Office of Head Start Blog
A Healthy Start: Five Reasons to Encourage Families to Vaccinate Their Children
By Marco Beltran and Adriann Hawkins
It is time to remind parents and early childhood providers that children need vaccines right from the start.
Reflections of Fathers
By David A. Jones
I realize I am not very much different than millions of other men who find themselves saddled with the awesome responsibility of having to father a child when they have not been fathered themselves. Yet, in most instances, they do the best they can, drawing upon their own experiences and things they learned along the way.
#HeadStartStrong: Head Start Kids Grown Up, Strong and Successful
By Judy Sarasohn
What does Xyus, the 17-month-old son of a Northern Virginian single mom, have in common with Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation? Or Bonnie St. John, a Paralympic skier?
New Ways to Approach School Readiness in Home Visiting
By Patty Marickovich and Amanda Bryans
Home visitors work with the families in many ways to achieve that readiness—helping set goals with parents, making sure the child is eating well and growing up healthy, and teaching parents how to build their child's brain. These comprehensive services unfurl the child's development and the family’s network of support.
Comprehensive Services and T/TA in Head Start
By Sharon Yandian
The training and technical assistance (T/TA) system has taken many forms over the past 50 years, but its primary purpose has always been to strengthen the service delivery and management and fiscal systems within grantees.
Impact of Lead Exposure in Very Young Children
By Marco Beltran, Katherine Beckmann, and Alana Buroff
As adults, the responsibility falls on us to protect our little ones from environmental hazards of which we have been made aware. One such health threat that has recently made headlines is exposure to lead from outdated pipes in some municipal water systems. The impact of lead toxicity on the health and safety of children has been alarming for parents who work hard to keep their children safe and on a path to reach their fullest potential.
Zika 101
By Dr. Anne Schuchat
Although most people who may be exposed to Zika virus will have only mild or no symptoms, there has been evidence linking Zika virus to negative effects on pregnancies in some cases, which has received widespread public attention.
Promoting Health Literacy for Families
By Marco Beltran
Health literacy is not determined by one's level of education. In fact, many of us struggle with understanding health care jargon. This may include deciphering our insurance benefits and knowing which vitamins or over the counter medications help with certain symptoms or conditions.