Ads Promote Autism Awareness Among Latinos

Posted on May 23, 2013 by Katherine Leal Unmuth

A new ad campaign from the group Autism Speaks is reaching out to Latino and African-American parents to generate greater awareness about autism and encourage earlier identification.

The “Maybe” PSA campaign includes TV and print ads in both English and Spanish. The ads outline key warning signs and behaviors a child with autism may exhibit, such as a preoccupation with objects and avoiding eye contact.

Last year, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a study showing large increases in the number of Latino and black children identified as autistic. The CDC estimated that there were about 7.9 diagnosed cases of autism per 1,000 Latino children, an increase of 110% over 2002. Despite that increase, prevalence is much higher among white (12.0) and black (10.2) children. The report noted that the wide variation between groups could be attributed to awareness levels in the communities.

The average age of diagnosis is four to five years. But the average age of diagnosis is higher among Latino, black and low-income children.

“Earlier diagnosis [is] so important because if we can get a child by 2 years old, in most cases, with help that child can go to regular kindergarten,” Liz Feld, president of Autism Speaks, told NBC Latino. “The window between 2-5 years old is the most important time to deal with treatment.”

- “Autism Cases Identified Among Hispanic Children on the Rise, CDC Says,” Latino Ed Beat.

- “Autism Speaks launches new campaign to reach Latino, black parents,” NBC Latino.

- “Prevalence of Austin Spectrum DIsorders in Hispanic and non-Hispanic White Children,” Pediatrics.

- Autism Speaks

CDC Study Finds Obesity Common Among L.A. Preschoolers

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Katherine Leal Unmuth

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that between 2003 and 2011, obesity rates among poor preschool-aged children in Los Angeles rose at one point to a high of 21 percent, according to a story by the Associated Press.

The study found that at the same time obesity rates among children in New York fell from 19 percent to 16 percent.

Sadly, the reason given for the higher rates in Los Angeles is that obesity rates among Mexican-American children are particularly high when compared with other groups, the AP reports.

The study found the obesity rate in LA was initially 17 percent, peaked to 21 percent in 2009, and then dropped to 20 percent.

The AP reported that researchers focused on three- and four-year olds who were enrolled in the WIC government program, which provides food vouchers to low income families. About 85 percent of children in the L.A. study were Hispanic, most of whom were Mexican-American. In New York, just 46 percent of the children studied were Hispanic, including not many Mexican-Americans.

According to the CDC, about 12 percent of all preschool-aged children are obese.

Report Finds Federal Funding for ELLs Not Keeping Pace with Need

Posted on July 31, 2012 by Katherine Leal Unmuth

Federal funding of English language acquisition state grants is not keeping up with the pace of inflation, a new report has concluded.

The grants offer states and school districts help with developing curriculum and expanding teacher training for English language learners, among other things.

The “Children’s Budget 2012″ report from the First Focus advocacy organization expresses concerns that President Obama’s fiscal year 2013 budget freezes funding for such programs at about $732 million. Although that funding level is the same as the previous year, the report concludes that it represents a roughly 2.2 percent funding decrease over the previous year when inflation is considered. Between 2008 and 2012, the highest funding level was in 2010, at about $750 million.

“Given that achievement gaps still persist between ELL and non-ELL students, leveling the funding fails to adequately meet the need of the rapidly growing ELL population,” the report says. “Therefore, as the President’s request misses an opportunity to move the nation closer to meeting the needs of these students and the schools serving them, a more significant investment remains essential.”

The study looks at federal investment in numerous programs that affect children, including education, housing, health, safety and child welfare. The president’s 2013 fiscal year budget would increase federal spending on programs affecting children by about one percent from the current level.

The news isn’t all negative: First Focus found that government spending on children increased by about 17.5 percent between 2008 and 2012 in real terms. Part of that increase is due to passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

- Early Education Initiative. New America Foundation.

- “Kids Count 2012.” The Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Kids Count Report Finds 32 Percent of Hispanic Children Live in Poverty

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Katherine Leal Unmuth

The annual Kids Count report by The Anne E. Casey Foundation finds that Latino children are significantly more likely than white children to live in poverty.

Hispanic children are also the least likely of any racial or ethnic group to attend preschool, are more likely than white or black children to lack health insurance and are the most likely of any group to be in a family where the household head lacks a high school diploma.

The report evaluates child well-being in every state and found that the two states with the largest population of Latino children rank near the bottom of the list of states. Texas is ranked 44th, and California, 41st.

The foundation says declines in child well-being can have dire consequences for the United States’ future. In 2010, 32 percent of Hispanic children live in poverty, compared with 13 percent of white children, 38 percent of black children and 14 percent of Asian children. That year, a family of two adults and two children fell into the “poverty” category if their annual income was below $22,113–the federal definition varies based on family size.

“Millions of children are growing up with risk factors that predict that they will not succeed in the world they will inherit,” the report says. “And, if they don’t succeed, this country will become increasingly less able to compete and thrive in the global economy, thereby affecting the standard of living and the strength of our nation for all of us.”

Here are some other key data from the report on Latino children:

Between 2008 and 2010, about 63 percent of Hispanic children did not attend preschool. By comparison, about half of black and white children didn’t attend preschool.
In 2010, about 14 percent of Hispanic children lacked health insurance, compared with about 6 percent of white children and 7 percent of black children.
In 2010, about 37 percent of Latino children lived in families where the household head lacked a high school diploma, compared with 7 percent of white children and 15 percent of black children.
Between 2006-10, about 19 percent of Latino children lived in high-poverty areas, compared with 3 percent of white children and 27 percent of black children.
In 2010, about 41 percent of Hispanic children were living in single-parent households, compared with 24 percent of white children and 66 percent of black children.
In 2010, About 40 percent of Hispanic children’s parents lacked secure employment, compared with 25 percent of white children and 49 percent of black children.
In 2009, there were 70 teen births per 1,000 female Hispanic teens compared with 25 among white teens and 59 among black teens.
In 2011, about 82 percent of Hispanic children were not proficient in reading and 80 percent of eighth-graders were not proficient in math.
One bright spot was that in 2009, Hispanic children were the least likely to be low-birth weight and were also below the national average. About 6.9 percent of babies were low birth-weight, compared with about 13.3 percent of black babies.

You can localize this story to your state, and community. Where is poverty growing, and how are school districts dealing with the increase and their changing student populations?

- KIDS COUNT data by state.

- “Child poverty on the rise.” The Huffington Post.

- “Annual Study Finds Child Education, Health Improving.” Education Week.

Children of Immigrant Parents More Likely to Fall Behind in School Early

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Katherine Leal Unmuth

Children with immigrant parents are much more likely to live in poverty, lack health insurance and drop out of high school than children of U.S.-born parents, a recent study concluded.

The children face these challenges even though their parents’ employment rates are similar to those of American parents and they actually are more likely to live in two-parent homes.

The Foundation for Child Development in New York examined the gaps between the groups in a recent policy brief.

The children’s academic performance was also affected by their status as English language learners. According to the study, only about 7 percent of ELL students were proficient in reading in English by the end of third grade, compared with 37 percent of children who spoke English as a first language.

In addition, about 14 percent of ELLs were proficient in mathematics by the end of third grade, compared with 44 percent of children who spoke English as a first language.

“This is the canary in the coal mine for dropping out,” Richard Fry of the Pew Hispanic Center told the Wall Street Journal.

Children of immigrants from Mexico and Central America tend to fair the worst in education measures. Many of those parents don’t have an education beyond elementary school, and are unable to help their children with school work. Those parents also don’t know how to navigate the American school system.

The Journal spoke with Karen Arroyo, 14, a student at the Aspiring Centennial College Preparatory Academy in Los Angeles, about how her parents encouraged her to get a good education. ”[R]ight now, my parents don’t know much about what I am doing because they didn’t go to high school,” she told the newspaper.

“Studies have found that those who are unable to read by the fourth grade are unlikely to ever catch up, and are four times more likely to drop out of school,” the report’s author, Daniel Hernandez, said in a press release. “These data show us that our education system is failing nine out of ten Dual Language Learner students in the U.S., and even a substantial majority of children whose first language is English.”

The organization makes a number of policy recommendations, including the suggestion that the government must make greater investments in Pre-K programs, provide adequate funding for ELLs and expand programs that seek to improve the job skills of immigrant parents.

The other numbers in the report are broken down here:

- 30 percent of the children of immigrants live below the federal poverty level, compared with 19 percent of those born to non-immigrant parents

- 25 percent of the children of immigrant parents don’t graduate high school, compared with 18 percent of those born to non-immigrant parents

- 15 percent of children in immigrant families lack health insurance, compared with 8 percent of those of American-born parents

- “Immigrant Children Lag Behind, Posing Risk.” Wall Street Journal.

- “American Children born to Immigrant parents trailing behind, new study finds.” New American Media.

Hispanic Preschoolers Get Less Outdoor Play Time, Study Says

Posted on April 3, 2012 by Katherine Leal Unmuth

A new study has found that Latino preschoolers are less likely to be taken outside for playtime by their mothers than white children, HealthDay reports.

The study appearing in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine found that only about 51 percent of all children were receiving daily outdoor play that was supervised by their parents. Boys were given more play opportunities than girls.

Hispanic mothers were about 20 percent less likely than white mothers to give their children supervised play time. Researchers were troubled by the findings because of the important role of play in child development. ”Being physically active is good for your brain, for your learning,” study research leader Pooja Tandon told ABC News. Tandon is a pediatrician with the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute.

The study was based on the activities of nearly 9,000 children born in 2001, who were followed through kindergarten. Their mothers were interviewed about the amount of play their children received at the age of 9 months, 2 years and 4 years.

Child psychologist Rahil Briggs told HealthDay that the study is concerning, especially considering high obesity rates among children today. ”Parents need to change their thinking about outdoor play as a luxury that they can get in for their kids on a Saturday, to something along the lines of a necessity,” Briggs said. “We need to know that it has an important impact on our children’s physical health and also on their behavior development .”

Less Affluent Schools, Lower Physical Education Scores?

Posted on December 30, 2011 by Monica Rhor

Latino children from low-income families face more than just academic struggles. As this story in the New York Times points out, they may also face health problems, which in turn, can contribute to lower school achievement.

The story, produced by the Bay Citizen for the Times, examined state data of student performance in California’s statewide physical fitness test. It found that students from more affluent schools scored higher than students from low-income schools.

At the affluent Sycamore Valley Elementary, for example, 83 percent of fifth graders received healthy scores on six different measurements. However, at Cesar Chavez Elementary, where many students speak Spanish as their first language and more than 85 percent of students receive free or reduced-price school lunches, no fifth-graders received six healthy scores. About 25 percent received a “need improvement” score on every measure.

Differences between the schools may contribute to the inequity: Sycamore Elementary has “physical education specialist” who helps students train for the test. Cesar Chavez doesn’t. Sycamore does not allow cupcakes or other unhealthy treats for classroom celebrations, and fund-raising helps pay for movement classes and other fitness activities.

At Cesar Chavez, a fenced-in blacktop lot, where the basketball rims have no nets, serves as the setting for physical education classes. The school’s parents, many of whom are immigrants and some homeless, cannot afford to give money to the school.

Dr. Harold Goldstein, executive director of the California Center for Public Health Advocacy, a nonprofit organization, told the reporter: “It comes as no surprise whatsoever that such enormous inequities would be present. It is grossly unjust and will have health and economic impacts on the state of California for generations to come.”

The Bay Citizen investigation highlights an interesting, and under-reported, inequity between affluent and poor schools. With an undeniable correlation between health and school achievement, are students in lower-income schools at a disadvantage on tests and classroom performance because of a lack of adequate physical education programs?

Every state requires students to take physical fitness tests. Ask for the data from your state. Do less affluent schools score lower? If they are, what is making that difference?

Sexual Harassment in School Leads to Absenteeism, Behavior Problems

Posted on November 9, 2011 by Monica Rhor

Sexual harassment is not just limited to the workplace. According to Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School, a new study from the American Association of University Women (AAUW), it’s increasingly becoming a problem in middle and high school classrooms and corridors.

According to a survey of 1,965 students in 7th to 12th grades, harassment — whether in the form of unwanted sexual comments, jokes, gestures, physical overtures, or through email and Facebook — are a part of daily school life. About 48 percent of students said they had experienced some type of sexual harassment in 2010-2011. An overwhelming majority of those students — 87 percent — said the harassment had negative effects, which included a drop in productivity and increased absenteeism.

In the survey, sexual harassment included being touched in an unwelcome way, being called gay or lesbian in an unwanted way, having someone flash or expose themselves, and being shown sexual pictures the viewer didn’t want to see.

About one-third of students said they were harassed through electronic means such as email or Facebook. Many of those students also reported being sexually harassed in person.

Fifty-six percent of girls reported being sexually harassed, compared to 40 percent of boys. Girls were also more likely to be harassed both in person and in cyberspace.

Although the survey showed no significant difference in the prevalence of sexual harassment among different racial and ethnic groups, the findings suggest that black and Latino students may be affected more than white students. According to the report, Latino students are more likely to stay out of school because of sexual harassment. Black students who had been sexually harassed were more likely to get in trouble at school, drop out of activities and experienced trouble studying.

The report is another reminder that test scores and school achievement are often affected by factors that have nothing to do with academics. It also raises the question of how schools deal with sexual harassment. Is there a policy for handling sexual harassment reports from students? Do counselors and teachers receive training in how to help students who have experienced harassment?

In addition, why do Latino and black students seem to face more adverse effects due to harassment? Are their reports handled differently? Do they lack an out-of-school support system?

What does La Llorona have to do with Latino education?

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Monica Rhor

As an avowed horror and zombie movie fan, I always look forward to this month, with its wealth of Halloween-themed flicks, TV shows and store displays. So, it’s no surprise that this story in the Los Angeles Times caught my attention.

The piece by Hugo Martin is about the increasing number of Latino-themed Halloween costumes and haunted house displays. The character of La Llorona or the wailing woman, the chupacabra, and Day of the Dead skeletons seem to be joining the ranks of traditional Halloween favorites — a nod, Martin says, to the country’s growing number of Latinos.

So, you might be asking yourself right about now, what does this have to do with Latino education issues?

Well, for me, it’s an example of how reporters can take an offbeat angle and use it as an exploration of a larger trend. In this case, Martin picked up on a changing consumer practice — new costumes on store shelves — and used it to look at the growth and influence of the rising Latino middle class.

As Martin notes:

“The trend in Southern California and other heavily Latino regions seems fueled by a growing Latino middle class that visits theme parks in greater numbers and the rising popularity of Halloween, now the second-biggest holiday for spending in the country, behind only Christmas. Officials say studies have suggested Latinos may visit theme parks twice as often as other groups.

Vendors of Halloween fun are targeting a Latino population that has increased by nearly 28% in California to 14 million in the last 10 years.”

It’s a creative way of examining societal changes without resorting to a dry statistic or Census based piece. In addition, the piece also offers a glimpse into cultural nuances that non-Latinos might not be familiar with. In this case, the story of La Llorona, a mythological mother who killed herself after drowning her children and who now weeps for them into eternity.

Education reporters can build similar stories by looking for unusual trends or developments in their schools or districts and exploring the larger story behind those trends. Are your schools holding Day of the Dead or Hispanic Heritage events? Have PTA or open houses taken on a multicultural flair that was not present in previous years? Are there changes in book fairs, school plays, and other extracurricular activities? And if so, does those changes reveal a shift in the school culture or demographics?

Latino Immigrant Students at Risk of Going Hungry

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Monica Rhor

In these times of recession and job loss, factors such as hunger, poverty and homelessness can play as much of a role in school performance as teacher quality, education policy and curriculum standards.

This week, the Bread for The World Institute is releasing a new analysis showing that almost one-third of Latino immigrant children are at risk of going hungry, and one-third of Latino immigrant families depend on food banks to survive. The analysis uses Census and other government data to examine the hunger crisis among these families.

For undocumented immigrant families, the problem is heightened because they may not be eligible for federal assistance or free school meals.

A teleconference on the report, “Hunger and Poverty among Latino Immigrant Children,” will be held Wednesday, September 7, 2011 from 1 to 2 p.m. EDT. The conference call number is: 888-208-1812. Confirmation Code is 4083180.

The American Psychological Association has also compiled an extensive list of the effects of hunger and homelessness on children and resources for more information.

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Category Archives: Health and Nutrition