YCPO - August 2019

Young Children Newsletter August 2019

Good morning fellow Kiwanians!

Recently at the Kiwanis International Convention in Orlando I attended “A Global Health Update” session with Dr. John Button and Dr. Wil Blechman, Past International Presidents, including an update on Maternal  Neonatal Tetanus Elimination(MMT), and an update on Iodine Deficiency Disorder (IDD). Kiwanis has a partnership with UNICEF  to complete these global initiatives. And both projects are “Young Children”  Projects...improving and saving the lives of young children throughout the world.

Iodine Deficiency Disorder(IDD)

Since 1994 when this program began, members and clubs have contributed more than $105M  toward the global elimination of IDD. IDD  is the leading preventable cause of mental and developmental disabilities in the world. The solution to this problem is supporting salt ionization plants and distribution, testing and monitoring, and community outreach and education.

UNICEF has reported that Kiwanis-based funds are now at work in more than 89 nations and more than 80 million children globally will be born free of IDD this year. The number of households estimated to be consuming iodized salt has jumped dramatically from 20% in 1990 to 70%  today.  This health  program is heralded as one of the most successful health initiatives in the world.

The Kiwanis and UNICEF partnership raised awareness of the problem, motivated  governments and industries to act so that millions of children have been protected from IDD. BUT there is still work to be done so that ALL children 

are born free of IDD, and UNICEF is still hard at work throughout the world dealing with this issue.

Maternal Neonatal Tetanus Eliminate (MNT)

Since 2010 when Kiwanis joined forces with UNICEF over 153 million women have been vaccinated with two or more doses of the tetanus vaccine. The disease has been eliminated in 49 countries. Today MNT remains a deadly threat in 13 countries. One baby dies every 17 minutes from MNT. Its effects are excruciating — tiny newborns suffer repeated, painful convulsions and extreme sensitivity to light and touch. MNT is a swift and painful killer disease that killed 30,848 newborns in 2017 alone.

Today the women and newborns dying of tetanus live in Africa (9countries), Middle East (3countries) and Asia Pacific (Papua New Guinea). These women are poor, have little access to health care, and have little information about safe delivery practices. 

UNICEF and it’s partners have combated MNT worldwide through education, outreach and mass immunization drives. In addition to delivering tetanus vaccines to even the most remote areas by any means necessary...including on horseback or on foot with coolers to keep the vaccines viable... UNICEF has trained midwives  in safe birthing practices and distributed safe birthing kits along with prenatal care and a wide range of other maternal and newborn health services. Once a woman of child-bearing age is immunized, her new born baby is protected for a few months, and then needs to be immunized.

To date over $88M cash has been raised with a goal of $110M. The cost per woman to be fully vaccinated is $1.80...$1.80 will save a life! As of 2018 approximately 96% reduction of deaths from tetanus has been achieved since 1998.

But, there is still work to be done! Elimination of tetanus deaths can be achieved by the end of 2020  WORLDWIDE IF funds are raised to reach the goal of $110 M. Of the 13 countries where UNICEF  is working today to eliminate MNT 10 countries have pockets of areas where women need to be vaccinated.  The other 3 countries have significant work to be done!

HOW CAN KIWANIANS HELP?

At the  International Convention Kiwanians were challenged to help with a matching fund opportunity. 

915  Kiwanians stepped up and with their generosity over $314,000 was raised.  With another 85 donors an additional $75,000. can be raised. 

Donations  will help children in places like Sudan, where 91% of newborns are susceptible to brain damage because their mothers lack iodized salt. Contributions  will also help get needed tetanus vaccines to women in countries like Nigeria, where babies still needlessly die of this preventable disease.

If you or your Club would like to  donate on line  (copy and paste in your browser)

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/kifeli2/

Or

Checks an be  made payable to:

MNT/IDD

Mail to:

Kiwanis Children's Fund

P.O. Box 6457 - Dept #286

Indianapolis, IN 46206

Thank you for your help and support!

Ava Adams, District Chair

Committee on Young Children

New England and Bermuda District

email: faithava2008@yahoo.com

YCPO - July 2019

Young Children Newsletter, July 2019

A Great Young Children SERVICE PROJECT

Provide activity packets for children inEmergency Room waiting areas.1) for older children 6-8 yrs that can read and do simple word search puzzles, mazes, tic tac doe, and more intricate coloring sheets. 2) for 3-5 yr olds with very simple coloring sheets etc. Each activity packet was placed in a Manila envelope and labelled “Busy Bee”. A Kiwanis label can be placed on the envelope. The Club involved their Key Club to help stuff the envelopes and decorate them.

For questions please contact

Reona Dyess

Kiwanis Club of New London CT.

ppeabody321@att.net 

PARENT EDUCATION AND SUPPORT

AUTISM EDUCATION AND AWARENESS

Fact: Autism affects one in 68 children each year including 1 in 42 boys and their families.

(www.myasdf.org)

Autism is becoming a global problem; more children will be diagnosed with Autism this year than AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined. Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the U.S. Early detection means earlier access to intervention during sensitive brain development. Most children today are diagnosed between the age of 3 and 6 rears. Approximately 75% to 86% of those children who receive early intervention services between the ages of 2 and 7 will develop some form of functional communication by age 9. It would be most beneficial to the child if diagnosis were to occur by 18 months of age. By detecting and diagnosing these disorders early on, intervention can be initiated earlier and positive results can occur. Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3 with early diagnosis and intervention. The U.S. cost of autism over the lifespan is about $2.4 million for a person with an intellectual disability, or $1.4 million for a person without intellectual disability

The latest look at autism in the U.S. shows a startling 30 percent jump among 8-year-olds diagnosed with the disorder in a two-year period, to one in every 68 children  (including 1 in 42 boys) will be diagnosed with this disorder.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which did the survey, says the numbers almost certainly reflect more awareness and diagnosis of kids who would have been missed in years past.

“The number of children diagnosed with autism continues to rise,” the agency’s Dr. Coleen Boyle told reporters.

But the CDC noted that the numbers vary greatly from state to state, and it did not use a nationally representative sample, but a look at groups of children in 11 states.

There is NO link between autism and childhood vaccines, a major new study finds.

The systematic international review, first of its kind, conducted by University of Sydney researchers reports “No statistical data to support a link between vaccines for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough and the development of autism or autism spectrum disorders.”www.myasdf.org)

WHAT CAN KIWANIS CLUBS DO?

•   CONTACT the Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation (www.myasdf.org) for materials to distribute to pediatricians, clinics, parenting classes etc.  Autism rates today are 3 to 4 times higher than 30 years ago. It is imperative that we increase public awareness of the effects of autism on individuals and families. EDUCATE THE PULBIC!

•   SUPPORT Camp Scholarships (run by ASDF)  which allow autistic children the opportunity to explore new horizons and develop social skills. 

DOWNS SYNDROME

www.ndss.org

Fact:  Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. One in every 691 babies in the United States is born with Down syndrome.

(www.ndss.org)

 Down syndrome occurs when some or all of a person’s cells have an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21. This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.

   

There are more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States in people of all races and economic levels.

     

The incidence of births of children with Down syndrome increases with the age of the mother. But due to higher fertility rates in younger women, 80% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.

      

 People with Down syndrome have an increased risk for certain medical conditions such as congenital heart defects, respiratory and hearing problems, Alzheimer's disease, childhood leukemia, and thyroid conditions. Many of these conditions are now treatable, so most people with Down syndrome lead healthy lives.

WHAT CAN KIWANIS CLUBS DO?

1   Donate

2   Shop NDSS

3   Partner

4   Attend an Event

5.  Organize a Buddy Walk Event

•    The Buddy Walk was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. Today, the Buddy Walk program is supported nationally by NDSS and organized at the local level by parent support groups, schools and other organizations and individuals.

•    Over the past sixteen years, the Buddy Walk program has grown from 17 walks to nearly 300 across the country and around the world. Last year alone, 285,000 people participated in a Buddy Walk! They raised more than $11.2 million to benefit local programs and services as well as the national advocacy initiatives that benefit all individuals with Down syndrome.

•    The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. It is an inspirational and educational event that celebrates the many abilities and accomplishments of people with Down syndrome. Whether you have Down syndrome, know someone who does, or just want to show your support,  join a Buddy Walk in your local community!

•   BUDDY WALKS CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR; CHECK THE WEBSITE. THERE ARE WALKS GOING ON IN NEW ENGLAND IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 2019.

I hope that your Club can find one new project to do from all the information  I am including in my newsletters. If one new Young Children Project is completed, then I have achieved my goal.  Of course I hope we all do more! We have lots of work to do;  let's  just do it!

Ava Adams, District Chair

Young Children Committee

New England and Bermuda District of Kiwanis

email: faithava2008@yahoo.com