Protect your family this flu season

The seasonal flu plus H1N1 flu (swine flu) may cause a more dangerous flu season this year, say health officials. A lot more people may get sick—and children under five are at higher risk for complications from the flu.

Both types of flu viruses have similar symptoms: high fever, chills, runny or stuffy nose, coughing, body aches, a sore throat, and fatigue.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that people:

• get a flu vaccine—especially adults who care for or live with young children, and children over 6 months. The CDC says vaccines are the single best way to protect against the flu, and that flu vaccines have a very good safety record
  
  
• prevent the flu from spreading—wash hands frequently with soap and water, cough or sneeze into a tissue or shirt sleeve, don’t share utensils
  
  
• stay home when you’re sick—and keep sick children home
  
  
• encourage healthy behaviors—eating well, sleeping well, playing outdoors.
  
  

Early childhood programs should also:

• encourage staff to get vaccinated
  
  
• remind children about good hygiene
  
  
• ask parents to keep sick children home
  
  
• do daily health checks and make sure parent contact information is up to date
  
  
• separate ill children and staff
  
  
• make sure to do routine clean-ings —particularly of areas and
  objects children frequently
  touch with hands, mouths, or bodily fluids.
  
  

If children get sick:

• Keep children home if they are mildly ill. Give lots of liquids and rest. Children shouldn’t return to school or child care until they have been fever-free for 24 hours.
  
  
• Visit your child’s pediatrician if your child
  
    *  is younger than three months and has a fever
  
    *  gets sick and has a chronic medical condition
  
    *  is very tired, irritable, vomiting, or not interacting normally.
  
  
• Get emergency care if your child has trouble breathing, can’t keep liquids down, shows signs of dehydration, or has seizures.
  
  

For more info:

• Flu.gov has information for families, early care and education programs, and schools from the US Department of Health and Human Services—in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese, www.flu.gov
  
  
• Flu tool kit for early childhood programs offers tips for teachers and providers, fact sheets, parent handouts, and posters in four languages, www.flu.gov/professional/school/childtoolkit.html
  
  
• Child Care Health Program
  (510-204-0930) has compiled resources about the flu for
  families and early care
  and education programs,
  www.ucsfchildcarehealth.org/html/pandr/swine_flu.htm
  
  

Campaign for paid sick days:

The Labor Project for Working Families is working to make sure California workers have paid sick days when they or a family member gets sick—or to recover from domestic violence or sexual assault.

Legislation (AB 1000) is on hold, but advocates will continue the campaign in 2010.

For more info, contact the Labor Project for Working Families, 510-643-7088, http://paidsickdaysca.org

Early Learning Challenge fund

Action: Tell Senators Boxer and Feinstein your views on the Early Learning Challenge Fund (HR 3221). The fund would provide $8 billion in grants over eight years to help states create early care and learning opportunities for young children. The House already passed
legislation.

Background: The Fund would offer grants to states to improve early learning systems for children from birth to 5—and increase the number of disadvantaged children in high-quality programs. The fund would help states strengthen:

• access and quality in early learning programs
  
  
• support and professional development for providers
  
  
• early education standards
  
  
• parents’ awareness about child development
  
  
• support for infants and toddlers, English language learners, students with special needs
  
  

For more info, contact Preschool California, 510-271-0075, www.preschoolcalifornia.org

Five key laws for parents

The Labor Project for Working Families has put together a poster highlighting state laws that every parent should know. Parents may be eligible for:

• Pregnancy disability leave—up to four months of job-protected leave if you can’t perform an essential job function because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a related health condition
  
  
• Family and Medical Leave Act—up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to bond with a new baby, newly adopted child, or foster child
  
  
• Paid Family Leave Act—up to six weeks of leave with partial pay each year to bond with a new baby, newly adopted child, or new foster child—or to care for a child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner with a serious health condition
  
  
• Sick leave use for family care—up to half of each year’s sick leave may be used to care for a sick child, parent, spouse, or domestic partner
  
  
• Family-School Partnership Act—up to 40 unpaid hours a year (eight hours a month) can be taken off from work to attend a child’s school or child care activities, such as field trips, parent-teacher conferences, and graduations.
  
  

For more info or free posters, contact the Labor Project for Working Families, 510-643-7088, www.working-families.org/organize/pdf/cafamilylaws_poster.pdf

Future of First 5?

First 5 is scaling back programs because of declining tobacco tax revenues. The commission plans to focus future funding into two or three signature programs and some additional pilot projects.

“Less funding is available,” says Communication Director Elisa Bu-para. “Programs will need to be re-evaluated”—though some county commissions have funds to continue some existing programs, she adds.

First 5 is deciding future priorities in four areas:

• family functioning
  
  
• child development
  
  
• child health
  
  
• systems of care
  
  

People gave input on these goals at three August hearings and online. First 5 is reviewing this input and will provide an update at the next State Commission meeting, October 21st in LA.

For more info, visit www.first5california.com/press/legacy.asp

Healthy Families saved—for now

When Healthy Families funding was cut by $174 million in the state budget, advocates worried that children would lose their health insurance—and that California would lose federal matching funds. Then First 5 pledged $81 million to cover the gap and legislators voted to partially extend a tax on health insurers—but these funds are only for one year.

Healthy Families will not drop or waitlist children, though families will pay slightly higher premiums.

For more info, contact the 100% Campaign, 510-763-2444 x122

Leadership Program in Early Childhood

Mills College is recruiting students for an advanced degree program in education with an emphasis in leadership. The program covers child development theory, policy analysis, administrative practices, diversity—and includes an interactive leadership seminar. Applications due Feb. 1.

For more info, contact: 510-430-3170, www.mills.edu/academics/graduate/educ/programs/early_childhood.php (scroll down)