Tanned Teens Not Heeding Sun Protection Warnings

With skin cancer on the rise, prevention and detection measures are being touted as the way to avoid the potentially deadly illness. This message is most important for children and teens, because skin cancer is associated with excessive UV exposure before the age of 18. But a recent study indicates that preteens and teens are ignoring skin cancer prevention warnings.

At the American Academy of Dermatology's (AAD) Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month Press Conference in April, dermatologist Dr. James M. Spencer presented findings on the dangers of teens and tanning. Even though nearly half of all new cancers are skin cancers and close to 10,000 lives will be lost to skin cancer in 2003, teens don’t seem to be concerned about the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, according to current statistics.

A recent survey of more than 10,000 12- to 18-year-olds all over the United States found that only around 30 percent of youths surveyed used sunscreen on sunny days. Also, a vast majority had experienced at least one sunburn in the previous year.

Indoor tanning beds are a growing culprit in the fight for skin cancer awareness among teenagers, according to the AAD. Studies have shown that the UV emission spectrum of tanning beds is similar to the sun’s rays, but may have even higher levels of UVA, the harmful rays that cause skin damage.

A study by the American Academy of Dermatology found that almost 30 percent of people under 25 had used a tanning bed in the past year, more than half of whom were girls. "The incidence of indoor tanning is particularly troubling because it is so unnecessary," says Dr. Spencer. "It's not associated with playing sports or other outdoor activities, but is practiced solely for cosmetic reasons. Teenagers are intentionally putting their health at risk."

Although it still uncertain what causes teens to tan, most say they do it because they prefer the look of tanned skin. "Pressure to conform to cosmetic ideals presented in popular culture and advertising are powerful factors influencing the young," says Dr. Spencer. "These are pressures that can be changed." (5-27-03)

Be Stress Free When You Take the SAT

The SAT, the entrance exam that many colleges and universities consider for admission, is a test that most teens dread. With the June 7 exam date fast approaching, arm your high school student with some test preparation and test-taking strategies that can help reduce stress, increase confidence and possibly increase your student’s score.

Here are some test taking tips, compliments of Sylvan Learning Center, one of the country’s top three providers of SAT prep courses:

• Skip It: Skip the question if you aren’t sure of an answer, and come back to it later if time allows.
• Trust Yourself: Go with your instincts on the easy questions, and don’t leave any of the easy ones blank.
• Read: Take time to read the questions and answers critically.
• Eliminate the Competition: Use the process of elimination. If you’ve ruled out two answers and are short on time, make an educated guess between the last two.
• Stop and Look: Cross check your answer sheet and the test booklet every few questions to make sure the numbers correspond and you have not skipped one.
• Spread the Wealth: Don’t spend too much time on one question.
• Focus on the Content: Answer the questions as well as you can, and don’t worry about the frequency of the answered letters.
• Don’t Rush: Use your time wisely, and don’t go too fast.
• Know Your Stuff: Know the directions for each section before you enter the testing room. That way you don’t waste time on the instructions you could be spending on the questions.
• Review: Go back and check any answers you’ve circled or are unsure of when you’ve completed the section, if time allows.

Raise Your Kids to Be Respectful Cyber Citizens

With all the time kids are spending online and on the Internet, it might be a good idea to make sure yours know how to be good cyber citizens. www.playitcybersafe.com, that offers tips for parents on ways to talk to their children about respect for creative works online and the importance of using the computer safely and responsibly.

"The Internet can seem like a free-for-all for children,” says Diane Smiroldo, vice president of public affairs for BSA. It is “a place without rules, and this can lead to trouble and sites not recommended for children, as well as illegal behavior like downloading copyrighted works including software, music and games," she says.

According to a study done at St. Louis University about behavioral development, says BSA, the 9 to 12 age range is a “very reasonable” age to try to tackle cyber ethics. Experts say this is the age range when children can begin to understand abstract concepts like privacy rights and can understand the consequences of their actions.

The BSA offers these five tips for parents who want to talk to their children about cyber ethics:

• Be Involved: Know what games and software your children are using and know where they got them. Let kids know that if a friend offers to copy software for them, it may be illegal to do so. Tell them to ask for help if they are unsure.
• Inform Yourself: The Internet has many resources, including BSA’s Web site, where you can go to learn more about intellectual property, copyright and the legal and ethical uses of software.
• Talk About It: Don’t think your children aren’t listening. In conversation, talk about the software and music your children use and who owns the copyright. Define terms like “copyright,” “license agreement” and “software privacy” (if you don’t know these terms, inform yourself first). Show your kids what a copyright symbol looks like, and tell them what it means – that the material is owned by someone and can’t be copied without permission.
• Put Your Foot Down: Establish a family rule that no duplicating of copyrighted software, games or movies is allowed at home or anywhere else.
• Reward Good Behavior: Compliment your kids when they exhibit good cyber behavior. If possible, give them rewards like extra computer time or some other incentive.

Researchers Smoke out the Truth Behind Teen Girls Longing to Be Thin

A study in Tobacco Control reveals that girls 12 to 15 who are concerned about being thin are four times as likely to take up smoking. Those girls who are not concerned about their weight are less likely to pick up the habit.

The study’s findings are based on telephone surveys of more than 250 girls in Massachusetts ages 12 to 15. In the first survey, the girls were asked to rate the value of being thin themselves on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being “extremely important.” They were all surveyed again four years later to see who had become a regular smoker.

The first survey shows that although only one in eight girls was overweight, almost three-quarters had tried to diet. Most of the girls did not think smoking was an effective way of controlling weight.

The second survey shows, however, that one in four girls had become a regular smoker. (For the study, an established smoker was defined as someone who had smoked more than 100 cigarettes.) A high value placed on thinness seems to determine who will become a smoker, say researchers.

The study does not use other factors, such as weight or depression, in its findings. The researchers suggest that the importance placed on being thin for adolescent girls may contribute to other unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking. (5-20-03)

Your Home: A Danger Zone for Children

Researchers of two new studies at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have found that home is the most common location for children to be injured in the United States and that most injuries resulting in a trip to the emergency room for children and adolescents occur at home. It also shows that residential injuries are a leading cause of death for this age group, especially for African Americans.

This study, presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting, found the following:

• Between 1985 and 1997, almost 3,000 children and preteens died each year as a result of unintentional injury at home.
• Between 1993 and 1999, children and adolescents under age 20 made four million trips to emergency rooms in the United States.
• Almost one in 10 emergency room visits for a residential injury was for a moderate or severe injury.

Dr. Lanphear’s study shows that nearly 70 percent of deaths in children and adolescents in the United States between 1985 and 1997 were the result of unintentional home injuries. African American children had a death rate that was twice as high as that of white children. Deaths were due, in descending order, to burns or fires, submersions or suffocations, poisonings and falls.

The study also shows that injury rates were greatest for children under 5 and for boys.

The second study found that residential injuries cause nearly 15 percent of all children’s and adolescents’ trips to the emergency room and almost 40 percent of unintentional injury visits between 1993 and 1999. The study shows that falls caused the most home injuries.

"Children's health is inextricably linked with housing," says Dr. Bruce Lanphear, director of the Children's Environmental Health Center at Cincinnati Children's. "Unfortunately, despite evidence that residential exposures have a dramatic impact on children's health, housing is largely ignored as a public health problem. Our research is aimed at making housing and the environment safe for children." (5-20-03)

Be True to Your School

If you’re thinking about changing your child’s school, you might want to reconsider. A child who frequently changes schools is more likely to have behavioral health problems than one who doesn’t, according to a new Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center study.

“Transitions can be so disruptive to children that parents need to weigh the potential academic benefit they may get versus the academic, social and emotional impact of making the transition,” says Dr. Mona Mansour, the study’s lead author. The increase in behavioral problems is true for all children, regardless of race, income, maternal education level or any other factor measured in the study.

The Cincinnati Children’s study, presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, involved more than 3,200 children between the ages of 5 and 14. The children were considered “school mobile” if they were 5 to 9 years old and attended two or more elementary schools, or 9 to 14 and had attended three or more schools. Their mothers determined behavior problems by answering questions like “he/she is disobedient” and “he/she has trouble getting along with other students” with “often true,” “sometimes true” or “not true.” The responses were then translated into a score, with higher points equaling more behavior problems.

School mobile children had higher scores of behavioral problems than those children who were not school mobile, reports Dr. Mansour. Although the study cannot state that school mobility causes behavioral problems, it does show that the two are definitely linked. The school mobile children were more likely to have non-married mothers, mothers with low-level school involvement and mothers with symptoms of depression. Also, their mothers had lower perceptions of school expectations than mothers of children who did not change schools often.

Many parents move their children from school to school because of financial reasons, residential moves or to find a school that better meets their children’s needs. The latter is especially true if the child already has behavioral problems. But what the parents don’t realize is that by trying to fix their child’s behavior problems, they could be making them worse.

Dr. Mansour recommends that health care providers talk more with parents about the impact of school changes on children. School districts, also, should consider the potential outcomes of school changes when they formulate their policies. Programs designed to reduce excessive school changes for children may have a positive impact on some children’s behavioral problems. (5-13-03)

Homeopathy Not Effective in Treating Asthma

Does homeopathy really work? Not to help children who have asthma, according to a new study in the journal Thorax.

Researchers studied more than 90 children ages 5 to 15 who had mild to moderate asthma, which was treated in the usual way with reliever or preventer inhalers. Classically trained homeopaths, who had been in practice for at least 10 years, also provided homeopathic remedies for the children in up to six sessions over the course of a year. Half the children were given dummy remedies (placebo) instead of homeopathy. Neither the children nor the practitioners knew who would receive which remedy.

Researchers found no evidence that homeopathy had any measurable impact on quality of life. The severity of symptoms lessened among children taking homeopathic remedies, but not to any extent that was significantly greater than placebo.

Homeopathic remedies are used by an estimated 15 percent of children with asthma in the United Kingdom, according to the authors. (5-6-03)

Weight Loss Medication Helps Obese Teens Take off the Pounds

Could medication help your overweight teen slim down? A new study of an FDA approved weight loss medication, sibutramine (brand name Meridia), has found that it can indeed help adolescents lose weight. Sibutramine works by increasing the levels of two neurotransmitters in the brain which affect appetite.

Researchers at the Weight and Eating Disorders Program of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine studied more than 80 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 who had an average body weight of 228 pounds.

They found that those who were treated for six months by behavior modification combined with sibutramine lost more than twice as much weight as those who received behavior modification plus placebo (sugar pill). Those receiving sibutramine also reported greater reductions in hunger.

Weight loss also was associated with improvements in insulin levels. A significant number of adolescents treated by sibutramine experienced increased blood pressure or pulse rate, which required reductions in the dose of medication.

“Adolescent obesity is becoming a national public health problem. The addition of sibutramine to a comprehensive behavioral program induced significantly more weight loss than did the behavioral program and placebo, “ says Dr. Robert Berkowitz, associate professor of psychiatry. "Further, during the second six months of the study, the teens who continued to receive both behavior modification and medication kept their weight off.”

The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. (4-29-03)

New York Open Forum Allows Teens to Talk About the Stress of Today's World

It's hard to escape the stress of today's world between the rigors of daily life combined with war, terrorism and more.

For teens who live in and around New York City, the World Trade Center counseling center in Long Island is hosting a weekly open forum to allow teens to express their experiences and feelings about the aftermath of September 11, the threat of terrorism, the war in Iraq and more.

Laurie Nadel, psychologist and author of Dancing With the Wind and who is also certified in stress management for domestic terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, will lead the forum.

The program will take place at the South Nassau Communities Hospital Family Center, Rockville Center, 310 Merrick Road, every Thursday from 4-5 p.m. For more information, call (516) 678-2700. (4-22-03)

Take a Break From the Tube During TV-Turnoff Week

Are your kids too tuned into the tube? Or for that matter – are you? If so, take a break during the annual TV-Turnoff Week 2003 (April 21-27), sponsored by nonprofit group, TV-Turnoff Network. The organization encourages children and adults to watch much less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities.

According to TV-Turnoff Network, a recent a recent Harris poll found more than 90 percent of Americans admit they have soft addictions – seemingly harmless habits like over-eating, compulsive shopping, watching too much TV or surfing the Internet for hours that take our time, zap our energy and keep us from creating a more meaningful life. The poll also found that more than a third said they watch too much TV, and more than half reported too much TV watching in children.

Soft addiction expert Judith Wright has teamed up with TV-Turnoff Week 2003 to encourage millions of children and adults to take a seven-day break from the television and rediscover that life can be more fun, rewarding and even relaxing when we do more and watch less. For many, the Week will become the springboard to making lasting change in their lives: watching less television, choosing what they watch more selectively and engaging in more screen-free activities.

"Families of school-age children that limit TV time report that their children achieve higher grades and social success," says Wright. "They also experience more family closeness, greater creativity and more interactive play at all levels of family involvement." Wright is the author of There Must Be More Than This: Finding More Life, Love, and Meaning By Overcoming Your Soft Addictions (Broadway, 2003).

During TV-Turnoff Week 2002 an estimated 6.4 million people took part in the event in more than 16,000 organized Turnoffs. The lengthy list of supporting organizations for 2003 includes a number of major groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, National Education Association, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and many others.

For more information, log on to www.tvturnoff.org or www.theremustbemore.com. (4-22-03)

Teens Who Were Low Birth Weight Babies Score Lower on Academic Exams

Severely underweight babies grow into adolescents who achieve lower exam grades, finds research in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Researchers studied more than 300 16-year-olds, half of whom weighed 1500 grams or less at birth (normal birth weight is between 2500 and 3500 grams).

Researchers found that the normal birth weight group scored significantly more points, overall and for each subject examined, on the General Certificate of Secondary Education in England.

In terms of exam grades, the normal birth weight group scored almost half a grade higher for each subject, achieving an average subject result between grade C and D, while this was between D and E for the low birth weight group.

The normal birth weight group achieved significantly better grades for mathematics and statistics and higher grades in general science, English and English Literature. Both groups achieved similar results for geography and history.

The authors conclude that very low birth weight clearly affects subsequent intellectual and academic performance, which may influence employers’ selection criteria, as well as the chances of entering further education. (4-15-03)

Calcium Consumption Affects Weight and Body Fat in Teen Girls

A new study presented at a recent American Society for Nutritional Sciences meeting suggests that girls who eat more calcium weigh less and have lower body fat.

The study looked at more than 300 girls ages 9 to 14. For three days, each girl recorded everything she ate and drank and any calcium or multivitamin supplements she took. A researcher recorded the girl's weight and the amount of fat just above the hipbone near the belly button. This skin fold thickness is a measure of abdominal fat.

As expected, girls who consumed more total calories and exercised less were heavier and had more body fat. However, when the researchers compared groups of girls at comparable age, height, level of maturation, calorie intake and exercise level, they found that girls who consumed more calcium on average weighed less than similar girls who consumed less calcium. It made very little difference if the calcium came solely from dairy products in the diet or from total calcium including supplementation.

It didn't take much calcium to make a difference. An increase in one serving of diary – a cup of milk or a thumb-sized piece of cheese, about 300 milligrams of calcium – was associated with 0.9 mm lower skin fold (about half an inch) and 1.9 pounds in lower weight. A similar increase in total calcium intake from all sources, including supplementation, was associated with a 0.9mm lower skin fold and a 2.1 pound lower weight.

These findings are consistent with other studies in 30- and 60-year-old women, as well as preschool children. They can be explained, says Dr. Novotny, by the fact that as calcium intake increases, the body increases its ability to break down fat and decreases fat synthesis. (4-15-03)

Single Parenthood Increases Risk of Hospitalization, Early Death in Parents, Children

A new study has found that being a single parent increases the risk of hospitalization and early death in mothers, fathers and children.

For a dissertation at Umeå University in Sweden, a researcher traced illness and mortality among about 700,000 mothers and fathers and nearly a million children during the 1990s.

The results indicate that single parenthood entails greater risks of serious ill health (requiring hospital care) and early mortality among mothers, fathers and children. Single mothers showed greater risks when compared with cohabitating mothers. Single fathers, with custody of their children, also had heightened mortality risks, but it was above all single fathers who did not live with their children and single men without children who showed the highest mortality risks.

The greatest rise in risk among both men and women was found in cases of mental illness, suicide and substance abuse. Growing up in a single-parent household seems to mean more than twice the risk of mental illness, suicide/attempted suicide and substance abuse, according to the study, and it was also associated with a lower level of education as an adult.

The researcher attributes some of the increased risk to the fact that single parents have poorer economic and social conditions on average and that a greater share of people with weak health are included in the group. (4-8-03)

Dining Together May Improve Adolescent Eating Habits

Eating together as a family may help your adolescent eat more healthfully, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota found that children ages 11 to 18 who ate meals with their family consumed higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains and nutrient-dense foods than those who ate separately. Additionally, adolescents who consumed at least seven family meals per week ate less snack food than those who ate fewer family meals.

“Adolescence is a time of rapid change and development, and teenagers’ diets may not be well balanced in terms of all the minerals, vitamins and nutrients they need,” says Registered Dietitian and ADA Spokesperson Susan Moores. “This study is great proof that family meals can result in healthier dietary intakes for this group.”

The researchers also found that boys consumed more family meals than girls, as did middle school children compared with high school students. In addition, study results showed that Asian-American families, families whose mothers were not employed and families with higher socioeconomic status ate meals together more frequently. (4-01-03)

Sports Medicine Organization Warns Against Use of Ephedra

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is cautioning parents, coaches and youth sports governing organizations to be aware of the hazards of the use ephedra, the herbal supplement recently implicated in the death of Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Steve Bechler, among youth.

The consumption of ephedra, also known as "ma huang," leads to increases in metabolism and in heart rate, according to ACSM. People who exercise and/or train for competition in sporting events are exposed to risk because ephedra may impair the body's ability to cool itself, thereby increasing the potential for heat-related illness during exercise, says the organization.

"Young people don't sweat as much as adults, so they don't have the same ability to naturally adjust their body temperatures while exercising," says ACSM President Edward T. Howley, Ph.D., FACSM. "ACSM is particularly concerned that products containing ephedra are so readily available to children and adolescents who may not be aware of these dangers."

Howley also notes young athletes often use ephedra for weight loss or to enhance athletic performance and are placing a greater emphasis on peak performance at an earlier age. "There are many factors which may negatively influence a young athlete's decision to use products containing ephedra," he says. "It is critical that we stress more appropriate methods of increasing physical fitness and gaining the competitive advantages they seek."

ACSM joins other concerned organizations that have publicly cautioned against the use of ephedra. Concern centers on increased risk of heart irregularities, disturbances of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal problems and stroke. Although some athletes may consume ephedra in an attempt to improve their athletic performance and reach physical goals, says the ACSM, the risks far outweigh any potential benefits. (4-01-03)

Get Kids Reading This Summer

Summer is coming and that means your kids get their much-awaited break from school. But is that good for their brains?

According to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation's oldest and largest children's and family literacy organization, experts agree that children who read during the summer gain reading skills, while those who do not often experience learning losses.

To help entice kids to keep their brains working this summer, RIF offers the following tips:

Reading Tips for Parents:

• Combine activities with books: Encourage kids to read books about the activities they get involved in over the summer.
• Visit the library: Help your child get their very own library card.
• Lead by example: Show your kids how much fun you have reading!
• Talk it up: Talk with your kids about what you read – it shows them reading is an exciting, important part of your life.
• Help kids find time to read: When planning summer activities with children, remember to allow for time to read.
• Relax the rules for summer: Let summer be a time when children can read what, when and how they please.
• Have plenty of reading material around: Along with the usual storybooks, be sure to have newspapers, magazines and informational material on hand that might spark the interest of your young readers.
• Use books to break the boredom: Get books that teach kids how to make or do something interesting this summer.
• Read aloud with kids: Take your children to see a local storyteller or, better yet, be one yourself!

Reading Tips for Kids:

• Go somewhere new: The place where you read a book can make the story even more meaningful.
• Read around the house: See how much reading material can be found around the house without opening a book.
• Take a trip through a book: Read about the places you are planning to go this summer before you get there.
• Read books from A-Z: Let the alphabet help you make a summer reading list.
• Keep a reading journal: Write about the books that you read in a summer reading journal.
• Read aloud with adults: Adults need to read just as much as kids do. Read aloud with your parents before bedtime.
• Start a book club: Starting a book club with your friends is a great way to share books and ideas.
• Find a fun series: Find a series of books by an author who you enjoy.

For more information about RIF's Summer Reading Tips, call 877-RIF-READ, visit www.rif.org or e-mail dearrif@rif.org. (4-01-03)

CDC Activates Emergency Operations in Response to New Pneumonia-like Illness

In response to reports of increasing numbers of cases of an atypical pneumonia that the World Health Organization (WHO) has called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activated its emergency operations center on Friday, March 14.

As of March 19, WHO has received reports of 264 patients from 11 countries with suspected and probable SARS. Areas with reported local transmission include Hong Kong and Guangdong province, China; Hanoi, Vietnam and Singapore. More limited transmission has been reported in Taipei, Taiwan and Toronto, Canada. Eleven cases have been reported in the United States. The initial cases reported in Singapore, Taiwan and Toronto were among people who all had traveled to China.

Among patients reported worldwide as of March 19, the disease has been characterized by rapid onset of high fever, myalgia, chills, rigor and sore throat, followed by shortness of breath, cough and radiographic evidence of pneumonia. Of the 264 suspected and probable cases reported by WHO, nine (3 percent) people have died.

CDC has been working with the World Health Organization (WHO) since late February to investigate and confirm outbreaks of this severe form of pneumonia in Vietnam, Hong Kong and parts of China.

"The emergence of two clusters of this illness on the North American continent indicates the potential for travelers who have been in the affected areas of Southeast Asia to have been exposed to this serious syndrome," says Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, CDC director. "The World Health Organization has been leading a global effort, in which CDC is participating, to understand the cause of this illness and how to prevent its spread. We do know that it may progress rapidly and can be fatal. Therefore, we are instituting measures aimed at identifying potential cases among travelers returning to the United States and protecting the people with whom they may come into contact."

The WHO issued a global alert about the outbreak on March 12, cautioning that the severe respiratory illness may spread to hospital staff. (3-25-03)

Scholastic Releases Cover of New Harry Potter Book

Kids – and adults! – anxious to get their hands of the newest Harry Potter book are getting a sneak preview. Scholastic recently released the cover of the much-awaited Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

The cover art was created by Mary GrandPre, the illustrator of all four previous Harry Potter books. GrandPre has also illustrated such notable children's books as Pockets, The House of Wisdom and, most recently for Scholastic, Plum.

The cover is a portrait of 15-year-old Harry Potter holding his wand in front of a series of doors. It is drawn in tones of midnight blue, indigo and flame blue.

Scholastic recently announced that based on high pre-publication demand for the book, a second printing of 1.7 million copies has been added to the already unprecedented first printing of 6.8 million, bringing the total print run to 8.5 million copies. Scholastic has approximately 80 million copies in print of the first four Harry Potter books.

The book will be released June 21. (3-25-03)

Rap Music Linked to Risky Behavior in African-American Teen Girls

Risky behavior and a heightened incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among African-American teen girls may be linked to high exposure to rap music videos, according to a study in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Although there has been considerable concern about the themes and images expressed in rap music videos, there has been limited research on the impact of rap music videos on adolescents’ behavior, according to the article.

Researchers studied more than 500 unmarried African-American female adolescents from ages 14 to 18 for 12 months. The adolescents had to have been sexually active in the previous six months.

The researchers found that adolescents with high exposure to rap music (i.e. 14 hours or more per week) were three times more likely to hit a teacher and more than 2.5 times as likely to have been arrested, compared with their peers who had less exposure to rap music. Adolescents who frequently watched rap videos were also twice as likely to have multiple sexual partners and more than 1.5 times as likely to acquire an STD, use drugs and use alcohol during the 12-month study.

"At this stage in their socio-psychological development, adolescents want to be autonomous and independent from parental controls, an act that can be viewed as somewhat defiant,” says Gina M.Wingood, ScD, MPH, of the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. “They may also be modeling what they see as the norm. They pattern themselves after their peers and the women they consider to be role models on the videos. On the other hand, it may be an attempt to defy the white mainstream popular culture. Since rap music is more ethnocentric, it is more closely associated with their social factors." (3-18-03)

Less Fit Teens More Likely to Have Precursor to Diabetes

A child who is overweight and unfit may already be on the road to developing insulin resistance, an early sign of diabetes, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's 43rd Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

Insulin sensitivity is a measure of how well the body responds to insulin, a hormone that transports carbohydrates from the blood into cells where they are turned into energy. High insulin sensitivity means the body is responding well to insulin. Low insulin sensitivity – also called insulin resistance – is often a precursor to diabetes.

The researchers studied more than 280 teenagers ages 14 to 18 and found that race and gender were related to insulin sensitivity, which was highest among white girls and lowest among black girls. In addition, boys had higher cardiovascular fitness than girls, as well as lower percent body fat.

When the researchers controlled for race and gender, they found that higher cardiovascular fitness and lower body fat were independently associated with greater insulin sensitivity. That finding suggests that improving fitness or reducing body fat could protect high-risk children, say the study authors.

Study authors recommend parents schedule at least an hour of sweat-inducing exercise into their children's afternoon activities. They say the study findings are important because they indicate that "every child can benefit from higher fitness and lower fatness."

The mystery of the early course of diabetes is getting a lot of attention now because the last two decades have seen an explosion in the number of teenagers with type 2 diabetes, a condition once called "adult-onset" diabetes because it was so rare in young people, he says. (3-11-03)

Online Workshop Educates Parents on Preventing Infections, Preparing for Bioterrorism

A new online workshop teaches Americans of every age how to prevent infections in all areas of life, from homes, businesses and classrooms to what to do if a bioterrorist strikes.

The Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases (PKIDs) workshop is filled with vivid graphics, amazing facts and fun activities for any age. It is a train-the-trainer program offered free of charge to the nation's classrooms, employers, parents and coaches.

The workshop focuses on the following areas:

• Why viruses and bacteria are so good at making us so sick.
• How to prevent infections through standard precautions and immunizations.
• Beware the blood: Fun ways to teach children standard precautions.
• Make your own alcohol disinfectant handrub.
• Why do state governments mandate immunizations?
• How to prepare for a bioterrorist strike.
• How to keep athletes of all ages safe from bloodborne and other infections.
• Why the infected are stigmatized and what protections civil rights laws provide.

"The workshop is designed so anyone can use it to teach others about infectious disease – no teaching certificate is required!" says Trish Parnell, executive director of PKIDs, a national nonprofit organization that supports families touched by infectious diseases and educates the public about disease prevention. "Each section provides a detailed instructional text plus great hands-on learning activities for use in homes, schools and businesses."

The materials were developed in cooperation with leading physicians and public health educators to create an accurate and user-friendly program that is free to the public.

PKIDs' Infectious Disease Workshop can be downloaded or printed for free at www.pkids.org/idw.htm or it can be purchased on CD-ROM for $30 plus shipping and handling by calling 360-695-0293 or e-mailing pkids@pkids.org. (3-11-03)

Less Fit Teens More Likely to Have Precursor to Diabetes

A child who is overweight and unfit may already be on the road to developing insulin resistance, an early sign of diabetes, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's 43rd Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

Insulin sensitivity is a measure of how well the body responds to insulin, a hormone that transports carbohydrates from the blood into cells where they are turned into energy. High insulin sensitivity means the body is responding well to insulin. Low insulin sensitivity – also called insulin resistance – is often a precursor to diabetes.

The researchers studied more than 280 teenagers ages 14 to 18 and found that race and gender were related to insulin sensitivity, which was highest among white girls and lowest among black girls. In addition, boys had higher cardiovascular fitness than girls, as well as lower percent body fat.

When the researchers controlled for race and gender, they found that higher cardiovascular fitness and lower body fat were independently associated with greater insulin sensitivity. That finding suggests that improving fitness or reducing body fat could protect high-risk children, say the study authors.

Study authors recommend parents schedule at least an hour of sweat-inducing exercise into their children's afternoon activities. They say the study findings are important because they indicate that "every child can benefit from higher fitness and lower fatness."

The mystery of the early course of diabetes is getting a lot of attention now because the last two decades have seen an explosion in the number of teenagers with type 2 diabetes, a condition once called "adult-onset" diabetes because it was so rare in young people, he says. (3-11-03)

Online Workshop Educates Parents on Preventing Infections, Preparing for Bioterrorism

A new online workshop teaches Americans of every age how to prevent infections in all areas of life, from homes, businesses and classrooms to what to do if a bioterrorist strikes.

The Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases (PKIDs) workshop is filled with vivid graphics, amazing facts and fun activities for any age. It is a train-the-trainer program offered free of charge to the nation's classrooms, employers, parents and coaches.

The workshop focuses on the following areas:

• Why viruses and bacteria are so good at making us so sick.
• How to prevent infections through standard precautions and immunizations.
• Beware the blood: Fun ways to teach children standard precautions.
• Make your own alcohol disinfectant handrub.
• Why do state governments mandate immunizations?
• How to prepare for a bioterrorist strike.
• How to keep athletes of all ages safe from bloodborne and other infections.
• Why the infected are stigmatized and what protections civil rights laws provide.

"The workshop is designed so anyone can use it to teach others about infectious disease – no teaching certificate is required!" says Trish Parnell, executive director of PKIDs, a national nonprofit organization that supports families touched by infectious diseases and educates the public about disease prevention. "Each section provides a detailed instructional text plus great hands-on learning activities for use in homes, schools and businesses."

The materials were developed in cooperation with leading physicians and public health educators to create an accurate and user-friendly program that is free to the public.

PKIDs' Infectious Disease Workshop can be downloaded or printed for free at www.pkids.org/idw.htm or it can be purchased on CD-ROM for $30 plus shipping and handling by calling 360-695-0293 or e-mailing pkids@pkids.org. (3-11-03)

Camp Teaches Teens About Professional Music Industry

Does your teen dream of being in a rock band? Starring in her own video? Playing a concert in front of a packed crowd? She can do it all at the Power Chord Academy 2003 music camps.

At Power Chord Academy, young musicians ages 12 to 18 play in a band, make a video, record a CD, meet a touring band, play a concert, as well as develop an unbridled understanding of the steps inherently necessary to succeed in the professional music industry today.

“Our program is quickly becoming the essential learning experience for teenage musicians who are serious about pursuing their dreams,” says Power Chord Academy Executive Director Bryan Wrzesinski.

This year's camps will be held at St. Xavier University in Chicago June 22-28 and Loyola Maramount University in Los Angeles July 20-26.

Power Chord Academy is currently accepting applications. For more information, please visit Power Chord Academy on the Web at www.powerchordacademy.com. (3-4-03)

Ecstasy Use by Teens Leveling Off, But Still a Concern

The number of teenagers using Ecstasy in America is finally leveling off, but the majority of adolescents - 13 million kids - still don't see great risk in trying the so-called "love drug," according to a national survey recently released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America® (PDFA).

"Over the last few years, as overall teen drug use stabilized, Ecstasy was the one disturbing exception,” says Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. “Our latest reading of the Ecstasy market offers a more encouraging picture, but does not – and should not – suggest that we have turned the corner on this drug. We have not – not yet.”

The 2002 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study surveyed more than 7,000 teens across the country and found that:

• One out of every nine teenagers in America has tried Ecstasy at least once in their lives,
• Nine percent have used Ecstasy in the past year,
• Five percent have used Ecstasy in the past month,
• Thirty-five percent of teens who have attended “raves” have tried Ecstasy; just five percent of all other teens have tried the drug.

The survey did offer some promising news in that more teens agree that there's great risk in using Ecstasy regularly, getting hooked on the drug and in developing memory problems as a result of using it.

Chemically known as 3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA, Ecstasy is a synthetic, psychoactive drug with amphetamine-like and hallucinogenic properties. Taken orally in pill form, this Schedule I drug can be extremely dangerous, especially in high doses. The drug produces an intense and pleasurable high, while putting users at risk of dramatic increases in body temperature, muscle breakdown and kidney and cardiovascular system failure, as reported in some fatalities. (2-25-03)

Teens Drinking More Soft Drinks at School

Teens are drinking more soft drinks and less milk at school, according to a new report in a recent issue of General Dentistry.

Soft drink purchases by teens 12 to 19 years old at school increased 1,100 percent over the past 20 years, while dairy purchases have decreased by 30 percent, says Jonathan Shenkin, DDS, the author of the report. Shenkin also says that although federal regulations prohibit the sale of soft drinks to students during lunch hours in most schools, soft drink machines line hallways, which means the goods are accessible to students all day long.

These statistics alarm dentists, who agree pouring rights contracts, in which schools accept advertising and sales deals to boost finances, have helped boost the amount of cavities in teens, which is reverting the oral health of many teens to a pre-fluoride condition, according to Cindy Flanagan, DDS, FAGD, spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry.

Facts from the Academy of General Dentistry: Soft Drinks, Hard Consequences

• Brown holes in front teeth
• Receding puffy and red gums
• Loss of teeth

How to Avoid Decay:

• Drink only one serving size (8 ounces = 1 cup = the size of a fist)
• Drink only with meals
• Drink with a straw
• Brush teeth after drinking
• No toothbrush? Try rinsing with water or chew sugarless gum
• Consume a balanced diet with more dairy products (2-18-03)

New Harry Potter Book to Break First-Printing Records in U.S.

Fans waiting for the next Harry Potter book shouldn't have any trouble getting a copy once it is released. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will break all first-printing publishing records in the United States with an unprecedented first printing of 6.8 million copies Scholastic, Inc. has announced.

The book, scheduled for release on June 21, 2003 (mark your calendars!), is nearly 900 pages, more than 255,000 words and 38 chapters.

"The demand at retail and pre-orders by customers for the new Harry Potter book have been absolutely phenomenal," says Barbara Marcus, president of Scholastic Children's Books. "With this level of anticipation for J.K. Rowling's masterful new adventure, we want to make sure that all Harry Potter fans can get their copies on June 21."

Scholastic also announced a first printing of 350,000 copies of a Deluxe Edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix especially targeted to the Harry Potter collector's market. The Deluxe Edition will be designed with a full-case cloth cover with gold embossing which will slide into a special slip box. Priced at $60, the Deluxe Edition will have printed-end sheets and pages with special deckled edges.

When Scholastic released Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in July 2000, it became the fastest-selling book in history. Within 48 hours, three million copies were sold and Scholastic went back to press for an additional three million immediately. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, in hardcover and paperback, has sold over 16 million copies since being released.

All four Harry Potter books published by Scholastic in the United States in hardcover and paperback have sold a total of nearly 80 million copies since September 1998, when the company first released Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. (2-18-03)

Cell Phones and Smoking in Teens

Are teenagers trading cigarettes for cell phones? A new study in the British Medical Journal says no.

Theories have suggested that the recent decline in teenage smoking is linked to the rise in mobile phone ownership.

Researchers in Finland surveyed more than 9000 teens to test whether mobile phones are competing with cigarettes for their weekly spending money.

They found that the amount of smoking increased in proportion to the use of mobile phones, and taking into account the amount of spending money did not change the association.

A high proportion of Finnish adolescents use mobile phones, but their use is associated with health endangering lifestyles indicated by smoking, say the authors. Although this association may not apply to countries where parents do not help pay for their children’s mobile phone costs as much as they do in Finland, the symbolic role of mobile phones and smoking in modern adolescent cultures needs to be studied, they conclude. (2-11-03)

Restricting Teens' Television Time May Backfire

If you're trying to keep your teen from watching certain TV programs, you may be surprised to know they're likely going to a friends' house to see the show, a new study suggests.

These teens also reported less positive attitudes toward their parents, according to the research.

"Unfortunately, parents' good intentions in restricting television viewing may actually backfire and contribute to them watching more of the programs they shouldn't see," says Amy Nathanson, author of the study and assistant professor of journalism and communication at The Ohio State University.

So what can you do? Her research suggests that parents who discuss issues related to television with their older children – rather than just restrict viewing – are more likely to influence what their children watch. The key, she says, is to discuss without lecturing.

"When parents talk to older children by asking questions and inviting dialogue and don't talk to them in a condescending or threatening way, they are more likely to see positive outcomes," Nathanson says.

Nathanson has conducted several studies on the subject, interviewing both teenagers and their parents about their TV viewing and their relationship. Her research has appeared in the journals, Human Communication Research and Media Psychology. (2-04-03)

Government to Test Drugs Prescribed to Kids, But Not Yet Tested in Kids

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced that 12 commonly-prescribed drugs will be tested for use in children beginning this year.

Once a drug has been approved for a particular use, physicians may prescribe it for other uses as they deem necessary. Many commonly-available drugs, although approved for use in adults, have never been tested specifically for use in children. The 12 drugs on the list are currently prescribed for children, but their safety and effectiveness has been established only in adults.

The drugs include:

• Azithromycin – an antibiotic used to treat many different types of bacterial infections.
• Baclofen – a muscle relaxant used to relieve the spasms, cramping and tightness of muscles caused by medical problems such as multiple sclerosis or certain injuries to the spine.
• Bumetanide – used to reduce the swelling and fluid retention caused by various medical problems, including heart or liver disease. It also is used to treat high blood pressure. It causes the kidneys to get rid of unneeded water and salt from the body into the urine.
• Dobutamine – a heart-stimulating drug.
• Dopamine – used to treat Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
• Furosemide – used to treat swelling and water retention.
• Heparin – decreases the clotting ability of the blood and helps prevent harmful clots from forming in the blood vessels.
• Lithium – treatment for bipolar disorder (extreme mood changes from depression or anger to elation).
• Lorazepam – treatment for anxiety.
• Rifampin – used in combination with other medications to treat tuberculosis and to treat carriers of meningitis-causing bacteria.
• Sodium nitroprusside – a treatment for high blood pressure.
• Spironolactone – a treatment for high blood pressure.

Each drug will undergo about two years of testing, followed by evaluation of test results by the FDA. The testing is called for in the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA), which was signed into law by President Bush last year. The law provides for HHS agencies to sponsor pediatric tests of certain drugs already approved for marketing but never tested specifically for their effects in children. (1-28-03)

Most Backpack Injuries Due to Tripping

Did you know that the back is not the body part most commonly injured due to backpacks?

A new study in the January issue of Pediatrics found instead that most children were injured by tripping over the backpack, usually causing foot and ankle or wrist and elbow injuries.

Twenty-two percent of the group studied were hurt in the head or face (mostly lacerations). Injuries to the hand, an additional 14 percent, included punctured fingers from pencils and fractures from the backpack falling on their hand. Wrist and ankle sprains were also common, as were shoulder strains.

Back injuries made up 11 percent of the total, with lumbar strain being the most common back injury.

According to the study authors, telling children to keep backpacks off the floor and not to use them to hit each other could prevent more than 40 percent of backpack injuries. (1-28-03)

Advice to Slow Down Does Not Help Kids Who Stutter

"Slow down and relax!"

A new survey shows that this is exactly what most adults tell children who stutter, but leading experts say that strategy can aggravate the problem.

A national survey of 1,000 adults by the Stuttering Foundation found that nearly 90 percent said “slow down and relax” is exactly what they would tell a child who began to stutter. Yet such simplistic advice won’t help stop stuttering and may actually frustrate a child who stutters, say experts at the Stuttering Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and improved treatment of stuttering.

“Parents should realize that the way they react to stuttering plays an important role in the child’s speech development,” says Lisa Scott Trautman, Ph.D., assistant professor of speech-language pathology at The Florida State University. “If a child senses frustration and impatience when he speaks, his concerns about talking will increase.”

So what are parents to do?

• Remain calm if you hear your child stutter.
• Give the child your attention and listen carefully, allowing him to complete his sentence without interruption.
• Talk in a slow, relaxed way yourself; this will be more effective than any criticism or advice to "try it again slowly."
• Convey that you are listening to what your child says, not how she says it. This will build confidence and likely increase fluency.

For many young children, positive attitudes and reactions of parents and other family members are an effective way to encourage normal fluency. However, if stuttering lasts longer than six months or if it seems fairly severe or worsens, an evaluation by a speech therapist is recommended. The success rate is very high when children begin therapy between the ages of 2 and 5 years old.

For more information and a list of local resources, log on to the Stuttering Foundation Web site at www.stutteringhelp.org or call 1-800-992-9392. (1-21-03)

Being Involved in Your Kids' Lives May Help Them Avoid Smoking

How can you help your children fight peer pressure to smoke? A new study says that being involved in their lives – knowing about their friends, activities and how they're doing in school – can help them overcome peer pressure to start smoking.

The study, which appears in the December issue of Prevention Science, also confirmed two earlier findings. First, that children who are socially competent – who have the ability to exercise self-control and good judgment – and who have parents who monitor their behavior tend not to start smoking. Second, that the more widespread children think smoking is, the more likely they are to start.

While researchers have known that both peers and parents play an important role in whether young teens and preteens start smoking, they've known less about whether the effects of peer influence on starting smoking is affected by other factors, such as parents' involvement, children's adjustment to school and their degree of social competence. This study was able to begin addressing that issue.

Researchers surveyed more than 1000 students at four middle schools for the study. (1-21-03)

Nip Head Lice in the Bud

Sometimes parents get more than they bargained for when they travel to visit friends and relatives over the holidays. Head lice, an unfortunate part of raising children today, may have returned home along with the happy memories and yellow credit card slips.

The National Pediculosis Association (NPA) reminds parents to screen for head lice and their eggs (nits) before their children return to the classroom or to childcare after the holiday vacation. Getting lice "out of your hair" is not so difficult if families are prepared with accurate information and effective tools.

The NPA encourages routine screening, early detection and removal of lice and nits to minimize disruption, save money and, most importantly, protect against unnecessary and direct exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, many of which have no benefit because of lice resistance.

The NPA urges a manual and non-chemical approach using the LiceMeister®, comb especially for children who have other medical problems or mothers who may be pregnant or nursing.

Free educational downloads and a limited free offer for the NPA's "Critter Card" to help parents accurately identify head lice and nits are available at www.headlice.org. (1-14-03)

More Children Receiving Health Insurance

The number of children receiving health insurance is continuing to increase according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC conducts an annual survey tracking health insurance and other health indicators for Americans.

The report found that the percent of American children with health insurance continued to increase in the first half of 2002, meaning that a half million more children are now covered by insurance than in the previous year. The improvement comes as more children rely on public coverage for their health care, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) created in 1997.

SCHIP is designed to help children without health insurance, many of whom come from working families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private health insurance. There were 4.6 million children enrolled in SCHIP at some point during fiscal year 2001, the most recent year for which complete state data is available.

Overall, just more than 14 percent of the population was without health insurance coverage in the first half of 2002, about the same as in 2001, and down from about 15 percent in 1997.

Working-age adults were more likely than seniors or children to lack health insurance coverage, with 18.5 percent of those aged 18 to 64 without coverage. In early 2002, about one in three Hispanics lacked health insurance, a far greater percent than the non-Hispanic black population (16.4 percent) and non-Hispanic whites at 10.5 percent.

The complete report is available at www.cdc.gov/nchs. (1-14-03)

Preteens and Teens Watching Violent Movies

Do you know what movies your kids are watching? A new study found that a surprising number of young teenagers are watching extremely violent movies.

Researchers from the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Dartmouth Medical School and Dartmouth College surveyed a group of more than 5000 fifth through eighth-graders to see which of 50 randomly selected movies from the top 600 box office draws released from 1988 to 1999 they had seen.

From this sample of 600 movies, the researchers identified the 50 that contained the most violence. These movies, all R-rated and not meant to be seen by children, contained scenes depicting such things as sadistic rape, sodomy, brutal or ritualistic murders and cannibalism. On average, these especially violent movies were seen by 28 percent of the children.

The survey revealed that the most popular movies for fifth graders, who are usually about 10 years old, were I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream, with both movies seen by more than 40 percent of those fifth graders surveyed. Both are rated R, indicating that the films are restricted for people under the age of 17.

Two other R movies, The General's Daughter and Natural Born Killers, were also seen by a surprising number of those surveyed. The General's Daughter, which contained a graphic and violent rape scene, was seen by 27 percent of the sample and by 20 percent of fifth graders. Natural Born Killers, portraying young lovers on a killing spree mixed with sex, was seen by 20 percent of the adolescents overall and by 13 percent of fifth graders.

The study appears in the December 2002 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. (1-07-03)

Teen Use of Drugs, Alcohol and Marijuana Down

A new government study reports that teens are using marijuana, cigarettes, alcohol and some club drugs less than they were last year.

The annual Monitoring the Future Survey, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, collects information from students across the United States in 8th, 10th and 12th grades.

In addition to finding an overall decline in drug use, the survey also found the use of MDMA (Ecstasy) showed significant declines for the first time after rising rapidly in recent years. LSD use declined sharply and significantly in all three grades, with rates at the lowest in the history of the survey among students in all three grades. Steroid use, however, remained stable from 2001 to 2002 in each grade.

The only significant increases in drug use were crack use by 10th graders in the past year and use of sedatives by 12th graders in the past year.

For the first time, the survey looked at the abuse of Oxycontin and Vicodin, prescription drugs used to relieve pain. Nonmedical use of Oxycontin in the past year was reported by 4 percent of 12th graders, and Vicodin use in the same time period was reported by 9.6 percent of 12th graders.

"Teen drug use is once again headed in the right direction – down," says John P. Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. "This survey confirms that our drug prevention efforts are working and that when we work together and push back, the drug problem gets smaller."

Significant declines in cigarette smoking also occurred in all three grade levels in 2002, continuing a steady and substantial decline in teen smoking that began after 1996 among 8th and 10th graders and after 1997 among 12th graders.

The use rates of alcohol in 8th and 10th graders are also at record lows in the history of the survey in those grades. Among 10th graders, the rate of binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row) in the past two weeks declined, as did the past-month rate of having been drunk.

To see the complete report, log on to www.nida.nih.gov/. (1-07-03)

New Software Helps Parents Discuss Drugs and Alcohol

Not sure how to broach the topic of drugs and alcohol with your kids? A Florida attorney has developed software to help such parents talk to their kids about this difficult topic.

Raymond G. Ferrero III, who has worked for nearly a decade representing adolescents and adults suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, developed the Drug CD because he says he was tired of getting involved too late in the process. "I always felt that if I could have reached a child or reached a parent before addiction became a problem within the family that somehow I could have done something positive," he says. "The Drug CD is my solution."

The double-CD set uses plain facts, a non-judgmental approach and an interactive format to educate and guide families into open dialogue about drugs and alcohol. The Drug CD includes:

• Access to a nationwide directory of federally-endorsed treatment centers, searchable by state and zip code
• Lessons in how to detect substance abuse at home, school and work
• Digital (crime-lab) photographs to help identify today's most commonly abused drugs
• Comprehensive interactive drug and alcohol reference guide
• Eight video interviews with teens and parents who live with addiction and substance abuse
• Answers and advice from three experts in the field
• A searchable, clinical reference guide to drug use, abuse and addiction
• Insight into the relationship between mental health issues and substance abuse
• Expert advice on attention deficit disorder and ADHD children and drug abuse
• Links to informative Web sites