Systems Struggling to Address Student Health
Mental Health
From 10 to 21 percent of children in the United States have an emotional or mental health problem, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Most school systems have programs to address the mental health needs of students, but few are seen as comprehensive and well coordinated, experts say.
Some common kinds of disorders
• Anxiety
• Disruptive behavior
• Developmental
• Eating disorders
• Learning and communication
• Mood
• Schizophrenia
• Tic
Asthma
From 1980 to 1996, asthma increased 45 percent among children ages 5 to 14.** But many school systems fail to offer best practices in child asthma management because of a lack of resources and training. That means kids miss more school and have trouble concentrating when they're not there.***
One success story in treating asthma is occurring in the Harlem Children's Zone Asthma Initiative, which uses a multi-pronged approach.
Nearly one in three of the 2,200 children in central Harlem was diagnosed with asthma. That was far higher than the national average for children, 6.2 percent.
The project showed families how to take preventive steps and make schools more aware of the issue.
The Results
SOURCES:
**Journal of School Health, August 2006
***Pediatrics, September 2006, journal published by the American Academy of Pediatrics
Nutrition/Health Education
The good news: The School Nutrition Association reports that most of the nation's 100 largest school systems by enrollment — which collectively educate 23 percent of U.S. students — are requiring nutrition education, adding recess and tightening nutrition standards. More than 94 percent of these systems approved a wellness policy that addresses nutrition standards for a la carte foods and beverages, according to an association analysis.
The bad news: Experts say that not enough teachers are well trained in the subject and that professional development opportunities are not adequate. And though there are National Health Education Standards for K-12 students and teacher preparation standards in health education, they are ignored in many places, and there are no national data to support them.
Obesity & Physical Education
Obesity levels have reached epidemic proportions, sparking concerns about a rise in diabetes.
About 10 percent of children ages 2 to 5 and 16 percent (more than 9 million) of those 6 to 19 are overweight.*
Meanwhile, 8 percent of elementary schools, 6.4 percent of middle school/junior high schools and 5.8 percent of senior high schools provide daily physical education or its equivalent. In high schools, the percentage of high school students enrolled in phys-ed in 2003 was 56 percent.
Twelve states allow required physical education credits to be earned through online courses.
SOURCE: 2006 "Shape of the Nation" report by the American Heart Association and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education
