Take 5 Newsmagazine Issue 11

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County • 4000 Moorpark Ave., Suite 200 • San Jose, CA 95117 • www.first5kids.org • 408.260.3700

Take5QUARTERLY NEWSMAGAZINEWinter 2011 – Issue 11

Early childhood obesity is an epidemic

that our community can no longer

ignore. While there are many causes of

childhood obesity, the largest source

of added sugar for our children is

sugary drinks and sodas.

With this in mind, FIRST 5 Santa Clara

County is one of the lead agencies

in the ReThink Your Drink campaign

which encourages families to “rethink

their drink” and drink water instead

of sugar-sweetened beverages such

as sodas, sports drinks, juice blends,

punch and even 100% juice.

Drinking sugary beverages has been

linked to weight gain, obesity, high

cholesterol, dental cavities and

developing severe health problems

such as Type 2 diabetes.

. . . . . .continued on page 4

Pot ter the Ot ter Website............2

Sugar Sweetened BeveragePolicy..............................................3

High 5 Winner................................3

Schools and Our Obesity Prevention Campaign.......................................4

Why ReThink Your Drink?............5

Text for Baby Campaign...............5

Caroline's Journey.........................6

Safe Sleep Campaign....................7

01

According to the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, 3 infant deaths have been caused by unsafe sleeping practices in the county this year and 41 infant deaths within the last six years.

To prevent any more tragic deaths due to unsafe sleeping practices,FIRST 5 Santa Clara County has partnered with the Santa Clara County Medical Examiner's Office and the Public Health Department, to launch a Safe Sleep Awareness Campaign. The goal of this campaign is to ensure that every parent and caregiver is aware of and prepared to adopt lifesaving saving safe sleep practices for their infant.

Recent Infant Deaths Due To Unsafe Sleeping Practices

ReThink Your Drink Campaign

. . . . . .continued on page 7

In this Issue

Left: Dr. Louis Girling, Deputy Health Officer and Dr. Michelle Jorden, Assistant Medical Examiner

FIRST 5 is a partner in the Safe Sleep Awareness Campaign

w w w.sur veymonkey.com/s/Take5Sur vey

Tell us what you think...


Visit potterloveswater.com and you will be greeted

by our new, animated and loveable character…

Potter the Otter! Potter swims off the pages of his

popular English/Spanish children’s book, Potter the

Otter: A Tale About Water and comes to life through

cyberspace!

Children learn to make healthy drink choices by

following Potter and his friends. Children can also color

Potter right on the computer screen just by clicking

their mouse! The website offers fun games as well as

resources and tips for parents and caregivers. Potter

the Otter: A Tale About Water books can also be read

and ordered on the website.

“Potter the Otter” Has His Own Website

In this delightful story, Potter, on his way to a picnic,

meets his friends Toada, Moose, Goose and many

others, and teaches them that water is the best choice

over soda, punch and juice. The potterloveswater.com

website reinforces this message in a fun, engaging

and interactive way.

Be sure to visit potterloveswater.com, take the

pledge to drink water and join the fun along with

Potter and his friends!

02

Have you seen our YouTube

Channel? Subscribe today and

check out our latest videos!

www.youtube.com/user/

FIRST5SCC

We’re Blogging!Visit blog.first5kids.org for the latest news on early childhood topics

and learn more about us! Join our blogging forum today.

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County • 4000 Moorpark Ave., Suite 200 • San Jose, CA 95117 • www.first5kids.org • 408.260.3700FIRST 5 Santa Clara County • 4000 Moorpark Ave., Suite 200 • San Jose, CA 95117 • www.first5kids.org • 408.260.3700 03

Sugary drink intake at age f ive is associated with higher body fat, larger

waist circumference, and heavier weight from ages f ive to 15.1 Obesity and

Type 2 diabetes are inherently connected as childhood obesity is the most

impor tant r isk fac tor for the development of Type 2 Diabetes in youth.2

Randomized controlled tr ials in children found that reducing consumption

of sugary drinks leads to reductions in weight.3 As a result, the following

state and local policies have been enac ted to reduce sugary beverage

consumption by children.

In 2010, the State of California set nutrit ion standards for beverages served

in early childhood programs, including:

Serve only one percent or non-fat milk to children ages two and older.

Limit juice to no more than one serving of 100 percent fruit juice per day.

Serve no beverages with added sweeteners, natural or artificial.

Ensure water is available throughout the day (especially at meal and snack

times).

In 2003, the State of California banned the sale of sof t drinks in elementary

and middle schools, and extended the ban to high schools in 2005.

In 2005, the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors adopted a nutrit ion

standards policy for vending machine beverages and beverage purchasing.

Vending machines in County buildings can only include water, 100% fruit

juice, non-fat and low-fat milk. In addition, County funds cannot be used

to purchase sugar-sweetened beverages either in County programs or by

County contrac tors.

Other states and local jurisdic tions have sought to enac t sales and/

or excise taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages with the twin benefits

of reducing consumption while providing additional tax resources to

address the childhood overweight and obesity caused by sugar-sweetened

beverages.

Groups that endorse taxation as an ef fec tive approach to childhood

obesity include the American Academy of Pediatr ics and the U.S.

Conference of Mayors. Repor ts from the Bipar tisan Policy Center,

Brookings Institution, the Institute of Medicine, the Urban Institute and

Children Now also recommend this strategy.4

States including Mississippi, New Mexico, Oregon, New York, Philadelphia

and Washington have at tempted, but failed, to pass an excise tax on sugar-

sweetened beverages. However Washington D.C. recently passed a sales

tax of 6 percent on diet and non-diet sodas, energy drinks and spor t drinks.

Policy Alert: Sugar Sweetened Beverage

1Fiorito LM, Marini M, Francis LA, Smiciklas-Wright H, Birch LL. (2009). Beverage intake of girls at age 5 y predicts adiposity and weight status in childhood and adolescence.2Hannon, Tamara S., Goutham, Rao, Arslanian, Silva, A.. "Childhood Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus." Pediat-rics 116, no. 2 (2005): 473-480.3James J, Thomas P, Cavan D, Kerr D. (2004). Preventing childhood obesity by reducing consumption of carbonated drinks: Cluster randomized controlled trial. BMJ 328:1237.4Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, www.yaleruddcenter.org.

HIGH 5 Winner: Katie Milligan M a n ager of Ea rly Educat ion at S a n Jose Un i f ie d S c ho ol D i s t r ic t

Each quarter, FIRST 5 recognizes a

HIGH 5 Partner Appreciation Award

winner for outstanding contributions.

Recipients further FIRST 5’s mission

by performing above and beyond

contractual obligation and effectively

leverage FIRST 5’s time, talent and/or

funding.

Katie Milligan helped revitalize

San Jose Unif ied School Distr ic t ’s

Preschool Program by introducing

technology into the classrooms.

Last year, hundreds of four-and

f ive-year olds had access to a

"real" computer and students

learned reading skills using

the Lexia computer curriculum.

Teachers also used new overhead

projec tors to instruc t their

students.

Renovations to the exterior of the

preschool also improved qualit y

play time for students, an example

of such renovations include

benches and shade struc tures

which provide comfor t for t ired

children and adults alike.

Parents and teachers appreciate

Katie’s dedication to San Jose

Unified’s preschool children.

Local and State Policy to Reduce Sugary Drink Intake of Children


Kindergarten classrooms and talked

with the students about making

healthier drink choices.

“History tells us that these educational

campaigns work. In fact, it may be the

only way to turn things around. Many

children don’t have an awareness of

obesity issues but it is interesting to

see how quickly they gain awareness

and then start to educate everyone

else,” said Dave Cortese, President,

Board of Supervisors, Santa

Clara County, Third District, who

participated in the kick-off and read

the storybook to students.

This event was part of the ReThink

Your Drink campaign led by FIRST 5

Santa Clara County, along with Kaiser

Permanente and the Santa Clara

County Public Health Department.

An otter named Potter only drinks

water, and FIRST 5 Santa Clara County

urged Santa Clara County kids to do

the same. FIRST 5 used their colorful,

English/Spanish rhyming book titled,

Potter the Otter: A Tale About Water

to entice young children to make the

right drink choices and mitigate the

epidemic of childhood obesity in

Santa Clara County and the nation.

Preschools and elementary schools

across Santa Clara County were

provided a copy of Potter the Otter:

A Tale About Water and students

were encouraged to read the book to

promote awareness against childhood

obesity.

Community leaders also gathered at

Ryan Elementary School in the Alum

Rock School District and read Potter

the Otter: A Tale About Water, to

Schools Across Santa Clara County Successfully Kicked-Off Our Obesity Prevention Campaign

04

“Our children are our community’s

most valuable resource and their

healthy development should be our

highest priority. FIRST 5 created this

book because it serves to educate

in many ways…parents can read to

their children and teachers can read

to students. The book also includes

fun activities to reinforce the sugar-

free messaging. Education enables

smart choices and learning through

enjoyment is the best way to never

forget what we learn,” said Jolene

Smith, Chief Executive Officer for

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County.

Over 600,000 copies of Potter

the Otter: A Tale about Water are

circulating throughout by their First 5

County Commissions, schools, child

care and health agencies statewide.

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County and “Potter the Otter” urged kids to drink water

ReThink Your Drink Campaign . . .continued from page 1

As part of the ReThink Your Drink campaign, leading agencies - FIRST 5 Santa

Clara County, Kaiser Permanente, and Santa Clara County Public Health

Department have joined together to encourage families to take the first

step in preventing obesity by choosing to drink water over sugar-sweetened

beverages.

DID YOU K NOW ?The average 4-to-5 year old child consumes 65 pounds of added sugar a

year

41% of children ages 2-11 drink at least one soda or sugar-sweetened

beverage on an average day

Juice is loaded with sugar –two small juice boxes (6.75 oz) contain more

sugar than one can of soda

Soda is the #1 source of added sugar in the American diet

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County • 4000 Moorpark Ave., Suite 200 • San Jose, CA 95117 • www.first5kids.org • 408.260.3700FIRST 5 Santa Clara County • 4000 Moorpark Ave., Suite 200 • San Jose, CA 95117 • www.first5kids.org • 408.260.3700

Childhood obesity is an epidemic in

the United States. As pediatricians we

now frequently see complications of

childhood obesity that we never saw

before: diabetes type 2, hypertension

and hormonal problems. These

problems can last a lifetime and lead to

stroke, heart attacks, kidney problems

and other conditions.

At Kaiser Permanente, we are committed

to fighting this epidemic. We encourage

breast feeding, avoiding juices in infants

and we monitor our patients’ weights at

each visit. We advocate water instead

of juices, sports drinks and sodas. We

advocate home cooked meals instead

of fast foods and we encourage at least

an hour of play or exercise everyday for

children.

What ef forts has Kaiser

Permanente undertaken to f ight

childhood obesity?

Kaiser Permanente, along with the Santa

Clara County Public Health Department,

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, and the

Bay Area Nutrition & Physical Activity

Collaborative are all fighting childhood

obesity by participating in the ReThink

Your Drink campaign.

Families are asked to choose healthy

drinks like water, nonfat/lowfat milk,

unsweetened ice teas or carbonated

water without added sweeteners.

The ReThink Your Drink campaign has

over 100 partners that are promoting

the message in hospitals and clinics,

child care centers, schools, worksites,

non-profits, and preschools.

Why ReThink Your Dr ink? Q & A with Calv in Gordon , MD, Assistant Physician In Chief Kaiser Permanente , San Jose Medical Center

05

The campaign has many elements:

Pledge cards - provide information on

sugar in common beverages and ask

adults and children to take a pledge to

stop drinking sugary drinks.

Potter the Otter: A Tale About Water

Storybook – a bi-lingual (English/

Spanish) storybook for young children

and their parents which narrates the

story of an otter that helps his friends

stop drinking sugary drinks and make

healthier drink choices. The book

includes activities for children, tips for

parents, and an action card for parents

to commit to serving water to their

children.

What can parents or caregivers do?

Make a pledge to stop drinking sugary

drinks!

Read Potter the Otter: A Tale About

Water story book to any child in your life.

Tell your friends about sweetened

beverages and encourage them to drink

water, milk or unsweetened beverages.

During the summer months, all FIRST 5 Santa Clara County Family Resource Centers hosted circle time readings of Potter the Otter: A Tale About Water. 600,000 copies of our book are being distributed statewide.

HIGHLIGHTS


Text4baby is a free mobile information

service designed to provide pregnant

women and new moms with information

to help them care for their health and give

their babies the best possible start in life.

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County is a text4baby

Outreach Partner. We encourage our

partners to promote the FREE text4baby

service to the families they serve. Text

messages are available in English

and Spanish. FIRST 5 also of fers

posters to our par tners to promote

this service.

FIR ST 5 Launches TEXT4 BA BY Free Tips for New and Expectant Mothers

For more information, please contact Molly Fezell, [email protected].


Caroline was diagnosed with Rett

Syndrome (RTT) in June 2011 at the age

of 17 months. Rett Syndrome is a rare

and debilitating neurodevelopmental

disorder that mainly affects girls and

interferes with their ability to use their

hands, talk, and walk. Girls with RTT

develop normally for the first 6-18

months before they lose these skills

and begin repetitive hand movements

such as wringing, clapping, or mouthing.

Medical complications also include

issues with chewing and swallowing,

seizures, abnormal breathing, as well as

gastro-intestinal and heart problems.

Caroline was born in January 2010.

We were in love the second we

met her. She was sweet, bright,

easygoing, and observant from

the very beginning. She hit all her

milestones on time until about 6

months. She even said “mama” for

the first time at 5 ½ months.

At 9 months, Caroline wasn’t crawling

so her pediatrician suggested

we contact Fairfax County Early

Intervention services. After a couple of

months of physical therapy, Caroline

had finally developed the strength

and motivation to crawl, but the

coordination necessary to move

forward was still missing.

At 15 months, we noticed that Caroline

was performing a strange repetitive

movement with her hands. It looked

like “clapping” or clasping. The

movements were subtle at first, but

my heart sank the first time I noticed

them. The repetitive behavior was a

sign that we were dealing with more

than just gross motor skill delays. In

the following month, the movements

became constant and Caroline began

to lose the ability to use her hands

to pick up objects, play with her toys,

self-feed, and hold her bottle. Around

this time, we noticed that she was

losing her words. Communication had

always been her strength, which made

her regression all the more noticeable.

Caroline also developed problems

with chewing and swallowing. We had

dark days filled with grief and anxiety

as we watched Caroline struggle with

the loss of these skills.

We received the clinical diagnosis

for Rett Syndrome...a genetic test

revealed a deletion in the MECP2

gene. The MECP2 gene, which

is located in the X chromosome,

regulates a protein in our brains that

plays a role in basic coordinated

movements that we otherwise take

for granted, such as talking, walking,

and using our hands. Mutations or

deletions in the MECP2 gene disturb

the function of those skills.

Caroline’s diagnosis caused an

unexpected turn in our lives, but

it also gave us a clear explanation

behind her symptoms. We began

educating ourselves and reaching out

to all appropriate resources to ensure

that we fully understand and meet

her needs. Once a week, Caroline

gets both early educational therapy

(focused on speech, fine motor

skills, and play) and physical therapy.

Caroline is still unable to crawl, but

she is working hard on standing and

taking steps with assistance. She is

making slow but steady progress every

day! Caroline also goes to a wonderful

private daycare four days a week. In

September 2012, after Caroline turns

2, she will transfer to the public school

system, where she will continue to

receive various therapies while also

benefiting from an individualized

education program.

Rett Syndrome prevents Caroline

from expressing herself and moving

the way she wants to. The disorder,

however, doesn't affect Caroline's

intelligence or her ability to love. She

is an affectionate and sweet baby.

She says so much with her eyes, and

is very observant and engaged. She

understands everything we say to

her, even though she struggles to

communicate back to us. Caroline

is not to be defined by her missed

milestones, but by her strength and

sweet spirit.

Caroline’s family, doctors, therapists,

and teachers are all committed to

working on helping her preserve her

skills and continue to make progress

in all areas of development. We are

dedicated to giving Caroline a rich

and happy life.

Caroline's Journey Living with Rett Syndrome

Marta and Caroline Conner

A Mother's Story...

FIRST 5 Santa Clara County • 4000 Moorpark Ave., Suite 200 • San Jose, CA 95117 • www.first5kids.org • 408.260.3700FIRST 5 Santa Clara County • 4000 Moorpark Ave., Suite 200 • San Jose, CA 95117 • www.first5kids.org • 408.260.3700 07

Karma King, mother who lost her child due to unsafe sleeping practices

Rett Syndrome Facts

1 in every 10,000 girls are born

with Rett every single day.

Caused by a spontaneous gene

mutation in the X chromosome.

The leading cause of impairment

in girls—most cannot speak, walk,

or use their hands.

Girls develop normally for the

first 6-18 months before they lose

these skills and begin repetitive

hand movements such as

wringing, clapping, or mouthing.

Medical complications also

include issues with chewing and

swallowing, seizures, abnormal

breathing, as well as gastro-

intestinal and heart problems.

For more information, please visit

the following organizations:

Girl Power to Cure

www.girlpower2cure.org

Rett Syndrome Research Trust

www.rsrt.org

International Rett Syndrome

Foundation

www.rettsyndrome.org

"Unsafe sleep practices have been the cause of one-third of the deaths of Santa

Clara County infants since 2005," said Dr. Michelle Jorden, Assistant Medical

Examiner. "Thorough examinations that include working with families to re-enact

the baby's sleeping situation have provided us with the data we need to fully

understand unsafe sleep situations. Now, it is crucial that we teach all parents and

caregivers what must be done to keep their babies safe while sleeping."

During a joint press conference on December 15, 2011 at a FIRST 5 Family Resource

Center, Dr. Louis Girling and Dr. Michelle Jorden, physicians leading the County's

Child Death Review Team, spoke on the causes and circumstances surrounding

deaths of children in Santa Clara County due to unsafe sleeping practices. A

mother also shared her tragic story about the loss of her baby due to unsafe

sleeping practices.

"The only way to put a baby to sleep safely is alone, on his or her back, and in a

crib or bassinet," said Deputy Health Officer Dr. Louis Girling. "It's so important

for people to be aware of the dangers of sharing a bed with an infant, and to make

sure the baby's sleeping space is clear of things like toys, blankets, or pillows."

FIRST 5 Chief Executive Officer, Jolene Smith introduced the Safe Sleep Campaign

which will spread safe sleep messages throughout shopping malls, bus ads and

radio public service announcements in the county. FIRST 5 will also be donating

infant one-piece pajamas, or "onesies," with a safe sleep message to birthing

hospitals for distribution to new parents.

"These deaths are heartbreaking," said Jolene Smith. "We must remember that

unsafe sleeping practices can be prevented, and together with this campaign,

we will help ensure that another precious life is not lost due to unsafe sleeping

environments and practices."

For more information on Safe Sleep Practices please visit:

www.first5kids.org/safesleep or www.sccphd.org.

Recent Infant Deaths Due To Unsafe Sleeping Practices

4000 Moorpark Ave. Suite 200San Jose, CA 95117P: 408.260.3700

www.f i rst5kids.org

08

Our Commissioners

Message from the Chief Executive Officer, Jolene SmithAs part of her ambitious campaign to eliminate childhood

obesity in one generation, First Lady Michelle Obama said,

"Our kids didn't do this to themselves. They don't decide

the sugar content in soda or the advertising content of a

television show. Kids don't choose what's served to them

for lunch at school, and shouldn't be deciding what's served

to them for dinner at home. And they don't decide whether

there's time in the day or room in the budget to learn about

healthy eating."

Rachel Samoff, Chairperson

Representing Santa Clara County

Board of Supervisors, District 5

Eleanor Villarreal, Vice-Chairperson



Laura Champion, Commissioner



Carmen Montano, Commissioner



Dr. Leticia Pelayo, Commissioner

Representing Santa Clara Val ley

Health and Hospital System

George Philipp, Commissioner

Representing the Local Early

Education Planning Council

Gina Sessions, Commissioner


Social Services Agency

Corazon Tomalinas, Commissioner



Supervisor Ken Yeager, Commissioner


Board of Supervisors

Jolene Smith, Chief Executive Officer, FIRST 5 Santa Clara County

First Lady Michelle Obama’s powerful words summarize the sad reality we face as a

nation as the percentage of overweight children in the U.S. is growing at an alarming

rate, with 1 out of 3 children now considered overweight or obese.

While there are many causes of childhood obesity, research clearly points to sugar

intake as a huge contributor to the obesity crisis! One of the largest sources of

added sugar for our children is found in sugary drinks and sodas.

With this in mind, FIRST 5 has joined together with other key agencies to launch the

ReThink Your Drink campaign. This campaign encourages families to “rethink their drink”

and drink water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and fruit drinks.

We also created a popular children’s book, Potter the Otter: A Tale About Water,

which uses adorable animal characters to encourage children to choose water

over sugary drinks. Over 600,000 copies of the book, available in both English and

Spanish, have been distributed to families statewide, as well as to every public

kindergarten class throughout Santa Clara County and in pediatric settings within

both Kaiser Permanente and the Santa Clara Valley Health & Hospital System.

This new year find alternative and creative ways to limit sugary foods and drinks and

encourage children to do the same. Please remind children of the delightful story

of Potter the Otter and encourage them to make healthy resolutions. Children learn

and remember through fun so visit potterloveswater.com, take the pledge with your

children to drink water instead of sugary drinks!

May your new year be filled with health and well-being!

For the elec tronic version, go to

w w w.f irs t5kids.org/newslet ter

Documents

Take 5 Newsmagazine Issue 11