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Pregnancy and childbirth are life changing experiences for women.  The transition to becoming a mother is a process that involves feelings, behaviors and attitudes that may be shaped by individual life experiences. The Military Health System understands that every woman experiences this process differently and is committed to ensuring each mother receives the education, support and care she needs.

The Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ publication, Pregnancy and Childbirth, based on their Management of Pregnancy Clinical Practice Guidelines, includes evidence-based research recommendations for prenatal care for all pregnant women receiving care in the DoD/VA health care systems.  It is designed as a resource for pregnant women, and provides quality information that can serve as a reference, guide, journal and springboard for further discussion and education. 

This joint publication is focused towards goal-oriented prenatal care, a process of setting a series of goals in preparing for delivery and beyond.  Each visit with the doctor is outlined throughout the pregnancy to help expecting mothers identify steps to ease the process.  Also included is information about each stage of pregnancy, including the status of the embryo, changes to a woman’s body and changes within the family.  The guide helps women identify signs which need to be reported to a doctor and how the pregnancy is affecting them emotionally, mentally and physically.  It also lets women know what to expect from each doctor’s visit. 

Once a woman is ready for delivery, these guidelines help prepare her for the experience of labor.  Afterwards, information about feeding the baby, caring for her own reproductive needs, safety tips and supplies addresses many of the questions mothers may have. 

After the baby comes home, the DoD continues to support new families through its new parent support program.  This program employs nurses, social workers and others who can provide access to a variety of education programs.  These individuals may make home visits to assist in the helping women in their role as a new mother. 

For women veterans receiving services through the VA, each facility has a Women Veterans Program Manager who assists with finding the resources needed during pregnancy and after delivery. 

Read more about women’s health. 

Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is Wednesday, May 9 and the non-profit group Military Pathways is encouraging parents to take a brief online screening for adolescent depression to see if their child may be at risk.

Depression in adolescents looks different than it does in adults, medical experts say. While children and adults can both experience frequent sadness, crying or decreased interest in activities, depressed children will often “act out” and get in trouble at home or school. For this reason, doctors say depression in children and teens can often go undetected, even though research shows that depression treatment for children is as effective as it is in adults.

“No parent would let his or her child suffer a medical condition without diagnosis and treatment, and depression should be no different,” Doug Jacobs, M.D., who works with the Military Pathways program, said.   “We encourage parents who think their children may be depressed to take an anonymous online screening. It’s an important first step to helping the child.”

To help those who may be struggling, the Department of Defense teamed up with the nonprofit organization, Screening for Mental Health, to launch Military Pathways. The program is available online, over the phone, and at special events held at installations worldwide. It provides free, anonymous mental health and alcohol self-assessments for family members and service personnel in all branches including the National Guard and Reserve.

The month of April is designated as the Month of the Military Child across the Department of Defense, recognizing the important role military children play in the armed forces community. It is an opportunity to recognize the sacrifices military children and youth have made and to acknowledge their character, courage and resilience.

To learn more about the resources available in support of military children and families, visit our special feature, Focus on Families – Military Children.

The health of military children is often impacted by aspects of military like multiple deployments and frequent moves. At all ages, children can face difficulties with separations and with shifting family dynamics once the deployed family member returns home. As a result, children may demonstrate behavioral adjustment issues in the classroom.

In an effort to recognize and support our nation’s smallest and youngest heroes, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury and other Defense Department organizations are focusing on resources that support military children and parents this month—Month of the Military Child. On April 28, DCoE is hosting a webinar, “Supporting Military Children in School Settings” from 1 to 2:30 p.m. EDT. You are invited to join in the discussion, share your thoughts and ask questions directly to subject matter experts.

The webinar will address these systemic issues and highlight collaborations between family and school personnel. These collaborations can be instrumental in protecting the emotional and mental health of our smallest heroes. Learn from personal experiences about lessons learned and best practices to help support children in and out of school. To register or for more information, please email: DCoE.MonthlyWebinar@tma.osd.mil.

“The Department of Defense is deeply committed to ensuring that among the many sacrifices our war fighters and their families are making on behalf of our nation, that the education of their children will not be among them. To that end, DoD is working in collaboration with the Department of Education, states and local educational agencies to support world-class educational opportunities for children of military families,” Kathleen Facon, chief of Educational Partnerships for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) said.

Guest speakers:

• Ms. Kathleen Facon, chief of Educational Partnerships for the Department of Defense Education Activity

• Dr. Michael Faran, director of Child, Adolescent and Family Behavioral Health Proponency at Madigan Army Medical Center

• Ms. Barbara Thompson, director of Department of Defense Office of Family Policy/Children and Youth

Parents, family members, educators and health care providers are all encouraged to participate! Join in live Tweeting and follow DCoE on Twitter @DCoEPage during the webinar.

 

 

This post is republished from DoD Live

 

Vaccines have been saving lives on and off the battlefield for hundreds of years. Since George Washington first inoculated his troops from smallpox in 1777, our servicemembers have been better prepared to engage in battle and live long, healthy lives – knowing they are protected from some of the world’s deadliest diseases.

 

Of course, other vulnerable populations like children need this protection too. Today, children typically receive vaccinations for 14 diseases. Before vaccines, these diseases claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. And now, because of widespread vaccination, diseases like polio in the U.S. and smallpox worldwide that were once life-threatening have been completely eradicated.

 

Getting your child vaccinated has benefits beyond the child who receives the immunization. Immunizations protect your children’s friends, schoolmates, and others they come into contact with who may not have been vaccinated for one reason or another. Grandchildren and future generations are protected from diseases when their parents and grandparents have received immunizations. And the more that children are immunized, the lesser the prevalence of the disease, encouraging its eventual eradication.

The Military Health System recognizes August as Immunization Awareness Month. During the course of the month, the MHS partners with the Military Vaccine (MILVAX) Agency to encourage service members, veterans and family members to receive their scheduled vaccinations.

 

According to Department of Defense (DoD) officials, more than 90 percent of military children attend public, private and charter schools (non-DoD schools). Losing a parent for a year is tough on kids and while many children do well during the year, some kids struggle with school. This month, I’m focusing on military children in non-DoD schools, guard and reserve kids in particular, and what you can do to help.

Children of guardsmen and reservists often live in places where there is less community support, as opposed to other military children, who can share their issues with a community of people dealing with the same challenges. Even if the children of an active-duty service member attend a non-DoD school, they almost certainly have many classmates who are military children. Teachers at these schools usually gain expertise about the unique challenges these military kids face. Also, these children come back at night to a base community with kids who are going through the same things they are. A child of a guardsman or reservist doesn’t have the same advantages and may be in a school where teachers don’t understand how deployment can impact school performance.

Here’s a tip from TRICARE.mil on fighting childhood obesity. This week is National Youth Sports Week.

Millions of children participate in youth sports each year. National Youth Sports Week is observed the second week of July and it’s a great time to actively promote sports involvement for children.

Sports are not only fun and teach children about teamwork, but they are a big help in the fight against obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than nine million American children between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight. Obesity can lead to a long list of future health concerns, including diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, asthma, depression and orthopedic conditions.

As April (Month of the Military Child) draws to a close, I’m reminded that we must continue to serve the needs of our military children throughout the year, especially Guard and Reserve children. I attended a U.S. Army Reserve Yellow Ribbon event earlier this month in St. Louis, and more than 70 kids participated. The children took part in fun, kid-friendly activities while their parents attended sessions on interpersonal relationships, stress management, and other reintegration issues. They also had a chance to talk one-on-one with financial counselors and other providers. I found the weekend to be very rewarding, and I hope that the soldiers and families who attended did to.

Tens of thousands of U.S. service men and women have deployed overseas to Afghanistan and Iraq, and it is their families at home — particularly the children — that have experienced the anxiety and bewilderment of deployment. The Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) Operation Outdoors camp program provides an opportunity for these children to take a break from their everyday worries. The unique atmosphere of the camp provides an opportunity for military kids to meet and have fun with each other and build a support network of friends going through the same experience. Children are also able to take advantage of outdoor activities that will help foster leadership and teamwork skills, and boost their self-esteem.