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OC to participate in landmark study Most children born today are growing up healthy and living longer than ever before. But the rates of asthma, diabetes, autism, and other health problems in children are on the rise. We still have many questions about how children’s environments – the air they breathe, the water they drink and the communities they live in – affect their health and well-being into adulthood. For example, how does pollution in the environment affect our children’s health? Can asthma in children be prevented? What is the long-term impact of playing video games on a child’s development? With the help of communities across the country, the National Children’s Study hopes to find answers to these questions, and to use the answers to help doctors and other healthcare providers treat and prevent environmental and genetic-related health problems. Set to begin in 2007, the study will help guide national, state, and local leaders with environmental and health policies. It could also lead to new treatments and cures for diseases. If the study is months away, why get excited about it now? Because the success of the National Children’s Study depends on the participation of communities and families – maybe even you! If you are planning to be a mother in the near future, you might participate in the National Children’s Study and help influence children’s health for years to come. This is the largest research study of the environment’s effects on children’s health and development ever conducted in the United States. And Orange County was selected as the only site on the West Coast to participate in this landmark study. In this study, “environment” not only includes air, water and dust, but also what children eat, how they are cared for, the safety of their neighborhoods, and how often they see a healthcare provider. The study will examine the most important child health issues of our time, including: • Premature births and other pregnancy-related problems • Injuries • Asthma • Obesity and diabetes • Behavior, learning and mental health. Working with each community, teams of doctors, nurses, community leaders and public health officials will observe 100,000 children across America from before birth to age 21. They will visit the homes, schools, and neighborhoods of the children and families participating. In 2007, the Orange County partners implementing the National Children’s Study will begin recruiting women who are pregnant or are likely to have a child in the near future. Families who join the study will come from many different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups in more than 100 communities, in essence, a cross-section of all families in America. For more information about the study, visit the National Children’s Study website at nationalchildrensstudy.gov/. You can also send questions or comments to the Children and Families Commission of Orange County at prop10@ocgov.com. Now that you know about it, please encourage friends, neighbors, and families to participate and spread the word about the study. You will be making a direct contribution to the health and well-being of generations of children, in our own community and throughout the country. What could be more important? |
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