Many parents and child care providers are naturally concerned about Swine Flu (H1N1) in Contra Costa County. I encourage you to find the latest information about Swine Flu from these credible health organizations:

Information from Contra Costa Health Services:

• Swine Flu Information for People Living in Contra Costa
• Información de la influenza porcina para personas que viven en el Condado de Contra Costa
• Pandemic Flu Kit for Child Care Providers (CCHS)

Contra Costa Health Emergency Information Line: 1-888-959-9911
Línea de Información de Emergencias de los Servicios de Salud de Contra Costa: 1-888-959-9911.

Other online resources:

• Swine Flu information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Swine Flu information from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

- Sean Casey, Executive Director

• Read First 5 Contra Costa’s Frequently Asked Questions about Proposition 1D in English or Spanish.

• The West County First 5 Center is celebrating its two-year anniversary on May 9 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Enjoy children’s performances, presentations about the importance of play, a toy-making workshop, and arts and crafts with recycled materials. In addition, Childhood Matters and Nuestros Niños will record shows with First 5 Center parents as guests. Download the flyer here.

• The Commission's Program and Evaluation Committee (PEC) will meet May 21 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the First 5 office to continue working on First 5’s 2009 Strategic Plan. This meeting is open to the public. To receive regular PEC agendas, please email Caline Raab.

• First 5 Contra Costa’s Early Childhood Education Program Officer, Dr. Debi Silverman, was a guest on Nurse Rona’s Community Forum radio program last month and discussed the importance of investing in programs for young children. Listen to the program here.

• Click here to find classes and activities happening at the Antioch, Bay Point, Delta, Monument, and West County First 5 Centers this month.

To ensure low-income children receive regular dental health check-ups, the John Muir Mobile Dental Clinic is now making regular visits to the First 5 Centers to provide oral health screenings for children.

Over 80 children received oral health screenings at the West County First 5 Center last month. Twenty percent of the children seen had possible tooth decay and were referred for follow-up treatment.     

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry recommend that all children should see a dentist by age one, or six months after the eruption of the first tooth, but few low-income children have access to preventive oral health services.

In 2006, only 15 of the 785 private dental practices in Contra Costa County accepted Denti-Cal patients age three or younger. When cavities are not treated, children can develop infections severe enough to require emergency room treatment, and it can lead to impaired speech development, an inability to concentrate, lower self-esteem, and poor sleep.   

	Supervisor Federal Glover delivers a proclamation to First 5 parent volunteers at the Week of the Young Child Fair

Over 2,500 East County families descended on Pittsburg’s Small World Park last week to participate in First 5 Contra Costa’s eighth annual Week of the Young Child Fair.

Children had their faces painted, visited a petting zoo, and enjoyed entertainment, children’s music and train rides. Over 40 local nonprofit agencies distributed helpful information to parents on nutrition, school readiness, and finding quality child care.

Contra Costa County's Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence initiative launched an exciting new online resource last month called Families Thrive.

Families Thrive, which First 5 Contra Costa co-sponsors, is a resource for professionals who work with families to learn more about the issue of domestic and family violence, collaborate on best practices, and develop new resources and strategies for helping families thrive in Contra Costa County.

The site focuses primarily on children and youth who are exposed to domestic violence, which can affect children's ability to learn and function in school, and is associated with greater rates of antisocial behavior, substance abuse, mental illness, and adverse health outcomes in adulthood.

The site currently features presentations and discussions on the “Impact of Violence on Children’s Physical, Mental, & Behavioral Health” by Dr. Linda Chamberlain, an epidemiologist specializing in childhood exposure to violence and brain development. In this series of presentations, Dr. Chamberlain provides a brief overview of the health effects of childhood exposure to violence and highlights practical strategies that help children who experience trauma.

Learn more at www.familiesthrive.org.

	Khulood Jamil presents at the CAEYC conference.

First 5 Contra Costa Early Childhood Education Program Officer, Dr. Debi Silverman, moderated a workshop at the annual California Association for the Education of Young Children (CAEYC) conference last month on quality improvement projects early childhood educators are conducting in Contra Costa County.

Monica Joseph of the Contra Costa Child Care Council and two local family child care providers, Kisa Sims Carr and Khulood Jamil, joined Debi to present information about “action research,” a method in which providers assess and improve their child care programs.

The two providers shared their experiences engaging in this process to effectively solve problems and improve their own instruction. Both spoke about the value of learning from one another, and reflecting on and successfully improving their teaching, classroom environment, and interactions with parents.

The Bay Area’s Early Childhood Funders group, an affiliation of foundations that fund projects supporting young children, has published Play: It’s the Way Young Children Learn, a pamphlet describing the importance of play on children’s early learning and healthy development.

The easy-to-read pamphlet emphasizes that play is not a break from learning—it’s the way young children learn. The pamphlet has been produced in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and Farsi, and is available to order. There is a minimal charge for shipping and handling.

San Ramon resident John Mills represents District III on the First 5 Commission. For the last ten years, Mr. Mills has worked for state and local public officials in Santa Clara County.

In his current position as Chief of Staff for Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager, Mr. Mills advises the Supervisor on policy matters, including social services, health and hospital system, labor and employment, housing, land use, environment, transportation, public safety, finance, and state and federal legislation. Mr. Mills also serves on the San Ramon Arts Foundation and the San Ramon Economic Development Advisory Committee. He holds a Master’s of Science in Genetics from Stanford University.

What was your favorite book as a child?

"Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak. I read it over and over... My copy is very worn! I still love the illustrations.

What food did you refuse to eat when you were a child?

Beets. To me, they tasted like dirt. (Don't ask me on what basis I could legitimately make this comparison!) Needless to say, I still won't eat beets...

Who are your heroes?

Abraham Lincoln and Harvey Milk. Each of them never wavered in their commitments to their principles in the face of enormous pressures, both of them ultimately giving their lives for what they believed in. Millions have lived better lives because of the stands that these men took.

Where's your favorite place(s)?

Yosemite National Park. I love its tremendous natural beauty, its remoteness from the everyday world, and its ability to make one and one's cares seem small and insignificant in the face of its grand scale.

What would make Contra Costa a better place for kids?

If policymakers at every level made decisions based principally on how the consequences of those decisions impacted children. Too often, children are forgotten in the equation. We need to always inform our perspective by looking at the world through their eyes.

What is your motto?

"Make a move, even if it's wrong." This was a favorite saying of my grandfather. He loathed inaction. Life's too short to wait around for someone else to get the job done. You have to be willing to get in there and try and fail and try again. Otherwise, you won't know what will ultimately solve the problem

By Ange Burnett, Contra Costa Child Care Council Inclusion Project Coordinator

More and more child care providers are recognizing that many children in child care exhibit signs of Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). According to research by the SPD Foundation, 1 in every 20 children experiences problems with sensory integration.

Examples of sensory integration problems include the child who does not like his diaper changed and says "it hurts," the child who bumps into things and other children unintentionally, or the child who hits and kicks his peers or adults who barely touch him. Sensory issues may cause behavior problems and/or delayed motor and social emotional development. Some children exhibit an appetite for sensation that is in perpetual overdrive and are often misdiagnosed and inappropriately medicated for ADHD. Click here for more signs of SPD.

Sensory Processing Disorder occurs when a child's nervous system has difficulty making use of sensory information. It is the job of the nervous system to take in the information around us through our senses and organize that information so we can attach meaning to it and act on it. The lack of control over sensations like touch, smell, sound, taste, balance and body positioning, can make it very difficult for a child to manage his own behavior, especially when he or she is expected to sit in circle time or participate in structured activities with peers.

Far too many children with sensory symptoms are misdiagnosed or not properly treated.  As a result, they often have problems making friends, have low self-esteem, and are labeled unfairly as disruptive, aggressive, clumsy, or uncooperative by teachers or peers. Many are kicked out of child care.

Tips for Helping Children with SPD:
Children diagnosed with SPD need occupational therapy treatment. However, parents and providers can still work with children to support them and improve behavior using games and activities that help children learn to cope and enhance sensory organization and social development:

• If a child does not like certain textures like finger paint, put it in a plastic bag or plastic glove so the child can enjoy the activity without touching it.
• If a child squirms around and touches everyone around him, give him a small toy to hold or put in his pocket to keep his hands busy (called a fidget) instead of his whole body.
• For a child who cannot control his energy, try blanket swinging, a body wrap or jumping on a small trampoline with supervision.
• A child who mouths shirts or sleeves, or bites other children, can use a chewelry or chew tubes.

Ange Burnett is the Child Care Council's Inclusion Project Coordinator. To learn more about early intervention techniques and evaluation call (925) 676-5442, ext. 3113, or specialneeds@cocokids.org.

	Weighted blankets are often used to help children with SPD.

JoAnn knew her son Alexander’s behavior was different even when he was a baby. But once he entered preschool, his problems really surfaced. “Xander” exhibited overly aggressive behavior. He regularly tackled and punched the other children, called them names, and put everything in his mouth, much like a teething baby would.

JoAnn went to her pediatrician, who said there was no clear diagnosis for Xander. He wasn’t autistic. He didn’t have ADHD. According to JoAnn, “He was not clearly anything, but he was clearly having problems.”

Xander’s preschool suggested using the Child Care Solutions program, which provides mental health specialists to observe children struggling in licensed child care settings. The specialist immediately recognized Xander’s symptoms as Sensory Processing Disorder. She then connected Xander and JoAnn with the Contra Costa Child Care Council’s Inclusion Project, which provides one-on-one support to help children with special needs thrive in licensed child care.

Some of the solutions the Inclusion Program helped Xander’s preschool implement included:

• A chew bracelet - his providers now direct him to chew this when he puts other items in his mouth.
• A weighted blanket and vest that provide pressure to help keep him calm (a similar effect as swaddling a baby).
• A wobble cushion filled with air to use at circle time. The cushion allows him to constantly be moving and wiggling without being disruptive to the other children.

In addition, the program connected the family with an occupational therapist who happened to have a scholarship available for services. Since then, Xander has made huge strides at preschool and at home. He’s even made some friends at school and his teachers have new tools to redirect – not just discipline – his behavior.

“Kids get labeled very quickly and early on, and we were seeing this happen to our son,” said JoAnn. “These First 5-funded programs have made a huge difference for our family. They are a classic example of why early intervention is so important, and why it is money well spent.”

Contact Child Care Solutions (925) 685-0207 ext. 108 or the Inclusion Program (925) 676-5442 for more information.