Source: Connect with Kids
“I certainly think parents are misled many time by their youngsters.”
– Betsy Gard, Ph.D., Psychologist
Young teens say it is easy to get into R-rated movies.
“Yea, [I] just snuck in,” admits 14-year-old Nik.
“Me and my friends, we always sneak into R-rated movies,” says 14-year-old Rebecca.
Usually no one tries to stop them, but if they do, kids know the secret.
“I got a ticket to a different movie and then I went into the other one five minutes after the movie starts,” said 13-year-old Chantelle Williams.
“There was a huge group of people, and I just got in the middle and we all huddled through,” explains 13-year-old Travis.
Experts worry, saying movies are uniquely engaging. For two hours, kids are held captive in the reality of that movie. That means the R-rated sex and violence have more power than television or video games to change how they think or even act.
“You are really engaged in that movie. You are sort of there,” says Dr. Betsy Gard, psychologist. “Therefore it’s going to have more of an impact.”
“I don’t know because we might think that’s cool and stuff, I don’t know, and start doing that kind of stuff,” says Rebecca.
Gard recommends if you find out your child has seen a movie against your wishes, first see the movie yourself so you can talk to your youngster about why you did not like the movie and why it is not good for them.
“You basically say ‘for a while now you’re not going to be able to go to the movies independently or to the mall’,” says Gard. “I’m going to have to supervise you more carefully so that I can build the trust back in you.”
Tips for Parents
Teens sneak into movies using a variety of different methods. Some create or buy fake IDs, others try to bribe the ticket box office worker (usually a school friend) while others purchase tickets for a G-rated movie, enter the theater and then sneak into the R-rated film of their choice. Often, these schemes work. If they do not, there are no repercussions because there are no laws that punish either teens or theaters. In fact, theaters are under no legal obligation at all to enforce the rating system.
Teens do not have to work very hard to see R-rated movies. Parents or older friends often purchase the tickets for them. So what is the point of this rating system and why was it created in the first place?
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences created the ratings system in 1968 as a guide for parents and moviegoers. The system is sponsored by the Motion Picture Association of America and the National Association of Theater Owners to provide parents with advanced information on the films. This allows parents to make informed decisions on whether their child is capable of handling the film.
The movie ratings are decided by parents, part of a committee called the film rating board of the Classification and Rating Administration (CARA). As a group, they view each film and after a group discussion vote on its rating, making an educated estimate as to the rating most American parents would consider the most appropriate. In making their decision, the film board looks at certain criteria such as:
Movie theme
Language
Violence
Nudity
Sex
Drug use
Understanding what the ratings mean can help you determine whether you child should view a specific movie. CARA provides the following explanations for each rating:
G-Rating. General Audience. All ages admitted. This signifies the film rated contains nothing most parents will consider offensive for even their youngest children to see or hear. Nudity, sex scenes and scenes of drug use are absent; violence is minimal; snippets of dialogue may go beyond polite conversation but do not go beyond common everyday expressions.
PG-Rating. Parental Guidance Suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children. This signifies the film rated may contain some material parents might not like to expose to their young children, material that will clearly need to be examined or inquired about before children are allowed to attend the film. Explicit sex scenes and scenes of drug use are absent; nudity, if present, is seen only briefly. Horror and violence do not exceed moderate levels.
PG-13 Rating. Parents Strongly Cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. This signifies the film rated may be inappropriate for pre-teens. Parents should be especially careful about letting their younger children attend. Rough or persistent violence is absent; sexually-oriented nudity is generally absent; some scenes of drug use may be seen; one use of the harsher sexually derived words may be heard.
R-Rating. Restricted-Under 17. Requires accompanying parent or adult guardian (age varies in some locations). This signifies the rating board has concluded the film rated contains some adult material. Parents are urged to learn more about the film before taking their children to see it. An R may be assigned due to, among other things, a film's use of language, theme, violence, sex or its portrayal of drug use.
NC–17 Rating. No One 17 and Under Admitted. This signifies the rating board believes most American parents would feel the film is patently adult and that children age 17 and under should not be admitted to it. The film may contain explicit sex scenes, an accumulation of sexually-oriented language, or scenes of excessive violence. The NC-17 designation does not, however, signify the rated film is obscene or pornographic.
Before allowing your teen to head off to the movies for a night out, it is important you find out as much information as you can about the movie first. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests:
Read reviews. Look in the newspaper for a review on the movie
Check the Internet. You can often find sites dedicated to the movie. This will provide you with a little more information on the movie content.
Talk to friends who have seen it. Often the best way to determine if the movie is appropriate is to ask someone who has seen it.
Choose carefully when considering movies with PG-13, PG, or even G ratings. Remember a PG movie that contains some violence or nudity will have a much different effect on a five-year-old child than it would a 12-year-old.
If you are still not sure. See the movie yourself first. You are the best judge as to whether this is appropriate for your child.
References
American Academy of Pediatrics
Classification and Ratings Administration
Dartmouth School of Medicine
Motion Picture Association of America
Showing posts with label parenting kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label parenting kids. Show all posts
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
HIV Complacency By Connect with Kids
“The HIV and AIDS education prevention message is not being delivered to youth in a way that motivates them to change behaviors.”
– Edward Gray, Ed.D., commenting on the rise of HIV infection rates among young people
Qaadir has friends who are gay… so does Wesley. But when it comes to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, many kids don’t seem concerned.
“Most kids my age, they don’t think HIV is a serious problem,” says Wesley, 14.
“There’s medicines for this disease and…for this disease…for that one, and they’re not thinking if they catch this it might be a lifelong thing,” adds 15-year-old Qaadir.
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, after years of decline, the number of AIDS cases among people ages 15 to 24 has risen 15 percent in the last five years.
“It’s a very alarming trend,” says Dr. Edward Gray, professor of counseling.
As medications have allowed people with HIV to live longer, healthier lives, the image kids have of the virus isn’t someone dying, but instead, someone who appearsto be living a healthy, normal life.
“The story now about AIDS is that it’s a trip to the doctor and it’s medication,” says Gray, “Whereas 20 years ago, the story of AIDS was going to funerals.”
Gray says parents need to help their children understand that the AIDS virus is still incurable and deadly, and that those who live with it face a daily struggle.
“Most people don’t want to take needles, and most people don’t want to be regimented that every three hours they’re popping a dozen pills,” says Gray, “I mean people [with AIDS] take cocktails of pills, it’s not just one thing. And just that kind of burden might grab their attention.”
Qaadir agrees. “I mean, you don’t want to wake up every morning and if you cough have to go to the doctor because you might be, you know, ready to pass out from whatever disease.”
Tips for Parents
– Edward Gray, Ed.D., commenting on the rise of HIV infection rates among young people
Qaadir has friends who are gay… so does Wesley. But when it comes to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, many kids don’t seem concerned.
“Most kids my age, they don’t think HIV is a serious problem,” says Wesley, 14.
“There’s medicines for this disease and…for this disease…for that one, and they’re not thinking if they catch this it might be a lifelong thing,” adds 15-year-old Qaadir.
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control, after years of decline, the number of AIDS cases among people ages 15 to 24 has risen 15 percent in the last five years.
“It’s a very alarming trend,” says Dr. Edward Gray, professor of counseling.
As medications have allowed people with HIV to live longer, healthier lives, the image kids have of the virus isn’t someone dying, but instead, someone who appearsto be living a healthy, normal life.
“The story now about AIDS is that it’s a trip to the doctor and it’s medication,” says Gray, “Whereas 20 years ago, the story of AIDS was going to funerals.”
Gray says parents need to help their children understand that the AIDS virus is still incurable and deadly, and that those who live with it face a daily struggle.
“Most people don’t want to take needles, and most people don’t want to be regimented that every three hours they’re popping a dozen pills,” says Gray, “I mean people [with AIDS] take cocktails of pills, it’s not just one thing. And just that kind of burden might grab their attention.”
Qaadir agrees. “I mean, you don’t want to wake up every morning and if you cough have to go to the doctor because you might be, you know, ready to pass out from whatever disease.”
Tips for Parents
Recent reports show that nearly half of high school students are or have been sexually active. Unfortunately, with sexual activity comes an increase in Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). That’s why it is extremely important to talk to your kids about being sexually responsible – before they engage in sex. Consider the following statistics provided by The Alan Guttmacher Institute:
Every year three million sexually active teens – about one-in-four – acquire an STD.
A single act of unprotected sex with an infected partner puts a teenage woman at a one percent risk of acquiring HIV, a 30 percent risk of getting genital herpes, and a 50 percent chance of contracting gonorrhea.
Chlamydia is more common among teens than among older men and women. In some testing situations, 10 to 29 percent of sexually active teenage women and 10 percent of teenage men were found to have Chlamydia.
Teens have higher rates of gonorrhea than sexually active men and women aged 20 to 44.
Talking to your child about sex and sexually transmitted diseases may not be something you look forward to, but it could be the most important step in protecting your child from risky sexual behavior. Studies show that teenagers who feel highly connected to their parents are far more likely to delay sexual activity than their peers. Before approaching this sensitive topic, consider the following tips developed by Peer to Peer: Stop, Think, Be Safe!
Start early – Research shows that younger children seek their parent's advice more than adolescents, who tend to depend more on their friends and the media. Take advantage of the opportunity to talk with your young children about sexual health. Discussing dating, relationships, STDs and HIV can make a lasting impression. And it gives you a chance to provide your children with accurate information that reflects your personal values and principles. The quality of parent-child relationships has an important influence on adolescents' sexual behaviors.
Initiate conversations with your child – Don't wait for your children to ask you about sex, HIV or STDs. Although you can hope that your children come to you with their questions and concerns, it may not happen. Use everyday opportunities to talk about issues related sexual health. For example, news stories, music, television shows or movies are great starters for bringing up health topics. If your family is watching a television show where the teenagers are promiscuous or a teen is pregnant, ask your kids what they thought of the program when it’s over. Ask if they agree with the behavior or decisions of the teenagers in the show. Just a few questions can start a valuable conversation.
Talk WITH your child, not AT your child – Make sure you listen to your children the way you want your children to listen to you. Try to ask questions that will encourage them to share specific information about feelings, decisions and actions. Try to understand exactly what your kids are saying. It is important for your kids to feel that they have been heard. Try not to be judgmental. Let your kids know that you value their opinions, even when they differ from your own.
Create an open environment – Research shows that kids who feel their parents speak openly about sex and listen to them carefully are less likely to engage in high-risk behaviors, compared to teenagers who do not feel they can talk with their parents about sex. Adolescents who report a sense of connection to their parents, family and school, and who have a higher grade point average, are more likely than other teens to wait to engage in intercourse. Teens who report previous discussions of sexuality with parents are seven times more likely to feel able to communicate with a partner about HIV/AIDS than those who have not had such discussions. An open family environment not only reduces sexual risk-taking behaviors, it also gives teenagers a safe place to ask questions and get accurate information.
As parents, be available, honest and attentive. Praise your children for coming to you to talk about sex, which will teach them that you are always available for information or advice.
Be prepared and practice – It isn't necessarily easy to talk about sex with your kids. In fact, it can be extremely difficult for some parents. Don't be afraid to practice. You can practice in front of a mirror, with your spouse or partner, or with friends. Your ability to speak comfortably about sexual health will make your children more comfortable asking questions and discussing sensitive issues.
Be honest: It's okay to say, "I don't know" – When your children trust and value your opinion, they will be more likely to come to you with their questions and concerns. It’s also important to know that you do not need to be a sexual health expert. It's okay if you don't know all the answers to all of your children's questions. It’s okay and honest to say, "I don't know." In fact, if you don't know the answer to a question, you can search for the correct information together.
Communicate your values – In addition to talking to your children about the biological facts of sex, it's important that they also learn that sexual relationships involve emotions, caring and responsibility. Parents need to share their values and principles about sex. Although your children may not adopt these values as their own, they are an important source of information as your children develop their own set of values about sexuality.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Peer to Peer: Stop, Think, Be Safe!
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Campaign for our Children, Inc.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Parents Behaving Badly
By Connect with Kids
The Citizenship Through Sports Alliance is the largest U.S. athletic coalition that focuses on character in sport. CTSA promotes fair play at all levels — from youth leagues to professional sport — reinforcing the value of sport as a test of character. "It's Up to Us," the organization’s program for grass-roots community efforts to teach, learn and practice good sportsmanship and citizenship, suggests eight ways to teach your child these character traits:
Take the opportunity to define what these qualities mean to you. Explain your motivations for involvement in civic organizations. Point out how the entire community benefits when citizens exhibit good character.
Show children examples of good sportsmanship that are recounted in the newspaper or other published materials.
Share stories of how someone has shown sportsmanship to you or someone you and your child know.
Ask children their opinion of professional and/or local athletes who visit hospitals or support charitable foundations. Then ask your child how they feel about those public figures who fail to make these positive gestures.
Sportsmanship and citizenship are virtually synonymous; the same tenets drive each, and helping others is a valuable aspect of both qualities. Illustrate examples of both traits, e.g. an athlete who helps an opponent off the field.
Discuss how you personally practice sportsmanship and the good feelings it gives you.
Explain that sportsmanship is made up of smaller good deeds, no less important than the larger, more visible deeds.
Give examples of other children you both know who exhibit good sportsmanship.
Define expectations regarding sportsmanship to help your child set tangible, realistic goals when practicing good sportsmanship.
As a parent, you must avoid becoming wrapped up in how well your child performs. Don’t lose sight of what's really important and forget that one of the most important goals of youth sports is helping children develop a sense of good sportsmanship. Children practice good sportsmanship when they treat their teammates, opponents, coaches and officials with respect. They learn the basics of sportsmanship from the adults in their lives, especially parents and coaches. Those who see adults behaving in a sportsmanlike way will realize that the real winners in sports — and in life itself — are those who persevere and behave with dignity regardless of whether they win or lose. A child who bullies opponents on the playing field is likely to continue that behavior in the classroom and other social situations. Here are some suggestions to build sportsmanship in your child:
Unless you actually are the coach, remember you’re the parent. Shout encouragement, not directions, from the sidelines.
If you are the coach, don’t expect more out of your own child than you do of his/her teammates. And don’t play favorites, either.
Make only positive comments. Don’t badmouth players, coaches or game officials. If you have a legitimate gripe, discuss it privately with those involved.
Applaud good plays without regard to who makes them.
Set a good example by congratulating parents of the opposing team when they win.
Don’t push your child into a sport you enjoy. Let him/her decide what to play and the commitment to give that sport.
Keep your perspective. Even if your child looses every game of the season, it’s unlikely to ruin the rest of their life.
Talk with your child about the good and bad examples of sportsmanship you see at the college and professional levels.
Always remember to have fun. Even if your child is not the star player, he/she is learning new skills and making friends.
References
The Citizenship Through Sports Alliance
National Federation of State High School Associations
University of Maryland, School of Public Health
“Parents need to kind of go through a mental checklist to make sure that they are not encouraging sports participation as a way to make up for the lack of participation they themselves might have had during their own childhood.”
– Richard Winer, M.D., Psychiatrist
“Inappropriate gestures and profanity will not be tolerated.” Announcements like that are often heard before high school sporting events these days, but some parents don’t follow those rules.
“Parents (will get) thrown out of the park completely, really getting on ref’s backs,” says father John Economos.
“I’ve seen parents basically berating kids on the ice, you know,” adds father David Dirkse.
And 12-year-old Sean, a club team hockey player, says kids playing the game notice.
“[Parents will] be yelling stuff and you’re in the background just trying to ignore it,” he says. “But when the whole crowd starts doing, it it’s like, ‘Well, I don’t want to deal with them,’ and you feel really bad if it’s [a teammate’s] parents.”
In fact, according to a study by the University of Maryland, 53 percent of parents report getting angry at their child’s game and another 40 percent report yelling at the referee.
Bottom line is- parents are bad sports.
“[The problem is] just loudmouth, overactive parents who are thinking their child will be the next Michael Jordan,” says psychiatrist Richard Winer, M.D.
He says the problem is growing worse as parents envision college scholarships for their kids – or multi-million dollar pro careers.
“So there’s some financial reward that parents often see at the end of the road when it comes to sports participation,” he explains. “Yet the odds are extremely thin that that will happen.”
Instead of a star athlete, he says, overly aggressive parents often end up with a child who is resentful and burned-out.
“They start to feel like, ‘I don’t want to deal with them, so I’ll just quit next year,’” says Sean. “[And] they won’t come back.”
“The parents have to ask directly of the kids, ‘Are you enjoying it’?’” says Winer. “And then say, ‘It’s okay if you don’t enjoy this particular sports activity. Maybe there’s something else you would like better.’ And [parents need] to be very blunt and say, ‘You won’t hurt my feelings if you end up getting away from this particular sport and either try another sport or maybe some non-sports activity.’”
Tips for Parents
– Richard Winer, M.D., Psychiatrist
“Inappropriate gestures and profanity will not be tolerated.” Announcements like that are often heard before high school sporting events these days, but some parents don’t follow those rules.
“Parents (will get) thrown out of the park completely, really getting on ref’s backs,” says father John Economos.
“I’ve seen parents basically berating kids on the ice, you know,” adds father David Dirkse.
And 12-year-old Sean, a club team hockey player, says kids playing the game notice.
“[Parents will] be yelling stuff and you’re in the background just trying to ignore it,” he says. “But when the whole crowd starts doing, it it’s like, ‘Well, I don’t want to deal with them,’ and you feel really bad if it’s [a teammate’s] parents.”
In fact, according to a study by the University of Maryland, 53 percent of parents report getting angry at their child’s game and another 40 percent report yelling at the referee.
Bottom line is- parents are bad sports.
“[The problem is] just loudmouth, overactive parents who are thinking their child will be the next Michael Jordan,” says psychiatrist Richard Winer, M.D.
He says the problem is growing worse as parents envision college scholarships for their kids – or multi-million dollar pro careers.
“So there’s some financial reward that parents often see at the end of the road when it comes to sports participation,” he explains. “Yet the odds are extremely thin that that will happen.”
Instead of a star athlete, he says, overly aggressive parents often end up with a child who is resentful and burned-out.
“They start to feel like, ‘I don’t want to deal with them, so I’ll just quit next year,’” says Sean. “[And] they won’t come back.”
“The parents have to ask directly of the kids, ‘Are you enjoying it’?’” says Winer. “And then say, ‘It’s okay if you don’t enjoy this particular sports activity. Maybe there’s something else you would like better.’ And [parents need] to be very blunt and say, ‘You won’t hurt my feelings if you end up getting away from this particular sport and either try another sport or maybe some non-sports activity.’”
Tips for Parents
The Citizenship Through Sports Alliance is the largest U.S. athletic coalition that focuses on character in sport. CTSA promotes fair play at all levels — from youth leagues to professional sport — reinforcing the value of sport as a test of character. "It's Up to Us," the organization’s program for grass-roots community efforts to teach, learn and practice good sportsmanship and citizenship, suggests eight ways to teach your child these character traits:
Take the opportunity to define what these qualities mean to you. Explain your motivations for involvement in civic organizations. Point out how the entire community benefits when citizens exhibit good character.
Show children examples of good sportsmanship that are recounted in the newspaper or other published materials.
Share stories of how someone has shown sportsmanship to you or someone you and your child know.
Ask children their opinion of professional and/or local athletes who visit hospitals or support charitable foundations. Then ask your child how they feel about those public figures who fail to make these positive gestures.
Sportsmanship and citizenship are virtually synonymous; the same tenets drive each, and helping others is a valuable aspect of both qualities. Illustrate examples of both traits, e.g. an athlete who helps an opponent off the field.
Discuss how you personally practice sportsmanship and the good feelings it gives you.
Explain that sportsmanship is made up of smaller good deeds, no less important than the larger, more visible deeds.
Give examples of other children you both know who exhibit good sportsmanship.
Define expectations regarding sportsmanship to help your child set tangible, realistic goals when practicing good sportsmanship.
As a parent, you must avoid becoming wrapped up in how well your child performs. Don’t lose sight of what's really important and forget that one of the most important goals of youth sports is helping children develop a sense of good sportsmanship. Children practice good sportsmanship when they treat their teammates, opponents, coaches and officials with respect. They learn the basics of sportsmanship from the adults in their lives, especially parents and coaches. Those who see adults behaving in a sportsmanlike way will realize that the real winners in sports — and in life itself — are those who persevere and behave with dignity regardless of whether they win or lose. A child who bullies opponents on the playing field is likely to continue that behavior in the classroom and other social situations. Here are some suggestions to build sportsmanship in your child:
Unless you actually are the coach, remember you’re the parent. Shout encouragement, not directions, from the sidelines.
If you are the coach, don’t expect more out of your own child than you do of his/her teammates. And don’t play favorites, either.
Make only positive comments. Don’t badmouth players, coaches or game officials. If you have a legitimate gripe, discuss it privately with those involved.
Applaud good plays without regard to who makes them.
Set a good example by congratulating parents of the opposing team when they win.
Don’t push your child into a sport you enjoy. Let him/her decide what to play and the commitment to give that sport.
Keep your perspective. Even if your child looses every game of the season, it’s unlikely to ruin the rest of their life.
Talk with your child about the good and bad examples of sportsmanship you see at the college and professional levels.
Always remember to have fun. Even if your child is not the star player, he/she is learning new skills and making friends.
References
The Citizenship Through Sports Alliance
National Federation of State High School Associations
University of Maryland, School of Public Health
Friday, June 27, 2008
Cell Phones and Cancer
"Unless your older child or adolescent has a cell phone glued to their ear for several hours a day, you probably don’t have to worry about anything.”
– Nick DeFilippis, Ph.D., Neurologist
When Jordan Mandelbaum goes to the mall, her mom gives her a cell phone to stay in touch.
But the 14-year-old admits, she’ll use the phone to “contact” everyone she can.
“Just that idea that you have the opportunity to use the phone so you’re gonna use it,” Jordan says.
The phone may help her social life, but could it also be giving her cancer?
Researchers at Tel Aviv University, in Israel, studied people with salivary gland cancer and those without.
They found that those people who were heavy cell phone users were fifty percent more likely to develop a tumor of the salivary gland.
So, what constitutes heavy use?
Neurologist, Dr. Nick DeFilippis says, “Unless your older child or adolescent has a cell phone glued to their ear for several hours a day, you probably don’t have to worry about anything.”
What’s more, experts say, as of yet there are no conclusive studies that show that cell phones are a cause of cancer.
“Because those are not really controlled studies. They’re basically are studies where they try to observe uh, what has happened and try to correlate it with factors that may have lead to the increased risk,” explains Nabil Saba, M.D., assistant professor of hematology and oncology at Emory University.
He says more research is needed to be done.
In the meantime, his advice, “I think everything in moderation is good. I do not think you should take the action of preventing cell phone use.”
Although, as a concerned mom, Lynn says that still doesn’t set her mind at ease. “I think as a parent I’ve gotta keep my eyes and ears open for future research.”
Tips for Parents
– Nick DeFilippis, Ph.D., Neurologist
When Jordan Mandelbaum goes to the mall, her mom gives her a cell phone to stay in touch.
But the 14-year-old admits, she’ll use the phone to “contact” everyone she can.
“Just that idea that you have the opportunity to use the phone so you’re gonna use it,” Jordan says.
The phone may help her social life, but could it also be giving her cancer?
Researchers at Tel Aviv University, in Israel, studied people with salivary gland cancer and those without.
They found that those people who were heavy cell phone users were fifty percent more likely to develop a tumor of the salivary gland.
So, what constitutes heavy use?
Neurologist, Dr. Nick DeFilippis says, “Unless your older child or adolescent has a cell phone glued to their ear for several hours a day, you probably don’t have to worry about anything.”
What’s more, experts say, as of yet there are no conclusive studies that show that cell phones are a cause of cancer.
“Because those are not really controlled studies. They’re basically are studies where they try to observe uh, what has happened and try to correlate it with factors that may have lead to the increased risk,” explains Nabil Saba, M.D., assistant professor of hematology and oncology at Emory University.
He says more research is needed to be done.
In the meantime, his advice, “I think everything in moderation is good. I do not think you should take the action of preventing cell phone use.”
Although, as a concerned mom, Lynn says that still doesn’t set her mind at ease. “I think as a parent I’ve gotta keep my eyes and ears open for future research.”
Tips for Parents
According to CNET, the 10 highest radiation cell phones for sale in the United States are:
Motorola V195s
Motorola Slvr L6
Motorola Slvr L2
Motorola W385
RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Sprint)
RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon Wireless)
Motorola Deluxe ic902
T-Mobile Shadow (HTC)
Motorola i335
Samsung Sync SGH-C417
Other technologies that use RF are cordless phones, radios, microwaves and TV broadcasting.
According to the FDA, ”the research done thus far has produced conflicting results, and many studies have suffered from flaws in their research methods. Animal experiments investigating the effects of radiofrequency energy (RF) exposures characteristic of wireless phones have yielded conflicting results that often cannot be repeated in other laboratories. A few animal studies, however, have suggested that low levels of RF could accelerate the development of cancer in laboratory animals.”
Of course, the FDA reminds us that, as with many animal studies, “the animals [were] to RF for up to 22 hours per day. These conditions are not similar to the conditions under which people use wireless phones, so we don’t know with certainty what the results of such studies mean for human health.”
The FDA does advise, however, that if you use a cell phone for several hours every day to use a headset and carry the cell phone away from your body.
Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that children and teenagers are more vulnerable to cell phone radiation than adults, however, some countries have taken steps to limit the cell phone use among those age groups, including the United Kingdom.
References
Emory University
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Energy Drinks and Kids
By Connect with Kids
"They're going to get that boost, but in the long run they're not going to be doing their best. And they may not even notice they're not doing their best."
– Elizabeth Redmond, Ph.D., Nutritionist.
In the past few years the market for so called 'energy drinks' has exploded. Full of sugar and caffeine, there's now around a dozen energy drinks on the market, and they're very popular with kids.
"I've had Rockstar," says Hunter, 13.
Thirteen-year-old Will's favorites? "Monster, Rooster Booster."
"Sobe's Adrenaline Rush," answers T-J, 14.
"It tastes very good," explains 16-year-old Corrissa, "It gives me energy."
Energy, according to some of the marketing, makes these drinks good for school or sports performance. "They do kind of imply they're sports drinks," says Nutritionist Elizabeth Redmond, Ph.D., "but a sports drink like Gatorade or something would hydrate you. And these drinks have a lot of caffeine, and they're actually going to have a diuretic effect and can dehydrate."
And while the caffeine in many of these drinks, the same as the amount in an average cup of coffee, gives kids a boost, a couple hours later, they crash.
"Yeah if I drink one I might be kind of hyper for a while and then I'll be like 'Ehhhh' and get real tired," explains 12-year-old Luke.
Experts add the side effects of caffeine also include loss of appetite, moodiness, headaches, nausea, difficulty sleeping.
And while there haven't been any long term studies on the effect of regular caffeine use by kids, Redmond explains that, "Once you get used to the caffeine boost you're going to want to keep getting it. But it's just not a healthy lifestyle that you want to get into."
Experts say parents should teach kids caffeine can be addictive, and that if they're looking for better performance, there's a much better way. "Getting enough sleep, being hydrated and eating a healthy diet would be the three biggest things you'd want to look at if you wanted to get more energy to do better at sports," says Redmond.
Tips for Parents
"They're going to get that boost, but in the long run they're not going to be doing their best. And they may not even notice they're not doing their best."
– Elizabeth Redmond, Ph.D., Nutritionist.
In the past few years the market for so called 'energy drinks' has exploded. Full of sugar and caffeine, there's now around a dozen energy drinks on the market, and they're very popular with kids.
"I've had Rockstar," says Hunter, 13.
Thirteen-year-old Will's favorites? "Monster, Rooster Booster."
"Sobe's Adrenaline Rush," answers T-J, 14.
"It tastes very good," explains 16-year-old Corrissa, "It gives me energy."
Energy, according to some of the marketing, makes these drinks good for school or sports performance. "They do kind of imply they're sports drinks," says Nutritionist Elizabeth Redmond, Ph.D., "but a sports drink like Gatorade or something would hydrate you. And these drinks have a lot of caffeine, and they're actually going to have a diuretic effect and can dehydrate."
And while the caffeine in many of these drinks, the same as the amount in an average cup of coffee, gives kids a boost, a couple hours later, they crash.
"Yeah if I drink one I might be kind of hyper for a while and then I'll be like 'Ehhhh' and get real tired," explains 12-year-old Luke.
Experts add the side effects of caffeine also include loss of appetite, moodiness, headaches, nausea, difficulty sleeping.
And while there haven't been any long term studies on the effect of regular caffeine use by kids, Redmond explains that, "Once you get used to the caffeine boost you're going to want to keep getting it. But it's just not a healthy lifestyle that you want to get into."
Experts say parents should teach kids caffeine can be addictive, and that if they're looking for better performance, there's a much better way. "Getting enough sleep, being hydrated and eating a healthy diet would be the three biggest things you'd want to look at if you wanted to get more energy to do better at sports," says Redmond.
Tips for Parents
A researcher at the University of California-San Francisco found that when school-aged children took a high daily dose of caffeine, their attention span decreased. And after the effects of the caffeine dissipated, their performance in various tasks was impaired.
National Institute of Mental Health child psychiatry researcher Judith Rapoport, M.D., found 8- to-13-year-olds who regularly consumed high doses of caffeine were judged more restless by teachers, and that one-third were hyperactive enough to meet the criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
In a study by Stanford University neurobiologist Avram Goldstein, fifth- and sixth-graders at a Denver school deprived of daily caffeine reported having symptoms including trouble thinking clearly, not feeling energetic and getting angry. Even children who typically consume 28 milligrams a day (less than an average soda) felt symptoms.
Since caffeine leaches small amounts of calcium from the bones, a 1994 Harvard study concluded that soda consumption increases the possibility for bone fracture among teenage girls.
Even though these products may seem like a quick fix for helping students study late into the night, most teens are unaware of how caffeine affects their bodies. According to the Nemours Foundation, caffeine is a mild stimulant that causes increased heart rate and alertness. Most people who are sensitive to caffeine experience a temporary increase in energy and elevation in mood. Yet, this energized feeling quickly evaporates and leaves students feeling tired and irritable. The Mayo Clinic cites these additional side effects of caffeine:
Insomnia
Heartburn
Intestinal upsets, such as constipation and diarrhea
Headaches
Jitters, anxiety, heart palpitations or rapid heart rate
Increase in blood pressure
Temporary depression
Calcium loss: Kids build their peak bone mass as they grow through calcium intake and exercise. Yet, caffeine causes calcium loss, so if they're drinking more coffee and soda, but less milk, they not only get less calcium from the dairy products but also lose calcium due to increased caffeine intake.
Dehydration: Because caffeine is a diuretic, it can cause your body to become weak from not having enough water. Although you may think you're getting plenty of liquids, caffeine works against the body in two ways: It has a dehydrating effect on the body's cells and increases the need to urinate. It is particularly important for active teens who play sports to drink non-caffeinated beverages each day to avoid dehydration.
Even though these side effects exist, caffeine remains one of the most popular drugs in the United States. Experts estimate that more than 90% of Americans consume caffeine every day, while 11 million Americans consume too much caffeine (over 300 milligrams). While no definitive numbers exist concerning how much coffee teens consume, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that children and teens guzzle more than 64 gallons of caffeinated soda a year – an amount that has tripled for teens since 1978, doubled for the 6-11 set and increased by a quarter for under-5 tots.
According to the International Food Information Council Foundation (IFICF), coffee is the chief source of caffeine in the United States. An 8-ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee typically contains 85 milligrams of caffeine. An 8-ounce serving of brewed tea has 40 milligrams, caffeinated soft drinks contain an average of 24 milligrams per 8-ounce serving and an ounce of milk chocolate has just 6 milligrams. Even though these products contain caffeine, they can all be found at school and at home, increasing the amount that teens consume.
Some health officials are concerned about the rise in popularity of so-called 'energy drinks.' Part of their concern is that the drinks, including Red Bull, Adrenaline Rush, and Rock Star Energy Drink, are being misused as party drinks. According to an online publication of the Boston University School of Public Health, the beverages are used by party-goers to get drunk faster. "It definitely put me on a fast pace," one young woman told BU. "It gets you drunk quicker if you can stand the taste of it."
Most of the drinks contain stimulants such as caffeine and guarana, a derivative of a South American plant.
Officials are concerned about the effects of the high-energy drinks when mixed with alcohol. What exactly is in an energy drink like Red Bull? Here's a list of some ingredients from the manufacturer's web site:
Taurine. An amino acid.
Glucoronolactone. Said to "accelerate the elimination of…harmful substances…has a detoxifying effect."
Caffeine. Known for its stimulating effect.
Carbohydrates. Sugar in the form of sucrose and glucose.
Vitamins. B-complex vitamins.
The company that manufactures Red Bull says the drink was developed especially for "times of increased stress or strain." Red Bull claims to:
Increase physical endurance
Improve reaction speed and concentration
Increase mental alertness
Improves the overall feeling of well being
Stimulate metabolism and increase stamina
But the main concern among doctors is the effect of energy drinks when mixed with alcoholic beverages like Vodka. What you get, one nutritionist says, is "a wide-awake drunk."
Just because your child may be drinking energy beverages, doesn't necessarily mean he or she is mixing them with alcohol. There are signs of teenage drinking parents can be on the lookout for. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence has some tips on how to tell if your child may be in trouble with alcohol:
Smell of alcohol on breath, or sudden, frequent use of breath mints.
Abrupt changes in mood or attitude.
Sudden decline in attendance or performance at school.
Sudden resistance to discipline at school.
Uncharacteristic withdrawal from family, friends or interests.
Heightened secrecy about actions or possessions.
Association with a new group of friends whom your child refuses to discuss.
References
University of Buffalo
United States Department of Agriculture
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.
Boston University School of Public Health
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