Nearly one of every two people are Latino in Harris County, Texas, which is home to Houston, the nation’s fourth-largest city. As the Latino community rises, equitable health, education, and opportunity is critical. That is why two Houston organizations, Children at Risk and Child Health Policy at the Baker Institute, published the 2024 Latino Child Health Initiative Report to examine the state of Latino child health in Precinct 2, one of four precincts in Harris County. The report identified high rates of type 2 diabetes and obesity among Latino children in Houston, as well as barriers to mental health services and kindergarten readiness. Let’s dive into the report and how it reflects the overall US Latino population.
Latino Children and Risk for Diabetes, Obesity
In ...
Over 3.5 million children participated in early childhood programs as of 2020. Preschool and other early childhood education programs can greatly benefit children, especially Latino children. In fact, studies have shown that low-income Latino kids who attended early education programs at age 4 attain stronger academic skills. Let’s use #SaludTues on July 11, 2023, to explore early childhood education and how we can equitably ensure that its many benefits reach Latino children. WHAT: #SaludTues: How Do Latino Children Benefit from Preschool?
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. EST (Noon-1 p.m. CST), Tuesday, July 11, 2023.
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio (@SaludAmerica)
CO-HOSTS: Public Health ...
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, global conflicts, and an inflated economy, families have been going through a lot lately. Children are no exception. The US is facing an “urgent public health issue” among youth, and it’s not the typical stomach bug or cough usually associated with children – it’s their mental health. In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re highlighting the reasons elementary and middle school-age children worry, how often they worry, and their coping mechanisms, according to a recent report by Nemours KidsHealth. We’ll also touch on what parents can do to help their children through worrisome times.
Why Do Children Worry?
Of the 504 children between ages 9 and 13 who responded to the Nemours survey, worries centered around school ...
From mental health to education and preparing children for adulthood, moms and dads have a lot to think about with how they parent. In fact, 40% of parents with children younger than 18 say they are extremely or very worried that their children might struggle with anxiety or depression at some point, according to the new Parenting in America Today report from the Pew Research Center. Parents worries stem from the rise of a youth mental health crisis and the compounding stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, which deeply impacted Latinos. Let’s explore the full report on parenting and how it impacts Latinos!
The Top Parental Concern
Mental health is the top concern for parents, according to the Pew report. That worry is felt “more acutely” by Latino parents. “42% of ...
Latinos face a number of health disparities and inequities in many aspects including housing, transportation, and overall health. While it’s important to focus on the many barriers that Latinos face, it’s also beneficial to highlight the assets of this diverse population. Latinos have many individual and family strengths they can draw on to be resilience in the face of hardship and guard against the negative effects of adversity on their well-being, according to a new analysis from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families. Let’s explore strengths of Latino children, parents, and families!
What Are Latino Children’s Strengths?
The new analysis, which reviewed 35 studies from 2000 to 2022, identified strong social skills as one of the key ...
Researchers from the University of Maryland College of Education have recently completed a study where they examined the development and early home experiences of young Latino boys in comparison to the development of white boys and Latina girls. “Our research focused on the early childhood experiences of Latino boys because that is such a crucial time for the development of skills needed for school and life success,” said Dr. Natasha Cabrera, lead researcher on the study. “A better understanding of the strengths as well as the difficulties of the home environment and development could help in crafting interventions that improve academic performance for Latino boys.” Cabrera and her research team determined that, similar to their white peers, Latino boys tend to grow up in ...
A child needs more than nutritious food and physical activity to be healthy. They need healthy minds, too. But 1 in 5 children today suffer a serious mental illness. Depressive symptoms among Latino youth are especially high, putting them at risk of dropping out of school, using drugs, and suicide. For Mental Health Awareness Month in May, let’s use #SaludTues on May 9, 2017, to share tips and strategies to promote healthy minds and environments for Latino and all kids across the U.S. WHAT: #SaludTues Tweetchat: "Latino Kids and Healthy Minds"
TIME/DATE: 1-2 p.m. ET (Noon-1 p.m. CT), Tuesday, May 9, 2017
WHERE: On Twitter with hashtag #SaludTues
HOST: @SaludToday
CO-HOSTS: Cheryl Aguilar (@cheryl_aguilar); Jesus Rodriguez, MD of Kaiser Permanente ...
Low-income people and people of color are more likely to walk or bicycle than people in more affluent communities; however, low-income communities are less likely to have infrastructure that makes it safe and convenient to bike and walk such as sidewalks, bike paths, street lighting, and crosswalks. Additionally, the rate of childhood obesity has increased four-fold over the past 40 years, and rates of physical inactivity and obesity are disproportionately high among Latino and African American youths. Such health inequities in low-income communities stem from a lack of access to physical activity opportunities such as parks, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes. We want to hear about your experiences and successes advancing equitable active transportation and physical activity, and how ...
Children of Mexican-origin have the highest rates of childhood obesity in the U.S., a new study by Penn State suggests. Researchers were curious to find out why children who are first- or second-generation Mexican-American are more likely to be overweight than their peers in Mexico. “The risks of obesity are stratified among Mexican-origin children according to their generation status – the number of generations their family has been in the U.S.,” said Molly Martin, associate professor of sociology and demography at Penn State. To find answers, Martin and her team used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination study “to test associations between generational status, nutrition of Mexican-origin children between ages 5 and 17, and the family’s socioeconomic ...
