If there were ever a time to shift monies so schools could hire more counselors it would be now. With increased academic, college, social and emotional stressors that teenagers face we do not need to see a decrease in the counselor/student ratio at our high schools. The most current data shows the ratio is 471 …
Author Archives: koyrob
Tylenol and ADHD linked
Researchers just discovered a link between women taking Acetaminophen during pregnancy and their children having ADHD. This does not mean one causes the other but these women’s children were more likely to develop ADHD. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/02/24/acetaminophen-pregnancy-adhd/5782763/
Encourage kids to play
“Do you know how hard it is to get kids to exercise for 60 minutes a day? Do you know how easy it is to get kids to play for 60 minutes a day?” Jill Vialet has started a movement of sorts to encourage more play in 2014. Rather than viewing play as an indulgence …
HBO Documentary
If you haven’t seen the start of a new series on HBO called State of Play: Trophy Kids I highly recommend it. It explores the world of youth sports and over-involved, demanding and narcissistic parents who are trying to create the next super star athletes. The first show ends with a roundtable discussion featuring a …
ADHD on the rise but not over-diagnosed
I get asked routinely whether ADHD is over-diagnosed and over-treated. The short answer is “No.” While I certainly believe there are places and cases where this happens I’ve always said that statistically this is just not the case irregardless of public controversy. I can understand the perception given the CDC’s recent research indicating a 43% …
Kids are less fit
Research analyzing 50 studies on running fitness involving 25 million children indicate that kids fitness levels have declined 5% per decade since 1975. Children 30 years ago could run a mile 90 seconds faster than today’s kids. Rising levels of obesity, media, video games are partly to blame. Parents and kids have to be more …
Self-Injury Awareness Day
On Wednesday, Maddey Nelson will join others across the country and write the word “love” on her arm. The movement, started by supporters of the nonprofit To Write Love on Her Arms, aims to raise awareness and prevent self-injury.
Strong awareness about Bullying
More stories about bullying of late which can only be good news as more and more awareness is raised. Standing up for Shea is a local story that’s gone nationally. CNN has an excellent story on countering online bullying. This weekend the NFL and the Miami Dolphins are having to deal with the fallout from serious allegations of …
Are your kids getting enough zzzz’s?
Don’t forget their sleep. Still more research indicating the importance of sleep. We so often neglect this in the interest of homework, extracurriculars and the busy-ness of life. Teenagers, too!
Internet addiction
First treatment center for Internet addiction opens in the U.S. We are evidently behind other countries in recognizing and treating this problem. Internet addiction isn’t officially recognized as a mental disorder. However, the recent edition of the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders cites “Gaming Addiction” as an area for further research. Here’s hoping …