In Bolivia, malnutrition afflicts about 25 percent of children under 3 and 12-24 percent of women. It contributes to high death rates, immune deficiency, learning disabilities, and low work productivity. Malnutrition and its effects are particularly severe among poor, rural, and indigenous populations. Malnutrition is both caused by and causes…

This comprehensive resource guide describes programs and services for young children (prenatal to age 8) and their families in Alaska. Information for the resource guide was collected from state departmental budget documents, program guides, annual reports, and program personnel. In compiling this information, certain trends concerning children's…

A large national study of schoolchildren aged 6-18 years was conducted to assess nutritional and socio-cognitive factors associated with body mass index (BMI). A questionnaire was used to assess nutritional quality of breakfast, importance of physical activity and food variety score, among 4441 students from randomly selected schools in all states…

This study examined the extent to which caregiving nurturance expressed in mothers' working models of infant feeding changed during the infant's first year and explored the influence of the infant's biologic development on this caregiving nurturance. Three methodologies were used: (1) 59 mothers of very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants with a…

The Head Start Health Coordinator's Task Force (HCTF) was charged to study and make recommendations to strengthen Head Start's health component, which is a vital part of the child development program. Since its inception in 1965, Head Start has served over 12 million economically disadvantaged children. Through the health component, children have…

Noting that American children consume a diet with too much fat, cholesterol, sugar, and salt, this book translates scientific knowledge about healthy eating into practical steps for parents. Chapters are: (1) "Fat and Cholesterol," examining the connection between fat intake and disease; (2) "Sugar and Salt," including the…

A study investigated the attitudes of Japanese breastfeeding mothers in the South Bay area in Los Angeles. The sample consisted of 20 Japanese mothers over the age of 18 who were born in Japan, who recently came to the United States, and whose youngest child has been breastfed for at least 6 months. Subjects were interviewed in their native…

This report describes the background and performed activities of the development project Early Childhood Care and Education, in Kenya, from 1988 to 1993. The main purpose of the project is to stimulate activities for the benefit and development of preschool children in Kenya. The project deals with aspects of nutrition, health care, health…

This theme issue deals with the topic of the relationship between health and learning as it applies to the care of the young child. It consists of three parts. The first part is a lengthy article, "Health Care: The Care Required To Survive and Thrive" (J. Evans), explains health and caring environments of young child in the given…

Collected in this digest are nine articles concerning education for child survival and development in Africa. Topics include: (1) the role of basic education in the promotion of child survival and development; (2) child health in Eastern and Southern Africa, including discussions of problems, interventions, and the role of education for health;…

This report addresses the conditions of at-risk children and builds a case for changing the odds so that they favor such children. The introduction summarizes nearly a decade of education reform efforts related to disadvantaged youth. It underscores the need to intervene early. Four subsequent sections: (1) describe the developmental…

"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…

This book summarizes how better nutrition and health for youths in developing nations will enhance: (1) school enrollment, attendance, and performance; (2) economic productivity; and (3) the health of future generations. By discussing the many low-cost and highly efficient actions that can improve school-age children's health and nutrition, this…

New research in brain development reveals the vital importance of the relationship between caregiver and child in the critical first years of life. This Spanish-language video explores the role of parents in stimulating early childhood development. The 28-minute video discusses: (1) attachment and the role of touch in creating a bond between…

This paper draws on demographic data on children spotlighted in the 2000 Census (called the Childrens Class of 2000) to examine how forces like poverty and family instability work to prevent equality of opportunity in school and in life. The paper describes some programs and techniques that effectively reduce the effects of these forces and…