Here is a quick look at some headlines from this week impacting the lives of kids 0-5 and their families. The purpose of these stories is simply to inform, and they do not necessarily reflect First 5 Kern's areas of support or efforts towards these issues.

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Now for the headlines........
SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND CHILDBIRTH

A trio of fascinating articles came out in the last week about the marriage of medicine and engineering .

First, an ultrasound, coupled with a 3D printer, can do amazing things. Research is enabling replicas of fetal hearts with birth defects to be created, in order to analyze how the heart will function and how to treat it after the baby is born. The Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research study is doing things science has never done before. This story includes a video which is easily worth the 220 seconds it will take to watch it.

A mechanical engineer and an OB-GYN are working together to better understand the mechanics of a woman's body going into labor . NPR explains how this unorthodox pair have found common ground, and what they are working on.

Despite the fact that every one of us needed one to be born, little is known about how a placenta actually works. A mechanical engineer is working on that, too .
CHILD OBESITY RISK CAN START IN THE WOMB

A recent study out of the University of Southampton in England analyzed blood samples of 1,500 babies and researchers believe some experienced modification to their DNA tied to weight gain by their mothers during pregnancy. They were careful to note that the "epigenetic" mutations were not necessarily permanent, however, but points to the importance in monitoring your child's health as they continue to develop during their early years.
"RESILIENCE" ACEs DOCUMENTARY AIRS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA

Much has been said in the last week about the anniversary of the mass shooting in Parkland, Florida, but public television stations in Florida had a unique approach to honor the date. A documentary on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) aired across the state on public TV.

The documentary focuses on the extended impact that ACEs have on a one's life beyond their childhood, and their association to physical ailments and even diseases such as cancer.
PARENTS AREN'T LISTENING TO DOCTORS ABOUT SCREENTIME

"Despite pediatricians calling for less screen time for children, a new study suggests kids are spending more time in front of their favorite tech than ever before."

That's the opening paragraph from this Fortune magazine article, which quotes a study that estimates kids zero to two years old are spending more than twice as much time staring at a screen than kids 20 years ago. However, you might be surprised to find out that they aren't blaming smartphones and tablets for the increase.
OTHER HEADLINES OF INTEREST


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...about First 5 Kern
First 5 Kern was established in 1998 when California voters passed Proposition 10, which levied a 50-cent tax on tobacco products. Revenues generated from the tobacco tax are used to fund local programs in the areas of health and wellness, early childcare and education, and parent education and support services that promote early childhood development for children ages zero to five.

For more information on First 5 Kern and the agencies we support, please visit www.First5Kern.org   and follow us on social media.
Special thanks to Vecteezy for assistance on graphics