Free Shots and Physicals at Back-to-School Event

The Orange Blossom Family Health Center has teamed up with the Christian Service Center, WellCare, the Orlando Magic, the Orange County Public School System, Orange County Library System and the City of Orlando to host a Back-to-School event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. August 2, 2008 at the Amway Arena, 600 W. Amelia St., Orlando.

In addition to physicals and immunizations, the event will feature information on community resources, health information, free school supplies, free haircuts, free backpacks and entertainment. Parents must bring their child’s shot record form to receive the immunizations.

Immunizations–Not Just For Kids

Although most parents are good about getting their children immunized, government officials say many adults aren’t up-to-date on their vaccines.

For example, according to federal data, only 2.1 percent of adults ages 18 to 64 are immunized against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. As a result, up to 70,000 Americans die each year from diseases that could be prevented by vaccines. Congress is considering a plan to create a national vaccine program.

For more information, click here  to go to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website.

Childhood Obesity A Top Concern for Parents

Childhood obesity now tops the list of parent concerns when it comes to children and health–up from third place in 2007, according to the results of a poll conducted by the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

The National Poll “clearly shows that adults in America are very concerned about the problem of childhood obesity and its causes,” said Matthew M. Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., director of the National Poll.

New to the list were bullying, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and environmental toxins. Also making the overall list of top 10 health concerns for kids in 2008: Internet safety, abuse and neglect, sexually transmitted infections and lack of opportunities for physical activities for kids.

Click here to read more about the poll on the University of Michigan website.

Pay Attention to Your Child’s Food Cues

Parents of young children can help them develop healthy eating habits by watching the clues youngsters give at mealtime about their hunger and fullness. The American Dietetic Association offers these suggestions:

1. Serve a toddler or preschooler small helpings and let the child ask for more.

2. When he or she starts to play with food, becomes restless or sends a signal of “no more,” remove the food. Knowing what it feels like to be full–and when to stop eating–helps children learn not to overeat.

3. No more “clean plate club.” This practice may encourage overeating or a food aversion–habits that could set up a child for weight or eating problems later.

Free Shots and Physicals at Back-to-School Event

The Orange Blossom Family Health Center has teamed up with the Christian Service Center, WellCare, the Orlando Magic, the Orange County Public School System, Orange County Library System and City of Orlando to host a Back-to-School event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. August 2, 2008 at the Amway Arena, 600 W. Amelia St., Orlando.

Students attending Central Florida schools can get free immunizations and school physicals. The event will also feature information on community resources, health information, free school supplies, free haircuts, free backpacks and live entertainment.

County Health Department Offers Back-to-School Immunizations

It’s never too early to get your child immunized for school.

The Orange County Health Department (OCHD) is offering immunizations on a first come, first served walk-in basis from August 4-August 30, 2008 at three different sites.

To find the site closest to you, call the OCHD at 407-836-2502. (Spanish, 407-836-2545.) Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Melanoma Rates Jump for Younger Women

Cases of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, increased by 50 percent among young women between 1980 and 2004, according to a new study. But the cancer rates in young men are stable.

“These findings are important, because they suggest that public education campaigns to educate Americans about the risks of skin cancer from sun tanning do not appear to have resulted in a reduction in melanoma rates among young women,” said lead researcher Mark Purdue, of the National Cancer Institutes’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology & Genetics.

Click here to read the complete story on the Healthfinder website.

More Teens Are Having Babies, Says Government Report

More teens are having babies, according to a new government report that notes the teen birth rate is up for the first time in 15 years.

“The is only a single-year increase, but we believe it bears watching,” said Edward J. Sondik, director of the National Center for Health Statistics.

The birth rate among girls aged 15 to 17 increased from 21 births per 1,000 girls in 2005 to 22 per 1,000 in 2006. In 2005, there were 133,138 teen births, and, in 2006, there were 138,920, Sondik noted.

Click here to read more about this and other children’s health statistics in the HealthDay News story.

Slow Down, You Eat Too Fast

It should come as no surprise, that when you slow down, you are more likely to enjoy a meal. It also may be a way to trim calories.

Researchers, who studied a group of young women, found they ate an average of 70 fewer calories when they ate at a leisurely pace than when they quickly chowed down their food.

Click here to read more about the study in the Reuters Health story.

AAP Urges Cholesterol Screening of Some Children and Adolescents

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued new cholesterol screening and treatment recommendations for children. The policy statement, “Lipid Screening and Cardiovascular Health in Childhood,” recommends cholesterol screening of children and adolescents with a family history of high cholesterol or heart disease.

It also recommends screening patients whose family history is unknown or those who have other factors for heart disease including obesity, high blood pressure or diabetes. And screening should take place after age two, but no later than age 10.

Click here to read more on the AAP website.