Preschool: April 2009 Archives

As reported by the AP, a report released Wednesday said that the economic downturn could result in states' cutting pre-K programs. The National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University listed California as one state that could cut such programs. The authors recommend the federal government increase contributions for pre-school programs.
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According to this Associated Press report, a new study says that nearly 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese, noting that the rate is higher among minorities, especially American Indians. An excerpt:

Researchers were surprised to see differences by race at so early an age. Overall, more than half a million 4-year-olds are obese, the study suggests.

Obesity is more common in Hispanic and black youngsters, too, but the disparity is most startling in American Indians, whose rate is almost double that of whites.

The lead author said that rate is worrisome among children so young, even in a population at higher risk for obesity because of other health problems and economic disadvantages.

"The magnitude of these differences was larger than we expected, and it is surprising to see differences by racial groups present so early in childhood," said Sarah Anderson, an Ohio State University public health researcher. She conducted the research with Temple University's Dr. Robert Whitaker.

According to a research study reported by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper, babies born early but not severely premature are at higher risk of developmental delays, learning problems and school suspensions. Even though such babies appear almost the same as full-term babies, researchers say that's not true in many cases. The study compared 7,152 children born in Florida at 34 and 36 weeks gestation, known as late preterm, or near-term, with 152, 661 infants born between 37 and 42 weeks gestation, which is considered the safest time period to deliver a baby. From the article:

The preterm infants were at a 36 per cent greater risk for a developmental delay or disability such as autism spectrum disorder than the infants born at term. The risk of suspension in kindergarten for behavioural problems was 19 per cent higher for late preterm babies. They were also more likely to be held back to repeat kindergarten and even showed more signs of a developmental disability in prekindergarten.