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MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH May 24, 2006 Board of Health Minutes Transcription completed by Anne Miles Cassell 5 May 24, 2006 Sometimes the investigation shows that there has been drug use in the pregnancy. Alice White asked for more information on Edwards Syndrome and Mr. Renfroe explained that is a very rare syndrome resulting in severe mental retardation and always fatal. There have been two cases within the last year, an extremely unusual occurrence. She also asked if the committee had found reasons for the SIDS deaths, to which Mr. Renfroe replied that the biggest contributor to SIDS deaths is co-sleeping. Six of the eight child deaths due to SIDS the child slept with an adult either on the sofa or in the bed at a very young age. SIDS and asphyxiation outcomes look the same. Every year the Orange County CPFT/CCPT has made the recommendation that young children, especially babies, should not co-sleep with an adult. The American Academy of Pediatrics finally made a recommendation in January 2006 and published an article that is distributed to parents with babies and young children. Of the five cases recently reviewed by the CCPT some of the issues found were domestic and family violence, prenatal and parental alcohol and substance abuse, lack of social support and parenting skills, parental mental illness, and shaken baby syndrome. There are currently 123 children in Orange County in DSS custody, some of which are with relatives and others with foster homes. B. Recommendations on Animals in Schools In the fall of 2004 there was a statewide e-coli outbreak resulting from infected animals at a petting zoo at the North Carolina State Fair. Since then, legislation has been developed and passed to encourage healthy practices regarding children and animal interactions in petting zoos. In addition, this has raised awareness of other places that children and animals interact. The North Carolina Division of Public Health Epidemiology Section has worked with the Department of Agriculture to develop possible guidelines or policies for school systems regarding animal/child interactions. Bob Moratto, Animal Services Director, Rosemary Summers, and DeWana Anderson (a member of both boards) met to discuss whether a joint letter to the school boards might be a strategy that would encourage schools to consider developing and adopting policies or guidelines in this area. They discussed the need to offer the schools staff assistance and educational materials for educating administrators, teachers, and students about healthy practices for humans and animals. Consultation on drafting guidelines or policies should also be offered in the letter. There have been several instances of need for guidelines in Orange County. DeWana Anderson reviewed the discussion by the Animal Services Board. There are two parts of the guidelines, the use of animals in schools for education in a science classroom and guidelines for visiting and residential pets and other animals. Board members discussed and made the recommendation that a joint letter be sent to the schools developing guidelines for visiting and residential animals and the Animal Services Board declined comment on the use of animals in schools for science research. Dr. Marotto and the Health Director feel that information can still be provided to the schools