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Health |
Welcome! Let's talk about children's health, and some simple things you can do to make a difference—in your family, school, and community.
If you are a local health commissioner looking for guidance and resources on how to effectively do your job, please visit www.ptahealth.blogspot.com for tips, advice, links, and current information.
If you are a parent looking for information on healthy families, please take a look around. You'll find articles and ideas at www.ptahealth.blogspot.com, or you can check out some of the links we've put together to head you in the right direction.
Have you read Perspectives lately? This Utah PTA magazine will help you keep on top of current PTA events, as well as provide you with valuable tips on how to do your job. You can access the current issue right here on our Web site—just check the sidebar for a link.
Please scroll down to find links, as well as information on coming programs and activities.
We are interested in your questions, comments, and ideas. Your needs drive our efforts, so please do not hesitate to share what's worked well for you, as well as letting us know what support you need. Together we can become healthier and happier as we work to light the way for every child.
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Utah PTA strongly believes that health means so much more than being what the media tells us about being thin and athletic; healthy people are happy people who feel good—inside and out. We can all do better at improving our lifestyles, and that happens one step at a time. Whether it's eating healthier foods, reducing unnecessary stress, or remembering to apply sunscreen before playing outside, one simple change in your life, in your school, or in your community can have lasting effects.
Health covers an extremely broad range of issues, and Utah PTA has chosen the following to focus on and advocate for in the best interest of children:
Dental Care
Environmental Health
Growth/Maturation
Health Care and Insurance
Immunization
Mental Health
Nutrition
Physical Fitness
School Wellness Policies
Screenings (vision, hearing, scoliosis, asthma)
Sexual Responsibility
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Substance Abuse
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For more information, please visit: |
National PTA- www.pta.org
For parenting resources, national issues and legislative action, and news. Your PTA membership works for you on this informative and extensive Web site. Visit the Great Idea Bank, where you can deposit or withdraw ideas on parenting, PTA service, or family activities. Visit the Health and Wellness section of the site, where you can download or browse informative articles on everything from competition to summer break.
Utah Department of Health- www.health.utah.gov
For a wealth of information on a variety of topics, from what our state government is doing to combat childhood obesity, to how we're meeting our goals of decreasing teen pregnancies, to tips on sun safety. (Click the “Local Health” tab to access your local health department.)
Utah State Office of Education- www.usoe.k12.ut.us
Take a look at your child's health and wellness curriculum and find out what's being taught. For wellness policies, please see your individual school district Web site.
Centers for Disease Control- www.cdc.gov
Looking for the latest Food Guide Pyramid? Information on how to prevent seasonal illnesses or protect your family from common viruses (like West Nile)? Growth and development milestones for your child? Tips on how to make your home or school safer? Guidance on how to correctly install your child safety restraints? It's all here in a very accessible format. This is one you'll want to bookmark and visit again and again.
Substance Abuse- www.justthinktwice.com
Run by the US Drug Enforcement Agency, this site offers information on all imaginable forms of substance abuse, including prevention and treatment to parents and adolescents.
Hope for Tomorrow- www.namiut.org
For information on mental health issues that particularly affect children, such as eating disorders, depression, and substance abuse. NAMI also provides support and information on suicide. |
Spread the Word! |
Action for Healthy Kids (a coalition representing more than 50 different education, health, and community professionals) is collecting opinions about the School Nutrition and Physical Activity Wellness Policies adopted last year in school districts throughout Utah.
Your opinions are very important to us, whether or not you know much about the Wellness Policies. The survey is 11 questions long and can be completed in about five minutes.
Please click on the appropriate link below (or copy the following and paste it into the Address line of your internet browser).
Click here if you are a parent, family member, or community member interested in or work with schools.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=qI8IhjSu9V7bFhu7F4Ps5w_3d_3d
Click here if you are employed by a school or district in any capacity.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=dBCiDCzG9IUnRG8VE2J0yA_3d_3d
Thank you in advance for your time, which will help us encourage healthy kids in Utah!
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Programs and Events
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Utah PTA supports a variety of programs, activities, and events throughout the school year. Here are a few you may want to become more familiar with.
Balloon Day
Educating children and families about asthma is a major focus of the Health Commission. Blue Balloon Day is coming up on May 6. This is a fun, informational event that will educate children in grades K-6 about asthma, tobacco prevention, and the importance of clean air for everyone. You can find more information at www.blueballoonday.org.
In conjunction with Blue Balloon Day, you may want to participate in "Strive for 5"--a contest that raises money for asthma awareness. In addition to fun prizes and awards, the winning school will receive a visit from Carl Boozer of the Utah Jazz. Look for more information on Strive for 5 at www.strivefor5.org.
Students of all ages can benefit from a simple asthma screening that can be completed in under two minutes. If you have not received a copy of the screening from your school, please contact the Health Commission. After completing the screening, parents are encouraged to contact their child's health care provider for more information if they have answered in the affirmative to any of the questions.
If you're looking for a way to promote physical activity at your elementary school, consider the Children's 26.2 Challenge. It's free to participate in the program, and offers fun incentives to keep kids active. Children at your school will "run a marathon" between April 1 and July 1. Check out www.childrens262challenge.com for more information.
Gold Medal Schools
Gold Medal Schools makes it possible for elementary schools to provide physical activity and healthy nutrition choices at a time when budget cuts and testing requirements overshadow physical activity and nutrition. Gold Medal Schools improves students’ academic success through policies and environmental changes that support good nutrition, physical activity and staying tobacco-free.
The Utah Department of Health developed the Gold Medal Schools program in 2001 using the State Office of Education's core curriculum and the Centers for Disease Control's guidelines to address overweight and obesity in elementary schools. Intermountain Healthcare partnered with the Gold Medal Schools team in 2005 and has enabled the program to reach more schools throughout the state. Today, Gold Medal Schools has reached more than 140,000 students and over 6,000 teachers in 286 elementary schools!
Check out the Gold Medal Schools Spring Newsletter. In the newsletter
you'll find highlights from the school year, recipes and tips. If
your child's school isn't a part of the Gold Medal Schools program,
visit hearthighway.org/gms to learn more and talk to your principal about
signing up.
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