Middle School Drinking

Source: Connect with Kids

“We’ve approached parenting as a life-long process and this is just part of it. We’re just starting him, training him, helping him get set for the rest of his life - to make his own decisions.”

– Jon Schlanger, Jake’s father

“I’ve heard in other schools that people have been sneaking drugs into their lockers,” Jake says. He’s only ten years old, and he already knows kids who use drugs.

Experts say that today, children younger than ever are exposed to themes once reserved for adults: sex, violence, profanity - as well as drugs and alcohol.

“I think they’re pushed,” explains educator Kay Scott. “You know, pushed by music, pushed by movies, and pushed in some ways by the media.”

Experts add that parents aren’t teaching their elementary school-age kids about the dangers of alcohol.

As Dr. Michael Fishman, an addiction medicine specialist, explains, “Many of the parents are not getting involved as much with kids around education, around negative experiences they’ve had with drugs and alcohol.”

And that’s why Jake’s parents began that conversation two years ago. His father is a recovering alcoholic.

“That was a part of our life and it is a part of our life, so it was appropriate for this family to have that conversation at the time,” says Jon Schlanger, Jake’s dad.

One specific worry for them is that Jake inherited his dad’s genes.

“If one of the parents has the disease of alcoholism, I think at a minimum it’s 25% more likely [that the child will inherit the disease],” explains Dr. Fishman.

Another concern is his age. “The younger they start drinking, the higher risk they’re going to have for alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence,” he continues.

Which is why, Dr. Fishman says every family needs to start the conversation early: “I think the young people are much more aware and ready than many parents may believe.”

Jake’s dad knows he was ready for it, too. “In one respect it forces me to be honest about it; in another aspect, and this was very important to me, is for him to see that when I had a problem that I would try to face it and work through it.”

Tips for Parents

Alcohol-related fatalities are a leading cause of death among young adults in the United States. In the United States, 70.8 percent of all deaths among persons aged 10 to 24 result from only four causes – motor-vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, homicide and suicide.

Should your family doctor take just a few moments to counsel your child about the risks of alcohol, there is great potential for positive outcome. Just a few minutes of a doctor's counseling helped young adults reduce their high-risk drinking and the number of traffic crashes, emergency room visits, and arrests for substance or liquor violations, says a study in the Annals of Family Medicine. Consider the following:

Underage drinking causes over $53 billion in criminal, social and health problems.
Alcohol is a leading factor in the three leading causes of death for 15 to 24-year-olds: automobile crashes, homicide and suicide.

Primary-care doctors should make it a priority to counsel young adults about high-risk drinking.

Young adults, ages 18 to 30, who received counseling about reducing their use of alcohol:

Experienced a 40 to 50 percent decrease in alcohol use.
Reported 42 percent fewer visits to the emergency room.
Were involved in 55 percent fewer motor vehicle crashes.
The ways a parent can influence his or her teen’s drinking habits is complex. A universal method regarding what works best in preventing underage drinking may not exist. A study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that a parent’s attitude toward drinking influences a child's behavior in various ways. Researchers found that teens who drank with their parents were less likely than others to have binged or used alcohol at all in recent weeks.

The study also found that strict parenting can curb kids' drinking. Teens who said they feared they would have their privileges taken away if they got caught drinking were half as likely to drink as those who thought their parents would not punish them. In addition, consider the following:

The average girl takes her first sip of alcohol at age 13. The average boy takes his first sip of alcohol at age 11.
Teenagers who said their parents or their friends' parents had provided alcohol for a party over the past year were twice as likely as their peers to have used alcohol or binged during the previous month.
Nearly 75 percent of teens surveyed said they had never used alcohol.
About 25 percent of teens in the study said they'd been at party in the past year where parents supplied alcohol.
Fourteen percent of teens surveyed said they were with their parents the last time they drank.

References
The Centers for Disease Control
Focus Adolescent Services
National Youth Violence Prevention Center
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Surgeon General

Sue Scheff: Too Much Homework!

Source: Connect with Kids


“Some nights we have really big assignments, and I’m up at least one-and-a-half hours past my bedtime. It’s just a lot of stress.”

– Sarah, 12 years old

Homework used to drive 12-year-old Sarah crazy.

“I was just getting really upset at night because I wanted to go to bed, but I knew I had to stay up, and I was frightened that I was going to forget something or not do something and they’d yell at you in class,” she says.

Finally, a group of parents at Sarah’s school said “enough!”

"The parents said, 'The students can’t handle it [the homework],'" explains Deborah Hannah, Sarah’s mother. “And so the school came in and they changed their policy and that lowered the amount of time the kids have for homework.”

The issue is balance. According to research from the University of Missouri, high school students who do their homework outperform those who don’t by 69% on standardized tests.

“[But] there are situations where there’s simply too much homework,” says Dr. Frank Pajares, an educational studies professor at Emory University.

So how much homework is too much? And how can a parent tell if his or her child is overwhelmed by the amount?

“That child is a tired child,” Dr. Pajares says. “That child is working longer than that child should, that child is lessening her activities; she’s giving up activities in order to do homework.”

These children become tired, frustrated and stressed, leaving them no time for friends or fun. They “begin to develop a lot of inner tension and inner pressure and a great deal of anxiety,” Dr. Pajares says.

Experts say that parents can help by talking to teachers while at the same time encouraging their children not to procrastinate. Another bit of advice: Watch your kids carefully for signs of homework overload.

Sarah describes it this way: “When your back starts hurting from bringing home all the books, and you hate going to school and you hate all your teachers, then I think it’s too much.”

Tips for Parents

According to a study conducted by a professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, homework lengths for today’s kids have steadily increased over the past two decades. In fact, children today are possibly seeing the largest amount of homework in U.S. history. The latest numbers from the U.S. Department of Education reveal that 70% of 13-year-olds spend at least an hour a day on homework, up from 40% in 1982. And now many parents are worried that this homework overload will cause their children to experience high levels of stress with which they are unequipped to cope.

Why do teachers assign homework in the first place? Homework helps students review and practice what they have learned, prepare for the next day’s class, use resources, such as libraries and reference materials, and investigate topics more fully than time allows in the classroom. Consider the following statistics about the link between homework and academic success, according to the National Parent Information Network:

Students in high school who receive homework outperform those who do not receive homework by 69%. Time spent on homework outside of school had greater effects than time spent studying at school. Achievement effects increased according to the amount of time spent on homework.
Students in junior high who receive homework outperform those who do not receive homework by 35%. Homework was more effective than in-school supervised study. Achievement effects increased as time spent on homework increased to two hours, but more than two hours spent on homework did not increase achievement.
Students in elementary school who receive homework perform no differently than those who do not. In-school supervised study had a greater impact on achievement than homework, and achievement did not increase if they spent more time on homework. This finding does not mean that elementary school students should not receive homework; rather, parents should not expect homework to affect achievement. At this level, homework is important because it promotes good study habits and positive attitudes toward school and because homework makes it clear to the student that learning can also take place outside of the school environment.
While homework is intended to improve academic achievement, studies show that too much homework becomes counterproductive after a certain amount of time. In order for homework to aid performance, the National PTA recommends that educators stick to the following guidelines for assigning homework:

For children in grades K-2, homework is more effective when it does not exceed 10 to 20 minutes each school day.
Older children, in grades 3-6, can handle 30 to 60 minutes a day.
In junior and senior high school, the amount of homework will vary by subject. Most older students will also have homework projects, such as research papers and oral reports, that may have deadlines weeks away. They may need help organizing assignments and planning work times to make sure homework is ready to turn in on time. In general, these students should receive no more than two hours of homework per night.
No matter how much homework your child is bringing home nightly, you can take several steps to help him or her use his or her time more efficiently. Through its No Child Left Behind Act, the U.S. Department of Education offers these homework tips for families:

Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do his or her homework. Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going.
Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a dictionary, are available. Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects, and get them in advance.
Help your child with time management. Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don’t let your child leave homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates.
Be positive about homework. Tell your child how important school is. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires.
When your child does homework, you do homework. Show your child that the skills they are learning are related to tasks you perform as an adult. If your child is reading, you should read, too. If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook.
When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers. Giving answers means your child will not learn the material. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for him or her.
When the teacher asks that you play a role in homework, do it. Cooperate with the teacher. It shows your child that the school and home are a team. Follow the directions given by the teacher.
If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, stay away. Too much parent involvement can prevent homework from having some positive effects. Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills.
Stay informed. Talk with your child’s teacher. Make sure you know the purpose of homework and what your child’s class rules are.
Help your child distinguish between hard homework and easy homework. Have your child do the hard work first. This will mean he or she will be most alert when facing the biggest challenges. Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue occurs.
Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration. Let your child take a short break if he or she is having trouble keeping his or her mind on an assignment.
Reward progress in homework. If your child has been successful in homework completion and is working hard, celebrate that success with a special event (e.g., pizza, a walk or a trip to the park) to reinforce the positive effort.
Often, your child may become overwhelmed by the abundance of homework he or she is assigned. Therefore, it is important for you to be able to spot the common signs indicating that your child is overstressed about his or her schoolwork, cited by the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC):

Loses perspective and sense of humor, and is no longer excited or happy about school, activities, achievements or friends
Resents parents, teachers or new assignments
Is bored, tired and listless
Suffers from sleeplessness, or has difficulty waking up
Overreacts to everyday events, and often feels “trapped” or out of control
Develops nervous habits like stuttering, blinking or head shaking
Complains of ailments, headaches, stomachaches or is frequently ill
Needs constant support and reassurance
Acts out aggressively and seeks attention
Is just plain exhausted physically, emotionally and mentally
If you notice any of these signs, you can begin to help your child cope with his or her homework stress by teaching him or her the following strategies from ERIC:

Take a break. When stress levels begin to peak, schedule time outs for fun during which your child can put away the books, go for a walk or a run, listen to mindless music or shoot hoops.
Work for personal satisfaction.
Confront the source of stress. Suggest skills that make tasks easier. Help your child organize and prioritize his or her workload. Encourage your child to seek creative solutions to his or her homework problems.
Exercise and eat well. Physical activity burns off muscle tension built up from burying stress. Eating good meals with enjoyable friends and family should be a daily treat.
If you think your child is receiving too much homework and your efforts to help have not produced successful results, it may be time for you to contact your child’s school. The U.S. Department of Education provides the following guidelines for discussing homework concerns with the teacher:

Talk with teachers early in the school year. Get acquainted before problems arise, and let teachers know that you want to be kept informed. Most elementary schools and many secondary schools invite parents to come to parent-teacher conferences or open houses. If your child’s school doesn’t provide such opportunities, call the teacher to set up a meeting.
Contact the teacher as soon as you suspect your child has a homework problem (as well as when you think he or she is having any major problems with his or her schoolwork). Schools have a responsibility to keep parents informed, and you have a right to be upset if you don’t find out until report-card time that your child is having difficulties. On the other hand, sometimes parents figure out that a problem exists before the teacher does. By alerting the teacher, you can work together to solve a problem in its early stages.
Request a meeting with the teacher to discuss homework problems. Tell the teacher briefly why you want to meet. You might say, “Rachel is having trouble with her math homework. I’m worried about why she can’t finish the problems and what we might do to help her.” Parents for whom English is a second language may need to make special arrangements, such as including another person who is bilingual.
Approach the teacher with a cooperative spirit. Believe that the teacher wants to help you and your child, even if you disagree about something. It is difficult to solve problems if teachers and parents view each other as enemies.
While meeting with the teacher, explain what you think the problem is. Also, tell the teacher if you don’t know what is going on. Sometimes a child’s version of what’s going on is not the same as the teacher’s version. For example, your child may tell you that the teacher never explains assignments so he or she can understand them. But the teacher may tell you that your child is not paying attention when assignments are given.
Make sure communication is clear. Listen to the teacher and don’t leave until you are sure you understand what is being said. Make sure, too, that the teacher understands what you have to say. If, after the meeting, you realize you don’t understand something, call the teacher to double-check.
Follow up to make sure that the approach you agreed to is working. If the teacher told you, for example, that your child needs to spend more time practicing long division, check back in a month to talk about your child’s progress.
References
Educational Resources Information Center
National Parent Information Network
National PTA
No Child Left Behind Act
University of Missouri-Columbia
U.S. Department of Education

Pitfalls of Popularity

Source: Connect with Kids

"Part of fitting in and part of being popular is that teenagers who are popular tend to engage in a lot of behaviors that are valued by their peers. Some are good and some are not so good.”

– Marla Shapiro, licensed psychologist

“We didn’t get in until like, really late, so as soon as we got there we went right out,” 18-year-old Candler Reed says, filling her mom in on the details of her weekend.

Candler goes to a lot of parties; she has a lot of friends. For Candler Reed, being popular has its perks. “Having things to do on the weekends, having a very wide circle of friends,” she says.

But it also has its pitfalls. “My social life was first freshman through junior year, that was my first priority, even over my school work.”

She was less likely to do homework, and according to a recent study by the University of Virginia, popular teens, like Candler, are three times more likely to experiment with risky behaviors than their unpopular counterparts.

“Teenagers who are popular tend to engage in a lot of behaviors that are valued by their peers. Some are good and some are not so good,” explains Marla Shapiro, licensed psychologist.

For Candler it was drinking, something her mom was not happy with, “It was disappointing to find out that she was not always where she said she was or doing what she said she was doing.”

Experts say, with popular teens especially, this can be surprising for parents. “We think that oh, our kids are popular, they’re well liked, they get along well with us, they’re doing well, we can relax, these are what you call good kids, and I think the message for parents would be- you can’t ever let your guard down,” explains Shapiro.

Setting a strict curfew, knowing her friends, keeping in constant touch are just a few of the things that worked well for Candler and her mom. “It’s definitely gotten better now, now that we’ve gotten more involved with her life,” explains her mom.

“It’s made me learn, I learned from my mistakes, the mistakes I have made probably trying to be cool and fit in,” says Candler.

Tips for Parents
Many people believe students who are popular set the trends and take the lead in regards to making decisions. However, popular students are just as susceptible to peer pressure as other students – and sometimes more so, because they don’t want to become unpopular or lose their status.

When students – popular or not – are pressured by others to do certain things or go certain places, it can be very stressful. Experts at the Do It Now Foundation suggest the following things to consider to ease the decision-making process:

Identify the problem
Describe possible solutions or alternatives
Evaluate the ideas
Act out a plan
Learn for the future (have reactions in place for certain scenarios)
Being a popular student can be a very enviable position, but for some students it can also be a burden. The possibility of bad influences or advice is increased as more and more people surround an individual. Therefore, it is important for parents of popular children to encourage them to be responsible and develop good decision-making skills, particularly when it comes to comes to deciding what things are more important than others. Experts at Omaha Boys Town Pediatrics suggest the following tips for parents who are concerned with the friends surrounding their children and the influences they have may have on them:

Spend time together – Recent studies indicate that children who feel close to their parents are less likely to be negatively influenced by others.
Use opportunities to teach your children – Some of the time you spend with your children should be used to discuss problems and concerns they might face. These discussions give you an opportunity to offer advice and reinforce your family's morals and values.
Listen carefully to what your children say – Talk with them instead of at them.
Monitor what your children are doing – Keep track of them, watch over them and have them check in and report where they are, who they're with, and what they're doing.
References
Do It Now Foundation
Omaha Boys Town Pediatrics
University of Virginia

Sue Scheff: Parent-Teen Sex Talk

Source: Connect with Kids

“I always get a little bit nervous because I always worry about what they might ask me about my own life.”

– Judy Crim, Mother

When 12-year-old Sean Crim has a question about sex he asks his mother. “I would probably rather get information about sex from my parents. They always tell me the truth and they’ve never really lied to me about anything,” he says.

But for his mom, talking about sex isn’t easy. “I always get a little bit nervous because I always worry about what they might ask me about my own life,” says Judy Crim.

It’s an issue for lots of parents. If your children ask about your life before marriage, how would you answer? Sean’s mom says it’s happened to her.

Judy says, “We talk about what was going on when I was a teenager, what teenagers were actively doing. And they’ll say mom did you do any of that?”

It’s an awkward question. Experts say if you are too uncomfortable…you don’t have to answer.

Leola Reis of Planned Parenthood says, “They are still the parent and some of that is not really appropriate. I don’t think you need to lie, I think you can withhold that information. ‘This conversation is not really about me and what I did. It’s what my hopes are for you. And let me tell you some of the things I’ve learned.’”

But if you decide to talk about your past, experts say don’t lie, and remember that you don’t have to say too much. Reis suggests sentences like ”I’m not really comfortable with some of the things I did as a young person.’”

Still, your past can be a lesson for kids about avoiding mistakes. Judy Crim says, “I can also offer them if I made a choice to do something, what regret did I have to live with? What guilt do I have to live with? And how did that affect my life?”

Tips for Parents

Recent studies have shown a decrease in the prevalence of many sexual behaviors among high school students throughout the United States, including sexual intercourse. Further, studies from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the percentage of sexually active students who used a condom at last intercourse continued to increase.

Even though the number of sexually active teens is in decline, the percentage of sexually active teens is still alarming. Consider the following statistics taken from a recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey:

Nationwide, 47.8% of students had ever had sexual intercourse (Table 61). Overall, the prevalence of having had sexual intercourse was higher among male (49.8%) than female (45.9%) students; higher among black male (72.6%) and Hispanic male (58.2%) than black female (60.9%) and Hispanic female (45.8%) students, respectively; and higher among 9th-grade male (38.1%) than 9th-grade female (27.4%) students.
7.1% of students had had sexual intercourse for the first time before age 13 years
14.9% of students had had sexual intercourse with four or more persons during their life
35.0% of students had had sexual intercourse with at least one person during the 3 months before the survey
Among the 35.0% of currently sexually active students nationwide, 61.5% reported that either they or their partner had used a condom during last sexual intercourse
Open communication and accurate information from parents increase the chance that teens will postpone sex. According to the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, in talking with your child or adolescent, it is helpful to:

Encourage your child to talk and ask questions.
Maintain a calm and non-critical atmosphere for discussions.
Use words that are understandable and comfortable.
Try to determine your child’s level of knowledge and understanding.
Keep your sense of humor and don’t be afraid to talk about your own discomfort.
Relate sex to love, intimacy, caring and respect for oneself and one’s partner.
Be open in sharing your values and concerns.
Discuss the importance of responsibility for choices and decisions.
Help your child to consider the pros and cons of choices.
By developing open, honest and ongoing communication about responsibility, sex and choice, parents can help their youngsters learn about sex in a healthy and positive manner.

References
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
American Social Health Association
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Teens and Acne

Source: Connect with Kids

“As far as image, it was a big problem. I was always very self-conscious about it.”

– Brian, 17 years old

“Pimples, zits, whiteheads, blackheads,” 20-year-old Lamont runs down a list of terms associated with a familiar teenage problem: Acne.

“I got it real bad a few years ago,” says Brian, now 17.

Jennifer, also 17, says, “I don’t like it. I’m sure people are looking at it.”

Often how teens see themselves on the outside affects how they feel on the inside.

“We do know that depression is more common in teens with acne,” says Dr. Tiffani Hamilton, a dermatologist.

According to Brian, having acne made him feel “embarrassed to go out and be in malls or whatever just ’cause I was very self-conscious about it.”

“I think some people find it very hard, and you worry a lot because appearance is very important these days,” 17-year old Annabel says.

Along with the teasing come myths and stereotypes that teens with acne must face.

“I think it has to do a great deal with hygiene or taking care of yourself,” Lamont says.

Seventeen-year-old Connie thinks acne may be caused by ”stress or the fact that they’ve just been eating too many junk foods.”

The truth is acne is genetic. And while most teens know to try over-the-counter medications, an estimated 40% of adolescents have acne severe enough to require medical treatment. Many dermatologists say newer prescription medications, like Accutane, work far better than treatments in the past.

Experts say understanding the truth about acne and discovering the right medicine can go a long way in helping your child physically and emotionally.

“[Acne] doesn’t have to be a normal part of your teenage experience. We have lots of treatments. There’s just no reason to feel uncomfortable with your appearance,” Dr. Hamilton says.

Tips for Parents

According to the American Counseling Association, the two major causes of anxiety among high school students are college and acne, which is the most commonly diagnosed skin disorder in the United States. In fact, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says that by their mid-teens, about 40% of adolescents have acne severe enough to require medical treatment by a doctor.

Acne – which includes pimples, whiteheads, blackheads, cysts and pustules – often affects young people at a time when they are undergoing maximum social and physical changes and can produce significant psychological as well as physical scarring. Therefore, if your teen has acne, the AAD says it is important not to brush it off as just a natural stage of life. Consider the negative impacts acne can have on your teen:

Social withdrawal
Decreased self-esteem
Reduced self-confidence
Poor body image
Embarrassment
Feelings of depression
Anger
Preoccupation
Frustration
Higher rate of unemployment


The AAD says the effects listed above are often interrelated, with one effect leading to another and another, only to make the first effect worse. These negative psychosocial effects can have a crippling impact, discouraging your teen from pursuing life’s opportunities.

What exactly causes acne? Experts at UC Davis Health System say that acne occurs at tiny pores associated with hair follicles located on the face, chest and back. Tiny sebaceous glands around these follicles are stimulated by hormonal changes during puberty to produce an oily sebum. In acne, the opening of the follicle gets blocked, preventing the sebum from escaping normally. The resulting blocked pore is commonly called a whitehead. Blackheads occur when whiteheads are exposed to the air. Sometimes bacteria invade the plugged pores, causing tender, red pimples. If they also become filled with pus and fluid, painful cysts result.

While acne is not contagious, several factors contribute to a person’s risk of developing the skin disorder. Children’s Hospital of Iowa cites the following risk factors for getting acne:

Acne can affect people of any age, but it occurs most commonly in teens.
Almost eight in every 10 teens get acne.

If a parent had acne as a teen, his or her child has a greater chance of getting acne.
Some girls get acne a few days before they get their period. It is caused by hormone changes in the body.

If you discover that your teen has acne, the AAD suggests teaching your teen these guidelines for basic treatment:

Do NOT pop, squeeze or pick at acne. This behavior can make acne worse by spreading inflammation. Black heads should be removed only by an experienced health professional. With appropriate treatment, acne should go away without squeezing.

Gently wash the face twice a day with a mild soap and pat dry. Vigorous washing and scrubbing can irritate your teen’s skin and make acne worse. It will not clear up acne on its own – the acne needs to be treated with appropriate acne products.

Use “non-comedogenic” cosmetics and toiletries.

Give the acne products enough time to do their job. Ask a dermatologist or pharmacist for more information about how long a particular product needs before the acne begins to clear up.
Some acne products can increase the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight and ultraviolet light from tanning booths. Use protective clothing and sunscreens, and avoid tanning booths in any case.

It is also important to remind your teen that the following items can make acne worse:

Oil-based makeup, suntan oil, hair gels and sprays
Stress
Menstruation in girls
Too much exposure to the sun
Airborne grease
Irritating clothing or sporting equipment


Consult a dermatologist (a physician who specializes in skin care) if your teen’s acne is severe, with cyst development or scarring, or if an acne problem does not improve after two to three months of treatment with over-the-counter preparations. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, a dermatologist may recommend antibiotics, which can be very effective for treating acne. They can be taken by mouth, or used on the skin in a lotion, cream or gel. Medications that promote skin shedding, such as those based on vitamin A, including Retin-A, may also be prescribed. One such medication, Accutane, is effective but, like with most medications, can result in side effects as well as cause serious birth defects if a woman uses it during pregnancy.

The best way not to get acne is to prevent it. Children’s Hospital of Iowa gives the following tips to help your teen keep acne at bay:

Gently wash your face twice a day with a mild soap and warm water.
Take off all of your makeup before you go to bed.
If you wear makeup, sunscreen or use lotion, use kinds that say “oil-free,” “non-comedogenic” or “nonacnegenic.” These kinds won’t clog your pores.
If you wear hairspray, cover your face with your hand while you spray. Hair gels and hairspray can irritate your face if they are put near the hairline.
Washing your hair helps keep oil away from your face.
If you work at a place where lots of grease exists, like at a fast-food restaurant or a gas station, wash your face as soon as you get home.
Wash your face after exercising.
Mild cleansers, such as Cetaphil, Purpose and Neutrogena, can be used to wash the face. Antibacterial pads can also be used to clean the face.
Exfoliating cleaners and scrubs can be used. The scrubs are like grainy creams that you spread on the skin. They remove the outer layer of the skin and open pores. Ask a doctor first. They may be too harsh for some skin.

References
American Academy of Dermatology
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Counseling Association
Children’s Hospital of Iowa
UC Davis Health System

Movie Smoking Makes Teens Smoke

Source: Connect with Kids

“That makes a lot of kids think about doing the same thing because these are their role models.”

– Arielle Jacobs, 13 years old

Will kids smoke just because they see an actor or actress in a movie light up? Sixteen-year-old Jay McManeon says, “no way.”

“For me, it doesn’t really matter if I saw someone smoking in the movie,” he says.

But other teens argue that smoking in movies does have an effect on teens.

“If they thought it was cool enough, like you if it was your idol, you might. If he smokes … you might want to do it,” 17-year-old Ryan Moses says.

A new report suggests he’s right.

After a review of more than 1,000 different studies, the National Cancer Institute finds that some kids start smoking because of what they see in the movies.

“Now what that is saying is even if you are doing a lot of things, like not smoking in your house and helping your kids stay away from other influences, the movies can overcome all of that influence,” says Dr. Terry Pechacek of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts say that’s why it’s important for parents to talk to kids about how movies may glamorize smoking and to explain that it’s not reality.

“Kids need resistance skills. They need to be able to interpret the media images,” Dr. Pechacek says.

The CDC produces three-minute video clips, hosted by teen actors, designed to do just that – show kids how actors use smoking in movies as a crutch.

“And there are even people who believe high rates of smoking in movies should be used as a criteria for parents saying, just like sex, just like violence … that I don’t think you should see this movie,” Dr. Pechacek says.

No matter what influences a child to start smoking, few would disagree that stopping is a whole lot harder.

Sixteen-year-old Jay McManeon could not agree more.

“I never think smoking’s an OK thing. It’s bad for your lungs. I just do it ‘cause I’m addicted,” he says.

Tips for Parents

A study published in The Lancet further illustrates how watching television or movies with actors who smoke negatively impacts youth behavior. Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School analyzed the viewing habits of 2,603 nonsmoking children aged 10 to 14, keeping track of how many incidents of smoking occurred in each movie they watched from a list of 50. After two years, they found that 10% of the children took up smoking or had at least tried it. Consider these additional findings from the study:

Of those children exposed to movies with the least amount of on-screen smoking, 22 began smoking.
Of those children exposed to movies with the highest occurrence of on-screen smoking, 107 became smokers.
Approximately 52% of the startup in smoking could be attributed to the movies.
Children of nonsmokers who watched movies with the highest number of smoking scenes were four times more likely to begin smoking than those who viewed movies featuring few smoking actors.
More than 6,000 children under the age of 18 try their first cigarette each day. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also reports that more than 3,000 become daily smokers every day. It’s estimated that 4.5 million adolescents in the United States are cigarette smokers. 90 percent of cigarette smokers start before they turn 21.

The statistics show that little progress has been made in the past decade in reducing teen smoking. The American Lung Association calls smoking a “tobacco-disease epidemic” and points to the high rates of cigarette use among high school seniors, particularly girls, as evidence of this lack of progress.

Health and medical experts agree that parents must discourage children from starting to smoke and becoming addicted. Parents should also talk to their children about the health risks of tobacco and set a good example for their children by not smoking themselves. School-based tobacco education programs have also been shown to be effective in reducing the onset of teen smoking.

According to research from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), the key to keeping kids from smoking and using drugs is dependent on the extent to which parents take a “hands-on” approach to raising their kids. The more they establish appropriate rules and standards of behavior and monitor their teens, the lower the teen’s risk of substance abuse.

A “hands-on” approach to preventing your teen from smoking, drinking or trying drugs, according to CASA, includes consistently taking 10 or more of these 12 actions:

Monitor what your teen watches on television.
Monitor what your teen does on the Internet.
Put restrictions on the music (CDs) your teen buys.
Know where your teen spends time after school and on weekends.
Expect to be told the truth by your teen about where he or she is going.
Be “very aware” of your teen’s academic performance.
Impose a curfew.
Make clear you would be “extremely upset” if your teen smoked.
Eat dinner with your teens six or seven times a week.
Turn off the television during dinner.
Assign your teen regular chores.
Have an adult present when your teen returns from school.
References
National Cancer Institute
American Lung Association
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University
The Lancet

Cheerleading Injuries

Source: Connect with Kids

“If you don’t take the steps that are necessary to get over an overuse injury, it’s just going to keep wearing you down.”

– Michael Umans, Physical Therapist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Years ago, high school cheerleaders did little more than wave pom-pons and shout for the team. But times have changed. Sophisticated routines and national competitions have raised the stakes – and the injury count.

Lindsey Bowers, 16, started cheering back in fifth grade.

“It was just little rec league cheerleading,” she says. “We didn’t do much but stand on the sidelines and yell. So it wasn’t hardcore anything.”

That changed as she got older.

“It got harder in ninth grade, definitely, when I cheered for the school,” she admits. “And then with competition cheerleading, it’s more competitive. So it was harder stunts and harder routines to do. And it was practicing a lot more.”

All the jumps, the flips and the lifts eventually took a toll on her body.

“My back just started hurting one day at practice,” she explains. “And then it started getting worse [from], I don’t know, I guess over-cheering. …[I] kept on doing competitions [and] my back would start hurting even more.”

According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, 65 percent of all serious sports injuries among girls are from cheerleading.

Michael Umans, a physical therapist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, says, “It goes back to the overuse issue. The fact that cheerleading is a year-round sport plays a role in the incidence of injury. Another reason that we’re seeing so many injuries is just the progression of skills.”

Even with physical therapy, Lindsey’s back pain never really went away, so she had to quit the team.

“If you don’t take the steps that are necessary to get over an overuse injury,” Umans explains, “it’s just going to keep wearing you down.”

He says parents should discuss potential stunts with coaches to make sure they’re not too dangerous – and they should monitor their kids at home.

“Pay attention to their body language,” he says. “I have adolescents, [who’ll] come in and say, ‘I feel fine,’ but they’re limping.”

Lindsey’s taken up competitive dancing now, which is much easier on her body. As for cheerleading, she says, “I do miss it sometimes, because when I see other cheerleading things, I wish that I could still do it, but I’d rather not be hurting than doing cheerleading.”

Umans is calling for the creation of a national database to track cheerleader injuries. He also says cheerleader coaches should be required to take certified safety courses.

Tips for Parents

Once considered just a “popularity contest,” cheerleading is now considered by many to be a legitimate high school sport. Pep rallies and Friday night football games are only part of the program for many squads as local and national cheerleading competitions take center stage. Cheerleading season never ends and squads spend more hours in practice than most football and basketball teams.

Participation in cheerleading is skyrocketing, with the numbers tripling to almost three million teens over the past eight years (ESPN). Movies, media focus and it’s a new competitive nature have all helped make cheerleading more popular … and more hazardous. Cheerleading is now considered one of the most dangerous school activities.

The main source of injuries results from the increased difficulty of stunts, also referred to as pyramids. Stunts are used at pep rallies and games, but are used more frequently at competitions. Most stunts involve one flier (person on top of pyramid) and two, three or four bases (people on bottom of pyramid). During competitions, up to 40 stunts may be performed by a single squad in three to five minutes. A large portion of a squad’s competition routine is focused on the use of gymnastic elements. Common cheerleading related injuries may include:

Ankle sprains
Back injuries
Head injuries (including concussions)
Broken arms
Knee injuries
Elbow injuries
If your teen decides to sign up for competitive cheerleading, there are some steps you should take to ensure their safety. The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh suggests:

Make sure your teen’s cheerleading coach is certified and properly trained for the job.
Read the American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors (AACCA) safety guidelines. The AACCA regularly updates its guidelines for high school age and younger, and college age level.
The National Federation of State High School Associations publishes the “Spirit Rule Book,” a technical and safety reference resource for cheerleading coaches.
Be sure your children practices and performs cheerleading only when supervised by their coach.
Be sure your youngster receives proper training for gymnastics and other stunts and techniques.
Make sure your child knows his or her ability level and does not attempt advanced stunts before mastering lower level skills.
Warm-up exercises and stretches are as important for cheerleaders as for other athletes.
If your child sustains an injury, get them the proper medical attention and follow-up.
The AACCA also offers the following guidelines for stunt safety:

All pyramids and partner stunts are limited to two persons high. "Two high" is defined as the base (bottom person) having at least one foot on the ground.
The top person in a partner stunt, pyramid or transition may not be in an inverted (head below the waist) position, with the exception of a double based forward suspended roll.
Suspended splits in a transition are allowed provided there are a total of four bases supporting the top person. At least three of the bases must support the legs of the top person, and the fourth base may support under the legs or make contact with the hands of the top person. The top person must have hand contact with the bases.
Partner stunts and pyramids higher than shoulder stand level must have a continuous spotter for each person over shoulder stand level.
When one person is bracing another (including overlapping of arms), one of the individuals must be at shoulder height or below. (Exception: Extensions may brace other extensions.)
If a person in a partner stunt or pyramid is used as a brace for an extended stunt, that brace must not be supporting a majority of the top person's weight. To demonstrate this, the foot of the top person's braced leg must be at or above the knee of their supporting leg.
Triple-base straddle lifts must have an additional spotter for the head and shoulders of the top person.
Hanging pyramids must have a continuous spotter for each shoulder stand involved in suspending another person.
All vaults are prohibited.
Basket tosses, toe pitch tosses, or similar tosses are limited to no more than four tossers and must be dismounted to a cradle position by two of the original bases, plus an additional spotter at the head and shoulder area. These tosses may not be directed so that the bases must move to catch the top person.
References
American Association of Cheerleading Coaches and Advisors
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Consumer Product Safety Commission

Pharm Drugs and Teens

Street drugs, such as pot, crack, heroin, etc…. is being replaced with pharmacy drugs kids are finding at home. Parents need to take the time to see what their medicine cabinets are holding and what prescription drugs they have at home such as pain pills from ordinary root canals - as well as medications for ADD/ADHD. Here is a great article with helpful tips for parents.

Source: Connect with Kids

“Just take whatever we had you know, not really thinking about how high I was going to get or you know, how messed up.”

– ‘James’, age 21, explaining how he and friends shared drugs during his teenage years.

“We all had different prescriptions,” says 18-year-old Laura.

“You know, percocets, valium, zanex, oxycontin,” says James, 21.

“I wanted to get as loaded as I could. Didn’t care what I was taking, how much of it,” adds Laura.

James and Laura met in rehab. Both are drug addicts who used to get high at parties. Parties where everyone brought some kind of prescription drug and passed them around, often combining them with pot or alcohol.

“When I first started using and mixing drugs, I felt like a superhero, like nothing, you know, I was invincible,” says Laura.

Some kids call them ‘pharm’ parties… for ‘pharmaceutical’.

Experts say the allure is… the unknown. “What kind of new experience can I get? And very often it’s kids who are just bored of smoking pot day in and day out… cause they’ve reached a saturation point,” says Addiction Counselor Robert Margolis, Ph.D.

But experts say taking someone else’s prescription is dangerous… especially when combined with other drugs.

“There are combinations out there that if you start to mix together will create reaction in your body that by the time you know what’s happening, it’s too late,” Dr. Margolis.

“What I did notice is that I would black out a lot of nights,” says James.

Laura survived her years of drug years… but her addiction led to mood swings and depression that made her suicidal.

“Once I started getting heavily addicted, I tried overdosing several times, so I wanted to die, I didn’t want to live anymore,” she says.

“The risks are immense and the kids don’t realize that,” says Dr. Margolis, “And they’re everything from having a tremendous hangover to fatal.”


Tips for Parents
As a parent, it is important to understand that teens may be involved with legal and illegal drugs in various ways. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) reports that many teens begin using drugs to satisfy their curiosity, to make themselves feel good, to reduce stress, to feel grown up or to “fit in.” While it is difficult to know which teens will experiment and stop and which will develop serious problems, the National Institute of Drug Abuse says the following types of teens are at greatest risk of becoming addicted:

Those who have a family history of substance abuse
Those who are depressed
Those who have low self-esteem
Those who feel like they don’t “fit in” or are out of the mainstream
Because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration puts its seal of approval on prescription drugs, many teens mistakenly believe that using these drugs – even if they are not prescribed to them – is safe. However, this practice can, in fact, lead to addiction and severe side effects. The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research cites the following most commonly abused prescription drugs:

Opioids – Also known as narcotic analgesics, opioids are used to treat pain. Examples of this type of drug include morphine, codeine, OxyContin (oxycodone), Vicodin (hydrocodone) and Demerol (meperidine). In the short term, these drugs block pain messages and cause drowsiness. A large, single dose can cause severe respiratory depression and death. Long-term use leads to physical dependence and, in some cases, addiction.
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants – These drugs are commonly used to treat anxiety, panic attacks and sleep disorders. Examples include Nembutal (pentobarbital sodium), Valium (diazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam). CNS depressants slow down normal brain function and can cause a sleepy, uncoordinated feeling in the beginning of treatment. Long-term use can lead to physical dependence and addiction.
Stimulants – These drugs are commonly used to treat the sleeping disorder narcolepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Examples include Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine). Stimulants, which can be addictive, enhance brain activity and increase alertness and energy. They elevate blood pressure, heart rate and respiration. Very high doses can lead to irregular heartbeat and high body temperature
How can you determine if your teen is abusing drugs? The AACAP suggests looking for the following warning signs and symptoms in your teen:

Physical – Fatigue, repeated health complaints, red and glazed eyes and a lasting cough
Emotional – Personality change, sudden mood changes, irritability, irresponsible behavior, low self-esteem, poor judgment, depression and a general lack of interest
Familial – Starting arguments, breaking rules or withdrawing from the family
School-related – Decreased interest, negative attitude, drop in grades, many absences, truancy and discipline problems
Social – having new friends who are less interested in standard home and school activities, problems with the law and changes to less conventional styles in dress and music
If you believe your teen has a problem with drug abuse, you can take several steps to get the help he or she needs. The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests contacting your health-care provider so that he or she can perform an adequate medical evaluation in order to match the right treatment or intervention program with your teen. You can also contact a support group in your community dedicated to helping families coping with addiction.

Substance abuse can be an overwhelming issue with which to deal, but it doesn’t have to be. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America offers the following strategies to put into practice so that your teen can reap the rewards of a healthy, drug-free life:

Be your teen’s greatest fan. Compliment him or her on all of his or her efforts, strength of character and individuality.
Encourage your teen to get involved in adult-supervised after-school activities. Ask him or her what types of activities he or she is interested in and contact the school principal or guidance counselor to find out what activities are available. Sometimes it takes a bit of experimenting to find out which activities your teen is best suited for, but it’s worth the effort – feeling competent makes children much less likely to use drugs.
Help your teen develop tools he can use to get out of drug-related situations. Let him or her know he or she can use you as an excuse: “My mom would kill me if I smoked marijuana!”
Get to know your teen’s friends and their parents. Set appointments for yourself to call them and check-in to make sure they share your views on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Steer your teen away from any friends who use drugs.
Call teens’ parents if their home is to be used for a party. Make sure that the party will be drug-free and supervised by adults.
Set curfews and enforce them. Let your teen know the consequences of breaking curfew.
Set a no-use rule for alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
Sit down for dinner with your teen at least once a week. Use the time to talk – don’t eat in front of the television.
Get – and stay – involved in your teen’s life.

References
Substance Abuse & Mental Human Services Administration
Drug Abuse Warning Network
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
National Institute on Drug Abuse
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
American Academy of Family Physicians
Partnership for a Drug-Free America