Parent-Reported Medication Use in a Head Start Population

This study investigates the prevalence of medication use within a Head Start population. Parent-reported data ( N = 1,397) from initial enrollment information indicated 6.8% of children were taking 34 different types of medication. More than two thirds (69%) of those on medication were prescribed more than one medication, and more than one third (37%) were taking three or more medications. The majority of children were reported to be taking medications that were asthma (88%) or allergy (17%) related. Psychotropic medications accounted for 4% of the medications, indicating a prevalence of less than 0.3%. African American and Hispanic children were overrepresented in those taking medicines. School nurses can work with parents and caregivers of Head Start children by raising awareness of (1) the benefits and side effects of medications commonly taken within this population, (2) the significant role that asthma medications play in low-income areas, and (3) the issues and challenges associated with polypharmacy practices.

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Equitable Access to High-Quality Early Care and Education: Opportunities to Better Serve Young Hispanic Children and Their Families

The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science ◽

10.1177/00027162211041942 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 696 (1) ◽

pp. 80-105

Author(s):

Julia Mendez Smith ◽

Danielle Crosby ◽

Christina Stephens

Keyword(s):

Head Start ◽

Language Learners ◽

Low Income ◽

Culturally Responsive ◽

Preschool Age ◽

Hispanic Children ◽

High Quality ◽

Early Childhood Care ◽

Childhood Care ◽

Low Income Families

Significant investments in public early childhood care and education (ECE) have yielded higher Hispanic enrollment in preschool-age programs, but progress has been uneven and inconsistent, especially for the youngest Hispanic children and low-income families. We review how ECE has contributed to Hispanic children’s development, offering a detailed review of Hispanic children’s participation in ECE, including evidence of effectiveness from ECE programs such as Early Head Start and Head Start, and state pre-K programs. We conclude with a discussion of why Hispanic children remain underserved by ECE and what policy changes could increase participation in these programs among Hispanics. We argue for expansion of established high-quality ECE into Hispanic-dense communities, for strategies that enroll and retain Latino children in ECE in ways that are family-centered and culturally responsive, and that ECE must adapt to better serve Hispanic families and dual language learners who require culturally appropriate pedagogy.

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Engagement with print: Low-income families and Head Start children

Journal of Early Childhood Literacy ◽

10.1177/1468798408091853 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 151-175 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Jacqueline Lynch

Keyword(s):

Head Start ◽

Low Income ◽

Head Start Children ◽

Low Income Families

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The nature of low-income parents' extra-textual utterances during shared book reading and its contribution to early literacy and language skills of head start children

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e584752012-212 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Seung-Hee Son ◽

Matthew Poes ◽

Maria Tineo

Keyword(s):

Head Start ◽

Early Literacy ◽

Low Income ◽

Language Skills ◽

Book Reading ◽

Shared Book Reading ◽

Head Start Children

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Risk Factors of Obesity in Low Income Head Start Children

European Scientific Journal ESJ ◽

10.19044/esj.2016.v12n6p1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Beverly Copeland ◽

Allan A. Johnson

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Health Status ◽

Head Start ◽

Low Income ◽

Weight Status ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Head Start Children ◽

Child Bmi

The purpose of the study was to investigate the contributing risk factors of obesity among low income Head Start children, and to determine if there is a correlation between caregivers’ perceptions of their own weight and health status, and that of their children. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was utilized. A convenience sample of 195 Head Start children and caregiver pairs were recruited from two Head Start Organizations within the District of Columbia (DC). Measured heights and weights of children and their caregivers were used to calculate Body Mass Index (BMI). A questionnaire was used to ascertain data on caregivers’ perceptions of their children’s weight status, doctors’ diagnoses of children’s weight/height status, caregivers’ perceptions of their own health condition, and sociodemographic data. Results of the study showed that caregivers’ perceived their overweight/obese children as being of normal weight/height status. The majority of the caregivers misperceived their own health status in a positive way. Significant relationships were found between caregiver educational level and child BMI, and between doctors’ weight advice and child BMI. It was concluded that the caregivers underestimated the prevalence of overweight/obesity among their children, and overstated their own health status. Child BMI status was directly related to caregivers’ educational attainment.

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