In a region hobbled by the country's worst air pollution, high obesity rates, and lack of culturally sensitive doctors, Vida en el Valle will take a look at what immediate impacts the Affordable Care Act will have in the San Joaquin Valley.
An estimated 50,000 young adults in the U.S. suffering from Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) turned 18 in 2013. Are they and their parents ready to cope with this new phase of life?
My series for Voice of OC on immigrants' health decline as they live in the U.S began with a study that got my attention. It showed that life expectancy rates in the Orange County were higher for Latinos than whites. I was surprised for a couple reasons.
Low-income Mexican immigrants might be healthier than the overall U.S. population on some measures, but that health advantage fades as immigrants adjust to life in the U.S. That in turn can have worrying consequences when it comes to Latina birth outcomes.
Rita Meza's daughter Samantha shows that autistic students can connect with work and college opportunities. Meza’s message to parents is, “Don’t give up.”
Autism, a condition once considered rare, now afflicts an estimated 1 in 88 children in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). And while autism is more common among white children, the largest increases in diagnoses over time have been among Hispanic children.
Early diagnosis of autism is crucial but it is also a diagnosis that parents dread and that can lead to finger pointing and family stress. But parents will tell you early diagnosis is just the beginning of a struggle for intervention, that's much harder if you don't speak a country's dominant language.
For Spanish-speakers, accessing information and resources regarding autism is difficult and making time for therapies can be a challenge. However, Josefina Nieves, a single mother, is managing to raise not only one son diagnosed with autism, but two.
During the month of April, Vida en el Valle ran a four-part series - called Latinos Protecting La Tierra – about environmental advocates from across the state. Why did we focus on the people fighting the environmental battles, rather than the issue itself?
Figures from the US Department of Education indicate that Latino/Hispanic children with autism have half a chance (a risk ratio of 0.5) of being identified as Autistic and receiving services in their educational system, according to Emily Iland, president of the Autism Society of America. Disadvantaged Spanish-speaking mothers are not bad parents, they just need information to become empowered.
