New York’s Pediatricians Support Governor’s Child Health Initiatives

ALBANY, NY (01/09/2008)(readMedia)-- The Academy of Pediatrics, District II, NYS enthusiastically supports Governor Spitzer’s children’s health initiatives as defined in his State of State address. His plan to provide health coverage for New York’s 400,000 uninsured children, secure passage of Healthy Schools Act to assure healthy food choices for all children attending schools in New York and his program to address the epidemic of childhood obesity, if adequately funded, supported and passed will, taken together, improve the health and life chances of millions of children.

The mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics is to work with parents, state leaders, and other health care, education and community leaders to attain optimal physical, mental and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The almost 6,000 pediatricians across the state believe that implementing high quality, universally accessible, health care that can provide a “Medical Home” for every child in New York is the clearest way to meet our mission.

The Governor’s plan to bring health insurance coverage to New York’s 400,000 uninsured children creates a strong foundation for our New York to build a high quality Medical Home for every child from Buffalo to the tip of Long Island.

“Today, the Governor is keeping his promise to New York’s children” said, AAP, District II, Chair, Henry Schaeffer, MD. “We encourage our state leaders in the legislature to work with the Governor to assure that his proposal becomes a reality for the children and families who are currently without coverage.”

The AAP has, for the last two decades worked to help New York provide high quality health care to more and more children through expansion of eligibility and expansion of covered services in public, public/private and private health coverage. The bold steps taken today will bring New York as close as it can get to universal health care for all children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, New York State also applauds the Governor for making children’s nutrition a priority. His Healthy Schools Act is a great way to begin to address nutrition and obesity issues for children. By offering only healthy nutritious foods in our schools we can and will set our children on the right course for a healthier life.

“Healthy eating habits are established in childhood. Unfortunately our children have not learned to eat healthy. Pediatricians are encountering children everyday who are suffering from the consequences of poor eating habits. Soon these unhealthy children will grow into unhealthy adults and the healthcare costs will be even more monumental. Schools are the ideal place to begin to change that trend. Let’s couple teaching good eating habits with reading, writing and arithmetic” said Dr. Abraham Jelin, Vice President of AAP NY Chapter 2.

Jonathan Klein, MD, President of AAP NY Chapter, 1 said “The AAP strongly supports widespread implementation of BMI% measurement and counseling of children and families, and community interventions to prevent obesity and overweight.”

Pediatricians believe that the cure is prevention. We MUST teach our children healthy eating habits. Our schools may not be the cause of the problem, but they can certainly be a part of the solution. It is confusing for a child to hear in health class about how important it is to eat nutritiously, only to have that message contradicted by the availability of non-nutritious foods in school vending machines and in the cafeteria.

Pediatricians across New York, the doctors who take care of all of our children, look forward to working with the Governor and our legislative leaders to implement the Governor’s children’s health initiatives and improve the health and the quality of life for every child in our state.

-30-