Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Tragic Death Of 3-Year-Old Highlights Difficulty Of Finding Safe, Affordable Day Care
The New York Times: A 3-Year-Old Died At A Texas Day Care. Here Are Ways To Keep Your Child Safe.
Last week in Houston, a 3-year-old boy died after day care employees left him in a van for more than three and a half hours in 113-degree heat, a heartbreaking loss that could have been prevented, officials said. The death of the child, Raymond Pryer Jr., after a field trip on Thursday stunned Texans, raising questions about the day care’s safety procedures and prompting the police to warn the public about the dangers of hot cars. (Caron, 7/22)
In other news on children's health —
The Washington Post: Kids Drink Way Too Much Fruit Juice, Pediatrician Group Says, And Parents Should Choose Fruit Instead
How much fruit juice should kids drink? Not very much. That’s the essence of the juice policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). School-age children (7 to 18 years old) should limit consumption to eight ounces a day. Preschoolers (ages 4 to 6) can have four to six ounces a day, while toddlers (ages 1 to 3) should have no more than four ounces a day, and babies should not drink any juice at all. Given that most Americans need to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in their diets and that good diet habits can be established during childhood, why is juice so worrisome? (Adams, 7/21)
The New York Times: Chemicals In Food May Harm Children, Pediatricians’ Group Says
A major pediatricians’ group is urging families to limit the use of plastic food containers, cut down on processed meat during pregnancy and consume more whole fruits and vegetables rather than processed food. Such measures would lower children’s exposures to chemicals in food and food packaging that are tied to health problems such as obesity, the group says. (Rabin, 7/23)
