Parent Reminders (Memphis Academy of Health Sciences)

Report Card Issued

October 19, 2011
January 11, 2012
March 28, 2012
Mailed June 13, 2012 for Middle School
Maile June 20, 2012 for High School

Baby Come Back: U.S. Infant Mortality Ranking Falls

The chance of a baby in the United States dying before its first birthday continues to get worse compared to that risk in other countries, new statistics show. The U.S. now ranks 29th in the world for infant mortality, compared to its previous ranking of 27th eight years ago, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Back in 1960, the country stood at No. 12 for those deaths.

The new ranking is based on infant deaths in 2004, the most recent year data was available for 37 developed countries. Singapore ranked first, with 2 infant deaths per 1,000 live births; Romania was last, with 16.8 infant deaths per 1,000 births.

The actual rate of U.S. infant deaths in 2005 — 6.86 per 1,000 live births — was pretty much the same as it was in 2000, when it was 6.89 per 1,000. But for the first time since the 1950s, the rate has plateaued, just as the government is pushing to lower it to 4.5 infant deaths per 1,000 births by 2010.

Why? Epidemiologists blame a growth in preterm births, or deliveries before 37 weeks gestation, when life-threatening complications are more likely. A full-term birth occurs between 37 and 41 weeks of pregnancy.

Some of the increase in early deliveries is due to more multiple births, a phenomenon tied to use of assisted reproductive technologies. Elective cesarean sections also play a role, says Marian MacDorman, a senior statistician at the National Center for Health Statistics.

As preterm births rose from nearly 12 percent to almost 13 percent between 2000 and 2005, so did preterm-related infant deaths, climbing by 5 percent to 37 percent of cases. The increase in those early births came from "medically indicated" deliveries — c-sections or induced labor ordered by doctors, MacDorman says.

"Of course, c-sections are very critical in some cases to save the life of the mother and the baby," MacDorman says. But, "There's increased talk about medically elective c-sections, which can affect infant health in a lot of ways: They're performed earlier, sometimes before the woman is in labor, and if they're performed early enough, it's preterm, when the risk of death is higher."

The U.S. c-section rate is around 30 percent — double the World Health Organization's recommendation.

Epidemiologists consider infant mortality a kind of marker of a nation's overall health, as it's linked to mothers' health, quality and access to medical care, socioeconomic conditions, and public health practices. A preliminary estimate shows that the U.S. infant mortality rate fell in 2006 to 6.71 per 1,000 births.

(Image by iStockphoto/Jenny Bonner)

Read More at http://www.sciam.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=baby-come-back-us-infant-mortality-2008-10-15

Infants Struggling to Survive in Tennessee (ABC's 20/20)

This is a great feature story by ABC's 20/20. MAHS will launch it's campaign aganist infant mortality this year. Stay Tuned!

Click to go to story: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=5627305&page=1

Memphis Fights Infant Mortality Rate

This is a great atricle on the fight aganist Infant Mortality in Memphis

Click to Read: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=3848447

Swine Flu Information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Click for up to date information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Click to see CDC Flu Guide for Parents
For “The Flu: A Guide for Parents,” a flyer answering questions about the flu, how to protect your child, treatment, and more

Key Facts about Seasonal Flu
For "Key Facts about Seasonal Flu," a fact sheet including information about flu symptoms, how flu spreads, and how to prevent flu.

The Mystery of Black-White Differences in Infant Mortality

Watch Infant Mortality Video on Youtube:

Swine Flu Update for K-12 Schools

Update on School (K - 12) and Childcare Facilities: Interim CDC Guidance in Response to Human Infections with the Novel Influenza A (H1N1) Virus

May 5, 2009, 2:00 PM EDT

Background

This document provides updated interim guidance for schools and childcare facilities regarding the prevention of the spread of novel influenza A (H1N1) virus.

Initial cases of novel influenza A (H1N1) in the United States included schoolaged students and were associated with travel to Mexico and school-based outbreaks. Early information from Mexico indicated that many previously healthy young adults were hospitalized with rapidly progressive pneumonia, frequently resulting in respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation and death.

Based on this initial information, CDC recommended consideration of school closure as an option to lessen the risk of infection with this novel influenza virus in order to protect students, staff, parents and other caregivers from a potentially severe disease as well as limit spread into the community.

New information on disease severity warrants revision of the school closure guidance. Most U.S. cases have not been severe and are comparable in severity to seasonal influenza. CDC and local and state health officials will continue to closely monitor the severity and spread of this novel H1N1 influenza outbreak.

At this time, CDC recommends the primary means to reduce spread of influenza in schools focus on early identification of ill students and staff, staying home when ill, and good cough and hand hygiene etiquette.

Decisions about school closure should be at the discretion of local authorities based on local considerations, including public concern and the impact of school absenteeism and staffing shortages.

Recommendations

· School closure is not advised for a suspected or confirmed case of novel influenza A (H1N1) and, in general, is not advised unless there is a magnitude of faculty or student absenteeism that interferes with the school’s ability to function.

· Schools that were closed based on previous interim CDC guidance related to this outbreak may reopen.

· Students, faculty or staff with influenza-like illness (fever with a cough or sore throat) should stay home and not attend school or go into the community except to seek medical care for at least 7 days even if symptoms resolve sooner.

· Students, faculty and staff who are still sick 7 days after they become ill should continue to stay home from school until at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved.

· Students, faculty and staff who appear to have an influenza-like illness at arrival or become ill during the school day should be isolated promptly in a room separate from other students and sent home.

· Parents and guardians should monitor their school-aged children, and faculty and staff should self-monitor every morning for symptoms of influenza-like illness.

· Ill students should not attend alternative child care or congregate in settings other than school.

· School administrators should communicate regularly with local public health officials to obtain guidance about reporting of influenza-like illnesses in the school.

· Schools can help serve as a focus for educational activities aimed at promoting ways to reduce the spread of influenza, including hand hygiene and cough etiquette.

· Students, faculty and staff should stringently follow sanitary measures to reduce the spread of influenza, including covering their nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing (or coughing or sneezing into their sleeve if a tissue isn’t available), frequently washing hands with soap and water, or using hand sanitizer if hand washing with soap and water is not possible.

Further guidance can be found in:

Questions and Answers About Novel H1N1 Flu at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/qa.htm

What to Do If You Get Flu-Like Symptoms at

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/sick.htm

Interim Guidance for H1N1 Flu: Taking Care of a Sick Person in Your Home at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance_homecare.htm

Supply List 2010-2011 Middle School Students

This list is for students in grades 6, 7, and 8.

When Parents & Schools Cooperate

Students do better in school and in life. They are more likely to earn higher grades and test scores, graduate from high school, and go on to higher education. Low-income and minority students benefit the most.

Parents become empowered. Parents develop confidence by helping their children learn at home. Many go on to further their own education and become active in the community.

Teacher morale improves. Teachers who work with families expect more from students and feel a stronger connection to and support from the community.

Schools get better. When parents are involved at home and at school, in ways that make them full partners, the performance of all children in the school tends to improve.

Communities grow stronger. Families feel more invested in the school system, and the school system becomes more responsive to parent and community needs.

Source: National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education