http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/ Wed, 10 Mar 2010 05:44:45 -0500 MyBB http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=462 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:50:08 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=462
Clinicians who care for children "should consider this association when selecting empiric antimicrobial agents for a new UTI," lead author Dr. Amanda A. Paschke, from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues say in the March 1st online issue of Pediatrics.

Their findings are from a retrospective study of 533 children, aged 6 months to 6 years, who had a first UTI between 2001 and 2006.

To assess the impact of recent antibiotic exposure on risk for antibiotic-resistant microbes in these children, the authors considered each child's exposure to amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefdinir, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or azithromycin in the months leading up to the UTI.

Twenty-one percent of the children had been exposed to one of those agents within 120 days before their urinary infection; 14% had been exposed within 60 days, and 8% were exposed less than a month before the UTI.

Out of all the agents tested, only amoxicillin affected the risk of resistance, the authors report. Specifically, amoxicillin exposure within 30 days and between 31 and 60 days before UTI diagnosis increased the odds of ampicillin resistance by 3.6- and 2.8-fold, respectively. Amoxicillin exposure within 30 days also increased the risk of amoxicillin-clavulanate resistance by 3.9-fold.

"In our study, the magnitude of the association between antimicrobial exposure and resistance decreased with time since exposure," the authors point out, adding, "it is reassuring that it does not seem to be long lasting."

"This study demonstrates the impact of antimicrobial use on the development of...resistance at the individual level," the researchers conclude. "Our results suggest that reducing the inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents should reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance in individual children."]]>
Clinicians who care for children "should consider this association when selecting empiric antimicrobial agents for a new UTI," lead author Dr. Amanda A. Paschke, from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues say in the March 1st online issue of Pediatrics.

Their findings are from a retrospective study of 533 children, aged 6 months to 6 years, who had a first UTI between 2001 and 2006.

To assess the impact of recent antibiotic exposure on risk for antibiotic-resistant microbes in these children, the authors considered each child's exposure to amoxicillin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefdinir, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, or azithromycin in the months leading up to the UTI.

Twenty-one percent of the children had been exposed to one of those agents within 120 days before their urinary infection; 14% had been exposed within 60 days, and 8% were exposed less than a month before the UTI.

Out of all the agents tested, only amoxicillin affected the risk of resistance, the authors report. Specifically, amoxicillin exposure within 30 days and between 31 and 60 days before UTI diagnosis increased the odds of ampicillin resistance by 3.6- and 2.8-fold, respectively. Amoxicillin exposure within 30 days also increased the risk of amoxicillin-clavulanate resistance by 3.9-fold.

"In our study, the magnitude of the association between antimicrobial exposure and resistance decreased with time since exposure," the authors point out, adding, "it is reassuring that it does not seem to be long lasting."

"This study demonstrates the impact of antimicrobial use on the development of...resistance at the individual level," the researchers conclude. "Our results suggest that reducing the inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents should reduce the development of antimicrobial resistance in individual children."]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=461 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:45:05 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=461
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Mar 02, 2010 - The prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy is increasing in US children, according to data reported this week at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in New Orleans.

Dr. Hugh A. Sampson of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and colleagues determined the prevalence of peanut, tree nut and sesame allergy in 2008 and compared the results (for peanut and tree nuts) to similar surveys conducted in 1997 and 2002.

The same methodology was used in all three time periods -- a nationwide, cross-sectional random-digit telephone survey. A total of 5,300 households (13,534 individuals) were surveyed.

The investigators report that the prevalence of peanut and/or tree nut allergy in children younger than age 18 years was 2.1% in 2008, up from 1.2% in 2002 and 0.6% in 1997.

The prevalence of peanut allergy in children rose from 0.4% in 1997 to 0.8% in 2002 and 1.4% in 2008. There was a similar increase in the prevalence of tree nut allergy -- from 0.2% in 1997 to 0.5% in 2002, and 1.1% in 2008.

The change in peanut and tree nut allergy prevalence in US children seen from 1997 to 2002 "is the most solid data that we have that nut allergy really did go up in that five-year period," Dr. Robert A. Wood, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, who was not involved in the study, said at a gathering of reporters Monday.

He acknowledged that random-digit dialing surveys "may overestimate prevalence because some people may think they have an allergy when they don't, but because the methodology was the same, we can be pretty confident that the increase that was seen in an 11-year period from 0.4 to 1.4 (in children) has to be real. It's hard to imagine that it is not."

In 2008, sesame allergy was reported by 0.1% of those surveyed. Sesame allergy was not asked about in the two earlier surveys.

Dr. Wood said there are "at least a dozen" theories as to why nut allergies are increasing in children.

The hygiene theory -- which postulates that reduced microbial exposure because of improved sanitation and cleaner lifestyles leaves a young child's immune system unchallenged and therefore at greater risk for allergies -- is perhaps the "most intriguing" one, he noted, "and probably makes sense when you look at an underdeveloped country versus a developed country."

Rates of allergy are much higher in developed countries, and if a country becomes more developed its inhabitants seem to develop more allergies, he said. "But when you look at certain populations, there are huge holes in the hygiene theory that can't explain everything. For example, in developed countries, we see lots of allergies in urban, inner city populations where exposures are high," Dr. Wood pointed out.

Two other theories revolve around nutritional issues. One involves vitamin D and charges that a higher rate of vitamin D deficiency has predisposed people to allergy. "The way that might make sense is we do believe that there is much more vitamin D deficiency over the last 10 to 20 years," Dr. Wood said, and in epidemiological studies there is an association between vitamin D deficiency and higher rates of allergy. Whether there is a cause-and-effect link is still being determined.

Another nutritional theory says that having too much folate can predispose to allergy. This, too, has been shown in a couple of epidemiological studies, Dr. Wood explained, and the theory makes some sense from a timing standpoint, given that in the 1980s, there was an influx of folate into the diet of pregnant women via folate supplementation at the time that allergies seemed to be rising.

These are just a few of the theories, and there are many others, Dr. Wood noted, adding: "I think it's clear that none of them explain the whole thing, even remotely."]]>
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Mar 02, 2010 - The prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy is increasing in US children, according to data reported this week at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in New Orleans.

Dr. Hugh A. Sampson of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and colleagues determined the prevalence of peanut, tree nut and sesame allergy in 2008 and compared the results (for peanut and tree nuts) to similar surveys conducted in 1997 and 2002.

The same methodology was used in all three time periods -- a nationwide, cross-sectional random-digit telephone survey. A total of 5,300 households (13,534 individuals) were surveyed.

The investigators report that the prevalence of peanut and/or tree nut allergy in children younger than age 18 years was 2.1% in 2008, up from 1.2% in 2002 and 0.6% in 1997.

The prevalence of peanut allergy in children rose from 0.4% in 1997 to 0.8% in 2002 and 1.4% in 2008. There was a similar increase in the prevalence of tree nut allergy -- from 0.2% in 1997 to 0.5% in 2002, and 1.1% in 2008.

The change in peanut and tree nut allergy prevalence in US children seen from 1997 to 2002 "is the most solid data that we have that nut allergy really did go up in that five-year period," Dr. Robert A. Wood, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, who was not involved in the study, said at a gathering of reporters Monday.

He acknowledged that random-digit dialing surveys "may overestimate prevalence because some people may think they have an allergy when they don't, but because the methodology was the same, we can be pretty confident that the increase that was seen in an 11-year period from 0.4 to 1.4 (in children) has to be real. It's hard to imagine that it is not."

In 2008, sesame allergy was reported by 0.1% of those surveyed. Sesame allergy was not asked about in the two earlier surveys.

Dr. Wood said there are "at least a dozen" theories as to why nut allergies are increasing in children.

The hygiene theory -- which postulates that reduced microbial exposure because of improved sanitation and cleaner lifestyles leaves a young child's immune system unchallenged and therefore at greater risk for allergies -- is perhaps the "most intriguing" one, he noted, "and probably makes sense when you look at an underdeveloped country versus a developed country."

Rates of allergy are much higher in developed countries, and if a country becomes more developed its inhabitants seem to develop more allergies, he said. "But when you look at certain populations, there are huge holes in the hygiene theory that can't explain everything. For example, in developed countries, we see lots of allergies in urban, inner city populations where exposures are high," Dr. Wood pointed out.

Two other theories revolve around nutritional issues. One involves vitamin D and charges that a higher rate of vitamin D deficiency has predisposed people to allergy. "The way that might make sense is we do believe that there is much more vitamin D deficiency over the last 10 to 20 years," Dr. Wood said, and in epidemiological studies there is an association between vitamin D deficiency and higher rates of allergy. Whether there is a cause-and-effect link is still being determined.

Another nutritional theory says that having too much folate can predispose to allergy. This, too, has been shown in a couple of epidemiological studies, Dr. Wood explained, and the theory makes some sense from a timing standpoint, given that in the 1980s, there was an influx of folate into the diet of pregnant women via folate supplementation at the time that allergies seemed to be rising.

These are just a few of the theories, and there are many others, Dr. Wood noted, adding: "I think it's clear that none of them explain the whole thing, even remotely."]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=460 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:41:23 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=460
Using data from the population-based All Infants in Southeast Sweden study, Dr. Jonas F. Ludvigsson of Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and colleagues looked for independent associations of childhood infections with the risk of developing celiac disease.

Parents kept diaries on diet and infectious disease in their child's first year of life, including dates when breastfeeding started and stopped, and dates of first gluten-containing foods.

The 9408 children in the study had 42,826 parent-reported episodes of infectious disease in the first year of life, including 4003 episodes of gastroenteritis.

Forty-four of the children developed biopsy-verified celiac disease after their first birthday, including 18 of 2528 who had infection at the time of gluten introduction and 26 of 6880 without infection (p = 0.035).

Out of 167 children with gastroenteritis during gluten introduction, one child developed celiac disease, compared to 43 of 9241 without gastroenteritis (p = ns).

After adjustment for age at gluten introduction, age at breastfeeding cessation, and age at infection, there was no significant association between infection or gastroenteritis at the time of gluten introduction and the subsequent development of celiac disease.

The researchers caution that a limitation of their study is the lack of data on type of infection. "We cannot rule out the possibility that specific pathogens constitute risk factors for celiac disease, because risk estimates for infection at the time of gluten introduction were of borderline significance," they said, pointing out in addition that the study design precluded identification of subclinical infections.

Also, they note, "because celiac disease is increasingly diagnosed in adulthood, screening...and a longer follow-up period would be required for complete elucidation of the possible relationship between infections and celiac disease."]]>
Using data from the population-based All Infants in Southeast Sweden study, Dr. Jonas F. Ludvigsson of Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and colleagues looked for independent associations of childhood infections with the risk of developing celiac disease.

Parents kept diaries on diet and infectious disease in their child's first year of life, including dates when breastfeeding started and stopped, and dates of first gluten-containing foods.

The 9408 children in the study had 42,826 parent-reported episodes of infectious disease in the first year of life, including 4003 episodes of gastroenteritis.

Forty-four of the children developed biopsy-verified celiac disease after their first birthday, including 18 of 2528 who had infection at the time of gluten introduction and 26 of 6880 without infection (p = 0.035).

Out of 167 children with gastroenteritis during gluten introduction, one child developed celiac disease, compared to 43 of 9241 without gastroenteritis (p = ns).

After adjustment for age at gluten introduction, age at breastfeeding cessation, and age at infection, there was no significant association between infection or gastroenteritis at the time of gluten introduction and the subsequent development of celiac disease.

The researchers caution that a limitation of their study is the lack of data on type of infection. "We cannot rule out the possibility that specific pathogens constitute risk factors for celiac disease, because risk estimates for infection at the time of gluten introduction were of borderline significance," they said, pointing out in addition that the study design precluded identification of subclinical infections.

Also, they note, "because celiac disease is increasingly diagnosed in adulthood, screening...and a longer follow-up period would be required for complete elucidation of the possible relationship between infections and celiac disease."]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=459 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:25:25 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=459
Their study suggests that the damage caused by secondhand tobacco smoke starts in childhood and causes measurable damage by the teen years.

"Although previous research has found that passive smoke may be harmful for blood vessels among adults, we did not know until this study that these specific effects also happen among children and adolescents," Dr. Katariina Kallio of the University of Turku in Finland, who led the study, said in a statement.

Her team studied 494 children aged 8 to 13 taking part in ongoing research on heart disease. They measured levels of cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine that is found in the blood after someone breathes in tobacco smoke.

They divided the children into groups with high, intermediate and low cotinine levels. Ultrasound was used to measure the thickness of the aorta and of the carotid artery in the neck.

Artery walls look thicker on an ultrasound if they are damaged by the process of atherosclerosis.

The children with the most cotinine in their blood had carotid artery walls that were, on average, 7 percent thicker than the children with the lowest cotinine levels, Kallio's team reported in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Their aortas were 8 percent thicker.

The researchers also did a test that measures the flexibility of the arteries in the arm, another measure of blood vessel health and heart disease risk.

This measurement, called brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, was 15 percent lower in teenagers with the highest levels of cotinine, they found.

And measures of cholesterol showed unhealthier levels among the children with more smoke in their blood.

"These findings suggest that children should not face exposure to tobacco smoke at all," Kallio said. "Even a little exposure to tobacco smoke may be harmful for blood vessels."

In October, the U.S. Institute of Medicine reported that indoor smoking bans lower the risk of heart attack even among nonsmokers by reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association say secondhand smoke kills an estimated 46,000 Americans from heart disease every year.

The World Lung Foundation and the American Cancer Society jointly project that tobacco use will kill 6 million people next year from cancer, heart disease, emphysema and other ills, with direct medical costs to the global economy of $500 billion a year.

In their cancer atlas, available at http://www.tobaccoatlas.org/, the groups say that 1 billion men and 250 million women globally smoke daily.]]>
Their study suggests that the damage caused by secondhand tobacco smoke starts in childhood and causes measurable damage by the teen years.

"Although previous research has found that passive smoke may be harmful for blood vessels among adults, we did not know until this study that these specific effects also happen among children and adolescents," Dr. Katariina Kallio of the University of Turku in Finland, who led the study, said in a statement.

Her team studied 494 children aged 8 to 13 taking part in ongoing research on heart disease. They measured levels of cotinine, a byproduct of nicotine that is found in the blood after someone breathes in tobacco smoke.

They divided the children into groups with high, intermediate and low cotinine levels. Ultrasound was used to measure the thickness of the aorta and of the carotid artery in the neck.

Artery walls look thicker on an ultrasound if they are damaged by the process of atherosclerosis.

The children with the most cotinine in their blood had carotid artery walls that were, on average, 7 percent thicker than the children with the lowest cotinine levels, Kallio's team reported in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Their aortas were 8 percent thicker.

The researchers also did a test that measures the flexibility of the arteries in the arm, another measure of blood vessel health and heart disease risk.

This measurement, called brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, was 15 percent lower in teenagers with the highest levels of cotinine, they found.

And measures of cholesterol showed unhealthier levels among the children with more smoke in their blood.

"These findings suggest that children should not face exposure to tobacco smoke at all," Kallio said. "Even a little exposure to tobacco smoke may be harmful for blood vessels."

In October, the U.S. Institute of Medicine reported that indoor smoking bans lower the risk of heart attack even among nonsmokers by reducing exposure to secondhand smoke.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association say secondhand smoke kills an estimated 46,000 Americans from heart disease every year.

The World Lung Foundation and the American Cancer Society jointly project that tobacco use will kill 6 million people next year from cancer, heart disease, emphysema and other ills, with direct medical costs to the global economy of $500 billion a year.

In their cancer atlas, available at http://www.tobaccoatlas.org/, the groups say that 1 billion men and 250 million women globally smoke daily.]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=458 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:21:19 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=458 Associated Press / March 2, 2010

Alcohol and marijuana use among teens is on the rise, ending a decade-long decline, a study being released today found.

“I’m a little worried that we may be seeing the leading edge of a trend here,’’ said Sean Clarkin, director of strategy at The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, which was releasing the study. “Historically, you do see the increase in recreational drugs before you see increases in some of the harder drugs.’’

The annual survey found the number of teens in grades 9 through 12 who reported drinking alcohol in the last month rose 11 percent last year, with 39 percent - about 6.5 million teens - reporting alcohol use. That’s up from 35 percent, or about 5.8 million teens, in 2008.

For marijuana, 25 percent of teens reported smoking marijuana in the last month, up from 19 percent.

Until last year, those measures for marijuana and alcohol use had been on a steady decline since 1998, when use hovered around 50 percent of teens for alcohol and 27 percent for marijuana.

The study also found use of the party drug Ecstacy on the rise. Six percent of teens surveyed said they used Ecstacy in the past month, compared with 4 percent in 2008.

Parents who suspect their teens are using need to act quickly, Clarkin said. Monitor them more closely, talk with them about drugs, set rules, and consult a counselor, doctor, clergy, or other resource, he said.

The researchers asked teens how they felt about doing drugs or about friends who did them. The study found a higher percentage of teens than in the previous year agreed that being high feels good; more teens reported having friends who usually get high at parties; and fewer teens said they wouldn’t want to hang around with youths who smoked marijuana.

Stacy Laskin, now 21 and a senior in college, said marijuana was everywhere during her high school years. Laskin said she tried pot and drank alcohol in high school but did not make it a habit like some of her peers.

“The behavior I saw people go through - and to see how far people can fall - really turned me away more than anything else,’’ Laskin said in an interview.

Her close friend from high school died in 2008 from a heroin overdose. Laskin, a psychology major at Salisbury University in Maryland, was so torn by the death that she decided to help others and is working on her second internship at a drug treatment center. “Just seeing the negative impact made me want to get involved,’’ she said.]]> Associated Press / March 2, 2010

Alcohol and marijuana use among teens is on the rise, ending a decade-long decline, a study being released today found.

“I’m a little worried that we may be seeing the leading edge of a trend here,’’ said Sean Clarkin, director of strategy at The Partnership for a Drug-Free America, which was releasing the study. “Historically, you do see the increase in recreational drugs before you see increases in some of the harder drugs.’’

The annual survey found the number of teens in grades 9 through 12 who reported drinking alcohol in the last month rose 11 percent last year, with 39 percent - about 6.5 million teens - reporting alcohol use. That’s up from 35 percent, or about 5.8 million teens, in 2008.

For marijuana, 25 percent of teens reported smoking marijuana in the last month, up from 19 percent.

Until last year, those measures for marijuana and alcohol use had been on a steady decline since 1998, when use hovered around 50 percent of teens for alcohol and 27 percent for marijuana.

The study also found use of the party drug Ecstacy on the rise. Six percent of teens surveyed said they used Ecstacy in the past month, compared with 4 percent in 2008.

Parents who suspect their teens are using need to act quickly, Clarkin said. Monitor them more closely, talk with them about drugs, set rules, and consult a counselor, doctor, clergy, or other resource, he said.

The researchers asked teens how they felt about doing drugs or about friends who did them. The study found a higher percentage of teens than in the previous year agreed that being high feels good; more teens reported having friends who usually get high at parties; and fewer teens said they wouldn’t want to hang around with youths who smoked marijuana.

Stacy Laskin, now 21 and a senior in college, said marijuana was everywhere during her high school years. Laskin said she tried pot and drank alcohol in high school but did not make it a habit like some of her peers.

“The behavior I saw people go through - and to see how far people can fall - really turned me away more than anything else,’’ Laskin said in an interview.

Her close friend from high school died in 2008 from a heroin overdose. Laskin, a psychology major at Salisbury University in Maryland, was so torn by the death that she decided to help others and is working on her second internship at a drug treatment center. “Just seeing the negative impact made me want to get involved,’’ she said.]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=457 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:58:39 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=457
Lead researcher Dr. Theresa Nicklas of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine said the study found no association between 100 percent fruit juice consumption and weight status in the nearly 4,000 adolescents examined.

The study, published in the March/April issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, also found those who drank more than than 6 ounces of 100 percent juice a day also consumed more whole fruit and fewer added fats and sugars. Milk consumption was not affected by juice intake, the study said.

Data for the analysis came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2002.

"One hundred percent juice is a smart choice," Nicklas said in a statement. "Encouraging consumption of nutrient-rich foods and beverages such as 100 percent juice is particularly critical during adolescence -- a unique period of higher nutrient demands."]]>
Lead researcher Dr. Theresa Nicklas of the U.S. Department of Agriculture/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine said the study found no association between 100 percent fruit juice consumption and weight status in the nearly 4,000 adolescents examined.

The study, published in the March/April issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, also found those who drank more than than 6 ounces of 100 percent juice a day also consumed more whole fruit and fewer added fats and sugars. Milk consumption was not affected by juice intake, the study said.

Data for the analysis came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2002.

"One hundred percent juice is a smart choice," Nicklas said in a statement. "Encouraging consumption of nutrient-rich foods and beverages such as 100 percent juice is particularly critical during adolescence -- a unique period of higher nutrient demands."]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=456 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:02:32 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=456
Sending an “I” message has four steps:
1. Name the behavior or situation with no judgment. It begins with “When you. . .”
2. Say how you feel about the effect of the situation on you. It begins with “I feel. . .”
3. State your reason. Say how the situation interferes with your purpose. This part begins with “because. . .”
4. Say what you want done. This part begins with “I would like. . .”

Here is an example: "When you don’t finish the kitchen jobs you agreed to do, I feel you’re being unfair to me, because I have to work in a messy kitchen. I would like you to stick to your agreements and finish your job.”

Parenting Challenge for the week: Implement the use of the “I” message as a method for dealing with a problem. Write down what you want to say so you can be ready with your “I” message the next time the problem comes up.]]>
Sending an “I” message has four steps:
1. Name the behavior or situation with no judgment. It begins with “When you. . .”
2. Say how you feel about the effect of the situation on you. It begins with “I feel. . .”
3. State your reason. Say how the situation interferes with your purpose. This part begins with “because. . .”
4. Say what you want done. This part begins with “I would like. . .”

Here is an example: "When you don’t finish the kitchen jobs you agreed to do, I feel you’re being unfair to me, because I have to work in a messy kitchen. I would like you to stick to your agreements and finish your job.”

Parenting Challenge for the week: Implement the use of the “I” message as a method for dealing with a problem. Write down what you want to say so you can be ready with your “I” message the next time the problem comes up.]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=455 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:59:17 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=455 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=454 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:32:44 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=454 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=453 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:36:21 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=453
I’ve heard some parents say that smoking is a very real risk for pre-teens and teens. Other parents say we have more “dangerous” things to worry about. What’s the real risk here?
While there are certainly many dangers facing teens in today's society, the fact that one in three regular smokers will die from a smoking-related illness (think heart disease, lung disease, cancer and emphysema for starters) should be enough to instill fear in any concerned parent. Parents who do not take this risk seriously seem to fall into two categories: those who think, "My child would never be interested in smoking;" and those who are too busy putting out fires in the present to worry about the future. The first group fails to realize that kids often change their minds as they get older and fall into different friend groups. A child who hates tobacco with a passion may become a teen who tries it because his peer group likes it, and discovers he likes it too! The second group confuses the urgent with the important. While some risks like drinking and driving or a drug overdose can kill a teen today, tobacco deaths happen gradually over a long period of time. Both risks are equally important, but the urgent risks (think "squeaky wheel") often get the attention.

So, to answer the question presented, youth smoking does continue to be a real risk. I encourage parents to talk to their kids about not smoking, starting at a very young age and continuing the conversation as they grow. Of course, I also recommend addressing all the other risky behaviors in which kids may participate. The bottom line is to be an active parent and let your child know where you stand on these issues and what you expect from them.


Best of Luck,
Dr. Michael H. Popkin]]>
I’ve heard some parents say that smoking is a very real risk for pre-teens and teens. Other parents say we have more “dangerous” things to worry about. What’s the real risk here?
While there are certainly many dangers facing teens in today's society, the fact that one in three regular smokers will die from a smoking-related illness (think heart disease, lung disease, cancer and emphysema for starters) should be enough to instill fear in any concerned parent. Parents who do not take this risk seriously seem to fall into two categories: those who think, "My child would never be interested in smoking;" and those who are too busy putting out fires in the present to worry about the future. The first group fails to realize that kids often change their minds as they get older and fall into different friend groups. A child who hates tobacco with a passion may become a teen who tries it because his peer group likes it, and discovers he likes it too! The second group confuses the urgent with the important. While some risks like drinking and driving or a drug overdose can kill a teen today, tobacco deaths happen gradually over a long period of time. Both risks are equally important, but the urgent risks (think "squeaky wheel") often get the attention.

So, to answer the question presented, youth smoking does continue to be a real risk. I encourage parents to talk to their kids about not smoking, starting at a very young age and continuing the conversation as they grow. Of course, I also recommend addressing all the other risky behaviors in which kids may participate. The bottom line is to be an active parent and let your child know where you stand on these issues and what you expect from them.


Best of Luck,
Dr. Michael H. Popkin]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=452 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:33:02 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=452 March 1, 2010

For football fans, the indelible image of last month’s Super Bowl might have been quarterback Drew Brees’s fourth-quarter touchdown pass that put the New Orleans Saints ahead for good. But for audiologists around the nation, the highlight came after the game — when Mr. Brees, in a shower of confetti, held aloft his 1-year-old son, Baylen.

The boy was wearing what looked like the headphones worn by his father’s coaches on the sideline, but they were actually low-cost, low-tech earmuffs meant to protect his hearing from the stadium’s roar.

Specialists say such safeguards are critical for young ears in a deafening world. Hearing loss from exposure to loud noises is cumulative and irreversible; if such exposure starts in infancy, children can live “half their lives with hearing loss,” said Brian Fligor, director of diagnostic audiology at Children’s Hospital Boston.

“This message needs to be conveyed to parents over and over again,” Dr. Fligor said. “If a child attends only one loud sporting event, it isn’t a big deal. But for those kids who will be going to football games throughout their lives, as Drew Brees’s kids will, it’s a very big deal. A young, tender ear may not be able to withstand damage.”

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, more than 15 minutes of exposure to 100 decibels is unsafe. The noise in a football stadium can reach 100 to 130 decibels.

And noise that is potentially dangerous to an adult is even more dangerous to a child, said Levi A. Reiter, head of the audiology program at Hofstra University, who also has a private audiology practice in Brooklyn.

Because a young child’s ear canal is much smaller than an older child’s or an adult’s, Dr. Reiter said, the sound pressure entering the ear is greater. An infant might perceive a sound as 20 decibels louder than an older child or an adult. The shorter length of the ear canal increases dangerous noise levels in the higher frequencies, which are crucial to language development.

Awareness of the problem is spotty, audiologists say. Even if concertgoers know about damage from loud music, few children are wearing protective gear at sporting events, parades or fireworks displays, or around high-decibel motorcycles and snowmobiles.

It’s a hard message to convey. Hearing loss, which accumulates slowly over a lifetime, is neither painful nor disfiguring, so it goes unnoticed. Stephen Glasser, an audiologist in Great Neck, N.Y., says the stigma attached to hearing aids — often considered a sign of age or weakness — seems to carry over to hearing protection.

And while adults may be able to escape from uncomfortably loud noise, “when you are a toddler in your parents’ arms or a stroller, you can’t walk away,” said Nancy Nadler, assistant executive director of the Center for Hearing and Communication, formerly the League for the Hard of Hearing. Nor are they likely to articulate it if they are feeling aftereffects of loud noise exposure, which include sensations of fullness or muffling, or the ringing sounds known as tinnitus.

But protecting the hearing of very young children is not easy. Earplugs are too big for tiny ear canals and too easy to put into the mouth, where they pose a risk of choking. They are also hard to insert — even adults do not always insert their own earplugs correctly.

Enter protective headgear, like the earmuffs worn by Baylen Brees. Sold by a number of companies (Baylen’s came from Peltor), they include lightweight foam-filled ear cups, weigh less than half a pound and typically cost $20 to $30.

Most are not meant for infants, but Baby Banz sells earmuffs for babies 6 months and older. Though they are adjustable, they may still be too loose for younger babies, said Shari Murphy, the company’s North American operations manager, adding that earmuff sales rose 40 percent after the Super Bowl.

More than half of customers have special needs, like autism or sensory disorders, Ms. Murphy said. For other children, the purchasers are typically grandparents, who sometimes say that their grandchildren cover their ears at fireworks or air shows, or that they themselves suffer from hearing loss.

The use of hearing protection “can make the experience enjoyable instead of having the baby crying and you don’t know why,” said Ms. Nadler, of the Center for Hearing and Communication.

Often, she added, limiting a child’s noise exposure is a matter of common sense. It might be best to leave the baby home with a sitter.

“We need to look at noise as something that is dangerous,” Ms. Nadler said, “like sharp tools or a hot stove.”]]> March 1, 2010

For football fans, the indelible image of last month’s Super Bowl might have been quarterback Drew Brees’s fourth-quarter touchdown pass that put the New Orleans Saints ahead for good. But for audiologists around the nation, the highlight came after the game — when Mr. Brees, in a shower of confetti, held aloft his 1-year-old son, Baylen.

The boy was wearing what looked like the headphones worn by his father’s coaches on the sideline, but they were actually low-cost, low-tech earmuffs meant to protect his hearing from the stadium’s roar.

Specialists say such safeguards are critical for young ears in a deafening world. Hearing loss from exposure to loud noises is cumulative and irreversible; if such exposure starts in infancy, children can live “half their lives with hearing loss,” said Brian Fligor, director of diagnostic audiology at Children’s Hospital Boston.

“This message needs to be conveyed to parents over and over again,” Dr. Fligor said. “If a child attends only one loud sporting event, it isn’t a big deal. But for those kids who will be going to football games throughout their lives, as Drew Brees’s kids will, it’s a very big deal. A young, tender ear may not be able to withstand damage.”

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, more than 15 minutes of exposure to 100 decibels is unsafe. The noise in a football stadium can reach 100 to 130 decibels.

And noise that is potentially dangerous to an adult is even more dangerous to a child, said Levi A. Reiter, head of the audiology program at Hofstra University, who also has a private audiology practice in Brooklyn.

Because a young child’s ear canal is much smaller than an older child’s or an adult’s, Dr. Reiter said, the sound pressure entering the ear is greater. An infant might perceive a sound as 20 decibels louder than an older child or an adult. The shorter length of the ear canal increases dangerous noise levels in the higher frequencies, which are crucial to language development.

Awareness of the problem is spotty, audiologists say. Even if concertgoers know about damage from loud music, few children are wearing protective gear at sporting events, parades or fireworks displays, or around high-decibel motorcycles and snowmobiles.

It’s a hard message to convey. Hearing loss, which accumulates slowly over a lifetime, is neither painful nor disfiguring, so it goes unnoticed. Stephen Glasser, an audiologist in Great Neck, N.Y., says the stigma attached to hearing aids — often considered a sign of age or weakness — seems to carry over to hearing protection.

And while adults may be able to escape from uncomfortably loud noise, “when you are a toddler in your parents’ arms or a stroller, you can’t walk away,” said Nancy Nadler, assistant executive director of the Center for Hearing and Communication, formerly the League for the Hard of Hearing. Nor are they likely to articulate it if they are feeling aftereffects of loud noise exposure, which include sensations of fullness or muffling, or the ringing sounds known as tinnitus.

But protecting the hearing of very young children is not easy. Earplugs are too big for tiny ear canals and too easy to put into the mouth, where they pose a risk of choking. They are also hard to insert — even adults do not always insert their own earplugs correctly.

Enter protective headgear, like the earmuffs worn by Baylen Brees. Sold by a number of companies (Baylen’s came from Peltor), they include lightweight foam-filled ear cups, weigh less than half a pound and typically cost $20 to $30.

Most are not meant for infants, but Baby Banz sells earmuffs for babies 6 months and older. Though they are adjustable, they may still be too loose for younger babies, said Shari Murphy, the company’s North American operations manager, adding that earmuff sales rose 40 percent after the Super Bowl.

More than half of customers have special needs, like autism or sensory disorders, Ms. Murphy said. For other children, the purchasers are typically grandparents, who sometimes say that their grandchildren cover their ears at fireworks or air shows, or that they themselves suffer from hearing loss.

The use of hearing protection “can make the experience enjoyable instead of having the baby crying and you don’t know why,” said Ms. Nadler, of the Center for Hearing and Communication.

Often, she added, limiting a child’s noise exposure is a matter of common sense. It might be best to leave the baby home with a sitter.

“We need to look at noise as something that is dangerous,” Ms. Nadler said, “like sharp tools or a hot stove.”]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=451 Wed, 03 Mar 2010 07:29:17 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=451
Chips and sweets make up 27% of their average daily calories, research says, suggesting that such treats have become more integral to kids' routines.

When American kids reflect upon their childhoods decades from now, snacks may figure more prominently in their memories -- and around their waists -- than meals shared around a table.

From 1977 to 2006, American children have added 168 snack calories per day to their diets, a study finds. They're munching cookies after school, granola bars on the way to piano lessons, chips after an hour of soccer practice and peanut butter and crackers while waiting for dinner. For some, those extra 1,176 calories a week could amount to as much as 13 1/2 pounds of body fat a year.]]>
Chips and sweets make up 27% of their average daily calories, research says, suggesting that such treats have become more integral to kids' routines.

When American kids reflect upon their childhoods decades from now, snacks may figure more prominently in their memories -- and around their waists -- than meals shared around a table.

From 1977 to 2006, American children have added 168 snack calories per day to their diets, a study finds. They're munching cookies after school, granola bars on the way to piano lessons, chips after an hour of soccer practice and peanut butter and crackers while waiting for dinner. For some, those extra 1,176 calories a week could amount to as much as 13 1/2 pounds of body fat a year.]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=450 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:06:17 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=450

As a parent you’re always worrying about whether your kids are going to grow up with a kind heart, among other things. Teaching your kids empathy isn’t something you can accomplish in just a few steps–it takes years, but it’s definitely doable.

I know that Valentine’s Day was just over a week ago, but according to Michele Borba, parenting author and educational psychologist, Valentine’s Day could be a 365-day affair…not in terms of the candies and cards, but the spirit of the holiday.

Borba gives 5 “simple secrets” that will help your child grow up to be kind-hearted, caring individuals…

Help your child recognize different emotional states by pointing out other kids’ countenances, postures and mannerisms.

You’ve heard the cliche “Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” Well, have your child put himself or herself in another person’s shoes to get them to feel the other side.

Have your child imagine someone else’s feelings to help them understand what other people are going through.

Teach by example, as in set an example for your child by being caring yourself.

Reason with your child about his or her uncaring behavior…sometimes all you may need is good moral discipline to get your child to understand and realize others’ feelings.]]>

As a parent you’re always worrying about whether your kids are going to grow up with a kind heart, among other things. Teaching your kids empathy isn’t something you can accomplish in just a few steps–it takes years, but it’s definitely doable.

I know that Valentine’s Day was just over a week ago, but according to Michele Borba, parenting author and educational psychologist, Valentine’s Day could be a 365-day affair…not in terms of the candies and cards, but the spirit of the holiday.

Borba gives 5 “simple secrets” that will help your child grow up to be kind-hearted, caring individuals…

Help your child recognize different emotional states by pointing out other kids’ countenances, postures and mannerisms.

You’ve heard the cliche “Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” Well, have your child put himself or herself in another person’s shoes to get them to feel the other side.

Have your child imagine someone else’s feelings to help them understand what other people are going through.

Teach by example, as in set an example for your child by being caring yourself.

Reason with your child about his or her uncaring behavior…sometimes all you may need is good moral discipline to get your child to understand and realize others’ feelings.]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=449 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:54:24 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=449
Being a teenager isn't as risky as it used to be, but too many teens still put their lives and their health at risk, a CDC survey shows.

Every two years, the CDC conducts its huge Youth Risk Behavior Survey. It contains detailed data from more than 14,000 questionnaires anonymously completed by teens in grades 9 through 12.

The majority of today's high school students aren't drinking and smoking as much, or participating in other risky health behaviors, and that's good news. But one group in particular is lagging behind.
Find out who they are and what can be done to get all students on the right track.

Overall, the 2007 results suggest that teens are acting more responsibly. Fewer are sexually active, nearly all wear seat belts, drinking and drug use are down, 80% of kids don't smoke, and there are fewer suicide attempts.

This is good news to Howell Wechsler, EdD, MPH, director of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health. In some cases, the new numbers begin to approach the CDC's Healthy People 2010 objectives.

"What we are seeing is from the early to mid-1990s to now, on a large number of health risk behaviors, we are seeing very, very encouraging progress," Wechsler tells WebMD.

Even so, the new numbers are enough to take a parent's breath away:

7% of teens say they've attempted suicide (down from nearly 9% in 2001).
35% of teens say they're sexually active (down from 37.5% in 2001).
18% of teens say they carry a gun, knife, or club (no significant change from 2001).
20% of teens say they smoke cigarettes (down from 36.4% in 1997).
Nearly 45% of teens say they use alcohol (down from 50% in 1999).
About 20% of teens say they use marijuana (down from nearly 27% in 1999).
Only about 21% of kids eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables (down from 24% in 1999).
25% of teens play video games or use the computer for three or more hours a day (up from 21% in 2005).
More than 65% of kids don't get enough exercise, and 25% of teens say they don't even get an hour of exercise on any day of the week.

"We are gratified that there is progress being made," Wechsler says. "But my take on it is this: I have a bunch of kids myself and I am not going to be satisfied until we meet our goals -- and in most areas we are still not meeting our Healthy People 2010 objectives. So I see no cause to be overly satisfied."

Even Good Teens Take Risks -- What Parents Must Do
If none of this sounds like your teenager, listen to Nancy Cahir, PhD, a child/adolescent/adult psychologist in private practice in Atlanta.

"What I have seen in my practice is even parents who think it couldn't happen to their child -- well, it can," Cahir tells WebMD. "Even with the 'perfect child,' there may be hidden issues; even in good families, bad things can happen. There is no discrimination when it comes to high-risk behavior for teens."

Parents have a responsibility to involve themselves in their children's lives, Cahir says. They cannot assume their teen is doing fine because they haven't had calls from the school or because their teen's grades are good.

"Parents, I say stay close to your children. Know your kids the way you know your best friend, and keep in touch with them," she says. "Spend time with them, know their friends, and know the parents of the children your children hang out with. Say to them every day, 'Did you have a difficult day? What's going on with you? How are you doing?'"

It's probably not news that teens can be moody, even surly at times. Your teen may respond to your inquiries with something like, "My life is none of your business." Not so, says Cahir.

"Every parent has the right to say, 'It is too my business,'" she says. "Parents sometimes shy away from being more involved because they don't want to seem intrusive. But it is their business to know whom their child hangs out with, to know whether the child is in distress, and to help their children through these difficult times. Sometimes kids don't like hearing that, and may respond in defiant ways, but parents must toe the line and say, 'We have a right to know.'"

But Wechsler agrees with Cahir that communication is not only what your children need, but what they truly want.

"As a parent of two teens myself, you tend to believe them when they walk out of the room and don't express any interest in hearing from you," Wechsler says. "But kids really do want that communication with parents. They really do want to hear their parents' values. They really need their parents to monitor their whereabouts and stay in touch and stay a very strong part of their lives."

Cahir says the key to communicating with teens is developing mutual respect.

"Each member of a family should treat the others members like a best friend or at least as a guest in the house," she says. "If you are angry with your teen, or your teen is angry with you, you have to talk it out in a way that is not hostile or aggressive. I've seen some families go after each other tooth and nail and they end up really harming each other."

If communication breaks down, it may be time for the family to sit down with a professional to learn how to express disagreements in a constructive way.

The full CDC report, "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance -- United States, 2007," is available on the CDC's web site at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm.]]>
Being a teenager isn't as risky as it used to be, but too many teens still put their lives and their health at risk, a CDC survey shows.

Every two years, the CDC conducts its huge Youth Risk Behavior Survey. It contains detailed data from more than 14,000 questionnaires anonymously completed by teens in grades 9 through 12.

The majority of today's high school students aren't drinking and smoking as much, or participating in other risky health behaviors, and that's good news. But one group in particular is lagging behind.
Find out who they are and what can be done to get all students on the right track.

Overall, the 2007 results suggest that teens are acting more responsibly. Fewer are sexually active, nearly all wear seat belts, drinking and drug use are down, 80% of kids don't smoke, and there are fewer suicide attempts.

This is good news to Howell Wechsler, EdD, MPH, director of the CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health. In some cases, the new numbers begin to approach the CDC's Healthy People 2010 objectives.

"What we are seeing is from the early to mid-1990s to now, on a large number of health risk behaviors, we are seeing very, very encouraging progress," Wechsler tells WebMD.

Even so, the new numbers are enough to take a parent's breath away:

7% of teens say they've attempted suicide (down from nearly 9% in 2001).
35% of teens say they're sexually active (down from 37.5% in 2001).
18% of teens say they carry a gun, knife, or club (no significant change from 2001).
20% of teens say they smoke cigarettes (down from 36.4% in 1997).
Nearly 45% of teens say they use alcohol (down from 50% in 1999).
About 20% of teens say they use marijuana (down from nearly 27% in 1999).
Only about 21% of kids eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables (down from 24% in 1999).
25% of teens play video games or use the computer for three or more hours a day (up from 21% in 2005).
More than 65% of kids don't get enough exercise, and 25% of teens say they don't even get an hour of exercise on any day of the week.

"We are gratified that there is progress being made," Wechsler says. "But my take on it is this: I have a bunch of kids myself and I am not going to be satisfied until we meet our goals -- and in most areas we are still not meeting our Healthy People 2010 objectives. So I see no cause to be overly satisfied."

Even Good Teens Take Risks -- What Parents Must Do
If none of this sounds like your teenager, listen to Nancy Cahir, PhD, a child/adolescent/adult psychologist in private practice in Atlanta.

"What I have seen in my practice is even parents who think it couldn't happen to their child -- well, it can," Cahir tells WebMD. "Even with the 'perfect child,' there may be hidden issues; even in good families, bad things can happen. There is no discrimination when it comes to high-risk behavior for teens."

Parents have a responsibility to involve themselves in their children's lives, Cahir says. They cannot assume their teen is doing fine because they haven't had calls from the school or because their teen's grades are good.

"Parents, I say stay close to your children. Know your kids the way you know your best friend, and keep in touch with them," she says. "Spend time with them, know their friends, and know the parents of the children your children hang out with. Say to them every day, 'Did you have a difficult day? What's going on with you? How are you doing?'"

It's probably not news that teens can be moody, even surly at times. Your teen may respond to your inquiries with something like, "My life is none of your business." Not so, says Cahir.

"Every parent has the right to say, 'It is too my business,'" she says. "Parents sometimes shy away from being more involved because they don't want to seem intrusive. But it is their business to know whom their child hangs out with, to know whether the child is in distress, and to help their children through these difficult times. Sometimes kids don't like hearing that, and may respond in defiant ways, but parents must toe the line and say, 'We have a right to know.'"

But Wechsler agrees with Cahir that communication is not only what your children need, but what they truly want.

"As a parent of two teens myself, you tend to believe them when they walk out of the room and don't express any interest in hearing from you," Wechsler says. "But kids really do want that communication with parents. They really do want to hear their parents' values. They really need their parents to monitor their whereabouts and stay in touch and stay a very strong part of their lives."

Cahir says the key to communicating with teens is developing mutual respect.

"Each member of a family should treat the others members like a best friend or at least as a guest in the house," she says. "If you are angry with your teen, or your teen is angry with you, you have to talk it out in a way that is not hostile or aggressive. I've seen some families go after each other tooth and nail and they end up really harming each other."

If communication breaks down, it may be time for the family to sit down with a professional to learn how to express disagreements in a constructive way.

The full CDC report, "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance -- United States, 2007," is available on the CDC's web site at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/yrbs/index.htm.]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=448 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:45:08 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=448
Below are four scenarios that touch on teen drug abuse. They’re just like the ones that countless teenagers face every day. Teens are often under pressure to use drugs or do something dangerous. Parents and teens, read over these scenarios together and act them out. Try to get into character. How might the conversation really go?

Acting out these roles should be fun. You might enjoy reversing the obvious roles – let the teenager play the friend while the parent plays the teen.

The point here isn’t only to prepare for these particular scenarios. It’s also to get parents and teens talking about an often hard-to-discuss subject: teen drug abuse. Together, you might come up with some interesting solutions – and maybe understand each other a little better.

Medicine Cabinet
A friend is at your house and wants you to steal some cough medicine from your medicine cabinet. “Your parents will never notice,” she says. Some things you might say:

“I can’t stand the taste of cough syrup. It’s disgusting.”
“My parents will notice. They told me that they keep an eye on all the drugs in the medicine cabinet.”
“Nope. Taking a lot of that will just make you throw up.”

Drunk Driver
You’re at a party, but the friend who was supposed to give you a ride home is drunk or drugged. She insists that she’s fine and tells you to get in. You know that getting in the car with her would put your life at risk – and hers -- but you don’t want to make a big scene. Some things you could say:

“Since I’m sober, just let me drive.”
“Let me see if someone else is here who hasn’t been drinking and could give us a ride.”
“You’re too drunk right now. Let’s walk for a while and talk – we can figure out how to get home later.”

Free Period
During a free period, a guy or girl you like suggests that you go off in the woods behind school to get high. You really like this person and don’t want to embarrass yourself. But you also don’t want to get high. Some things you can say:

“I really don’t like smoking pot – it just makes me really anxious.”
“I’ve got a test next period, and I need to keep my head clear.”\
“I’m exhausted – let’s go to the convenience store and get some coffee instead.”

Weekend Party
A kid at school is having a massive party this Saturday since his parents are out of town. You know that lots of people there will be drinking and getting high. A friend really wants you to go with him. You don’t. Some things you could say:

“Sorry, I’m doing this thing with my family this weekend, and there’s no way I can get out of it.”
“All these parties are the same – everyone gets so wasted. They’re just boring.”
“Okay, I’ll stop by, but let’s go to the movies afterward.”]]>
Below are four scenarios that touch on teen drug abuse. They’re just like the ones that countless teenagers face every day. Teens are often under pressure to use drugs or do something dangerous. Parents and teens, read over these scenarios together and act them out. Try to get into character. How might the conversation really go?

Acting out these roles should be fun. You might enjoy reversing the obvious roles – let the teenager play the friend while the parent plays the teen.

The point here isn’t only to prepare for these particular scenarios. It’s also to get parents and teens talking about an often hard-to-discuss subject: teen drug abuse. Together, you might come up with some interesting solutions – and maybe understand each other a little better.

Medicine Cabinet
A friend is at your house and wants you to steal some cough medicine from your medicine cabinet. “Your parents will never notice,” she says. Some things you might say:

“I can’t stand the taste of cough syrup. It’s disgusting.”
“My parents will notice. They told me that they keep an eye on all the drugs in the medicine cabinet.”
“Nope. Taking a lot of that will just make you throw up.”

Drunk Driver
You’re at a party, but the friend who was supposed to give you a ride home is drunk or drugged. She insists that she’s fine and tells you to get in. You know that getting in the car with her would put your life at risk – and hers -- but you don’t want to make a big scene. Some things you could say:

“Since I’m sober, just let me drive.”
“Let me see if someone else is here who hasn’t been drinking and could give us a ride.”
“You’re too drunk right now. Let’s walk for a while and talk – we can figure out how to get home later.”

Free Period
During a free period, a guy or girl you like suggests that you go off in the woods behind school to get high. You really like this person and don’t want to embarrass yourself. But you also don’t want to get high. Some things you can say:

“I really don’t like smoking pot – it just makes me really anxious.”
“I’ve got a test next period, and I need to keep my head clear.”\
“I’m exhausted – let’s go to the convenience store and get some coffee instead.”

Weekend Party
A kid at school is having a massive party this Saturday since his parents are out of town. You know that lots of people there will be drinking and getting high. A friend really wants you to go with him. You don’t. Some things you could say:

“Sorry, I’m doing this thing with my family this weekend, and there’s no way I can get out of it.”
“All these parties are the same – everyone gets so wasted. They’re just boring.”
“Okay, I’ll stop by, but let’s go to the movies afterward.”]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=447 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:43:04 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=447
By Elizabeth Heubeck, WebMD, February 2010

Remember when your teenager took her first steps as a toddler? You hovered behind her -- back bent, arms spread -- prepared to catch her should she fall. Much as you might like, you can't shadow your adolescent as you did back then, being there to break her fall when she missteps.

But, say experts, there are steps you can take to support your adolescent in the face of teen peer pressure. Follow them and you'll rest easier when your teen heads out of the house on a Friday night.

Teen Peer Pressure: What's Being Pushed?
So, just what high-risk behaviors might your adolescent feel pressured to engage in? Plenty, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which periodically conducts surveys on health-risk behaviors among youth. The latest survey results indicate that teen peer pressure is real. Many adolescents are engaging in behaviors that place their health at risk -- including cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and sexual activity. And in all likelihood, their peers are pushing them to try these behaviors.

Here are some of the survey's findings.

Smoking. By the time adolescents are just 13, one in five has tried smoking.

Alcohol use. Two-thirds of teens between the ages of 14 and 17 have tried alcohol. Of teen boys who have tried alcohol, 20% did so by the time they were 12. Episodic, or binge drinking, is also fairly common. Of the adolescents aged 12 to 17, one in four said they'd had five or more drinks consecutively within the past month. Almost a quarter of drinkers aged 16 to 21 admitted to driving after drinking.

Drug use. Slightly more than 25% of adolescents aged 14 to 17 have used illegal drugs. One-third of young adult marijuana users aged 18 to 21 started using the drug by the time they turned 14.

Sex. About one in every three kids aged 14 to 15 has had sexual intercourse. Of sexually active teens, almost 30% used no birth control during their last sexual encounter.

Well-documented risky behaviors aren't the only ones teens may feel pressure to try. Health professionals who work with adolescents report other equally troubling behaviors that may not be as common, but are, nonetheless, on the rise. And they point to teen peer pressure as a culprit.

Consider teens' ardent attempts to emulate unrealistic body ideals. "There's a lot of peer pressure to have your body look a very specific way," says Lauren Solotar, PhD, chief psychologist at May Institute in Massachusetts. While the desire to look "fit and thin" is more pronounced among girls, she notes that many boys as young as middle-school age are on the quest for "six-pack" abs. "It's scary, all the push and the pressure," Solotar says.

Intentional self-injury, in some instances provoked by teen peer pressure, is also on the rise. "It's a method of coping with difficult emotions," says Alec L. Miller, PsyD, chief of Child and Adolescent Psychology at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. "There seem to be some peers who are engaging in this behavior [slashing their arms], and persuading others to try it." For example, a survey conducted at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Massachusetts during the 2004-05 school year, based on the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey, revealed that 20% of high school students had intentionally hurt themselves within the past year.

Identifying Vulnerable Teens
When it comes to determining who will succumb easily to teen peer pressure, there's no single profile.

Some experts say those who are socially adrift are the most likely candidates. "Teens who are prone to social isolation, and have less of a cohesive sense of self, will do things to feel connected," Miller says.

But others say adolescents who seem like the least likely suspects are actually the most susceptible to teen peer pressure. "Popular kids tend to be the most vulnerable. They pay attention to what their peers value. And at 14 or 15, when their peers value experimenting with alcohol, they're going to be right there," says Joseph P. Allen, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia.

Why Teens Fall Prey to Peer Pressure
Kids' personal traits aside, many experts agree that simply being of middle-school age is one of the leading causes of peer pressure. "Developmentally, these kids really want to conform," Miller says.

Headstrong children who have known few parental limits in their lives are increasingly vulnerable to peer pressure during the middle-school years. "I see young kids who are strong and willful who have gotten away with a lot," says Michelle M. Forcier, MD, head of adolescent medicine at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. "Then parents suddenly panic because the risk-taking behavior is now about more serious things."

How society is set up also makes adolescents conducive to teen peer pressure, some experts say. "If you go back 40 or 50 years ago, adolescents were much more likely to be integrated with adults, to be more a part of adult society," Allen says. That has changed, he notes, and there's now a much stronger emphasis for teens to socialize with peers. "It's an independent youth culture, where values don't come from parents. There's no real connection to adult values," Allen concludes.

Making Your Child Resilient to Teen Peer Pressure
In spite of adolescents' vulnerability and the strong influence of peers, parents can exert a positive influence on their adolescents' decision-making processes, offering them ways to combat the effects of peer pressure. Experts explain how.

Keep communication lines open
Talk to your kids -- and don't wait until they're teens. Healthcare professionals, counselors, and educators agree unanimously that open communication between parents and their children helps youth better manage teen peer pressure. "It's not too early to have an honest conversation about drugs, sex and other pressures when your child is in fifth grade," Miller says.

Dialogue that starts early pays off in the long run. "The kids who weather the decision-making process are those who can talk to their parents, no matter what the issue, and who know that even if their parents don't approve of it, they will listen and help them make a decision that makes sense to them," Forcier says.

Research supports this theory. Teens who report learning a lot about the risks of drugs from their parents are up to 50% less likely to use drugs than those who say they haven't learned a lot about drugs from their parents. That's according to results of an annual, nationwide survey of teens in grades 6 through 12, conducted by Partnership for a Drug-Free America and reported by Tom Hedrick, senior communications officer and founding member of the association.


Practice peer pressure scenarios
Teen peer pressure may come as a surprise to your child. Out of the blue, he may be offered a cigarette or a swig of alcohol, and he may have no idea how to respond. You can help prepare him for these scenarios. "Find a calm period, prior to or during early adolescence, and role play," Solotar suggests. "It's much easier to manage a situation if you've already thought it out."


Listen to your teen's perspective
Express your personal opinions, but don't let them shut down communication, advises Forcier. "You want to make clear to your adolescent what you believe in. But if you shut down on certain topics, your kid won't come to you as a trusted adult," Forcier says. She offers the example of the parent who adamantly refuses to discuss birth control with her 15-year-old daughter. "These kids are the ones we often end up seeing for pregnancy tests," Forcier says.


Keep inviting your kids into your life
"There is a natural break [between teens and their parents], and it should happen. But I tell parents to keep inviting kids to do things. Kids want their parents to maintain the relationship," Allen says. He warns that it may take some creativity and effort on the part of the parent. "You might have to find new ways to relate to your kid," he says. He suggests trying to find mutual, life-long interests to share with your adolescent, like playing tennis or cooking together.

Think beyond punitive responses
A parent's initial reaction to an adolescent who comes home inebriated may be to punish. But, ultimately, that's not a solution to the real problem. "A punitive response doesn't get at what you need to change the behavior," Forcier says. "If a teen is 14 and she's drinking, there's probably a good reason for it. If you address it, maybe she won't need the alcohol."]]>
By Elizabeth Heubeck, WebMD, February 2010

Remember when your teenager took her first steps as a toddler? You hovered behind her -- back bent, arms spread -- prepared to catch her should she fall. Much as you might like, you can't shadow your adolescent as you did back then, being there to break her fall when she missteps.

But, say experts, there are steps you can take to support your adolescent in the face of teen peer pressure. Follow them and you'll rest easier when your teen heads out of the house on a Friday night.

Teen Peer Pressure: What's Being Pushed?
So, just what high-risk behaviors might your adolescent feel pressured to engage in? Plenty, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which periodically conducts surveys on health-risk behaviors among youth. The latest survey results indicate that teen peer pressure is real. Many adolescents are engaging in behaviors that place their health at risk -- including cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, illegal drug use and sexual activity. And in all likelihood, their peers are pushing them to try these behaviors.

Here are some of the survey's findings.

Smoking. By the time adolescents are just 13, one in five has tried smoking.

Alcohol use. Two-thirds of teens between the ages of 14 and 17 have tried alcohol. Of teen boys who have tried alcohol, 20% did so by the time they were 12. Episodic, or binge drinking, is also fairly common. Of the adolescents aged 12 to 17, one in four said they'd had five or more drinks consecutively within the past month. Almost a quarter of drinkers aged 16 to 21 admitted to driving after drinking.

Drug use. Slightly more than 25% of adolescents aged 14 to 17 have used illegal drugs. One-third of young adult marijuana users aged 18 to 21 started using the drug by the time they turned 14.

Sex. About one in every three kids aged 14 to 15 has had sexual intercourse. Of sexually active teens, almost 30% used no birth control during their last sexual encounter.

Well-documented risky behaviors aren't the only ones teens may feel pressure to try. Health professionals who work with adolescents report other equally troubling behaviors that may not be as common, but are, nonetheless, on the rise. And they point to teen peer pressure as a culprit.

Consider teens' ardent attempts to emulate unrealistic body ideals. "There's a lot of peer pressure to have your body look a very specific way," says Lauren Solotar, PhD, chief psychologist at May Institute in Massachusetts. While the desire to look "fit and thin" is more pronounced among girls, she notes that many boys as young as middle-school age are on the quest for "six-pack" abs. "It's scary, all the push and the pressure," Solotar says.

Intentional self-injury, in some instances provoked by teen peer pressure, is also on the rise. "It's a method of coping with difficult emotions," says Alec L. Miller, PsyD, chief of Child and Adolescent Psychology at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. "There seem to be some peers who are engaging in this behavior [slashing their arms], and persuading others to try it." For example, a survey conducted at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School in Massachusetts during the 2004-05 school year, based on the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey, revealed that 20% of high school students had intentionally hurt themselves within the past year.

Identifying Vulnerable Teens
When it comes to determining who will succumb easily to teen peer pressure, there's no single profile.

Some experts say those who are socially adrift are the most likely candidates. "Teens who are prone to social isolation, and have less of a cohesive sense of self, will do things to feel connected," Miller says.

But others say adolescents who seem like the least likely suspects are actually the most susceptible to teen peer pressure. "Popular kids tend to be the most vulnerable. They pay attention to what their peers value. And at 14 or 15, when their peers value experimenting with alcohol, they're going to be right there," says Joseph P. Allen, PhD, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia.

Why Teens Fall Prey to Peer Pressure
Kids' personal traits aside, many experts agree that simply being of middle-school age is one of the leading causes of peer pressure. "Developmentally, these kids really want to conform," Miller says.

Headstrong children who have known few parental limits in their lives are increasingly vulnerable to peer pressure during the middle-school years. "I see young kids who are strong and willful who have gotten away with a lot," says Michelle M. Forcier, MD, head of adolescent medicine at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago. "Then parents suddenly panic because the risk-taking behavior is now about more serious things."

How society is set up also makes adolescents conducive to teen peer pressure, some experts say. "If you go back 40 or 50 years ago, adolescents were much more likely to be integrated with adults, to be more a part of adult society," Allen says. That has changed, he notes, and there's now a much stronger emphasis for teens to socialize with peers. "It's an independent youth culture, where values don't come from parents. There's no real connection to adult values," Allen concludes.

Making Your Child Resilient to Teen Peer Pressure
In spite of adolescents' vulnerability and the strong influence of peers, parents can exert a positive influence on their adolescents' decision-making processes, offering them ways to combat the effects of peer pressure. Experts explain how.

Keep communication lines open
Talk to your kids -- and don't wait until they're teens. Healthcare professionals, counselors, and educators agree unanimously that open communication between parents and their children helps youth better manage teen peer pressure. "It's not too early to have an honest conversation about drugs, sex and other pressures when your child is in fifth grade," Miller says.

Dialogue that starts early pays off in the long run. "The kids who weather the decision-making process are those who can talk to their parents, no matter what the issue, and who know that even if their parents don't approve of it, they will listen and help them make a decision that makes sense to them," Forcier says.

Research supports this theory. Teens who report learning a lot about the risks of drugs from their parents are up to 50% less likely to use drugs than those who say they haven't learned a lot about drugs from their parents. That's according to results of an annual, nationwide survey of teens in grades 6 through 12, conducted by Partnership for a Drug-Free America and reported by Tom Hedrick, senior communications officer and founding member of the association.


Practice peer pressure scenarios
Teen peer pressure may come as a surprise to your child. Out of the blue, he may be offered a cigarette or a swig of alcohol, and he may have no idea how to respond. You can help prepare him for these scenarios. "Find a calm period, prior to or during early adolescence, and role play," Solotar suggests. "It's much easier to manage a situation if you've already thought it out."


Listen to your teen's perspective
Express your personal opinions, but don't let them shut down communication, advises Forcier. "You want to make clear to your adolescent what you believe in. But if you shut down on certain topics, your kid won't come to you as a trusted adult," Forcier says. She offers the example of the parent who adamantly refuses to discuss birth control with her 15-year-old daughter. "These kids are the ones we often end up seeing for pregnancy tests," Forcier says.


Keep inviting your kids into your life
"There is a natural break [between teens and their parents], and it should happen. But I tell parents to keep inviting kids to do things. Kids want their parents to maintain the relationship," Allen says. He warns that it may take some creativity and effort on the part of the parent. "You might have to find new ways to relate to your kid," he says. He suggests trying to find mutual, life-long interests to share with your adolescent, like playing tennis or cooking together.

Think beyond punitive responses
A parent's initial reaction to an adolescent who comes home inebriated may be to punish. But, ultimately, that's not a solution to the real problem. "A punitive response doesn't get at what you need to change the behavior," Forcier says. "If a teen is 14 and she's drinking, there's probably a good reason for it. If you address it, maybe she won't need the alcohol."]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=446 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:57:27 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=446
When my daughter was in kindergarten, her school's principal issued an invitation to the adults assembled in the multipurpose room for back-to-school night.

"We need your help," she announced to the crowd of moms, dads, grandmas, and grandpas. Our first opportunity to get involved, she told us, was to join the School Site Council, the group of parents, staff, and community members charged with plotting the direction of the school.

Bright eyed and ready to make a difference, I marched up after the meeting and volunteered. The principal smiled, handed me the meeting schedule, and said, "Great. I'll see you next Monday at 3:30."

That was 12 years ago.

Since then, I've clocked hundreds of hours as a parent volunteer: Besides a five-year stint on the School Site Council, I've participated in technology committees, hiring committees, and school-reorganization committees. I served two terms as PTA president, managed cookie-dough and cheesecake sales, organized flea markets and family math nights, drove on field trips, volunteered in the classroom, and coordinated class parties and teacher-appreciation days.

And although I have lingering frustrations about involvement that at times seemed superficial (we spent less time talking about student achievement than we did planning parties and raising funds), I know the time was well spent. It benefited the school and, without question, it benefited my kids.

For me, there was never a question about getting involved in my children's schooling. My mom had volunteered as the school nurse and later the school librarian when I was young, so it seemed natural and right that I, too, would get involved. And although I've always been employed full time, I've had the good fortune over the years to work for employers who have allowed me the flexibility to adjust my hours or take time off to accommodate my volunteer activities at school.

But for many parents, getting involved at school -- or even fully supporting their child at home -- is anything but straightforward or easy. Many work in jobs that offer no flexibility for illness or other family crisis, let alone the "luxury" of volunteering at school. Others never finished high school, or had such a miserable K-12 experience that they feel ill prepared to support their own child.

Language differences are another huge impediment for many parents. The number of school-age children who speak a language other than English at home increased by 161 percent between 1979 and 2003, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Nationwide, these children account for roughly 19 percent of all K-12 students (though in the western United States, they represent nearly onethird of all school-age children).

Although many schools embrace the linguistic and cultural differences of students and their parents, in many others, the parents' inability to communicate in English is an incredible barrier to participation. Just like English speaking tourists flummoxed about the institutions of a far-off country, immigrant families often feel bewildered by the U.S. public school system. They don't care any less about their children or value education less than English speaking parents, but understanding how the system works, let alone finding a role for themselves in it, is not as straightforward as marching up to the principal and saying, "Sign me up."

Credit: Getty ImagesMarginalized Parents, Struggling Kids
Such was the case in 1998 at Susan B. Anthony Elementary School, in Sacramento, California, where a high percentage of Southeast Asian immigrant families in the school community spoke little English, lived in poverty, and were almost completely disconnected from the school.

Each morning, they walked their children to the schoolyard gate and then stood outside and watched until the students lined up and headed into class. Parents rarely attended school functions (which were conducted mostly in English), seldom met with teachers, and had little understanding of how to support their kids at home.

Students' attitudes reflected their parents' disconnect. Test scores were among the lowest in the school district, and attendance rates were dropping. In one year, there were 140 suspensions.

As often happens in struggling schools, a culture of blame developed. Parents felt disrespected and marginalized. Teachers said they were unsupported in their efforts to serve the high-need students. Far from being partners, teachers and parents were adversaries. The students, many of whom were failing, were caught in the middle.

"We had to do something differently," recalls Carol Sharp, who was principal at the time. "We had to connect to this community."

That's exactly what the staff at Susan B. Anthony and eight other area schools began doing in 1998. Working with a local community-organizing group, Sacramento Area Congregations Together, the district instituted a pilot program in which teachers visited the homes of their students twice a year. Working in teams of two (teachers often paired up with an interpreter or the school nurse), the school staff reached out to parents and began to forge relationships with the previously marginalized community.

For the first time, teachers shared coffee and sometimes even a meal with their students' families. They listened as parents talked about their hopes and dreams for their children and saw firsthand the daily challenges many of them faced.

Parents, for their part, began to better understand their role in supporting their children's education. They were introduced to strategies for working with them at home. And they received an invitation: Come to school. Help in the classroom. Be our partner.

Be Our Partner
Those few words opened the door to a home-school partnership that transformed the struggling school community. Within two months of the first round of home visits, 600 family members came to school for a potluck dinner and parent meeting -- a trend that continued at subsequent events.

Working together, parents and teachers addressed students' behavioral issues early on, enabling the school to reduce suspensions to five in the year following implementation of the Parent-Teacher Home Visit Project. Student achievement improved, and test scores began to climb. At Susan B. Anthony and at many of the other initial pilot schools, home visits quickly became part of the school culture.

Throughout the district, in fact, schools were transformed by home visits. The pilot program proved so successful that the state enacted legislation to provide $15 million in annual funding for schools throughout California to conduct them. Parents and educators from as far away as Boston and the South Bronx have traveled to Sacramento to learn about the model program.

As dramatic as they were, the outcomes at Susan B. Anthony Elementary School and its counterparts throughout Sacramento shouldn't have been a surprise. Parents have a profound effect not only on the life of an individual student but also on the entire school community.

The Evidence Is In
In "A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement," published in 2002 by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, Anne T. Henderson and Karen Mapp reviewed years of research on parent involvement, and their conclusions are unequivocal: When parents are involved in school, students of all backgrounds and income levels do better. When their parents are involved, kids are more likely to earn higher grades and score better on standardized tests; they attend school more regularly, have improved social skills, and are better behaved in school; and they are more likely to continue their education past high school.

The deeper the partnerships, the greater the opportunities for broad-based and lasting change. Henderson and Mapp also found that high-performing schools share a critical common trait: a high level of involvement with families and with the community.

These high-performing schools, say Henderson and Mapp, focus on building trusting, collaborative relationships among teachers, families, and community members. They recognize, respect, and address families' needs, as well as class and cultural differences. And they embrace a philosophy of partnership in which power and responsibility are shared.

It sounds good. It makes sense. But, unfortunately, partnering with parents isn't the reality in many schools throughout the country.

In their 2004 action brief on the parent-involvement provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, the Public Education Network and the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education cite several reasons for the low level of parental involvement in many schools, including a less-than-welcoming atmosphere, language and cultural barriers, insufficient training for teachers, and lack of parent education or parenting skills.

The most recent MetLife Survey of the American Teacher (the insurance company has conducted an annual teachers' survey since 1984) sheds additional light on this issue. According to the study, new teachers consider engaging and working with parents their greatest challenge (beating out obtaining supplies and maintaining order and discipline in the classroom) and the area they are least prepared to manage during their first year of teaching.

Less than half of the new teachers surveyed were satisfied with their relationship with parents, and a quarter said they were not prepared for the responsibility of engaging parents in supporting their children's education. Principals aren't much more positive about their interactions with parents; only half of those surveyed expressed satisfaction with those relationships.

Perhaps in recognition of the importance of partnering with parents -- and the difficulty some schools have making this a reality -- the federal government requires that schools receiving Title I money have a comprehensive parent-involvement policy. But just as you can't mandate that children be friends and play nicely or that employees always collaborate, you can't require that schools and parents work together -- even for the sake of kids.

Making It Work
Some school communities are working through the challenges, though, and finding new and valuable ways to reach out and partner with parents. Berea Middle School, in Greenville, South Carolina, for example, not only has developed a laptop initiative using Title I funds that provide low-income students with much-needed access to Web-enabled computers, it also reaches out to the school's parent population at the same time. In order to participate in the laptop program, parents are required to attend workshops that teach them how to use and take care of the new computers as well as how to use the laptop to support their children's learning.

"What they've done is transform the entire school into a learning community," explains Tom Carroll, president of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. At Berea, parents, kids, teachers, and administrators are all learning new skills in support of student achievement.

C.P. Squires Elementary School, in Las Vegas, Nevada, is another success story. The school combined its resources with those of a neighboring middle school to create a comprehensive program for supporting students and their families. Children at both schools participate in a variety of academic and enrichment classes after school, and their parents, many of whom speak Spanish, attend English-language classes.

Through this whole-family program, both schools have been able to reach out to parents and provide them with an opportunity to further their own education -- a strategy that benefits parents, students, and, ultimately, the entire school community.

Throughout the country, parents and educators are partnering in reform efforts for schools and districts that go well beyond the typical parent-involvement program. In Oakland, California, for example, parents team with teachers, community members, and school administrators to form design teams that develop a common vision for newer, smaller schools. Working with district staff, design teams research best practices, visit schools throughout the country, and ultimately create plans for small schools that are both academically sound and relevant to the diverse community of learners they hope to serve.

In the Bronx, parent groups teamed up with the local teachers' union and the school district to tackle one of the most challenging issues facing struggling urban schools: supporting and retaining teachers. Together, the three groups, once at odds over most education issues, developed a program that pays veteran teachers extra money each year to support and assist colleagues.

Parents, whose initial efforts led to the innovative program, are part of the school committees that hire the lead teachers. The program has been so effective in supporting and keeping teachers, in fact, that it is being expanded to schools citywide next fall.

The Oakland and Bronx programs are examples of what Joyce Epstein, director of the National Network of Partnership Schools, based at Johns Hopkins University, identifies as the fifth type of parent involvement: including parents in the decision-making processes at school. (See "Six Types of Parent Involvement," below, for the full list.) Although such partnerships are difficult and require all parties to move out of their comfort zones, they provide the greatest hope for deep and lasting changes in our schools.

As I've spent time in school communities throughout the country, I've seen firsthand the power of such partnerships to turn failing schools around and transform entire communities. I've seen immigrant parents become school leaders and frustrated teachers become positive, effective educators through such partnerships. And, perhaps most importantly, I've seen how children in even the most challenging of circumstances can thrive academically when the adults in their lives partner to improve schools.

True partnerships aren't easy. They require trust, respect, and willingness to compromise and, ultimately, to share power and responsibility. Although some might argue that's a lot to expect of parents and educators, given what's at stake -- our children and our schools -- is it right to expect any less?]]>
When my daughter was in kindergarten, her school's principal issued an invitation to the adults assembled in the multipurpose room for back-to-school night.

"We need your help," she announced to the crowd of moms, dads, grandmas, and grandpas. Our first opportunity to get involved, she told us, was to join the School Site Council, the group of parents, staff, and community members charged with plotting the direction of the school.

Bright eyed and ready to make a difference, I marched up after the meeting and volunteered. The principal smiled, handed me the meeting schedule, and said, "Great. I'll see you next Monday at 3:30."

That was 12 years ago.

Since then, I've clocked hundreds of hours as a parent volunteer: Besides a five-year stint on the School Site Council, I've participated in technology committees, hiring committees, and school-reorganization committees. I served two terms as PTA president, managed cookie-dough and cheesecake sales, organized flea markets and family math nights, drove on field trips, volunteered in the classroom, and coordinated class parties and teacher-appreciation days.

And although I have lingering frustrations about involvement that at times seemed superficial (we spent less time talking about student achievement than we did planning parties and raising funds), I know the time was well spent. It benefited the school and, without question, it benefited my kids.

For me, there was never a question about getting involved in my children's schooling. My mom had volunteered as the school nurse and later the school librarian when I was young, so it seemed natural and right that I, too, would get involved. And although I've always been employed full time, I've had the good fortune over the years to work for employers who have allowed me the flexibility to adjust my hours or take time off to accommodate my volunteer activities at school.

But for many parents, getting involved at school -- or even fully supporting their child at home -- is anything but straightforward or easy. Many work in jobs that offer no flexibility for illness or other family crisis, let alone the "luxury" of volunteering at school. Others never finished high school, or had such a miserable K-12 experience that they feel ill prepared to support their own child.

Language differences are another huge impediment for many parents. The number of school-age children who speak a language other than English at home increased by 161 percent between 1979 and 2003, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Nationwide, these children account for roughly 19 percent of all K-12 students (though in the western United States, they represent nearly onethird of all school-age children).

Although many schools embrace the linguistic and cultural differences of students and their parents, in many others, the parents' inability to communicate in English is an incredible barrier to participation. Just like English speaking tourists flummoxed about the institutions of a far-off country, immigrant families often feel bewildered by the U.S. public school system. They don't care any less about their children or value education less than English speaking parents, but understanding how the system works, let alone finding a role for themselves in it, is not as straightforward as marching up to the principal and saying, "Sign me up."

Credit: Getty ImagesMarginalized Parents, Struggling Kids
Such was the case in 1998 at Susan B. Anthony Elementary School, in Sacramento, California, where a high percentage of Southeast Asian immigrant families in the school community spoke little English, lived in poverty, and were almost completely disconnected from the school.

Each morning, they walked their children to the schoolyard gate and then stood outside and watched until the students lined up and headed into class. Parents rarely attended school functions (which were conducted mostly in English), seldom met with teachers, and had little understanding of how to support their kids at home.

Students' attitudes reflected their parents' disconnect. Test scores were among the lowest in the school district, and attendance rates were dropping. In one year, there were 140 suspensions.

As often happens in struggling schools, a culture of blame developed. Parents felt disrespected and marginalized. Teachers said they were unsupported in their efforts to serve the high-need students. Far from being partners, teachers and parents were adversaries. The students, many of whom were failing, were caught in the middle.

"We had to do something differently," recalls Carol Sharp, who was principal at the time. "We had to connect to this community."

That's exactly what the staff at Susan B. Anthony and eight other area schools began doing in 1998. Working with a local community-organizing group, Sacramento Area Congregations Together, the district instituted a pilot program in which teachers visited the homes of their students twice a year. Working in teams of two (teachers often paired up with an interpreter or the school nurse), the school staff reached out to parents and began to forge relationships with the previously marginalized community.

For the first time, teachers shared coffee and sometimes even a meal with their students' families. They listened as parents talked about their hopes and dreams for their children and saw firsthand the daily challenges many of them faced.

Parents, for their part, began to better understand their role in supporting their children's education. They were introduced to strategies for working with them at home. And they received an invitation: Come to school. Help in the classroom. Be our partner.

Be Our Partner
Those few words opened the door to a home-school partnership that transformed the struggling school community. Within two months of the first round of home visits, 600 family members came to school for a potluck dinner and parent meeting -- a trend that continued at subsequent events.

Working together, parents and teachers addressed students' behavioral issues early on, enabling the school to reduce suspensions to five in the year following implementation of the Parent-Teacher Home Visit Project. Student achievement improved, and test scores began to climb. At Susan B. Anthony and at many of the other initial pilot schools, home visits quickly became part of the school culture.

Throughout the district, in fact, schools were transformed by home visits. The pilot program proved so successful that the state enacted legislation to provide $15 million in annual funding for schools throughout California to conduct them. Parents and educators from as far away as Boston and the South Bronx have traveled to Sacramento to learn about the model program.

As dramatic as they were, the outcomes at Susan B. Anthony Elementary School and its counterparts throughout Sacramento shouldn't have been a surprise. Parents have a profound effect not only on the life of an individual student but also on the entire school community.

The Evidence Is In
In "A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement," published in 2002 by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, Anne T. Henderson and Karen Mapp reviewed years of research on parent involvement, and their conclusions are unequivocal: When parents are involved in school, students of all backgrounds and income levels do better. When their parents are involved, kids are more likely to earn higher grades and score better on standardized tests; they attend school more regularly, have improved social skills, and are better behaved in school; and they are more likely to continue their education past high school.

The deeper the partnerships, the greater the opportunities for broad-based and lasting change. Henderson and Mapp also found that high-performing schools share a critical common trait: a high level of involvement with families and with the community.

These high-performing schools, say Henderson and Mapp, focus on building trusting, collaborative relationships among teachers, families, and community members. They recognize, respect, and address families' needs, as well as class and cultural differences. And they embrace a philosophy of partnership in which power and responsibility are shared.

It sounds good. It makes sense. But, unfortunately, partnering with parents isn't the reality in many schools throughout the country.

In their 2004 action brief on the parent-involvement provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act, the Public Education Network and the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education cite several reasons for the low level of parental involvement in many schools, including a less-than-welcoming atmosphere, language and cultural barriers, insufficient training for teachers, and lack of parent education or parenting skills.

The most recent MetLife Survey of the American Teacher (the insurance company has conducted an annual teachers' survey since 1984) sheds additional light on this issue. According to the study, new teachers consider engaging and working with parents their greatest challenge (beating out obtaining supplies and maintaining order and discipline in the classroom) and the area they are least prepared to manage during their first year of teaching.

Less than half of the new teachers surveyed were satisfied with their relationship with parents, and a quarter said they were not prepared for the responsibility of engaging parents in supporting their children's education. Principals aren't much more positive about their interactions with parents; only half of those surveyed expressed satisfaction with those relationships.

Perhaps in recognition of the importance of partnering with parents -- and the difficulty some schools have making this a reality -- the federal government requires that schools receiving Title I money have a comprehensive parent-involvement policy. But just as you can't mandate that children be friends and play nicely or that employees always collaborate, you can't require that schools and parents work together -- even for the sake of kids.

Making It Work
Some school communities are working through the challenges, though, and finding new and valuable ways to reach out and partner with parents. Berea Middle School, in Greenville, South Carolina, for example, not only has developed a laptop initiative using Title I funds that provide low-income students with much-needed access to Web-enabled computers, it also reaches out to the school's parent population at the same time. In order to participate in the laptop program, parents are required to attend workshops that teach them how to use and take care of the new computers as well as how to use the laptop to support their children's learning.

"What they've done is transform the entire school into a learning community," explains Tom Carroll, president of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future. At Berea, parents, kids, teachers, and administrators are all learning new skills in support of student achievement.

C.P. Squires Elementary School, in Las Vegas, Nevada, is another success story. The school combined its resources with those of a neighboring middle school to create a comprehensive program for supporting students and their families. Children at both schools participate in a variety of academic and enrichment classes after school, and their parents, many of whom speak Spanish, attend English-language classes.

Through this whole-family program, both schools have been able to reach out to parents and provide them with an opportunity to further their own education -- a strategy that benefits parents, students, and, ultimately, the entire school community.

Throughout the country, parents and educators are partnering in reform efforts for schools and districts that go well beyond the typical parent-involvement program. In Oakland, California, for example, parents team with teachers, community members, and school administrators to form design teams that develop a common vision for newer, smaller schools. Working with district staff, design teams research best practices, visit schools throughout the country, and ultimately create plans for small schools that are both academically sound and relevant to the diverse community of learners they hope to serve.

In the Bronx, parent groups teamed up with the local teachers' union and the school district to tackle one of the most challenging issues facing struggling urban schools: supporting and retaining teachers. Together, the three groups, once at odds over most education issues, developed a program that pays veteran teachers extra money each year to support and assist colleagues.

Parents, whose initial efforts led to the innovative program, are part of the school committees that hire the lead teachers. The program has been so effective in supporting and keeping teachers, in fact, that it is being expanded to schools citywide next fall.

The Oakland and Bronx programs are examples of what Joyce Epstein, director of the National Network of Partnership Schools, based at Johns Hopkins University, identifies as the fifth type of parent involvement: including parents in the decision-making processes at school. (See "Six Types of Parent Involvement," below, for the full list.) Although such partnerships are difficult and require all parties to move out of their comfort zones, they provide the greatest hope for deep and lasting changes in our schools.

As I've spent time in school communities throughout the country, I've seen firsthand the power of such partnerships to turn failing schools around and transform entire communities. I've seen immigrant parents become school leaders and frustrated teachers become positive, effective educators through such partnerships. And, perhaps most importantly, I've seen how children in even the most challenging of circumstances can thrive academically when the adults in their lives partner to improve schools.

True partnerships aren't easy. They require trust, respect, and willingness to compromise and, ultimately, to share power and responsibility. Although some might argue that's a lot to expect of parents and educators, given what's at stake -- our children and our schools -- is it right to expect any less?]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=445 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:42:23 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=445
Test scores dropped more than one point for each extra minute it took middle and high school students to complete a one mile run/walk fitness test, according to Dr. William J. McCarthy and colleagues at the University of California in Los Angeles.

Schools and parents seeking to optimize their students' academic performance should take heed, McCarthy noted in an email to Reuters Health.

For optimal brain function "it's good to be both aerobically fit and to have a healthy body shape."

McCarthy and colleagues compared physical fitness and body weight measures with scores on California's standardized math, reading, and language tests among 749 fifth-graders, 761 seventh-graders, and 479 ninth-graders who attended schools in Southern California between 2002 and 2003.

About half of the students were girls, 60 percent were white, 26 percent were of Hispanic ethnicity, and about 7 percent each were African American and Asian/Pacific Islander.

Almost 32 percent of the students were overweight and about 28 percent were obese, the researchers report in The Journal of Pediatrics. The researchers estimated students' aerobic fitness according to their one-mile run/walk time on a flat track. With a 15-minute maximum allowed time to complete the test, the boys averaged slightly less than 10 minutes, while the girls averaged a little less than 11 minutes.

McCarthy's team found that nearly two thirds of the students (65 percent) fell below the state fitness standard for their age and gender. Compared with these students, students who met or exceeded fitness standards had higher average test scores. Allowing for age, social and economic status, gender, ethnicity, and body size did not significantly alter this association.

Compared with students of desirable weight, overweight and obese students also scored significantly lower on tests, the researchers found.

These findings, McCarthy's team notes, confirm and extend those of previous investigations. They say further studies are needed to figure out why aerobic fitness may play a role in academic performance.

If future studies confirm a cause-and-effect link between lower fitness and reduced academic performance, "schools will have to reverse their recent disinvestment in physical education ostensibly for the purposes of boosting student achievement," they concluded.

(Reporting by Joene Hendry of Reuters Health, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)]]>
Test scores dropped more than one point for each extra minute it took middle and high school students to complete a one mile run/walk fitness test, according to Dr. William J. McCarthy and colleagues at the University of California in Los Angeles.

Schools and parents seeking to optimize their students' academic performance should take heed, McCarthy noted in an email to Reuters Health.

For optimal brain function "it's good to be both aerobically fit and to have a healthy body shape."

McCarthy and colleagues compared physical fitness and body weight measures with scores on California's standardized math, reading, and language tests among 749 fifth-graders, 761 seventh-graders, and 479 ninth-graders who attended schools in Southern California between 2002 and 2003.

About half of the students were girls, 60 percent were white, 26 percent were of Hispanic ethnicity, and about 7 percent each were African American and Asian/Pacific Islander.

Almost 32 percent of the students were overweight and about 28 percent were obese, the researchers report in The Journal of Pediatrics. The researchers estimated students' aerobic fitness according to their one-mile run/walk time on a flat track. With a 15-minute maximum allowed time to complete the test, the boys averaged slightly less than 10 minutes, while the girls averaged a little less than 11 minutes.

McCarthy's team found that nearly two thirds of the students (65 percent) fell below the state fitness standard for their age and gender. Compared with these students, students who met or exceeded fitness standards had higher average test scores. Allowing for age, social and economic status, gender, ethnicity, and body size did not significantly alter this association.

Compared with students of desirable weight, overweight and obese students also scored significantly lower on tests, the researchers found.

These findings, McCarthy's team notes, confirm and extend those of previous investigations. They say further studies are needed to figure out why aerobic fitness may play a role in academic performance.

If future studies confirm a cause-and-effect link between lower fitness and reduced academic performance, "schools will have to reverse their recent disinvestment in physical education ostensibly for the purposes of boosting student achievement," they concluded.

(Reporting by Joene Hendry of Reuters Health, Editing by Belinda Goldsmith)]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=444 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:36:53 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=444
And those who smoke and use snuff may be especially nicotine-dependent, Dr. Ann Post of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and her colleagues found.

The researchers looked at more than 800 teen boys and girls who used tobacco, including 466 who only smoked cigarettes, 209 who only used snus (the traditional Swedish type of snuff), and 144 who used both. Eighty-seven percent of the entire group reported having symptoms of nicotine dependence. The average age of the study participants was around 18.

Post and her team looked at nine different symptoms of nicotine dependence, including using tobacco within a half-hour of waking up in the morning; using tobacco despite being sick; and trying to quit and failing. They also asked the study participants whether they'd experienced any of 12 different withdrawal symptoms when they stopped using tobacco, such as craving, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating.

All but two of the nicotine dependence symptoms were more frequent among exclusive snus users than among smokers, the researchers found, while every symptom was more common among the dual users than the exclusive smokers. For example, around 70 percent of the exclusive smokers said they felt addicted to tobacco, compared to nearly 80 percent of the snus-only users and about 90 percent of the dual users.

The risk of withdrawal symptoms for exclusive snus users and exclusive smokers was fairly similar, but the snus plus tobacco users were two to five times as likely to experience these symptoms as exclusive smokers.

Eighty percent of both snus users and dual users said they had used tobacco on the day of the survey, the researchers note, compared to 56 percent of the smokers, "probably indicating a more advanced stage of progression toward regular use."

They also found that the snus-only users reported fewer quit attempts than the smokers.

"The findings in this study," the researchers say, "support the conclusion that smokeless tobacco in adolescence has a potential to induce nicotine dependence which is at least as high as for cigarette smoking."

SOURCE: Addiction, online February 9, 2010.]]>
And those who smoke and use snuff may be especially nicotine-dependent, Dr. Ann Post of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and her colleagues found.

The researchers looked at more than 800 teen boys and girls who used tobacco, including 466 who only smoked cigarettes, 209 who only used snus (the traditional Swedish type of snuff), and 144 who used both. Eighty-seven percent of the entire group reported having symptoms of nicotine dependence. The average age of the study participants was around 18.

Post and her team looked at nine different symptoms of nicotine dependence, including using tobacco within a half-hour of waking up in the morning; using tobacco despite being sick; and trying to quit and failing. They also asked the study participants whether they'd experienced any of 12 different withdrawal symptoms when they stopped using tobacco, such as craving, restlessness, and difficulty concentrating.

All but two of the nicotine dependence symptoms were more frequent among exclusive snus users than among smokers, the researchers found, while every symptom was more common among the dual users than the exclusive smokers. For example, around 70 percent of the exclusive smokers said they felt addicted to tobacco, compared to nearly 80 percent of the snus-only users and about 90 percent of the dual users.

The risk of withdrawal symptoms for exclusive snus users and exclusive smokers was fairly similar, but the snus plus tobacco users were two to five times as likely to experience these symptoms as exclusive smokers.

Eighty percent of both snus users and dual users said they had used tobacco on the day of the survey, the researchers note, compared to 56 percent of the smokers, "probably indicating a more advanced stage of progression toward regular use."

They also found that the snus-only users reported fewer quit attempts than the smokers.

"The findings in this study," the researchers say, "support the conclusion that smokeless tobacco in adolescence has a potential to induce nicotine dependence which is at least as high as for cigarette smoking."

SOURCE: Addiction, online February 9, 2010.]]> http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=441 Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:29:51 -0500 http://forum.realparentsrealanswers.com/showthread.php?tid=441
WASHINGTON — Sit by the window in school? Lack of the right light each morning to reset the body's natural sleep clock might play a role in teenagers' out-of-whack sleep, a small but provocative school experiment suggests.

Specialists say too few teens get the recommended nine hours of shut-eye a night. They're often unable to fall asleep until late and struggle to awaken for early classes. Sleep patterns start changing in adolescence for numerous reasons, including hormonal changes and more school, work and social demands.

Researchers turned to a North Carolina school built for energy efficiency, with lots of skylights so classrooms could reduce use of electric lights yet still be brighter than usual indoors. That allowed testing of the effects when some eighth-graders at Smith Middle School in Chapel Hill suddenly lost exposure to a specific wavelength of light.

From waking until school ended, 11 students donned special orange goggles that block short-wavelength "blue light," but not other wavelengths necessary for proper vision. Blocking that light for five days upset the students' internal body clocks — delaying by half an hour their evening surge of a hormone called melatonin that helps induce sleep, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers reported Tuesday.

Teens who trudge to the bus stop before dawn or spend their days in mostly windowless schools probably suffer the same effect, as daylight is the best source of those short-wavelength rays, said lead researcher Mariana Figueiro of Rensselaer's Lighting Research Center in Troy, N.Y.

"If you have this morning light, that is a benefit to the teenagers," Figueiro said.

Figueiro's study was a first step to test in real-world conditions findings from sleep laboratories showing that light effects on the 24-hour body clock may play a role in teen sleep problems too.

The study, published in the journal Neuroendocrinology Letters, is small and didn't track student sleep, just an early sign of change, the evening melatonin surge that typically precedes sleep by about two hours.

But while preliminary, the study is well done and should spur additional research on everyday light exposure, said Dr. Judith Owens, an associate pediatrics professor at Brown University and sleep medicine specialist.

"There's a biologically based shift in the natural sleep onset and wake-up time. I think what this study shows is that you can impact that shift with light manipulation," Owens said. "The major take-home message is to get natural light exposure early in the day."

Morning light isn't the only factor, added Figueiro. Tuesday's report is part of a larger study involving a second school in New York to examine evening light exposure — computer and TV light plus regular indoor lighting. Too much evening light can add to the problem, she said.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Green Building Council.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.]]>
WASHINGTON — Sit by the window in school? Lack of the right light each morning to reset the body's natural sleep clock might play a role in teenagers' out-of-whack sleep, a small but provocative school experiment suggests.

Specialists say too few teens get the recommended nine hours of shut-eye a night. They're often unable to fall asleep until late and struggle to awaken for early classes. Sleep patterns start changing in adolescence for numerous reasons, including hormonal changes and more school, work and social demands.

Researchers turned to a North Carolina school built for energy efficiency, with lots of skylights so classrooms could reduce use of electric lights yet still be brighter than usual indoors. That allowed testing of the effects when some eighth-graders at Smith Middle School in Chapel Hill suddenly lost exposure to a specific wavelength of light.

From waking until school ended, 11 students donned special orange goggles that block short-wavelength "blue light," but not other wavelengths necessary for proper vision. Blocking that light for five days upset the students' internal body clocks — delaying by half an hour their evening surge of a hormone called melatonin that helps induce sleep, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute researchers reported Tuesday.

Teens who trudge to the bus stop before dawn or spend their days in mostly windowless schools probably suffer the same effect, as daylight is the best source of those short-wavelength rays, said lead researcher Mariana Figueiro of Rensselaer's Lighting Research Center in Troy, N.Y.

"If you have this morning light, that is a benefit to the teenagers," Figueiro said.

Figueiro's study was a first step to test in real-world conditions findings from sleep laboratories showing that light effects on the 24-hour body clock may play a role in teen sleep problems too.

The study, published in the journal Neuroendocrinology Letters, is small and didn't track student sleep, just an early sign of change, the evening melatonin surge that typically precedes sleep by about two hours.

But while preliminary, the study is well done and should spur additional research on everyday light exposure, said Dr. Judith Owens, an associate pediatrics professor at Brown University and sleep medicine specialist.

"There's a biologically based shift in the natural sleep onset and wake-up time. I think what this study shows is that you can impact that shift with light manipulation," Owens said. "The major take-home message is to get natural light exposure early in the day."

Morning light isn't the only factor, added Figueiro. Tuesday's report is part of a larger study involving a second school in New York to examine evening light exposure — computer and TV light plus regular indoor lighting. Too much evening light can add to the problem, she said.

The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and U.S. Green Building Council.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.]]>