A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Monday, April 23:
Study:
Most Kids Are Affected by Bullying
Packard Hospital researchers have found that nine out of 10 elementary
school students report having been bullied. Experts say the findings are
important because they rely on questionnaires that are filled out by the
kids themselves, rather than by teachers or parents, who often do not
know about more subtle cases. Tom Tarshis, MD, a child psychiatrist who
developed the questionnaire while interning at Packard Hospital, is quoted.
Lynne Huffman, MD, associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford, also
participated in the study. (Forbes.com, 4/13/07)
STD
Rates Up in San Mateo County
Rates of sexually transmitted diseases have risen in San Mateo County,
especially among youth. County officials hope to draw attention to the
increase this month, which is National STD Awareness Month. Experts say
rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in the county all increased
from 2005 to 2006. (SM Daily, 4/15/07, by Bishop)
Local
Parents Work with Teens to Combat Drinking
This San Jose Mercury News article highlights the efforts of South Bay
parents and teens who are working to curb teen drinking and drug use.
Some area schools have changed activities, such as moving prom venues
closer to home, in an effort to prevent teen drinking and driving. Some
cities have adopted ordinances with harsh consequences for teen drinking,
and others have re-vamped their teen centers to offer more activities.
(SJ Mercury, 4/16/07, by Noguchi)
Organized
Sports for Preschoolers?
More parents are enrolling their three and four year-old children in soccer
leagues, hoping that the programs will help the children learn teamwork
and coordination. However, some child development experts are concerned
that early exposure to competition may be harmful for kids and could lead
to decreased interest in sports later. (LA Times, 4/16/07, by Stein)
Identifying
Troubled Students
The shootings at Virginia Tech earlier this week have spurred debate on
campuses nationwide about how administrators and faculty can recognize
troubled students. The article also discusses the ways in which colleges
can help troubled students without endangering other students. (SF Chronicle,
4/18/07, by Tucker)
Experts:
Antidepressants Can Help Kids
The benefits of taking antidepressants outweigh the small risk of suicide
in children and teens, researchers say. Researchers at the University
of Pittsburgh analyzed data on more than 5,000 children and teens from
27 studies and found that one out of every 100 children experienced worsening
suicidal thoughts, but a majority of children with depression, anxiety
and obsessive-compulsive disorders improved when taking medication. (AP,
4/17/07, by Johnson)
Obesity
Blamed for Overall Decline in Children's Health
The Foundation for Child Development's annual Child Well-Being Index reports
that there have been significant declines in many health problems over
the last year, including teen pregnancy and alcohol and drug abuse. Researchers
say that these improvements are overshadowed by the dramatic decline in
overall child health due to high rates of childhood obesity. (WebMD, 4/17/07,
by Zwillich)
Privacy
Laws Can Limit School's Ability to Help Troubled Kids
This article notes that strict privacy laws constrain how colleges can
respond to students who have mental health problems, and how services
have been expanded at some schools to fill in the gaps. Alejandro Martinez,
director of counseling and psychological services at Stanford University,
is quoted. (NY Times, 4/19/07, by Lewin)
|
to receive
e-mail digests about local children's health events and news regarding
preteens.
|
