on a regular basis, whether they have a pest problem or not," he said.
Choosing a good password is one of the many choices students make as they head to college, and it's a decision that should not be taken lightly, says David Ripley, researcher at the Pervasive Technology Labs' at Indiana University Bloomington. Making long and complicated passwords is not so difficult, he says.
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