by Suzanne Potter
California News Service
August 29, 2022 – As children head back to school in California, experts urged parents to bring them in for a physical and get their hearing, vision, and teeth checked as well.
A study from the Urban Institute found almost one in five parents delayed or skipped their children’s’ preventive visits during the pandemic, so now is the time to catch up.
Dr. Erin Shah, a pediatric dentist in the Bay Area, said dental problems are linked to absenteeism.
“Kids with dental problems are three times more likely to miss school than their peers without dental problems,” Shah explained. “Last time they tallied the amount of missed school hours, they tallied more than 51 million school hours lost to dental-related illness for school-age children each year.”
The American Optometric Association recommends children get their first comprehensive eye exam before their first birthday, again right before kindergarten, and if no issues are detected, every two years after. Experts also recommended children keep their device screens at least 30 inches away, and advise taking a break from the screen every 20 minutes, to train their eyes on something at least 20 feet away.
Dr. Donna O’Shea, national chief medical officer of population health for UnitedHealthcare, pointed out regular hearing tests are also a must.
“Like vision and dental, early detection of hearing issues is crucial for getting treatment as soon as possible,” O’Shea advised. “That’s really important because hearing loss can affect a child’s ability to develop speech, language, and social skills.”
O’Shea recommends young people follow the “60-60 rule,” which means only using earbuds or headphones for less than 60 minutes at no more than 60 percent of the player’s maximum volume.
In other news by Suzanne Potter:
Bill on Governor’s Desk to Raise Minimum Car Insurance Coverage
Consumer advocates are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill now on his desk that would raise the amount auto insurance companies must cover in the event of a crash.
The “Protect California Drivers Act” would raise the mandatory minimum amount of liability insurance to $30,000 for a single injury or death, $60,000 if more than one person is injured or killed, and $15,000 to cover property damage.
Craig Peters, president of Consumer Attorneys of California, said the bill would double the current rates, which only require coverage of $15,000, $30,000 and $5,000 respectively.
“Fifteen-thousand today will barely cover the cost of an ambulance ride to the hospital,” he said, “and $5,000 will barely fix a minor dent in a car.”
He noted that when the current rates were set, back in 1967, they were intended to cover the cost of a two-week hospital stay or the replacement of the vehicle. Since every California driver is required to have insurance that meets state standards, the law would protect victims of car crashes from incurring massive debt.
The bill’s few opponents, including some insurers, said it’s the wrong time to be raising the cost of coverage. However, Peters said the bill was the result of negotiations between consumer groups and insurance industry representatives, and called the changes long overdue.
“California has lagged behind every other state in the union,” he said. “This will actually put us back into the middle of the pack.”
Senate Bill 1107 already has passed both houses of the California Legislature. If it becomes law, the new limits would take effect in 2025. They’d also increase ten years later – to $50,000 or $100,000 for injuries or deaths, and $25,000 for property damage.
