A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Wednesday, Dec. 27:
Teams
Help Foster Kids Find Good Homes
In an effort to help foster children obtain stable, safe placements,
many states are adopting a team decision-making approach. The team approach
brings together the child's family, friends, and other community members
in his or her life to help decide where the child should be placed --
or if the child should remain at home. Some state governments say the
practice has helped reduce the number of children placed in foster care.
(NY Times, 12/16/06, by Clemetson)
Adults
Learn Text Messaging to Talk to Kids
Researchers have found that the number of adults who use cell
phones for text messaging is growing at a much faster rate than the number
of teens who communicate via text message. The upswing is due in large
part to the number of parents who use text messages to keep in touch with
their children, experts say. Some parents say "texting" not
only helps them keep track of their kids, but also helps keep the lines
of communication open. (Boston Globe, 12/17/06, by Johnson)
Different Types of Autism Require Specialized Treatment, Diagnoses
No two cases of autism are alike, although they may share some
symptoms, experts say. A researcher from the University of Missouri has
developed criteria for identifying autism. The guidelines, based on genetics,
physical features and behavioral symptoms, may help doctors tailor autism
diagnoses, experts say. (UPI, 12/19/06, by Wasowicz)
Drug Use Down in Teenagers
While illegal drug use in teenagers has fallen nearly 25 percent
over the last five years, researchers are concerned about teens' use of
prescription and over-the-counter medicines to get high, according to
a federally funded University of Michigan study. (Washington Post, 12/21/06,
by Lee)
Treating Mental Disorders with Therapy
With research over the last few decades showing that mental disorders
are often caused by problems of brain chemistry, a growing number of children
take drugs to treat these illnesses. However, recent studies also points
to the role that parenting may play in contributing to -- and even remedying
-- mental disorders in kids. (NY Times, 12/22/06, by Carey)
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