Sleep in the news

The National Sleep Foundation issued an alert this week reminding parents about the importance of sleep. There was reminder to help younger kids get the sleep they need on Halloween including these tips:

• Let the Fun Begin... Early!: Get an early start on Halloween activities to maximize the time your children get to be out having fun while still getting to bed at a reasonable hour. Start trick or treating in the late afternoon; it will soon be dark out anyway.
• Moderation, Moderation, Moderation: Pay close attention to the amount of candy children ingest. Too much candy may lead to stomach aches and illness during the night. In addition, many soft drinks and some chocolates contain caffeine that may keep them awake.
• Nix Nightmares: Watch your child closely to ensure that he/she is not anxious. If he/she seems nervous or frightened, spend some extra time comforting him or her. Do not decorate a younger child’s room with potentially frightening images (ghosts, tombstones, witches). Note, however, that nightmares and nighttime fears are common disorders with children. Sleep deprivation, anxiety and changes to a child’s sleep routine may increase the likelihood of these and other sleep related issues.
• Manage Expectations: Discuss the plan for the day and put an emphasis on the fact that you will be keeping to the regular sleep schedule, if only because school starts at the regular time the next day. After an evening of trick or treating and parties, schedule for follow up fun like sorting candy for another day. This will give kids something to look forward to.
• Wind Down Time: Naturally, kids will be excited. Allow enough wind down time and follow normal sleep habits (such as a bath or shower before bed and story time) to help your child settle down to sleep after an exciting evening.
• Maintain Regular Sleep Schedules: Keep normal sleep routines and try to stick with your child’s usual bedtime (remember, your child will be extra tired after the time change since it will actually be later at night than before the time change). A tip for adjusting to standard time is to alter bed times slightly over several days rather than make the change all at once. Have children stay up approximately 15 minutes past their normal bedtime each day starting on the Thursday night before standard daylight time begins.

The alert also included a link to a Newsday.com article by Brittany Davies about early start times and the sleep deprivation it instills in teens. I am surprised that more schools are not allowing for later start times for teens, which would also keep them in school longer in the afternoon, prime trouble-finding hours when parents are at work and teens tend to be unsupervised.

Finally, the alert discussed the high prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in overweight children and teens. It seems that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea were linked to obesity. OSA occurs when the muscles in the back of the throat are not able to keep the airway open and central sleep apnea when the brain fails to send the signal to breathe during sleep.

The health consequences of sleep apnea include elevated risk for developing diabetes, hypertension, and depression. The primary symptom of sleep disorders is excessive sleepiness, which is linked to higher rates of behavior problems as well as education problems. Parents should be aware of the sleep problems associated with weight gain and address these concerns with their pediatrician.

Resources:
Sleep Smart Tips for Teens
We're Talking Teen Health

Photo credit: mathwizxp

Labels: Sleep

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Abstinence in the news

Two items about abstinence caught my eye this week. The first was an interesting article in a recent Journal of Adolescent Health (Vol. 39(2), p. 192-198) by Ott, Pfeiffer & Fortenberry describing abstinence according to the wisdom of 42 adolescents aged 11-17 recruited from primary-care clinics. Researchers found marked confusion about the term "abstinence," but found the concept "choosing not to have sex" was relevant for teens. Participants in this research saw sex as a powerful transition to adulthood that occurred when the "right" person or a "committed relationship" suggested it.

The second was a statement from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reminding the Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) that STD prevention materials distributed by federally funded abstinence programs must "contain medically accurate information on condom effectiveness."

In 2006 abstinence-based sexuality education programs received around $170 million dollars, and have routinely exaggerated condom failure rates. This reminder from the GAO would suggest that abstinence-based sexuality education should be required to use something like a CDC fact sheet which states: "For persons whose sexual behaviors place them at risk for STDs, correct and consistent use of the male latex condom can reduce the risk of STD transmission. However, no protective method is 100% effective. When used correctly, condoms are highly effective in preventing HIV and can reduce the risk of transmission of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis."

Together these articles reminded me that teens need to be engaged in conversations about the "choice" to be sexual, with the right person, protecting both partners from the risk of an unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted infection, including HIV, and avoiding any coercion or pressure to participate in activities that are not consensual.

Photo credit: ewedistrict

Labels: Sexuality

Permalink | 1 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Grand Rounds 3.6: Halloween

I would like to thank Dr. Hebert from the Medical Gumbo Blog for hosting this week's Grand Rounds and including my post on Dating Violence.

Labels: Grand Rounds

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Dating Violence

It is a sad truth that about 1/3 of teens experience some form of abuse in dating relationships and more than ½ of the teens surveyed know of someone who has been abused. Given this reality, it is very important to recognize the danger signs of an abusive relationship so that you can make sure you get help or get out, as soon as possible.

What is an unhealthy relationship?

Unhealthy relationships are those that make you feel bad about yourself, like you have to do what the other person says or make you feel afraid or in danger. A healthy relationship NEVER includes teasing or bullying, power struggles, angry outbursts, withholding love, coercion or peer pressure, unreasonable demands, or humiliation.

The “danger signs” of an unhealthy relationship should be easily recognizable- lack of talking and no communication, inability to listen, no trust, jealousy, no balance, and no respect.

Specifically, if you experience any of these things, you may be involved in an unhealthy relationship

Does the other person…

• Put you down?
• Get extremely jealous or possessive?
• Constantly check up on you?
• Tell you how to dress?
• Try to control what you do and who you see?
• Have big mood swings - being angry and yelling one minute, and the next minute being sweet and apologetic?
• Make you feel nervous or like you’re "walking on eggshells"?
• Put you down or criticize you and make you feel like you can't do anything right or that no one else would want you?
• Threaten to hurt you?

Knowing these warning signs can help act as red lights in your relationship. You can stop and figure out if your relationship is abusive- before things get out of control.

Not all of these signs will be in every abusive relationship. If one or more of these warning signs exist in your relationship, it doesn't necessarily mean that your relationship is abusive, but your relationship may not be as healthy as you deserve it to be.

A very unhealthy relationship might include relationship violence. It is a pattern of abuse that happens between people in any type of relationship and may include unwanted sexual contact, physical, verbal and/or emotional abuse. No one deserves abuse. It doesn’t matter what the person’s appearance, attitude, or actions are. There is no excuse for abuse. In addition, being in unhealthy relationships means that things are more likely to “just happen” and become out of control.

The cycle of violence starts with three phases:

• Tension: Criticism, yelling, swearing, angry gestures, coercion or threats
• Violence: Physical and sexual attacks or threats, or raging and emotional abuse
• Seduction/honeymoon: Apologies, promises to change or gifts

After people have lived in abusive relationships for a while, the seduction (or honeymoon) phase will disappear – and the reason for the abuse will always be “if you would only …” and the apologies stop.

Many people in abusive relationships are in denial. They cling to the myth…

• That their partner will never do it again. Saying he or she will never do it again is futile because violence is a pattern of behaviors. Rarely does someone abuse their partner only once.
• That they are not being abused. Dating abuse does include physical and sexual violence. But it also can include emotional and verbal abuse, which includes put-downs, insults, and threats.
• That they will leave when the time is right. People stay in abusive relationships for a variety of reasons. These include fear of being alone, emotional dependence, confusion, low self-esteem, not realizing that it’s abuse, or a belief that the abuser will change.
• That it only happens to girls. Males can also be victims in controlling and abusive relationships. They can be embarrassed to confess that they are being abused because they, the abuser, and other people sometimes have a bias that “only females are abused…"

If you are not being abused, but worry about a friend, ask yourself if your friend:

• Constantly cancels plans for reasons that don’t sound true
• Always worries about making their boy/girlfriend angry
• Gives up things that are important
• Show signs of physical abuse, like bruises or cuts
• Tell you that they get pressured into having sex, or talk about feeling like a sex object
• Have a boy/girlfriend that wants them to be available all the time
• Has become isolated from friends or family

If the answer is “yes” to a significant number of these questions, that friend could be in an abusive relationship. If a friend is in an unhealthy relationship, talk to him/her, explain why you think it is harmful, and offer to help him/her get help. There are also hotlines, Internet sites and counselors dedicated to offering teens advice and support.

Here are some suggestions for helping a friend deal with an unhealthy or violent relationship.

• Help them to recognize that feeling bad about themselves is not "normal" and that they deserve a healthy, non-violent relationship.
• Encourage their strength and courage.
• Not make them feel bad for their choices - even if you think these choices are wrong.
• Offer to go with them to find a counselor or support group, or to talk to their family, friends or teachers.
• Remember that you cannot "rescue" them.

Resources:
Break the Cycle
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network

Photo credit: salonexpress

Labels: Relationship Violence

Permalink | 1 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Mental Health Challenges and Resources for Older Adolescents

The later adolescent years can be very stressful and teens may find themselves struggling with problems relating to money, relationships, housing, transportation, and employment without the support of parents and teachers that might have helped when they were younger.

Teens can feel very alone if they have not learned where to find support, do not know that parents, friends, and health professionals can help, or are experiencing depression.

Setting goals and learning how to achieve them takes planning, knowledge, motivation, and support - not just a desire! Leaving home, working full time, attending college, or even living at home after 18 requires a huge life change and can be very stressful. These young adults have to learn how to make decisions, manage their own health care, get health insurance, pay bills, manage bank accounts, get car insurance, keep their own cars maintained, manage time, leisure time and relationships, and learn to negotiate relationships with doctors, bosses, credit companies, and banks.

When dealing with these critical transitions it is important to watch for signs that depression - being sad, miserable, or upset for more than two weeks - is influencing daily life. If you find yourself involved in unhealthy relationships, binge drinking or using drugs to relieve the stress, or being hard on yourself, get support from church, parents, health professionals, and friends.

Resources:
Reachout
We're Talking Teen Health
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network
The Outlet Program (for LGBTQQ youth)

Photo credit: abigail art

Labels: Mental Health

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Grand Rounds 3.5: A Visual Tour

I would like to thank Bob Coffield from the Health Care Law Blog for hosting this week's Grand Rounds and including my post on Confidential Reproductive Health Care and Teens.

Labels: Grand Rounds

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Reality TV and Teen Health

The Kaiser Family Foundation just published a paper entitled "The "Reality" of Health: Reality Television and the Public Health" that explores common health-related themes in the scores of reality TV shows available each day, as well as possible implications for viewers.

For those of you who are not "reality" TV (RTV) fanatics, their ratings suggest they hold considerable allure for millions of viewers from all demographic groups, in particular, preteens, adolescents, and young adults. The critics of RTV believe that they stress the importance of money, fame and beauty as well as promote meanness, casual sex, alcohol abuse, and bad language. The industry, on the other hand, suggests that RTV can inspire people to change their lifestyle by losing weight or giving up smoking, and provides "everyday" people as role models instead of super stars.

The nature of these shows makes viewers believe that RTV is "real" versus scripted, and that the actors are actually people like themselves, that they can identify with, making it more likely that values, attitudes, as well as behavior, will be influenced by the messages provided.

Reality shows considered in this paper included:

Lifestyle transformation shows
• The Biggest Loser
• Cold Turkey
• Honey We're Killing the Kids
• Weighing In

Makeover shows
• Dr. 90210
• Extreme Makeover
• Plastic Surgery: Before and After

Medical miracle shows
• Miracle Workers
• Mystery Diagnosis
• Untold Stories of the ER

The messages these shows convey are not meant to be educational, but are entertainment, and therefore still focus on being "hot," as the way to succeed, how wonderful health professionals are, and that the outcomes always outweigh the risks of the procedures, which of course, on RTV never fail.

The possible implications of these shows for audience awareness and knowledge however, are unlimited. Some health organizations have been successful in working with TV producers to bring us episodes about Osteogenesis, HIV, and diabetes. The web sites associated with these shows can also provide reliable and accurate health information about smoking and obesity, and bring attention to diseases and health behavior.

On the other hand, they may also create very unreasonable expectations in viewers, particularly teenagers, who may not have the media literacy skills to know that "reality" TV is not "real." Teens need to hear that there are no "magic" solutions to health problems and teens need help understanding that any health behavior change requires, knowledge, motivation, and support to bring about lifestyle changes that can be maintained.

Photo credit: hfb

Labels: Media

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Media Literacy is Helping Teens Combat Pro-Smoking Messages

Reuters Health just published a story about media literacy as a method to combat the subtle pro-smoking messages in movies and other media focused on the research by Dr. Brian A. Primack and his colleagues at the University of Pittsburgh.

It is a sad truth that more than 4,000 teenagers begin smoking each day and those exposed to tobacco ads, as well as those who had parents, siblings, or friends that smoked were more likely to be current smokers than were their peers.

One possible way to counter that trend appears to be increasing media literacy - teaching teens how to understand, analyze and evaluate messages from the media, including advertising.

In the current study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers analyzed responses from 1,211 high school students to a survey that assessed the students' current smoking, potential future smoking and the extent to which they agreed that advertisements usually leave out some important information.

Of those 1,211 students, 19% were current smokers and 40% were categorized as susceptible to start smoking. Students with higher smoking media literacy, higher grades, and those who were more aware about the addictiveness of smoking were less likely to be current smokers or to be considered susceptible to future smoking than were their peers.

What's more, the research suggests that increasing media literacy among adolescents may also have an affect on other health behaviors, including eating behavior, aggression, sexual behavior, and alcohol use.




Photo credit: de.ef.ha

Labels: Media

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Sports-related injuries among high school athletes in the United States

A report recently published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages teens to participate in high school sports to promote a healthy lifestyle and documents a huge increase in high school sports participation in the last thirty years. Although there are documented health benefits of increased physical activity (e.g., weight management, improved self-esteem, and increased strength, endurance, and flexibility), the flip side of which is the increased risk of sports-related injuries.

The CDC sponsored the High School Sports-Related Surveillance Study which asked certified athletic trainers from 100 U.S. high schools, nationally representative of geographic location and school size, to complete an Internet-based survey. In 2005 the project reported that participation in high school sports resulted in an estimated 1.4 million injuries at a rate of 2.4 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures (i.e., practices or competitions).

Not surprisingly, football had the highest injury rate (4.36 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures) followed by wrestling (2.50), boys' (2.43) and girls' (2.36) soccer, and girls' basketball (2.01). Boys' basketball, volleyball, baseball, and softball each had injury rates of less than 2.0 injuries per 1,000 athlete exposures. In each sport, the injury rate was higher in competition than practice settings. In each of the nine sports reported on, approximately 80% of the reported injuries were new injuries as opposed to recurrences or complications from previous injuries. Types of injuries varied between practice and competition; for example, concussions and fractures occurred more commonly in competition than practice.

Resources:
Kids Health

Photo credit: slagheap

Labels: Injuries

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Are you, or your teen a couch potato?

I know that life is busy and many of us are tired, stressed out, and struggling, but using "screen time" - including television, computers, video screens, and DVDs - as relaxation is creating a huge obstacle to staying active and keeping fit. Spending our time in front of a TV or computer is also reducing the amount of time we spend with family members, reducing our connectedness and the strength of our families.

Research suggests that more than two hours a day in front of a screen during free time is associated with health risks including obesity and depression. If you or your children spend more than about an hour a day of your spare time watching a screen, changes are in order. You may not even realize how much time your family spend in front of a screen, so keep a log for a week or two and be prepared for a shock!

This log does not have to be fancy, but it must include the name of the person, and how many minutes they spend in front of every screen in the house - for each of 7 days. Total it at the end and talk with your family about the things you could have done together instead of sitting in front of those screens.

Parents have to set an example and "Turn off the TV" encouraging their children to find something to do that moves their body and gets them out into the fresh air. You can do other things, too:
• tell kids they can spend one hour a day in front of a screen of their choice, and enforce it;
• take computers and TVs out of kid's rooms;
• do not watch TV during meal times;
• offer alternatives - board games, art projects, yard activities, bike riding;
• post a list of activities; and most importantly,
• only turn the TV on when there is something specific you want to watch.

Resources:
TV Turnoff Network
We're Talking Teen Health

Photo credit: PhillipC

Labels: Obesity

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Sexuality Education is Failing Miserably

Recently there was a great story in the Washington Post article by Laura Sessions Stepp, staff writer and author of "Our last best shot: Guiding our children through early adolescence." I loved her book, and the title of the article, "Beyond the Birds and the Bees," was right up my alley, so I read it. The article is about a well-loved professor at the University of Maryland who teaches sexuality to college students, most of them suffering from a serious lack of sexuality education. It was very distressing to me that college students are asking questions about birth control, and that only 50% of the sexually active students are using condoms, meaning the other half of them are at risk for unwanted pregnancy and/or contracting a sexually transmitted infection, including HIV. And yet, I bet every one of them has had their meningitis vaccine, which is good, but so illogical.

As a society, our sexual phobias are putting our children at risk, and I think we should be extremely concerned that college students need sexuality education. This generation has experienced more media, seen more sexual innuendo, and probably experienced more oral sex than any previous generation, and yet, they actually know as little as their parents knew at 18 - why isn't that a crime? Why aren't we beating down the doors of the school board meetings concerned that the sexuality education, and health education for that matter, that our children are receiving is woefully inadequate and not preparing them for adulthood? Why do our students receive so little health education, why isn't most of it taught by certified health educators, and why aren't parents teaching their children how to protect themselves, even if the schools do not?

Photo credit: Steve Burt

Labels: Sexuality

Permalink | 2 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Drug, Alcohol Use Leveling Off Among Teens in California

Results from the 11th Biennial California Student Survey, sponsored by the attorney general's office, the state Department of Education and the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, reported a leveling off in teen drug and alcohol use, but a continued need to address the prevalence of heavy drug use and binge drinking (abuse).

The good news, the way things are not usually reported about teens, is that:
▪ 85% of 11th graders, 91% of 9th graders, and 96% of 7th graders do NOT abuse prescription and nonprescription painkillers,
▪ 73% of 11th graders, 86% of 9th graders. and 95% of 7th graders did NOT report excessive alcohol (or drinking to get drunk), and
▪ 70% of 11th graders, 81% of 9th graders, and 93% of 7th graders do NOT use marijuana.

OK, the more disturbing results were that we have some students in California that really need our help, among them are the:
▪ almost 66% of the 11th graders, 50% of the 9th graders, and 27% of the 7th graders questioned in the survey who had drank some alcohol in the last six months, and the
▪ 17% of 11th graders, 11% of 9th graders, and 4% of 7th graders who reported high-risk drug use (defined as "frequent" intake of multiple drugs, weekly or daily marijuana use, or the use of cocaine or crack).

Parents, teachers, school administrators and every adult concerned about kids need to be paying attention to these kids, no matter how successful their grades and social calendars look, because youth who start heavy use as teens are likely to continue into adulthood as addicts.

Photo credit: fortdrastic

Labels: Substance Abuse

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Breast Cancer and Teens

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women in the United States. Although it is rare, women in their late teens can be diagnosed with breast cancer. Like most other health issues, the younger women start developing good health habits, the beter. Women in their teens should take responsibility for their breast health and do monthly exams, increasing their awareness about their own bodies and increasing the likelihood that any lumps would be detected early, diagnosed, and successfully treated.



The screening guidelines for women include:
1) Breast self-awareness (from late teens) - be familiar with how their breasts look and feel, reporting any changes to their doctors;
2) Clinical breast exam (age 20 to 39) - have a doctor exam breasts every one to three years;
3) Annual mammograms and clinical breast exams (age 40 and older) - yearly mammogram and clinical breast exam; and
4) Additional screening (if at increased risk and younger than 40) - for women with a family history of the disease or a genetic disposition.



Photo credit: merfam

Labels: Health Care

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Teens & Sex: A Book Review

This summer I read a great book that I want to share with you. The book is "The Real Truth About Teens & Sex," published in 2005, and written by Sabrina Weill. I loved this book and believe all parents with teenaged children should read it! Ms. Weill had my complete attention when she started out by saying that “teens nationwide are suffering from a lack of honest communication from their parents and other pivotal adults around them…” She later says that it is dangerous to rely on schools to provide sex education and that parents have to be the primary sexuality educators of their children. She is confident that despite the horrified looks on their faces when we bring it up, teens want to talk about sexuality with adults they trust – and that they want adults to know what is going on. Teens are vulnerable emotionally and physically and susceptible to regret as their feelings emerge after sex. We can help them avoid those situations in which “sex just happens” and the consequences that follow, including pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

Far from inducing fear, Ms. Weill constantly reassures parents that research shows talking to kids about sexuality does not make them have sex earlier and that there are positive trends reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggesting youth are having less intercourse as well as using more contraception, and that there was 30% less teen pregnancy between 1994 and 2004. She is matter of fact about the risks of the Internet, early sex, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, but never lets parents off the hook. The more parents know, the better equipped they will be to help their teens avoid “sexual risks" associated with teen relationships.

Ms. Weill reminds parents throughout this book that we [adults] have the power to have an enormous influence on the behavior of our teens and although I cannot endorse her statement that “teens should be pulling away from adults” I do agree that they need to take on more responsibility and that they still need our supervision and guidance. Teens need to know that 66% of teens and 81% of 12 – 14 year olds regret their first sexual experience and parents and teens need to know that teens have the knowledge and strength to “make good decisions.”

Parents being in denial will not help and it will undermine our relationships and make them superficial. I appreciate the fact that Ms. Weill respects youth and is very clear that sifting through their emails or reading a diary or blog is a major invasion of privacy and it will take a long time to rebuild the trust and credibility lost by the action. There is no substitute for putting the time into developing a strong and positive relationship with our child!

Parents need to be able to talk honestly with their children about sexual rights, pleasure, and risk. Teens need to know that it feels good to be excited, but that sexuality should be protected, consensual and planned with someone they love to feel great. For parents who do not think they can talk easily with their kids, Ms. Weill includes resources and wonderful examples throughout the book and there is even a discussion about developing a safety plan with your teen.

My favorite quote from this book is “good parenting is always inconvenient for the parent.”

Other resources about talking to kids about sensitive issues:
We're Talking Teen Health
Resosurce List
Talking to Kids

Photo credit: oreilly

Labels: Book Review, Sexuality Education

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Violence and Schools

The recent shootings and violence in schools might give parents the impression that schools are more dangerous than ever before, although a report by the Bureau of Justice and Statistics and the National Center for Education Statistics suggests students are twice as likely to be victims of serious violence away from schools. More murders occur at home than at school and actually, the violent crime victimization rate at school declined from 1992 to 2003.

The report is not all good news - in fact, violence, theft, bullying, drug use, and weapons are still problems in schools, particularly urban schools. Some of the specific results include:
▪ in the 2002 - 2003 school year, there were 15 student homicides and 8 suicides in the nation's schools (< 1 per million students);
▪ in 2003, 21% of students reported that street gangs were present at their school during the previous six months;
▪ in 2003, 5% of students ages 12 to 18 reported being victimized (4% had something stolen and 1% were victims of a violent crime) at school during the previous six months;
▪ in 2003 13% of students reported being in a fight on school property, although 33% of high school students reported having been in a fight during the previous year; and
▪ in 2003 students in urban schools were twice as likely as students in rural or suburban schools to fear being attacked at school or on the way to and from school.

Labels: safety, School

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

This Weeks' Best of Health Matters

The Health Matters HealthBlog Network consists of a dozen independent and unfiltered medical professionals blogging about the topics that matter to you. Each week, Healthline's Editors select the three top posts from the network to share with all of our readers in one convenient post. We hope you'll enjoy them!

Infertility Stress Reduction Tips
If you, or someone you know, has struggled with infertility you know what a stressful time that can be. Visit The ART of Conception where expert Carl “Rusty” Herbert MD offers some tips for getting through these rough patches … read more

What Should Cancer Patients and Family Do About the Flu Vaccine?
Vaccinations can be a lifesaver. Most vaccines contain inactive viruses, but others contain a small amount of a live virus. Tune into Cyndy King’s Cancer Treatment and Survivorship blog to learn what people undergoing cancer treatment that can compromise their immunity should do…read more.

Throw a Stronger Punch (or Push a Car or Stroller)
People don’t always realize how many times a day they are hurting their backs. Read on to learn more about what Dr. Jolie Bookspan of the Fitness Fixer blog says is one of the most common misconceptions in fitness….read more.

Additionally, we're pleased to announce the launch of two new blogs this week! Freedom from Smoking with expert Lowell Kleinman, MD and Straight Talk from the ER with expert Robert L. Norris, MD.

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

The Best of the Medical Blogosphere

Those of you who are regular readers of blogs know that many bloggers link to other bloggers. This is a good way to find more bloggers talking about health information. I wanted to give a note of thanks to the host of this week's "Grand Rounds" for including my post “Routine HIV Testing” discussing the latest CDC recommendations, in his review of the best of the medical blogosphere this past week. To read this week's favorite posts click here:
RDoctor Medical

To learn more about Grand Rounds click here. http://blogborygmi.blogspot.com/2004/09/grand-rounds-submission-guidelines.html

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Cyber Bullying

Parents beware! The new electronic toy or Internet access feature may be setting your child up to be cyber bullied. The Internet provides a new venue for teasing and bullying that may be even more damaging to the self-esteem of teens as "old-fashioned" bullying, and seems to be more prevalent among girls than traditional school-yard bullying. MySpace.com, Xanga.com, email, blogs, Internet Bulletin Boards, chat rooms, and instant messaging all provide cyber bullies with the means to harass their peers, usually anonymously. In fact, we think four times as many kids are bullied on the Internet as in real life.

This increased bullying via the Internet is another reason to have a safety contract and keep the computer at home in a public place. In addition, remind your children that they should never give away identifying information; and if someone bullies them online, they should: 1) not respond and stay calm; 2) keep the messages as evidence (and do not necessarily read them); 3) contact the Internet provider and local police about threatening or abusive content; 4) do not believe everything you see or read online; and 5) be selective about participating online with anonymous people.

I caution parents to not"over react" and pull the plug on the computer though - this will just guarantee your child does not ask for your help, or continues to participate at someone else's house. Instead, encourage your child to think about what they are getting from the online exchanges and be critical about whether or not the benefit is worth the pain and risk of cyber bullying.



Photo credit: JesseWarren

Labels: Bullying, Online/Internet Safety

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment

Facts About Teen Sexual Activity

This week the Kaiser Family Foundation released an updated fact sheet on Teen Sexual Activity that covers a broad range of sexual health topics facing teens including general sexual activity; sexual partners and relationships; sex, substance abuse and violence; pregnancy; contraception and protection; sexually transmitted infections; access to health care services; and communication.

The good news is that in the last ten years fewer teens report having had sexual intercourse and those who do are more likely to use contraceptives and condoms. The bad news is that half of the sexually active teens will contract a sexually transmitted infection by the time they are 25 years old.

If that is not enough for you to arrange a long chat with your teenager, how about this: more than half of the males (55%) and females (54%) between the ages of 15 and 19 reported having had oral sex with someone of the opposite sex. Another disturbing fact is that 11% of females and 4% of males reported being forced to have sexual intercourse and 9% of teens report having experienced dating violence.

Talk to your kids about these facts and use them to share your values and expectations for your teens. Make sure they are seeing their doctor each year, know where they can get information about reproductive health, and remind them that you want to help them get care and make healthy decisions.

You can get a copy of the fact sheet from the Kaiser Family Foundation.


Photo credit: will_hybrid

Labels: Sexuality

Permalink | 0 Comments| Email Post

Post your comment