More than 17 million U.S. kids and adults, including a rising number of Latinos, have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). So what exactly is ADHD? Who gets ADHD? How can you tell if your child has this mental condition? How is it treated? We at Salud America! are excited to share some answers during ADHD Awareness Month in October.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is a brain disorder characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, according to the Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). Yes, everybody can have difficulty sitting still or paying attention. We make rash, impulsive decisions on occasion. But for others, these behaviors are so pervasive and persistent that they interfere ...
Latinos are the nation's second-largest population group—yet they continue to be dramatically undercounted. More than 400,000 Latino children younger than 4 were not counted in the 2010 U.S. Census, according to a recent report from the Child Trends Hispanic Institute and National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund. With the 2020 Census looming, an accurate count of Latinos is critical to ensure they get the right number of representatives in government and a fair share of funding for educational programs, healthcare, and law enforcement, as well as new schools and roads.
The U.S. Census Count
The U.S. Census Bureau counts every resident in the U.S. every 10 years, per Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. The data ...
There is a near-perfect way to predict a child's educational and health future. A mother's education. Sadly, Latinas have the lowest high school graduation rates and some of the lowest college completion rates of all women, according to a new report. The report, Fulfilling America’s Future: Latinas in the U.S., 2015, is an exploration of the state of Latinas by Patricia Gándara, research professor and co-director of the Civil Rights Project at UCLA, and the White House Initiative on Education Excellence for Hispanics. "As a group, Latinas begin school significantly behind other females and without adequate resources and supports, they are never able to catch up to their peers," according to the report. So, how can Latinas catch up?
The State of U.S. Latinas
One in five ...
California is implementing new standards for teaching science to spark Latinos and African American grade-school students' interest and boost test scores, EdSource reports. The new standards have more hands-on science projects, updated scientific and technological research, feature different fields of science, with less rote memorization. They even recently released a parent's guide in Spanish to explain the changes. The new standards, called the Next Generation Science Standards, offer guidelines for teachers on how to reach students who are English language learners, come from economically disadvantaged homes, are racial/ethnic minorities, or who are otherwise from demographic groups “underrepresented in the science fields.” The hope is that in California, where about ...
Dr. Kathy Fletcher knows the first three years of a child’s life are critical for preparing kids to grow and mature into healthy and productive students and adults. But what if early childcare providers don’t know how to make it happen? Fletcher, President and CEO of Voices for Children of San Antonio, worried that these providers—who only need a high-school education to be on the job—are eager to help children success, but don’t always have the tools to give local kids the appropriate developmental care and services they need during their formative years to promote healthy development. At least one quarter of children birth to five are in some form of organized out-of-home child care. Investing in professional development for early childhood providers can reduce the ...
Many Latino families will get health-boosting "home visits" thanks to $352 million in new federal funding. The Maternal Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program (MIECHV Program) by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will award $352 million to 55 groups across the country. The groups will visit the homes of at-need families to bring health, social, and early childhood development services to improve family health and enable new opportunities for their children. “Evidence-based home visiting programs help children get off to a better, healthier start,” said Dr. George Sigounas, HRSA administrator, in a press release. “[These] awards allow states to support local agencies in providing home visiting services that meet the needs of families in ...
President Donald Trump's administration recently rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), an American immigration policy signed by President Barack Obama five years ago. DACA allows unauthorized immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to work, go to school, and get a driver’s license without fear of deportation. The clock is now ticking for a Congressional fix for people who qualify for DACA. If not, recipients could lose their status starting March 5, 2018.
Who are DACA recipients?
Since the program started in June 2012, most DACA recipients are in Latino-centric states: California (222,795) followed by Texas (124,000) and Illinois (42,376). Unauthorized immigrants from Mexico make up more than three-quarters of all DACA ...
The science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce is no more diverse than it was 20 years ago. In fact, less than 2% of the STEM workforce is Latino youth, although they make up about 20% of the population, according to a factsheet by the U.S. Department of Education. Vacant STEM jobs and gaps in this growing career field mean gaps in income, health, and quality of life. It also means Americans lag behind in: advancing alternative energy source
curing diseases
predicting natural disasters
preventing cybercrime
protecting our citizens
securing sustainable food supply In order to promote STEM careers among Latino youth, we need to improve STEM programming beginning as early as preschool, promote STEM programs for Latinos, and boost high school ...
The first few years are critical for preparing kids for life, yet early childcare employees are the least prepared. They often only have a high school degree, thus aren’t equipped to give kids the care and services they need during their formative years. Mississippi Governor, Phil Bryant, told residents at the Neshoba County Fair in July 2017 that he plans to improve early childhood education across the state by training day care workers. He hopes to use federal and state funds to provide training through the state’s 15 community colleges, at no cost to the workers, according to one source. According to Governor Bryant’s Twitter account, “Our community colleges are now educating our childcare workers on early childhood education best practices. Our children deserve the ...
