A New Villain: Air Pollution.
Parents have been performing heroic feats since the dawn of time. Growing up, my mom worked the night shift as a medical technician but would still wake herself up for three hours in order to greet my sister and me coming home from school. She’d cook dinner for us and then help us with our [...]
Can air pollution contribute to Autism?
A new study says: Yes, air pollution may be a factor contributing to autism. Researchers at the University of Southern California and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles looked at 500 children in California, half of whom had autism, finding that pollution may affect the developing brain among children whose mothers lived in areas with elevated air [...]
The Childhood Asthma Leadership Coalition
Asthma is the single most common chronic condition among children in the United States – currently 7 million children suffer from asthma. It is the leading cause of missed school days and accounts for more than $10 billion in health care expenditures each year. Now more than ever, we need to work together to find [...]
Cleaner Living: Non-Toxic Toys for the Holidays
Before my days as the “crazy chemical lady,” I figured that most things sold for use by children are tested for safety in all areas. As long as I steered clear of cheaply made Dollar Store finds I could sleep at night knowing that my kids were not being exposed to hazards such as lead, cadmium, and other carcinogenic materials. I was wrong.
Latinos and the Environment: Moving From Concern to Action
History will almost certainly mark the 2012 election as a turning point after which the Latino vote was one of the most powerful forces shaping the nation’s political landscape. With an average of 878,000 Latino citizen children reaching voting age every year for the next two decades, future candidates and policymakers ignore the priorities of [...]
Sandy: Devastation, Destruction, Reality Check
Is climate change a real crisis? This is the question many of us have been asking ourselves in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy? Surely we have had hurricanes in the past. But nothing like Sandy has ever hit New York City. For those who have been warning about climate change to no avail this Superstorm [...]
A Mother of a Legacy
I made “Mom History” in 1994 when I became the first ever U.S. women’s bobsled champion at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid, NY. The United States Olympic Committee named me “Athlete of the Year”. I was also over four months pregnant. Sports Illustrated and USA Today, ESPN and HBO Sports did features on [...]
Heavy Weather: How Sandy, Other Climate Destruction Harm Middle and Lower Income Americans
The devastating Hurricane Sandy caused a huge swath of destruction in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States on October 29. The storm is responsible for at least 110 fatalities in the United States. Preliminary estimates indicate that it caused $30 billion in damages, with only one-quarter to one-half covered by insurance. Unfortunately, Sandy is [...]
The Rising Costs of Asthma and the Need for Medication Adherence
The burden of asthma on the health care system continues to grow in the 21st century. Asthma affects over 25 million Americans (8% of the population). Since 2001, the number of people diagnosed with asthma increased by 4.3 million, resulting in a 6% rise in overall healthcare costs. In 2007 alone, asthma was estimated to [...]
The Never-Ending Student Loan for Mothers
As we find ourselves in the frenzy of holiday spending and gift giving, you may be surprised to know that the amount of student loan debt across the country actually exceeds the amount of credit card debt. It used to be that borrowing to buy a house or earn a college degree was called “good [...]
Medicaid and my micro-preemie son
Have you heard the latest news about on the looming fiscal cliff? While I think we all are committed to a secure financial future for our country, I’m shocked to learn that some members of Congress want to put huge cuts to Medicaid on the table in these negotiations, while insisting that the wealthiest among us cannot let live without [...]
Our unexpected medical crisis and how Medicaid got us through
With the holiday season underway, parents are starting to add “prevent any cuts to Medicaid” to their holiday wish-list. The looming fiscal cliff and related decisions about the budget and deficit are creating an opportunity for some in Congress to propose long-term changes to Medicaid that would lead to drastic cuts. Moms-to-be and moms with children [...]
Medicaid Offers Outstanding Care and Saves Lives
Last year, during the debt ceiling negotiations, I stood up to protect Medicaid from being cut. This year, as the fiscal cliff is looming, I am back once more to share my story and to, yet again, prevent drastic cuts to Medicaid. As part of Congress’ wide-ranging negotiations about the budget, tax rates and the deficit, some [...]
Eldercare, Childcare, and Everything In Between: WeGiveACare.org’s Thank You to Caregivers
Late night calls are the worst. Mine came all the way from Shanghai, China, where my parents live part of the year. My dad’s voice was faint, halting. He told me quickly that my mom had fallen and broken her leg and he was with her in the hospital right now. She would need surgery. [...]
Guess Who? Game Sparks Gender Equality Debate
By Liz Watson and Valarie Hogan, National Women’s Law Center Cross-posted from NWLC’s blog, Womenstake. Photo Credit: Hasbro With Black Friday gone and Cyber Monday continuing to fuel sales, the holiday season is in full swing. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Chanukah, or Festivus, department stores and online retailers are fighting hard to sell you things [...]