To read an interesting article that appeared in Tuesday’s NY Times about concussions and contact sports click here.

A new report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Commission to Build a Healthier America documents the correlation between education and health.  You can read more about the ways in which being educated influences our life styles and choices at Education Matters for Health

A new study by Elise Gould of the Economic Policy Institute describes the economic and child wellbeing benefits of lead abatement.  While public health initiatives and other laws have reduced lead exposure among children, lead poisoning poses a threat to some at-risk groups. Even low levels can lead to significant neurological damage, resulting in cognitive and behavioral problems, later health problems and even criminal activity.

This paper finds that the benefits of abatement far outweigh the costs; every dollar spent on controlling lead hazards returns between $17 and $221 in health benefits, increased IQ, higher lifetime earnings, tax revenue, less spending on special education, and reduced criminal activity.

Lead poisoning in adults can result in serious health problems.   As a step to addressing this issue, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) voted at their annual meeting to recommend changing the definition of “elevated blood lead level” for adults to 10 mcg/dL from 25.  Click here to learn more about adults and lead poisoning.

Planning an event?  Contact support@beintheknownj.org to post your brochure.

Play is an important component in child development.  Two new reports underscore how “time off” helps children to learn and mature.

Making the Most of Playtime: New Resource from CSEFEL

The Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) has published a new resource for families entitled Making the Most of Playtime, which offers tips and strategies for families to consider when playing with their infant or toddler. It is part of the CSEFEL Family Tools Collection.

Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School  

New research shows that many kindergartens spend 2 to 3 hours per day instructing and testing children in literacy and math-with only 30 minutes per day or less for play. In some kindergartens there is no play time at all. The same didactic, test-driven approach is entering preschools. But these methods, which are not well grounded in research, are not yielding long-term gains. Meanwhile, behavioral problems and preschool expulsion, especially for boys, are soaring. Read the Alliance’s new report, Crisis in the Kindergarten: Why Children Need to Play in School.

The FASD Center For Excellence has posted some updated news that will be of interest to parents and professionals.

Read this exciting compilation of news, research and annoucements.