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11/03/2010

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I agree that we need to determine which policies and public investments are effective in improving the life course of children. But waiting for the evidence to accumulate should be accompanied by implementing the evidence-based approaches that are "ready to go".
One of many, many examples is appropriate use of antenatal corticosteroids, use of which has definitively been shown to result in a halving of mortality and major morbidity in infants born preterm.
In Ohio, with roughly 2,000 very preterm births per year, 400-500 of these infants do not currently reap the benefits of antenatal corticosteroids - thus doubling their risk of acquiriing a life-long handicapping condition.
Waiting 2 years for the results of a study (which certainly needs to be done) of a new child health policy (may have a negative result)without improving implementation of proven interventions, means that at least 160-200 Ohio infants will be permanently and unnecessarily injured.

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