September 2023

Vol. 2, Issue 8 

The first month of school is complete! With September comes the crisp morning air, football, and all the things we love about fall. Hopefully this school year has treated you well thus far. We have several virtual school nurse spotlights coming up, so we look forward to seeing you there! As always, feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. From everyone at Children's of Alabama, thank you for what you do.

We appreciate you!

The Monthly Spotlight

National Childhood Obesity Awareness

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 5 American children has obesity, which effects more than 14 million children and adolescents.1, 2 Compared to children with a healthy weight, children with obesity are at a higher risk for health problems such as asthma, Type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure.1 It can also lead to a child having poor self-esteem and depression. Prevention can include having healthy snacks available, making sure the child gets enough sleep, and offering nonfood rewards.3 Improving the quality of food and exercise habits of the whole family can set a good example to reduce childhood obesity and make the child not feel alone in the journey.


  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Preventing Childhood Obesity
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Childhood Obesity Facts
  3. Mayo Clinic - Childhood Obesity
Click here to register for our school nurse spotlights

Child Passenger Safety Week

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death in children, with more than 700 children killed and 100,000 injured in 2021 alone.1 More than one-third of those children who died in a crash were unrestrained.1 Ensuring children are in the appropriate child restraint for their height, weight, and age can make a lifesaving difference in keeping them safe every ride, every time. If you have any car seat related questions, please feel free to reach out to us to speak with a certified child passenger safety technician, or you can visit a local child safety seat inspection station nearest you.2


  1. Traffic Safety Marketing - Child Passenger Safety Week
  2. Children's of Alabama - Health Education and Safety Center

If you have any questions concerning school nurse workshops or any other school nurse resources available at Children's of Alabama, please reach out to our School Nurse Liaison, Ginger Parsons, via telephone at (205) 638-6287 or email at [email protected]

Did you know...

  • The Insulin Pump Therapy video is now available on our website. Stay tuned for the full length recordings of the remaining sessions soon!
  • The slides from each of this summer's workshops are also available on our website.
  • Our website houses numerous free resources you can access at any time, including full recordings of previous school nurse workshops.
Visit our website for more info

Think First Alabama is part of a National Injury Prevention Foundation dedicated to preventing brain, spinal cord and other traumatic injuries. This program is available to your school FREE of charge, and is designed to provide age appropriate injury prevention education for children of all ages.


For more information, or to schedule a session at your school, you can reach out to Julie Farmer via telephone at 205- 638-2729 or email at [email protected]

Need help educating your students and parents?

Check out KidsHealth


  • Printable resources with advice on children's health, behavior, and growth from before birth through the teenage years
  • Information on a variety of topics including how the body works, homework help, and more
  • Approved by doctors, and has separate sections written specifically for parents, teens, and kids


If you have any suggestions on future content you would like to see featured in our newsletter, please reach out to us via email at [email protected].

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Inside Pediatrics 


Inside Pediatrics is a free monthly podcast series featuring specialists at Children’s of Alabama and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Episodes cover topics related to child health and wellness, research and treatment, and frequently complement articles appearing in Inside Pediatrics magazine.

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