School Health: Policy & Practice

Provides pediatric health care professionals with guidelines for developing health programs for school-aged children. The link between a child's health and his or her performance in school has been firmly established. What isn't always clear are the best ways to promote student health to improve student success. This AAP manual provides pediatric health care professionals with guidelines for communicating with schools and developing health programs for school-aged children, with a focus on health and illness management as they relate to a child's educational problems and potential. Specific health issues are also addressed, including obesity, learning and discipline problems, chronic illness, school sports, STDs, pregnancy, child abuse, drug abuse, and more. Highlights include: definitions, scope, and goals of school health programs, recent AAP policy statements and guidelines school health services and education, nutrition, dietary practices, and school food service, preschool and special needs health issues, evaluation of school health programs, childhood obesity and nutrition education. Important topics include: Health Services, Special Education, Populations with Unique Needs, School-based Health Centers, Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services, Nutrition, Dietary Practices, Injury Prevention and School Safety, Physical Education, Physical Activity, Sports Comprehensive Health Education, The School Environment, Program Evaluation, School Health Program Models, School Health Online Resources.