Children’s Health Back to School
As children return to school this fall, several important health issues are on the minds of parents and educators. The mental health of young people remains a concern as 71% of parents reported their children faced challenges last school year. In addition, the majority of states experienced declines in vaccination rates among kindergarteners during the pandemic. Learn more about these concerns:
- August is National Immunization Awareness Month: About 1 in 6 toddlers started, but did not complete, the vaccine series. This decline in vaccination is attributed to factors such as persistent logistical and structural barriers as well as vaccine hesitancy.
- Addressing Mental Health: NIHCM grantee MindSite News released an article about how children are engaging in conversations about mental health. An analysis by NIHCM grantee PoP Health identifies policies to increase the delivery of school mental health services.
- The Public Health Communications Collaborative provides recommendations for messaging to encourage childhood vaccinations.
- Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield launched the ‘Take Good Care Calming Room’ initiative to create calming rooms in 75 schools.
- NIHCM’s recent webinar and infographic address the state of children’s health in the US.
- BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina shares information with parents on how to keep their children safe, including recommendations on vaccines, nutrition, and screen time.