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Morning Briefing

Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations

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Monday, Jul 18 2016

Full Issue

Spate Of Violence Sparks Pediatricians' Campaign To Combat Toxic Stress In Young Patients

“Toxic stress” caused by racism and violence can take a heavy toll on the learning, behavior, and health of children, experts say, and American Academy of Pediatrics is going beyond just the usual recommendations to try to address it. Meanwhile, in West Virginia, residents and mental health officials are still coping with the trauma caused by recent flooding.

America’s pediatricians are tired of watching their patients traumatized by gun violence and racism. Now, they’re launching an effort to do something about it. The American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday issued recommendations that children under 6 be shielded from on-screen violence, that video games stop awarding points for shooting living targets, and that the media avoid downplaying the proven link between virtual and real violence. (Weintraub, 7/18)

Most of the front door of Rachel Taylor's little yellow house in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, is pasted with paw prints where her dog struggled to get inside during the flood last month. He was too big to carry through the rising waters. Across the street, nestled between two battered houses, an empty lot is marked by a cross with an array of flowers and photos — a small memorial for a family washed away by the torrent. ... But once the full extent of the damage set in, Taylor says, she developed severe nausea and carsickness to the point of not being able to drive. A number of people, she says, have chalked up her symptoms to nerves. "You know, the stress level. You don't realize your body is just having a response to this." (Lofton, 7/18)

In other news, many in the public health sphere are growing frustrated by the lack of gun violence research —

Public health research has helped the United States slash smoking rates, tackle the AIDS epidemic and reduce deaths from car accidents to some of their lowest levels in recorded history. The country needs to take the same approach with gun violence, say a growing number of experts. They have spoken out in the wake of a series of mass shootings, including the July 7 ambush in Dallas that killed five law enforcement officers and injured 11 officers and civilians. (Kuchment, 7/15)

This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.
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