There is still time to support Durham's Partnership for Children in the Great Human Race. The race is an annual 5K walk/run held by the Volunteer Center of Durham that allows nonprofits to fundraise for their cause. The Partnership hopes to raise $1,000 for the race this Saturday, March 24th. The race will begin at 8:30am at Northgate Mall.

You can support Durham's youngest children by registering to walk/run with the Partnership team, or donating to our fundraising page. With the donations received through the Great Human Race, the Partnership will purchase resources that foster healthy and active learning environments for young children. These resources will be distributed throughout child care centers and pre-kindergarten classes in Durham, promoting physical health and nutrition as part of healthy development.

Just five dollars can provide a jump rope or a hula hoop. Ten dollars can purchase an athletic ball or bicycle helmet. Twenty dollars can get a set of garden tools. One hundred dollars will provide a tricycle.

Click here to check out our online fundraising page or donate now.

If you wish to join us on race day, or have any questions, contact Jameka at (919) 403-6960 ext 214 or jameka@dpfc.net.

February is National Children's Dental Health Month! And there is no time better than the present to highlight the importance of oral health and developing good habits at an early age. The Partnership was able to track down Martha Keels, DDS of Duke Pediatric Dentistry for a Q&A on this very important topic.  Thank you Dr. Keels for lending us your expertise!

Q: What is preventive dental care and why is it so important?

• It saves money! Dental treatment is expensive. 
• Children can take great pride in saying “I am cavity-free!”
• Prevention helps you stay on the path to being cavity free and hopefully avoid having a needle shot and a drill in your mouth!

Q: What dental routine is suggested for infants whose teeth have yet to arrive?

• Get the baby accustomed to having their mouth wiped even before the teeth arrive. Before or after the bath, use a clean washcloth and wipe the gums.
• This also gets parents and caregivers in the habit of checking the mouth every day.
• Make oral hygiene part of the child’s everyday routine! 

Q: At what age should children get their first dental cleaning?
Children should have a “dental home” by age one.  Typically, children have 8 teeth by then and the dentist or the dental staff can review with you and demonstrate how to properly clean these teeth.  This is usually done sitting knee to knee with the dentist and not in the dental chair. 

Q: What can parents/children expect during their first visit to the dentist?

• Review of the families’ (both parents) dental history and the child’s medical history
• Thorough mouth exam – pathology, cavities, saliva
• Demonstration on proper teeth cleaning – brushing and flossing
• Discuss appropriate type of toothpaste and fluoride needs
• Review of the diet – avoid juice, keep WATER in the bottle or sippy cup, avoid sticky candy and foods. Avoid any food labeled SOUR --- sour candy is very acidic and burns holes in the teeth
• Discussion about how to handle any habits like pacifier or digit sucking
• Discussion about how to handle any dental injuries – what to do and who to call
• Leave knowing what your child’s caries risk is – high, medium or low 

Q: What is the most common excuse parents and caregivers make for not seeking preventive dental care early enough?
Parents are often afraid their child will cry or be disruptive in the dental office, so they want to wait until the child is better behaving. Dentists are very comfortable with a crying child. It is normal for children to be scared or anxious, but typically, after we spend some time with the child and gain their trust, the child relaxes. Don’t avoid getting good information about how to care for your child.
Another reason would simply be the cost. But prevention in much cheaper than treatment! One small filling can be over $200 – OUCH!

Q: What are the long-term problems that arise from improper dental care early on?

• Studies show that if dental caries is left untreated, children do more poorly in school as they can be distracted by discomfort or pain.
• If you lose a baby tooth too early, then the teeth shift around and permanent teeth do not erupt nicely, which can lead to more crooked teeth.
• If the teeth have to be restored with silver crowns, then the child has to live with silver versus natural white for several years. The last baby molars do not fall out until age 12.

Q: What are the main culprits for tooth decay in young children?

• Eating my worry foods --- dried fruit (raisins, craisins), fruit roll-ups, fruit chews, skittles, starbursts, gummies, gummy vitamins, cereal bars and granola bars.  And, NOT FLOSSING --- these foods get stuck between the 8 molars and then you get the 8 chewing cavities.
• Holding juice, sports drinks, lemonade or soda in the mouth – slow swallowing or drinking an acidic beverage before bed.

Q: What is the critical connection between preventive dental care and success in school for children?
Dr. Stephanie Jackson’s study showed there were more missed school days due to cavities as well as poorer school performance for children with cavities. Healthy smiles and successful lives go hand in hand. 

Data from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion indicates that early tooth loss caused by dental decay can result in failure to thrive, impaired speech development, absence from and inability to concentrate in school, and reduced self-esteem.

 
Resources for parents and children
» Handout for parents on preventive dental care for toddlers
» Coloring sheet for children, developed by the American Dental Association.

Martha Ann Keels DDS PhD, Associate Professor in Surgery and Pediatrics
Duke Pediatric Dentistry, 2711 North Duke Street, Durham, NC 27704

Did you know that within the first year of a child’s life, he or she should see a doctor for a well-child visit seven times?  These frequent but critical visits – known as preventive care – are the optimal way to track children’s growth and development, to administer required shots that keep children healthy, and to provide an opportunity to ask the doctor questions about children’s health.

A guest column (“Preventive care very important for healthy kids”) by Partnership Board Member and social worker at Duke Children’s Primary Care David Covington appearing in today’s Herald-Sun makes the case for preventive care. The piece promotes the importance of ensuring families have health insurance and a regular health care provider; ensuring primary care providers use standardized developmental screenings during well-child visits; and, educating parents on developmental milestones during routine well-child visits. 

Click here to read the column in full.

Link to our brochure online: Healthy & Ready: A Guide to Preventive Care.  Spanish version.

Click here to read more about the Partnership’s Kindergarten Health Assessment (KHA) Project.

The Great Human Race is a 5K walk/run held annually that allows area nonprofits to raise money for their cause.  We invite you to join the Partnership this year in our efforts to raise $1,000!

The race takes place on March 24, 2012 at Northgate Mall and begins at 8:30 am.  You can participate and show your support for young children by joining us on race day, donating to the Partnership's fundraising efforts, or by helping us spread the word.

With donations received through the Great Human Race, the Partnership will purchase resources that foster healthy and active learning environments for young children. We will donate these items to child care centers and pre-kindergarten classrooms in Durham to help promote proper nutrition and physical activity as part of a child's healthy development.

Every contribution helps.  Five dollars can provide a jump rope or a hula hoop for a young child.  Ten dollars can provide an athletic ball or a bicycle helmet.  Twenty dollars can provide a set of garden tools. One hundred dollars can provide a tricycle. 

Click here to check out our online fundraising page or to donate now.

If you wish to join us on race day or if you have any questions, please contact Jameka by phone at (919) 403-6960 ext 214 or by email at Jameka@dpfc.net.

Great Human Race runners, 2011

Did you know that Durham has been recognized as a Playful City USA by KaBoom? Playful City USA is a national recognition program that honors cities that make play a priority by using innovative programs that foster active environments for children.  Last year, 151 cities and towns were recognized. 
For the benefit of our children’s healthy physical development, parents and caregivers should be encouraging children to spend at least an hour a day playing outside where some of the most exploratory learning often takes place.  Encouraging children to go outside, get moving, and connect with nature are all ways to avoid childhood obesity, but there are other benefits too. Kids who play outside are happier, healthier, and stronger.
Yet families often experience many obstacles when it comes to spending time outdoors: busy schedules, technology, community violence, and fear of getting hurt.  Another common barrier to outdoor play is lack of access to public parks and playgrounds.

Fortunately for Durhamites, a number of nearby parks and play areas are located on the bus route.  Here’s a small listing:

OF INTEREST:  Did you know that the Museum of Life and Science offers free admission on Wednesdays from 1 -5 pm to all Durham County Residents? ID required. The museum is located at 433 West Murray Avenue, Durham, NC 27704.

So get out, explore, and learn in our playful city of Durham!

Action for Children North Carolina director of research and data Laila A. Bell is featured as a guest columnist in today’s News & Observer.  Her column, “Treating children to healthier teeth,” helps direct our attention to the importance of oral health for young children.

Some of Laila’s key points:

• Most dental decay is preventable, yet dental decay is the most common chronic disease of childhood.
• In North Carolina, 63 percent of children begin their school career in poor oral health.
• Children with untreated dental decay face greater risk of debilitating medical conditions later in life including health disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.
• According to the 2011 Child Health Report Card, more than half of all Medicaid-enrolled children accessed dental services last year – but budget cuts threaten children’s access to care.

From the 2011 Kids Count Data Book
“Establishing a sturdy foundation for children’s healthy growth and development begins before birth and continues into the early elementary school years. With a strong foundation in place, it is much easier to keep children on track to stay in school and graduate, pursue post-secondary education and training, and successfully transition to young adulthood.”

Meet Nicky.  Nicky is a panda bear – a fictional panda bear whose goal is to teach 4-year-olds about proper nutrition.

Nicky is the main character in a story developed by Julia Wacker, Docs For Tots Program Coordinator and Director of Community Outreach for the Healthy Lifestyles Program at Duke Children's Primary Care, and her team of pediatric residents that work together to influence the overall health of young children.

The story of Nicky the Panda Bear was introduced this year in NC Pre-Kindergarten classrooms as part of the Healthy Lifestyles Program, which was expanded to include nutrition and wellness instruction tailored for 4-year-olds. The program connects pediatric residents with preschoolers during 30-minute lessons twice monthly.

Through hearing Nicky’s story and participating in physical activity, the children learn nutrition and wellness basics within the pre-k environment.  The lesson is known as the “5-3-2-1-Almost None” Method.  Here are the basics:

Eat FIVE fruits and veggies a day!
Eat THREE structured meals per day, including breakfast.
Watch less than TWO hours of TV, games, and computer a day!
Be active at least ONE hour a day!
Almost NONE high-sugar juice and soda – drink water & milk every day.

Photo of pediatric residents Waitman Aumann and Samareh Hill with an NC Pre-K classroom at Primary Colors Early Learning Center on Dixon Road.

The Partnership’s Kate Irish authored a guest column (Obesity prevention: healthy eating habits) in the Schools and More section of today’s Herald-Sun.  The feature addresses the nation’s growing obesity epidemic and how in Durham County, one in five low-income children aged 2 to 4 is already obese. 

One of the primary goals of the Partnership’s Transition to Kindergarten Initiative, a collaboration with Durham Public Schools (DPS), is to assess incoming kindergarten students on each of the five domains of development in order to develop effective school readiness strategies. The Kindergarten Health Assessment (KHA) Project functions as the health arm in pinpointing those community needs.

The most recent data gathered from the KHA project revealed that nearly 18 percent of children entering kindergarten at DPS in the 2010-2011 school year were either overweight or obese. We know that children perform better academically when they are in optimal health and we also know that children model eating behaviors after parents and caregivers. To help guide those parents and caregivers in building healthy environments for young children, the Partnership and its partners developed an easy-to-use resource of health tips, recommendations and community contacts.

The publication, called Healthy & Ready: Developing healthy habits for young children, can be viewed here.

While Durham is undeniably home to a number of well-equipped parks, recreation areas, nature trails, and community play areas, many of our preschool and early learning outdoor play areas mirror a nationwide trend in which playground equipment has been stripped down to nothing.  Because of an overenthusiastic movement to remove all risk from playgrounds, we have gone overboard in protecting these play habitats. Such protections have left us with many outdoor play areas that simply do not foster learning and curiosity. 

Beyond the typical checklist required for regulated child care centers (including teacher/student ratio, teacher qualifications, and indoor curriculum), additional attention needs to be placed on the outdoors. Children spend several hours in the day playing outside and some of the most exploratory learning often takes place in the natural outdoor environment.  According to Dr. Karen DeBord, retired professor in early childhood and NC extension specialist, there are five main areas of focus for outdoor learning:

1. The physical outdoor environment – Relates to both the context and layout of the physical environment.
2. Interactions - Negotiation, language development, and cooperation are all skills that develop through diverse opportunities that invite children to explore and ask questions.
3. Play and learning settings – Defined spaces such as an active play area, a storytelling circle, sand and water play, a tricycle path, or a vegetable garden.
4. Program – Curriculum that mirrors effective use of outdoors as a learning space.
5. Teacher/caregiver role – Application of knowledge to create effective outdoor programs and to improve the physical environment based on individual child need.

Fortunately, strides are being made locally.  Marking the culmination of a weeklong Durham Early Head Start (DEHS) training, teachers and professionals attended a workshop focusing on this very topic as they prepare to have the playgrounds at their child care centers transformed into rich outdoor learning environments by NC State’s Natural Learning Initiative.  Early childhood consultant Betsy Thigpen shared plans for new outdoor learning environments to be constructed this fall at four DEHS child care centers.  Thigpen was direct about the need to move children outside and highlighted what is being done at local child care centers to give value to the outdoor experience.

Aside from the well-known benefits of outdoor play – such as obesity prevention, learning from sensory experiences, and enhanced school readiness – bringing the learning environment outdoors for young children encourages development, albeit through sometimes “reasonably risky” situations.  The outdoor play space can ignite a child’s learning and imagination in a way that is difficult to replicate in the classroom.  Transformation of these outdoor playgrounds will have far-reaching benefits for the children served.  Check back in for progress on the project’s planning and construction.  These playgrounds will be unique to Durham and should serve as models in the area. 

DEHS is a collaboration between Durham’s Partnership for Children, Chapel Hill Training-Outreach Project and Healthy Families Durham. The free, comprehensive child development and family support program is for low-income families with children aged birth to three years old and to pregnant women.  DEHS serves 120 children and their families in two program options: center-based and home-based.

After reading the New York Times story “Are kids coddled by safer playgrounds?” (New York Times, Tuesday, Jul. 19, 2011) we just had to ask the question - Is the experience of “risky play” on playgrounds ultimately what is best for children?  In the article, reporter John Tierney writes that some researchers are unsure of the value of safety-first playgrounds that are defined by shorter slides, enclosed platforms, and rubber pavement.

Tierney argues that oversafe play introduces new risks such as stunted emotional development and heightened anxieties and fears. According to Ellen Sandseter, professor of psychology at Queen Maud University in Norway, there are six categories of risky play: exploring heights, experiencing high speed, handling dangerous tools, being near dangerous elements (like water or fire), rough-and-tumble play (like wrestling), and wandering alone away from adult supervision.

"Children approach thrills and risks in a progressive manner…the best thing is to let children encounter these challenges from an early age, and they will then progressively learn to master them through their play over the years," says Sandseter.
The full article can be found here.
 
When it comes to young children enrolled in high-quality child care centers, professionals don’t question the fact that safety always comes first.  Yet professionals recognize that safe and age appropriate play is a critical factor in a child’s health, physical development and overall readiness for learning.  Young children approach playground activities with curiosity, focus, and creativity – all crucial to developing their unique approach to learning and problem solving skills.  Supervised play that includes physical and mental challenges can help with social and emotional development by building self confidence. 

So, is it risky to play it safe?  How do you find balance when it comes to structured and unstructured child play?