Dear Family and Friends of Healthy Start, Inc.

,
Cheryl Squire Flint
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Healthy Start News & Events......pages 1-10 The Doctors Word......................page 11 Health Education Months: April is Child Abuse Prevention Month May is Mental Health Awareness Month June is National Home Safety Month Save the Date! 9th Annual Symposium- May 1st, 2012 1st Annual Golf Outing- May 7th, 2012 Annual Highmark Walk- May 19th, 2012

Cheryl Squire Flint EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Healthy Start, Inc. is supported in part by project CFDA #93.926E from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act.)

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Healthy Start, Inc. will Host the 1st Annual Tee Up for Babies Golf Outing on May 7th
Longue Vue Country Club will be the site of the 1st Annual Healthy Start, Inc. Golf Outing on Monday, May 7th, 2012. L.C. Greenwood of the Pittsburgh Steelers legendary Steel Curtain will host this inaugural event, so dont miss the opportunity to play some holes with a living legend. L.C is also bringing his Steeler friends including Rocky Bleier, Andy Russell, John Banaszak, Todd Kalis, Mike Wagner, Edmond Nelson, JT Thomas, Craig Bingham, and Emmanuel Sanders out to play. There will also be prizes for Hole-in-Ones on par 3 holes as well as awards for skill shots. For the non-golfer, there will be a lunch and silent auction; memorabilia can still be donated for the auction, and sponsors are still welcome to join the event. For more information, visit our website at www.healthystartpittsburgh.org or call Mitch Coates at 412.247.4009 to reserve a spot. L.C. Greenwood during the Steel Curtain days

FACT: L.C. Greenwood spent his entire career (1969-1981) with the Pittsburgh Steelers and won four Super Bowls during that time.

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On Saturday, May 19, 2012, Healthy Start, Inc. will join 69 local non-profits for a walk to benefit the organizations that deliver vital health and human service programs in the Pittsburgh area. one-hundred percent of the money raised for the walk goes directly to the participating nonprofits; in 2011, the event raised $21,000 for Healthy Start Pittsburgh. Healthy Start had a great show of support in 2011 with nearly 400 registered walkers. Healthy Start had a sign-up drive/hat day on February 3rd, 2012 and also awarded Debbie S m i t h Glover, an outreach worker, a trophy for registering the most participants for the 2011 Highmark Healthy Walk. She registered 100 participants. 50 employees, family and friends were registered for the walk on the sign up day.

Debbie Smith Glover (Outreach Worker) Accepts the award

The 2012 5k walk will begin at 9 a.m. at Stage AE on the North Shore, with a shorter onemile walk beginning at 9:15 a.m. At the conclusion of the walk, food, beverages, music, activites and prize drawings will be held. Visit www. walkforahealthycommunity.org to register. Join us to walk for healthy Pittsburgh!

Healthy Start employees sign participants up for the walk and participate in hat day

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Open Arms Malawi Orphanage Receives Gifts

On December 1st, 2011, Healthy Start, Inc. raised awareness for World Aids Day by donating school supplies, toys and a portion of the money collected weekly for Dress Down Fridays to the Open Arms Malawi orphanage, which takes care of children whose parents have died of AIDS. The orphanage received the gifts and sent pictures of the children enjoying them. Healthy Start would like to thank all who donated. We are proud to support the Malawi Foundation with continued donations in the future. For more information about the Open Arms orphanage, visit www.openarmsmalawi.org.

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There is only one doctor per 50,000 people in Malawi.

In 2009, an estimated 120,000 Malawian children were living with AIDS and half a million have been orphaned because of the epidemic.

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A child dies every two weeks due to furniture and appliance tipovers.

Almost all of these tragic accidents are preventable.

Follow these tips to make your home safer:

Anchor bulky furniture to the wall or floor Place TVs on a sturdy low stand Push the TV as far back as possible

Remove toys, controllers, and remote controls from the top of your TV Place electrical cords out of your childs reach Supervise children where these precautions have not been followed

Healthy Start, Inc. is supported in part by project CFDA #93.926E from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act.)

Spring 2012 babybulletin / Healthy Start News & Events

Healthy Start Attends the AMCHP Conference

Members of Healthy Start Pittsburgh attended The Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP) Annual Conference. The AMCHP Annual Conference took place February 11-14, 2012 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs is a national resource, partner and advocate for state Raynard Washington presents at the AMCHP Conference public health leaders and others working to improve the health of women, children, youth and families, including those with special health care needs. The annual conference allows for continuing education combined with networking opportunities.

Scene at the AMCHP Conference

Raynard Washington and Marlene Kolosky show off their poster about infant massage at the AMCHP Conference

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The Pittsburgh Consortia has 88 members while the Fayette Consortia has 34.

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National Healthy Start Conference

The NHSA Conference took place March 11-14, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Coming off of the heels of celebrating 20 years of Healthy Start, this years conference focused on strategies to sustain the program for another 20 years and beyond. The conference featured innovative workshops, cutting edge research and programs, exemplary speakers and an opportunity to connect and brainstorm with old and new colleagues.

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Spring 2012 babybulletin / Healthy Start News & Events

Region 3 Consortia Meeting

(L to R) Dhana N. King, Rae Ann Sims, Charmaine Tyler, Danah Williams

Derrek Craig and LaShawn Tipton

The Region 3 Consortium (East End/Wilkinsburg) met on February 14, where much of the focus was on the up and coming Baby Shower. The group went over the vendors that will be participating, and also talk about volunteers for the shower. Six new members were welcomed to the consortium as well. To become a consortia member, call Dayna Jones at 412.247.4009.

Reverend Linda Oliver

Diana Lockridge and Danah Williams

Spring 2012 babybulletin / The Doctors Word

By Dr. Jerome Gloster, MD, Pediatrician/Medical Director StrabiSmuS, more commonly known as cross-eyed cataract. It is common in conditions such as Downs or wall-eyed, is an eye muscle condition in which one syndrome and cerebral palsy. Bleeding in the brain, a or both eyes may turn in (esotropia), out (exotropia), brain tumor, nervous system disorders, diabetes, high up (hypertropia) or down (hypotropia). The eyes are blood pressure, myasthenia gravis, thyroid disease not properly aligned and do not focus on an object and severe vision loss can also cause strabismus. together at the same time. DiagnoSiS: Besides parents, a pediatrician or family One eye may doctor is often the first person to detect strabismus. be turned all A baby whose eyes do not appear straight by the age of the time or of 3 to 4 months should be examined. To properly only some of diagnose strabismus, a complete eye examination the time. Most must be performed by an eye doctor. Early diagnosis people who have strabismus are usually born with it is very important, as some eye turns may be a result or develop it at an early age. However, some forms of of a serious medical condition. Strabismus that is not treated early in a childs life may cause amblyopia (lazy strabismus occur later in life. eye), a condition in which vision develops poorly. In SymptomS: Newborns often have crossed eyes addition, the cosmetic appearance of strabismus may to some degree due to underdeveloped vision, but cause a lack of self-esteem. this usually disappears by the age of 3 to 4 months. True strabismus does not disappear as the child treatment: Strabismus cannot be outgrown. grows. If you think your child is showing signs of Treatment to straighten the eyes is required. true strabismus, it is important to seek the advice of Treatment will depend on the type of strabismus and an eye care professional. The earlier the detection its cause: and treatment, the better the childs vision will be. Symptoms to watch out for include: Eyes that appear Glasses may be prescribed to improve focusing and crossed, Eyes that do not align in the same direction, enable the eyes to straighten. Eyes that do not move together, Double vision, Vision Patching the good eye will force a patient to use the affected eye. Patching will improve the chances of in only one eye, with loss of depth perception. normal vision to develop. CauSeS: Strabismus is caused by a weak eye muscle Eye drops may be used to blur the good eye, forcing or a weak signal from the nerve that controls the the affected eye to be used. (This achieves the same eye muscle. Frequently, uncorrected farsightedness result as patching.) and focusing problems are the underlying causes of Eye muscle surgery may be an option if non-surgical strabismus in children. Some children are born with treatments do not work. a defective visual processing center in the brain. Some eye doctors may prescribe eye exercises Strabismus may also develop if a child is born with a before or after surgery

Crossed Eyes and Lazy Eyes

Lexington Technology Park 400 North Lexington Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15208 (412) 247-4009
Reducing infant mortality, one baby at a time.

Pittsburgh/Allegheny
400 N. Lexington Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15208

Fayette/Westmoreland
1266 Pittsburgh Street Uniontown, PA 15401

Phone: (412)247-4009 Fax: (412)247-0187 Pittsburgh Helpline: (412)247-1000 Fayette Helpline: (724)425-1799
Contributions for Healthy Start, Inc. will be accepted at the United Way using CODE 9282. www.HealthyStartPittsburgh.org Email your thoughts to: [email protected] Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: Look up SwpaHealthy Start on Facebook or hsipghfayette to follow us on Twitter!

Our Mission
The mission of Healthy Start, Inc. is to focus primarily on the reduction of infant mortality and low birth weight babies in Southwestern Pennsylvania in such a way as to make valuable use of its resources, preserve its flexibility and continue to offer seamless services with the intent of improving the quality of life of infants, toddlers, youths, siblings, parents, and grandparents.

Healthy Start, Inc. is supported in part by project CFDA #93.926E from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act.)