Dating Partners Lessen Likelihood of Teen Substance Abuse

If the thought of your daughter dating inspires fears of more danger that you want to think about, this post may just make your day.

Young people who are in romantic relationships when they are 19 and 20 years old are less likely to drink, abuse drugs or smoke cigarettes, according to a study from the University of Washington.

Researchers tracked 909 students from first grade until age 20 and found that having a romantic partner in the first two years after high school somehow protected people from substance abuse, as long as the partners were not heavy users of drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes.

The authors of the study speculated that romantic relationships provide social support, make people happy, and cause them to spend less time at bars and with drinking friends.

Women Who Join Sports Teams Benefit More Than Those Who Take Up Running

A study that compared women who run to women who play soccer has determined that the soccer players do better in a variety of categories.

Team players had a higher degree of motivation, were more likely to stick to their exercise, and achieved better levels of physical fitness than did the runners.

• Researchers at the University of Copenhagen divided 100 adult women into three groups.
• The first group played soccer, the second group ran on a regular basis, and the third group did no particular exercise.
• They were tested after one month and then again after four months.
• To the surprise of the researchers, the soccer players did the best.

The women who played soccer have continued their training as a group. Some in the running group actually joined teams with the soccer group after the project finished, said Professor Peter Krustup, the study's leader.

Don't Let Your Daughter's College Application Process Stress You Out

The college application and selection process can be a stressful one. But as hard as it can be on teenagers, it's often harder on parents.

Like our parents and grandparents before us, says [Karen] Stabiner, we are all looking for a way to give our kids more than we had - even though our youth was spent reaping the benefits of a thriving economy and a cultural and sexual revolution that may never happen again.

The world was our oyster, she says, and we’re desperate to believe that we can make it happen again for our children. - Source: ContraCosta (CA) Times

College is seen as the bridge to that bright future, making parents feel increasingly anxious as they worry that their kids will have to "settle" – though it's not always clear what that means. Ironically, most kids don't stress too much about college – until their parents get involved.

Benefits, Downsides of Changing Trends in Teen Friendships

Thirty years ago, teenage friendships looked different than they do today. Back then, teens had a few close friends – mostly other kids who lived in their neighborhoods. Today, kids often travel in packs, and claim to have four or five best friends at one time.

The shift to group-style friendships has notable upsides, such as increasing the likelihood of more diverse connections and boosting teens’ self-esteem by giving them a place to belong.

A study published last summer in the online edition of Journal Research on Adolescence showed that teens with more friends in school had higher grade-point averages. - Source: The Tennessean

The downside to group friendships is that teens don't have to work quite as hard to maintain their relationships.

• When you’re in a group of 10 or 20 people and you get in a fight with someone, you can just ignore that person and talk to someone else.
  
• When there's just the two of you, you have to work it out.
  
• Psychologists recommend that parents encourage their kids to participate in at least one activity that requires one-on-one interaction, so their kids can develop important relationship skills.

Youth Cite Bullying as Important Community Concern

A survey of teenagers and young adults found that they mention "bullying," especially cyberbullying, as a problem in their communities more often than they mention drugs, poor parenting, crime, or racism.

Lead author Peter Picard of the TRU Study:2011 said that 50% of teenagers in the study worry about Internet bullying, along with 60% of those in the 27 to 29-year-old age group.

"Bullying in one form or another has been with us forever," said Picard. "But the old image of a menacing crowd cornering a vulnerable victim behind the gym does not really capture the essence of modern bullying. Think of a networked army of anonymous mean spirits armed with WebCams, iPhones and twitter accounts ... Unfortunately, today's attacks leave a much more harmful mark than yesterday's locker room harassment."

Having Abortion, Giving Birth Lead to Similar Depression among Teen Girls

Teenagers who have abortions have similar levels of depression and low self-esteem as their counterparts who choose to have their babies, according to a study from Oregon State University.

• Dr. Jocelyn Warren and her colleagues used data starting from 1994 on 289 girls ages 13 to 18 years old, who participated in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
• The research team compared levels of depression and low self-esteem among both groups of girls one year after they got pregnant, and then five years later.
• Previous studies have indicated that both groups suffer from high levels of depression and that teenage girls who have had abortions are more likely to commit suicide.

"What we did not know was whether psychological outcomes are worse for girls who choose abortion," said Dr. Warren. "This study says, 'No.'"

The study appears in the journal Perspectives on Reproductive and Sexual Health.

Team Sports Linked to Increased Happiness, Improved Health

Middle school students who play team sports are happier and healthier than their peers, according to a new study from the University of West Virginia.

• Researchers studied 245 students ages 12 to 14 years old.
• They found that boys were five times more likely and girls 30 times more likely to describe their health as "fair" or "poor" if they did not play team sports.
  
• Those who were on teams reported being more satisfied with their lives and in better health.

The study appears in the journal Applied Research in Quality of Life.

Good Parents can 'Buffer' Children from Mental Health Challenges

Children who grow up in abusive or unsupportive families have double the risk for depression and anxiety , according to a new study from the Australian Institute of Family Studies. The study also found that strong, supportive parents "buffer" their children from developing mental health problems.

• Lead researcher Diana Smart and her colleagues analyzed data collected from 1000 people ages 23 and 24 years old.
  
• About one in four reported one or more forms of maltreatment as they were growing up. Almost 20 percent experienced either poverty or emotional abuse
• 12 percent had mentally ill parents or parents who were dependent on drugs or alcohol
  
• 3 percent had been neglected

Within this group of children who experienced maltreatment, 30 percent were depressed compared to 12 percent of those with supportive parents. One in four of the maltreated children suffered from anxiety, compared to 14 percent of those who had experienced positive childhoods.

"Children who grow up with supportive parents showed higher levels of personal strengths, social competence, trust and tolerance of others, and an overall trust in authorities like the police or government," said Ms. Smart. "Laying those strong foundations appears to buffer young people from developing mental health problems."

'Lucy Moon' Helps Middle-Schoolers Prepare for Teen Years

Amy Timberlake's book That Girl Lucy Moon is written for middle school students and intended to help them sort through the confusion and disappointment of the pre-teen and early adolescent years. Reading about Lucy's difficult transition to middle school may help them feel like they’re not alone in their struggles.

"Elementary school seemed normal and the kids sane. It was all about realizing potential. But after a few weeks of middle school, the kids [Lucy] knew have become 'cliched characters from a dippy teen movie.' It all seems hormone-driven and alien to Lucy." - Source: Baxter Bulletin (AL)

That Girl Lucy Moos is not only entertaining, but can eye-opening for readers willing to look beyond stereotypes and see some of the humanity in people who aren’t like them.

Does New Facebook Feature Put Your Daughter in Danger?

Facebook recently add an option called "geotagging" that includes a geographic location as part of the status update. It allows people to inform their "friends" exactly where they are when they post photos or updates.

However, as a Sept. 7 article on the Bay Area website Mercury News noted, this information can put young people (and adults, too) at risk:

The idea of geotagging on Facebook, however, caused a stir among parenting and privacy bloggers because Facebook "friends" share so much information about family members and household activity that geotags could ultimately put a combination of dangerous information in the wrong person's hands.

What if a boy in your son’s class posts a Facebook comment about studying afterschool and tags your parent-free home?”]

Geotagging may look like a fun addition to a young person's Facebook feed, but parents need to talk to their daughters (and sons, too) about the security risks. Parents should take some precautions of their own, too, since many adolescents and teenagers fail to appreciate the very real risks that they face on- and off-line.

Don't Underestimate Effects of Non-Physical Abuse in Teen Relationships

When talking about abusive teen relationships, attention is usually focused on physical abuse. But emotional and verbal abuse can be just as damaging.

All too often people excuse verbal and emotional abuse saying that it's nothing, and never address the issue. ... Verbal abuse can leave deep scars that could take years to heal, and sometimes seeking professional help is needed. It can also lead to larger issues such as physical abuse." [Source: Interpersonal Relationship Examiner]

Verbal and emotional abuse can also lead to deep depression and even suicidal thoughts. Parents should be mindful of how their kids are being treated by their significant others. If your daughter's boyfriend is hyper-critical or your son's girlfriend insists on knowing where he is at all times, the relationship could be abusive. Talk to your children, ask questions, and make sure they're being treated properly.

Don't Delay Teaching Daughters Financial Skills

"Money doesn’t grow on trees" is a common phrase, spoken by many parents and heard by many kids. But our kids' financial educations shouldn't end there.

In an article that appeared in the Sept. 2, 2010, edition of The Vancouver Sun, Trent Edwards of Canwest News Service advised parents to take an active role in their children's financial education:

In previous generations, children were expected to earn their spending money through part-time jobs.

But in recent years, the bubble-wrap trend in parenting culture has pushed parents to give their children a leg up in an uber-competitive world by absorbing all of their children’s costs… all of these changes have led young people to believe they’re entitled to all the latest gadgets and fashions ...

Parents may think that their children are learning personal finance skills at school, but Darren Weeks, a personal finance guru from Edmonton, didn't mince words when asked if schools are doing enough to educate teens.

"Not even close," said the founder of the Fast Track To Cash Flow.

"The schools are often seen as a catch-all for education, but parents are the primary educators of their kids when it comes to personal finance," says Janet Sutherland, a spokeswoman for the Calgary Catholic School District. "It's up to parents to reinforce what the kids learn at the schools."

Alcohol Abuse Associated with Increased Risk of Breast Cancer

There is yet another reason for parents to ensure that their daughters don't engage in teen alcohol abuse. Alcohol increases the risk for breast cancer in women, especially certain types of cancer, according to a new study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

• Dr. Christopher Li and his colleagues went through data on about 3000 women suffering from breast cancer, and classified them as nondrinkers, former drinkers, and current drinkers.
  
• Then they classified the current drinkers by level of intake, starting from less than one drink a week to more than two drinks a day.
• Drinkers had twice the risk for lobular cancer, but the same risk for the most common kind or ductal breast cancer. Alcohol use also increased the risk of cancer related to hormones.

The study appears in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Teens Not Thrilled at Thought of 'Friending' Mom & Dad

Thirty percent of teenagers do not want online friendships with their parents, especially their mothers, according to a new survey from the Nielsen Company commissioned by AOL.

• The survey found that although 76% of parents whose children have profiles on Facebook are "friends" with their child, almost one-third would prefer to drop their parents as online connections.
  
• Twice as many teens would drop their mothers over their fathers, given a choice.
  
• The survey also found that 54% do not know personally many of their online "friends."

Aftrer Divorce, Parenting Plans are Essential

Parenting teens is never easy, but divorce can make it especially difficult. Rosalind Sedacca, founder of the Children-Centered Divorce Network, suggests that mom and dad sit down and create a "parenting plan."

"The purpose of the plan is to determine strategies that are in the children's best interest to create smooth, easy and positive transitions. These plans encourage cooperative co-parenting so that the children feel secure, loved, wanted and nurtured by both of their parents." [Source: Basil and Spice]

Though the specifics will vary, a plan should include not only visitation schedules, but guidelines for the child’s routine; general rules about curfew, homework, and related topics; when, how, and what type of information the parents will share; and steps for resolving disagreements.

Are iPods Contributing to Hearing Problems Among U.S. Youth?

For generations if not centuries, parents have often wondered if their children hear a word they (the parents) are saying. Recent research indicates that a popular form of personal technology may be contributing to the parent-child "communication gap."

• One in five children has some hearing loss, representing the highest percentage of children with such problems since such research began 15 years ago.
• No one knows why more children, especially boys, are losing hearing, but the main theory is that they are listening to loud music too often.
• Most of the hearing losses in the new report were only slight.
• Josef Shargorodsky of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston and his colleagues looked at data collected from more than 4,600 12-to-19-year-olds between 1988 and 2006.
  
• Rates of hearing loss went from 14.9% between 1988 and 1994, to 19.5% in the 2005 to 2006 period, representing a 31% increase.

"Even though this study doesn't tell us exactly what's causing hearing loss, all parents should talk to their kids about risk from long-term noise exposure," said Dr. Mai Thy Truong, a pediatric otolaryngologist at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara.

This study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Afterschool Programs Help Kids Avoid Sex, Drugs, Violence

With the school year back in swing, many working parents wonder what their children are going to do after school. The right after school program can not only give your children something productive to do after the bell rings, but can also help them avoid dangerous behaviors such as adolescent substance abuse.

Many parents feel that their teens are old enough to be home alone after school. But studies show that risky and violent teen behavior takes place most often after school between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Teens are more likely to get into trouble or be victims of crime during these hours.

Also… unsupervised teens are at a higher risk for drug use, violent behavior and pregnancy. [Source: My Optum Health]

Volunteer programs, after-school sports, and academic and social clubs can help fill the time between the end of your child’s school day and the end of your work day.

Author/Mom Encourages Parents to Embrace Kinder forms of Discipline

Judy Arnall has five kids ranging in ages from five to 15. She home-schools them, and is with them all day, every day. That, combined with her years spent as a parent educator, gives her unique insight into best and worst practices of raising kids. She's made her insight available in a new book: Discipline Without Distress.

Although there are dozens of parenting books about discipline on the market, "They're often written by male psychologists and psychiatrists who have probably never spent 24 hours a day with small children," Arnall says. "They take the idealist's approach instead of the pragmatist's approach." [Source: The Calgary Herald]

With her book, Judy hopes to give parents insight not only into their kids’ behavior, but into their own emotional challenges as well. Anger management, she says, is key to disciplining kids properly.

Fewer Kids Exposed to Liquor Ads in Magazines

The subject of teens and alcohol is rarely rife with good news, but a recent survey of magazine ads did yield some positive results:

The number of liquor advertisements in magazines as seen by people under 20 years old dropped 48% between 2001 and 2008, according to research from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The reason for the decrease is that in 2003, liquor companies volunteered to stop advertising in any magazine with a youthful readership of 30% or more.

According to the survey, 78% of the ads still viewed by young people were placed in magazines specifically for them.

"It continues to make no sense to advertise more heavily to those who cannot purchase alcohol than to those who can," said David Jernigan, director of the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth. "A relatively small number of brands are still doing this, despite industry efforts to tighten the standard in order to reduce youth exposure."

Study Links Tylenol, Teen Asthma

Taking acetaminophen (Tylenol) doubles the risk for asthma in teens, according to an article in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Researchers studied 322,959 children ages 13 and 14 years old in 50 different countries. The study subjects completed questionnaires on asthma and their exposure to acetaminophen over a period of 12 months.

"This study has identified that the reported use of acetaminophen in 13- and 14-year old adolescent children was associated with an exposure-dependent increased risk of asthma symptoms," said Dr. Richard Beasley, lead author and professor of medicine at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand on behalf of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood.

Acetaminophen was identified as an "important risk factor" for the "development and/or maintenance" of asthma and also eczema.

More Cases of Mental Illness on College Campuses

As parents prepare to send their daughter and sons back to college, they may want to pay attention to ensure that their children are not showing symptoms of mental illness.

New research has found that more college students struggle with mental illness today than students did ten year ago. John Guthman, director of student counseling services at Hofstra University, said the number of students seeking help has risen, and the types of mental illnesses had become more severe.

Students were screen for mental disorders, suicidal thoughts and self-injurious behavior… Most students had been diagnosed with mood and anxiety disorders. Those seeking help are often socially isolated, depressed and on medication, the researchers said. ...

In 1998, 11 percent of participants reported using psychiatric medications, mostly for depression, anxiety and ADHD. In 2009, 24 percent of those in counseling said they took such drugs. [Source: CBC News]

Guthman and his associates reviewed records for over 3,000 college students who used campus counseling services between 1997 and 2009. One bit of good news is that the number of students reporting suicidal thoughts is half what it was ten years ago.

Parents: Help Your College Students Manage Stress

As yesterday’s high school seniors become today's college freshmen, stress can start to build. Students have a lot to navigate in their first year of college -- new surroundings, new classmates, new teaching/learning styles, and possibly being away from home for the first time.

As a parent, you can play an active role in helping him manage his stress.

If you hear that they are not sleeping sound over a week or two, aren't attending class or are exhibiting any other going uncharacteristic behavior, it's time to suggest they go for counseling or see a physician. Offer your support by listening without interrupting or judging, letting them know that you believe in them. Send surprise gift packages of favorite foods or funny and supportive notes. [Source: North Shore News]

Because money is one of the most common stressors, help your child figure out her budget. Keep in mind that her experience will be different than yours was, and she'll need to allocate her money differently.

Regardless of how they help, parental efforts reduce teen stress may yield benefits for years to come.

Many Benefits of Informal Parent 'Support Groups'

Annie Fox is an award-winning writer whose parenting column has a lot of loyal followers. She recently shared a story about an elaborate breakfast planned by her friend Jane. Everyone who was invited had a teenager who was just starting high school.

What a great idea to bring parents together at the same tremulous moment their 14-year-olds begin the last chapter of childhood! ...

No teen (or parent) gets through high school without hitting some bumps. Hopefully your kid's won't be the life-altering variety. But whatever they are, parents do better managing crises in their families and showing true leadership when they've got other parents to talk to. [Source: More Marin]

If you’re a parent who doesn't currently have a support system, start reaching out to some other parents in your neighborhood. Try and connect with parents of your kids' classmates. Take the initiative to create the kind of network that you (and the other parents) need.

School Board Proposes Tying Driver's License to Students' Grades

The Clark County School Board in Nevada is trying a new method to motivate teens in school – tying good grades to driver's licenses.

"Under the proposal, truancy citations would stop the Department of Motor Vehicles from issuing a driver's license without intervention by a judge. Parents might also lose hunting and fishing licenses or be ordered to attend parenting classes if their children aren’t showing up at school." [Source: Associated Press]

Titled the "Graduation Priority Act," it is still in a conceptual phase, with lots of details to be worked out. Opponents of the measure think it puts too much responsibility on the school board and not enough on parents.

Expert Encourages Parents to Practice Art of Listening

In an Aug. 4 article on the website of the Mercury News, syndicated columnist (and psychology professor) Tom McMahon advises parents that one of the greatest gifts they can give their children is the gift of listening to them:

Even though it's simple, listening takes time, something that most of us are short on these days. So, practice this week. Whenever you can, drop everything when your children have something to say. Use eye contact and your full attention to communicate that nothing is more important at that moment.

Listen with quiet enthusiasm, concentrate on what they are saying and, most importantly, listen more than you talk.

Is Your Daughter at Increased Risk for Drug Abuse?

An Aug. 2 post on the blog Boarding Schools for Girls reports on a study that may indicate an increased risk of drug abuse among teen girls.

According to the post, a survey conducted by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America indicates that girls are becoming more accepting of drug and alcohol abuse -- which means they may be more likely to engage in these types of activities:

More than 3,200 high school students were surveyed for Partnership’s most recent study. This was the first year that attitudes about drugs were compared between boys and girls. Most of the girls who participated in this year’s survey said they believed there were benefits to using drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, this could indicate that drug use among girls is about to increase.

Many Parents in Denial About Teen Sex

A sociology professor from North Carolina State University recently completed a survey in which she discovered that few parents believe their sons and daughters are engaging in premarital sex.

These parents know that many teenagers are sexually active, but they think the active ones are other people's kids.

In other words, the parents hold seemingly contradictory thoughts about teens and sex: Everyone else's kids are hypersexual, but theirs are way too innocent to even be interested.

For example, Elliott interviewed one mother who had, in the past few years, caught her 16-year-old son smoking dope, drinking alcohol and watching porn, [and] told Elliott that she believes her son is a virgin. [Source: Green Bay (WI) Press Gazette]

A total of 65 parents were interviewed for the study, and attitudes were remarkably similar. Though broad conclusions about the population-at-large can’t be drawn from such a small group, it does raise some flags regarding parental attitudes about teens and sex.

Expert Advises Against Micro-Managing, Over-Protecting Children

All parents have moments when they are tempted to micro-manage their children's lives – offer praise for the most basic accomplishments, schedule every moment of free time, and anxiously prevent them from climbing trees or racing bicycles because they might get hurt.

But at least one expert believes that all the hyper-vigilance isn’t helping our kids:

"It's sobering and startling to look at how parents' well-meant intentions -- to help their kids in any way possible -- may actually be backfiring, instead creating a generation of kids who are depressed and anxious, who lack self confidence and coping skills." [Source: The Calgary Herald]

Canadian television producer Maria LeRose has created a documentary called Hyper Parents & Coddled Kids that explores the effects so-called "helicopter parenting" has on children. The documentary will air Thursday, July 22 on CBC and includes commentary from several experts.

Expert Advises: Listen to Your Teen

As children grow into teenagers, a gulf between parent and child seems to grow as well. Many parents of teenagers have the same challenge – talking to their teens. But there are ways to get more than just mono-syllabic responses from your teenager.

In a July 10 article on www.christianpost.com, Mark Gregston advises parents to make a concerted effort to remain connected with their teens by listening to them:

All teens want to do is talk and have someone listen to them. If a teen shares what is on her heart, and that is missed by a parent more concerned about the delivery of the message than the heart of the communication, that teen will eventually quit sharing. If your teen is in the shutdown mode, there is a reason. And the reason may be that you aren't listening to what's being said anyway.

Most kids want to say, "My parents listened to me, and they heard me and they valued me." For your kid to say that, I'd say you are moving toward perfection. If you are willing to just listen, you might touch the heart of your teen and convey a sense of value. Don't worry about your answer, just focus on listening as your teen shares their heart.

If you've been a bad listener, keep working at it, and share your desire to be a better listener. Find opportunities for your teen to talk, even it seems a bit forced at first. Eventually, with diligence on your part, your teen will again learn to trust their dreams, thoughts and questions with you.

Too Much Texting Linked to Health Risks Among Teens

Your daughter's text-messaging habit may be more problematic than simply distracting her during dinner.

Teenagers who text too much can develop symptoms of nervousness, lack of confidence, low self-esteem, and sadness, according to a new study from RMIT University.

Researcher Jennie Carroll, author of the study, named some of the disorders created by excessive texting as Textiety, Binge Texting, Textaphrenia, and Post-Traumatic Text Disorder. Some teens develop "repetitive thumb syndrome," and their thumbs actually get bigger in response too much text messaging.

Weight Problems Don't Doom Girls to Depression

A study of more than12,700 teenagers found that the majority of the overweight ones were aware they were too heavy. However, being an overweight teen was not necessarily associated with depression, which was the object of the study from Pennsylvania State University.

Researchers found that normal weight girls who believe they are overweight and underweight boys are the ones most likely to be depressed.

"Parents often worry about overweight girls' mental health, but our findings show that is girls who have a healthy weight but perceive themselves as being overweight are most likely to feel depressed," according to the report published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

Study Documents Excessive Screen Time Among Teens

A study out of the Toronto Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that, on average, teenagers spend seven hours a day in front of T.V. and computer screens.

The study does not make a direct causal link between screen time – or "sedentary behavior," as it is sometimes called – and health issues. But in an interview, Dr. Mann said it's no coincidence that various indicators of physical health are simultaneously on the decline." [Source: The Globe and Mail]

Public health officials recommend that children under two spend no time at all in front of a television or computer, and that children older than two limit their screen time to just two hours.

If your daughter is spending too much time in front of the computer or television, know that there are a number of ways you can reduce your child's screen time.

Parents: Don't Delay, Have 'The Talk' Today

Have you had "the talk" with you teenager yet? If you're like most parents, you haven't. Sex can an awkward, difficult topic to discuss, especially with a teen. But America has a higher rate of teen pregnancy than any other industrialized nation -- so the topic is important.

"Share your own morals and values on this subject with your teen. Talk about consequences, responsibility, love, decision-making and communication skills. And if you get cold feet, remember that the media and the entertainment industry already have communicated their views to your child.” [Source: Mercury News (San Jose, CA)]

Someone is going to teach our adolescents about sex. If parents don't teach them, then friends, movies, and music videos will. It's a conversation that will make both you and your teenager uncomfortable, but you'll both get through it.

Medical Group Says Teen Girls May Need Two Annual Checkups

An annual physical is standard for both children and adults. But a committee from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is recommending that girls also get a second, reproductive health visit.

The group recommends a girl have her first visit with an ob-gyn between the ages of 13 and 15. The visit should be primarily educational and a chance to establish a relationship with the doctor, according to the paper.

Topics of discussion should include puberty, menstruation, healthy eating habits and sexual orientation. The discussion, with a parent, should cover patient confidentiality. [Source: The Day (CT)]

This early introduction would help teen girls learn how to navigate the health care system and hopefully put them at ease regarding ob-gyn visits.

Drug Risk Rises Among Teen Girls

A new study from the Partnership for a DrugFree America finds that teenage girls are more likely to abuse drugs and alcohol than are teenage boys.

Teenage girls are more likely to perceive benefits from alcohol and drug use. In fact, close to 70 percent of teenage girls agreed that "using drugs helps kids deal with problems at home," the survey shows.

This is up 11 percent from a similar survey conducted in 2008. More than half of teenage girls surveyed said that drugs can also help them forget about their problems. [Source: WebMD Health News]

The study also found that 11 percent more teenage girls were using alcohol, compared to just a 2 percent increase among teenage boys. In addition, marijuana use increased among teen girls by nearly twice as much as among teenage boys.

No Summer Job for Your Daughter? Explore Other Options

Grace's daughter, Stephanie, wanted a summer job. She applied to retail stores, restaurants and fast-food franchises. Her fruitless search had Grace worried. If Stephanie couldn't find a job, what would she do all summer?

Fortunately, Stephanie felt the same way. One afternoon, after another unfruitful job search, she decided to sell baked goods at the Saturday morning farmer’s market. ... A potentially boring and frustrating summer (for teen and parent alike) became an opportunity for her to learn new skills and earn money in the process. [Source: Crosswalk.com]

There are other options as well, for teens who can't find work and need something to occupy their time until school starts. A summer camp leadership program could help your child improve her skills as a leader. Volunteering the community won't earn her any money, but will give her a sense of purpose and teach her the importance of giving back.

Exercise During Teen Years May Stave Off Dementia Later in Life

Women who were physically active as teenagers have lower rates of dementia in their old age, according to a study from the University of California in San Francisco.

• Dr. Laura Middleton analyzed data from 9,704 women aged 65 years or older to understand their levels of physical activity as teenagers and at ages 30 and 50 years old.
  
• While those who are physically active at age 30 and 50 have lower rates of dementia, only teenage physical activity was significantly associated with cognitive performance in old age.
  
• Dr. Middleton adjusted for factors such as age, education, diabetes, hypertension, depression, smoking, and weight.

The study appeared in the journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

Columnist Tells Teens: Don't Grow Up Too Quickly

Columnist Ouisa Davis has met a lot of teenage parents. Few of them expected or planned to take on that responsibility so early in life. And they struggle to adjust.

"They struggle with parenting as young adults. There are few ties to the other parent; they are anxious to move on with their lives but are stuck with the reality that their resources will not allow them to raise their children, attend school and pursue economically viable careers."[Source: El Paso (TX) Times]

Our sons and daughters need to be reminded that sexually transmitted diseases aren’t the only risks of early sexual activity.

Parents Ask Schools to Help Stop Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying has become so common that parents are approaching principals to do something about it, even if it happens outside school, according to a long report in the New York Times. The problem is that no one knows which authority is best to resolve these situations: schools, parents, or police.

Cyberbullying can take a variety of forms.

• Sometimes students will transmit nude or semi-nude pictures of a peer without that person's permission.
  
• Sometimes it can take the form of sending thousands of text messages to a person's cell phone, often making the victim pay hundreds of dollars in fees.
  
• Harassment can be ongoing in the form of streams of hurtful emails or instant messages.
  
• Some students have gone through the trouble of setting up websites aimed at just one student they choose as their victim of bullying.
  

Cyberbullying has been identified as a very real risk for all student (girls as well as boys).

British Researchers Identify Possible Cause of Early Puberty

A study of 3,000 girls in Great Britain found that those who ate more meat and protein at ages three and seven years old were more likely to menstruate by 12.5 years old.

This study, from the University of Brighton, found that half the girls who ate more than 12 portions of meat a week at age seven were menstruating by age 12, whereas only 35 percent of those who ate meat less than four times a week had achieved that milestone.

Dr. Imogen Rogers, who led this study, believes that this does not mean girls should adopt a vegetarian diet, because meat contains many important nutrients, such as zinc and iron.

"However, the results add to the evidence that is healthiest to avoid diets containing very high amounts of meat," Dr. Rogers said, in a report published in the journal Public Health Nutrition.

Previous research has indicated that childhood obesity may be a cause of early puberty.

Thin Girls Who Think They're Fat at Increased Risk of Eating Disorders

Some teenage girls are normal weight or underweight, but yet they think they are overweight. This is the group that should be screened for unsafe weight-loss behaviors, according to new research from the University of Illinois.

• Dr. Janet Liechty looked at the relationship between having a false body image and dieting behaviors, by going through medical records of more than 5,000 girls in the United States of normal or below average weights.
• Overestimating how much they weighed and how fat they were became predictors of extreme weight loss measures.
• Dr. Liechty's research also indicated that girls with false body images were three to 11 times likely to continue extreme dieting measures for one or more years.

"It doesn't just fade away or stop all of a sudden," she said. "That is why early detection of risk factors such as body image distortion, and prevention of unnecessary dieting and unsafe weight-loss methods, is the key to preempting unhealthy behaviors. We need to educate girls and their parents that fad diets, quick-fix promises, and extreme weight loss methods are a hoax. They do not work over the long-term, and they might do harm."

Dr. Liechty noted that teenage girls tend to be "all or nothing" in their approach to weight loss, and need parental support to find a sustainable, sensible long-term plan of healthy eating and exercise.

This study appeared in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Media Portrayals of 'Bad Kids' not Consistent with Reality

The media attention most often given to teenagers is negative. Stories about substance abuse and teen bullying appear nearly every day. But these stories don’t accurately depict the average teenager.

The Barna Group recently took a survey of over five hundred random teenagers aged 13-17 to see what’s most important to them… The most common goal of teens today is to be an educated professional. Obtaining a college degree is the highest priority on their list. [Source: CBN]

Nearly 75 percent of the teenagers surveyed also said that a personal relationship with God was a priority.

Despite the near-constant media attention given to teenagers who use drugs, and exhibit violent behavior, they are a very small minority. Most of today’s teenagers are ambitious, goal-oriented and positive about their futures.

Source: CBN

Another Warning Against Teen Use of Tanning Salons

Indoor tanning beds are unsafe for teenagers, because they increase their risk of skin cancer by 4.4 times, according to a study from Siteman Cancer Center.

• Dr. Lynn Cornelius and her colleagues found that the risk of melanoma increases the longer people use tanning beds.
• The risk is greater among teenagers, most likely because they spent more time tanning or because they are biologically more vulnerable to UV rays.
  
• Dr. Cornelius recommends that tanning centers have warning labels, similar to the ones on packages of cigarettes.

This study appeared in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

Remind Your Children Again & Again: Online Postings Never Private

Cindy Goodman recently discovered her 12-year-old son’s Facebook page. She was shocked by the sexually provocative topics of some the groups he'd joined. She faces the same challenge as parents across the United States: how to keep kids safe online without invading their privacy.

Allyson Tomchin, a South Florida licensed psychologist and family mediator, recognizes the daunting task of monitoring social media and urges parents to open a dialogue with their kids about online habits.

She advocates teaching them to pause before texting, posting a video, or updating their status. "Tell them once you press send, it is no longer private." [Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Rather than trying to do it all themselves, some parents go the "it takes a village" route and ask friends and family to step if they notice anything inappropriate or potentially harmful.

Overweight, Obese Girls More Likely to Engage in Risky Sex

Overweight girls are more likely to have sex at earlier ages and to engage in risky sexual behavior, according to a new study from Medical University of South Carolina.

• Dr. Margaret Villers and her colleagues analyzed data that had been collected from more than 21,000 teenage girls involved in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  
• Among obese girls, 15 percent had sex before age 13
• Among overweight girls, 11 percent had sex before age 13
• Among girls of normal weight 6 percent had sex before age 13

Obese and overweight girls were also less likely to use birth control or condoms, and more likely to have three or more partners before age 18 years old.

"We did not realize what a strong predictor body weight would be," said Dr. Villers. "Overweight girls develop sooner. They look like women sooner. That may be why they are more likely to be pressured by their boyfriends to have sex at younger ages."

Another possible explanation is that overweight and obese girls tend to have lower self-esteem than girls of average weight.

"It is harder to say no if you feel badly about yourself and if someone is validating you, saying 'you're attractive and I want to have sex with you,'" Dr. Villers explained.

Teen Girls Abuse Medications More Than Boys

Though adult men typically abuse medications more often than adult women do, in the world of teenagers, medication abusers are more likely to be girls.

"The medications abused include pain medications such as Vicodin or OxyContin, as well as stimulant medications used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. [Dr. Nora] Volkow says adolescent girls have almost a 60 percent to 70 percent higher rate of abuse of these substances than adolescent boys." [Source: iWireNews]

Those who abuse prescription medications often do so because they think these drugs are safer. However, the misuse of any substance (legal or illicit) can have dangerous and even deadly consequences.

Early Puberty Raises Risk of Depression, Substance Abuse

Much research has shown that girls who enter puberty early are more likely to be depressed, to engage in risky behaviors such as sex and teen substance abuse, and to have problems with legal authorities. Now a new study from Duke University found some of these outcomes do not persist into young adulthood.

• Professor William Copeland and his colleagues followed 630 girls from ages 9 to 21 years old.
• About 20 percent of the girls in the study matured early.
• By age 21 years, those who matured early were three times more likely to be depressed than were girls who matured at average ages.
• However, by age 21 years, the problems with risky behaviors had evened out.
• In other words, the early-maturing girls reduced their risky behaviors, while the girls who matured at average ages increased theirs.

Dr. Copeland said the study offered "good news all around." Although early maturers had a higher rate depression, he said, "most of these girls are doing just fine."

The study appeared in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Helping Your Teen Through a Jobless Summer

Adults aren't the only ones feeling the crunch of our economies downturn. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment among teenagers is now at 25.4 percent. Teens are competing against older workers for the same jobs, and could be left jobless this summer.

What can parents do to support their teens through what may be a summer of
unemployment? ... "Parents can look at this situation with an eye to short- and
long-term goals and stay close to their priorities," Malcolm Gauld, president of
Hyde Schools said. …

Short term, it's only one summer. But long term, it's about
an attitude toward life and its challenges. [Source: San Marcos Daily
Record]

Parents can help their sons and daughters navigate a jobless summer by finding them mentors – people who can help them continue to learn and grow. The teens can also volunteer their time at a local human society, church or community center. Though they won’t be getting paid, they will get a sense of purpose.

One in Three Children Taking Drugs for Chronic Health Problems

One in four children and one in three teenagers in families with health insurance are taking drugs for chronic diseases, according to research from Medco Health Solutions.

The new report links increased consumption of drugs among children to childhood obesity, and concluded that children's prescription drug use is increasing at four times the rate of the general population. People under age 18 years old now represent the leading demographic market for drug companies.

Medco researchers estimate that Americans will spend 18 percent more on drugs within the next two years.

Depressed Preschoolers More Likely to Have ADHD, ODD

Children as young as three years old can be depressed, and one way to tell is they don't enjoy play time, according to new studies from Washington University in St. Louis.

• Dr. Joan Luby found that depressed preschoolers may not necessarily appear sad, but they are more likely to feel guilty, have sleep disorders, and demonstrate little joy.
  
• Her earlier studies found that preschoolers with depression are four times more likely to continue to suffer from it two years later.
  
• Dr. Luby believes that these very young children could benefit from early intervention and treatment.
  
• About 40 percent of depressed preschoolers have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), 62 percent have Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and 42 percent have both disorders.

Dr. Luby's study appeared in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

May Brings High Risk of Suicide for Students

The last few weeks of the school year bring finals, proms, graduation for some and the promise of summer for all. Unfortunately, it also brings stress – stress that is too much for some students.

It's not something that people like to talk about – teen and young adult suicide – because as a society we like to think about happy, carefree, post-graduation summer days with the whole world on a platter and all of life ahead of us. But May is one of the deadliest times of the year for high school and college students alike. [Source: Chicago Sun-Times]

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, and third leading among all young people. Those who are at risk for teen suicide are especially vulnerable during this time of year, when stress upon stress piles up in the sprint to the school-year finish line.

Parents, teachers and other caregivers are urged to pay especially close attention to the moods and behaviors of students, and to intervene if someone appears to be in trouble.

Teens in Sunny Southeast U.S. Suffering from Vitamin D Deficiency

A study of teenagers in Georgia found that almost a third had insufficient levels of vitamin D, a vitamin found in sunlight. The results were troubling in that children in southeastern states such as Georgia live where there is ample sunlight compared to children in northern states.

• Researchers tested 559 children ages 14 to 18 years old and found that 56 percent had vitamin D insufficiency.
  
• However, 29 percent had vitamin D deficiency, which means a level low enough to cause health problems.
  
• African American children were found to be at greater risk for these conditions than were members of other ethnic groups.

The Mayo Clinic website provides the following information about Vitamin D deficiencies:

• In children, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, which results in skeletal deformities.
• In adults, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia, which results in muscular weakness in addition to weak bones.
• Populations who may be at a high risk for vitamin D deficiencies include the elderly, obese individuals, exclusively breastfed infants, and those who have limited sun exposure.

Girls Closing Car Insurance Gender Gap

Girls are closing the gender gap when it comes to how much they have to pay for automobile insurance, according to a new report from Allstate Insurance Company.

Researchers found that although girls are still a better insurance risk than boys, their rates are becoming more similar because they are taking more chances driving.

• A survey of 1063 teenagers performed by Allstate founded 48 percent of girls admitted to speeding compared to only 36 percent of boys.
  
• More than three-fourths of the teenagers in the survey said they felt unsafe in a car driven by a fellow teenager.
• Car fatalities for boys declined by 59 percent since 1975, compared to 38 percent for girls. However, two thirds of teenagers killed in car accidents are boys.

Painkiller, Stimulant Abuse More Common Among Teen Girls than Teen Boys

Teenage girls are abusing opiate painkillers and stimulants at a significantly higher rate than teen boys are, according to a new study from the National Institute of Health's Office of Research on Women's Health.

• Adolescent girls are using stimulant medications prescribed for Attention Deficit Disorder as a way to lose weight and to improve academic performance, said Dr. Vivienne Pinn, research director.
• Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), has stated that the abuse rate for some painkillers and stimulants is 60 to 70 percent higher among girls ages 12 to 17 than among boys in the same age group.
  
• Girls also have higher rates of abusing prescription painkillers such as Viocodin and OxyContin compared to boys their age.

Dr. Pinn noted that these drugs disrupt the ability to feel pleasure and to learn, and they also interfere with the frontal areas of the brain involved with executive control, decision making, judgment, and the ability to control desires and emotions.

Cyber-Bullying Web Page Proves Helpful

Let's Talk About: (http://blogs.cce.cornell.edu/letstalk) is a website launched by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County that aims to help parents initiate hard, awkward or complicated conversations with their children. The Cooperative’s newest web page – "Let’s Talk About: Cyber-bullying" – has just gone live.

Monroe-Woodbury Middle School PTA President Kelly Stegmann said, "The Cyber-Bullying web page gives parents the tools they need to open the lines of communication about a topic that is not only very real, but also very common – more common than we like to think it is. It gives our kids a chance to talk about the issue, without us being judgmental, which is crucial to open conversation." [Source: Times Herald-Record (Hudson Valley, NY)]

Cyberbullying remains a prevalent form of harassment students throughout the United States, with girls involved in many instances as perpetrators, victims or both.

To Keep Your Children Safe, Maintain a Presence in their Online Lives

Every week or two, it seems there’s another story about cyberbullying, or Facebook "hit lists," or explicit text messages. Often, parents are left wondering when or how to step in and monitor their kids' activities.

One mother advises other parents to overcome their cyber-squeamishness and maintain a regular presence in their children's online lives:

Julianne Doctor doesn't bother sneaking around cyberspace to see what her teenage daughter Hayley is doing. Instead … Doctor wanders in and out of her daughter's cyberspaces and knows who she is hanging around with and what they’re up to.

"I think parents do have an obligation to find out what their kids are doing online. If they are minors, that is part of being a parent," said Doctor. (Source: The Vancouver Sun)

Teenagers and parents alike cringe at the idea of Mom or Dad signing on to Facebook or any of the other cyberworlds in which kids hang out. It is, however, the most effective way for parents to learn about their kids' activities, and know when some re-direction is in order.

Teen Birth Rate Falls

Between 2007 and 2008, the number of teenagers having children fell by 2 percent. This is good news, especially in light of the fact that the rate had risen during the previous two years.

Aside from the stress that comes with having a baby while a student is still in school, there are a number of risk factors involved with teenage pregnancies.

Young women who have not received prenatal care are three times more likely to have low birth weight babies, according to the Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting. (Source: Owatonna (MN) Peoples Press)

Teenage parents are also less likely to finish high school, far less likely to go on to higher education, and more likely to rely on public assistance.

For Many Teens, Rebelliousness Really is 'Just a Phase'

Some studies have found that children begin preparing for the transition into adult as early as age 9. Granted, at such an early age, they don’t know they're preparing. By the time they're teenagers, however, they know adulthood is just around the corner, and many are anxious for its arrival.

The ever-changing, soon-to-be adult fights against the uncomfortable confines of the cocoon which must be in place to perform its vital functions: to protect and nurture until the transformation is complete.

In the effort to propel forth as an adult, the teen rebels against the rules and boundaries put in place by the parent. (Source: www.examiner.com)

The attitude often displayed by teenagers is not pleasant. Fortunately, for most, it's not permanent either. One day, after they've effectively broken away from their childhood selves, most will return to normal, and can once again have productive relationships with their parents.

Of course, if your daughter's defiance and rebellion extend beyond normal teen self-discovery, a therapeutic residential program might be the best opportunity for your family.

Tips to Keep Your Daughter Safe from Bullies

In an April 26 column on the website of the Bellvue (Wash.) Reporter, the executive director of the community's Youth Eastside Services offered the following advice to parents about ways they can protect their daughters from being bullied:

• Tune in to your daughter. Is she excluded from activities that she once attended? Is her best friend no longer calling? Ask her what she needs or wants and how you can support her. Often, victims are waiting for someone to intervene and protect them. 

• Engage in open and honest conversation with your teen about her friendships. Discuss with her what makes a good friend. 

• As a parent and role model, demonstrate kindness and healthy friendships. Don't gossip or make fun of others, and don’t tolerate that behavior in anyone else, including your daughter. 

• Teach girls to stand up for themselves and their friends and to speak to school administrators if they see bullying happening. 


Phyiscal Activity Improves Kids' Academic Performance

Want to give your daughter the best chance of achieving academic success? Make sure her studies are complemented with a healthy dose of physical activity.

If children are allowed to take breaks in order to be physically active throughout the day, they will perform better on standardized tests and are better able to concentrate on schoolwork, according to a new government study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Howard Wechsler and his colleagues went through 50 previous studies that involved the effects of physical activity on academic performance.
  
• Half of the studies showed a positive effect, half showed a neutral effect, but none found that physical activity had any negative effect on schoolwork.
  
• Short physical breaks between five to 20 minutes long improved attention span, test scores, and classroom behavior.
  
• Children who participated in sports teams had better grade point averages, attachment to their schools, and were more likely to graduate.

The recommended level of physical activity for children and teenagers is 60 minutes a day. The study found that 30 of those minutes could be done at school.

"There are a lot of studies that show more time for physical education and other physical activity helps improve academic performance," said Wechsler, director of the Division of Adolescent and School Health for Centers for Disease Control. "Some shortsighted people thought that cutting back on time spent on physical education to spend more time drilling for tests would improve test scores."

Teen Drinking May Raise Risk of Breast Cancer in Adulthood

Girls who drink during their teenage years may be more likely to develop breast cancer as adults, according to a new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and Harvard University.

The research team studied 6,899 girls ages 9 to 15 years old, following them for ten years between 1996 and 2007. The girls were part of a study called "Growing up Today," which has 9000 participants in 50 states.

• The more alcohol a young girl consumed, the more likely she was to develop benign breast disease, which in turn can lead to the breast cancer.
  
• Girls who drank six or seven times a week were more than five times more likely to develop benign breast disease than those who limited themselves to one drink or less a week.
  
• Those who drank three to five days a week at three times the risk for the disease.

"We know from many other studies of adult women that alcohol intake later in life increases the risk for breast cancer," said Dr. Graham Colditz, lead author. "But many women begin drinking alcohol as adolescents right at the time in which breast tissue is going through stages of rapid proliferation. We wanted to see if the effect of alcohol on breast cancer risk was operative in this younger group."

Previous research has shown that physical activity can lower breast cancer risk, as well as maintaining a normal weight and eating healthy foods.

The study appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

Can You Recognize Signs of an Abusive Teen Relationship?

Adults aren't the only ones who can get stuck in unhealthy and abusive relationships. Studies have found that one in three teenagers experience some form of relationship abuse from their partners.

If you have concerns about your teen's choice of partner, or you are seeing red flags that go beyond normal parent radar, then you probably have some reason for concern. …

Here are a few warning signs to look out for: Excessive text messaging or calling; monitoring calls and emails … telling the other person what to do and wear, publicly embarrassing him/her ... [Source: Baltimore Parenting Issues Examiner]

An abusive person will also try to isolate his or her partner, as it makes them easier to control. So watch for partners that only want to spend time alone and not with the rest of the family.

Technology Interests Prompt Girls to Abandon Dolls at Younger Ages

According to a March 31 article by Lini S. Kadaba, consumer trends indicate that interest in computers and other forms of technology are causing girls to abandon dolls at a younger age than did previous generations:

It used to be that dolls held girls' interest at least through elementary school. But these days, girls are dropping such playthings at ever younger ages, largely replacing the childhood mainstay with technology-driven activities, even as the toy industry battles to attract the coveted market with new products.

According to the NPD Group, U.S. doll sales have declined by nearly 20 percent since 2005 - and older girls are the least likely to have such toys. In 2009, 18 percent of dolls sold went to girls 9 and older, but 37 percent landed in the hands of 3- to 5-year-olds, the "sweet spot" ages, said Anita Frazier, NPD toys and video games industry analyst.

Jeff Holtzman, third-generation head of dollmaker Goldberger Co., based in Manhattan, said his business used to make dolls for children from birth to 12. Nowadays, Goldberger focuses on children under 3.

"By the time they hit 4 or 5, they want a cell phone," Holtzman said. "We're replacing dolls sooner."

Exhausted by Parenting? You're Not Alone

Most parents will agree that parenting is the most rewarding job they have. Most will also admit that it's exhausting. Whether you have one child or four, the time and energy they require leaves parents will little time or energy of their own.

In an April 7 post on AnnArbor.com, author (and mother) Pamela Gossiuax shared her story of parental exhaustion:

I have been exhausted for 10 years, from approximately the time I became heavy with pregnancy until now. Friends with older children tell me I will never sleep well again. When they are teens, I'll wait up, worrying, for them until they are home safe, and even when they are in college I will worry that someone will fall out of their top bunk.

Then our own issues will set in - hot flashes for us women, prostrate trouble for men, sleep apnea for us all. So I have to face it - I'll never sleep well again.

But it's not just the lack of sleep that has me exhausted. Parenting is hard work all around. There's not a single meal where I don't get up at least three times to clean up a spill or get some forgotten item. And going anywhere is like packing for a six-month trip.

“But it’s not just the lack of sleep that has me exhausted. Parenting is hard work all around. There’s not a single meal where I don’t get up at least three times to clean up a spill or get some forgotten item. And going anywhere is like packing for a six-month trip.

Study Documents Difficulty of Texting While Driving

Parents whose daughters claim that texting while driving is no problem for the younger, multitasking generation now have some statistics to support their argument against such dangerous behavior.

Ninety-seven percent of the participants in a new study were unable to drive and talk on the phone at the same time even if they used a hands-free device.

• University of Utah Professors Jason Watson and David Strayer asked 200 people to use a driving simulator while they talked on a hands-free phone, as they also tried to memorize words and do math problems.
  
• Only one in 40 were able to do everything at once.
  
• The vast majority drove as poorly as if they were legally drunk.
  
• Their math and memory performance declined 3 to 11 percent.

The few individuals who could successfully multi-task may become the subject of further investigation.

"There is clearly something special about supertaskers, the rare but intriguing individuals with extraordinary multitasking ability," said the authors. "Ultimately, we believe that supertaskers can be leveraged to provide theoretical insight into why cognition does or does not break down for other dual-task combinations beyond just cell phones and driving."

Watson and Strayer plan to use brain imaging techniques study supertaskers.

The study appeared in the journal Psychonomic Bulletin and Review.

British Study Says Older Women Drinking More than They Did as Teens

A British study of alcohol abuse among girls and women found that women over 35 years old in are drinking more than they did as teenagers.

This new Department of Health study found that such lifestyle changes are contributing to a rising number of deaths from liver disorders.

The study found that women preferred to drink wine over other alcoholic beverages, and 66 percent were unaware of the alcoholic content in wine.

"This survey quantified what we have suspected for a long time," said Alison Rogers, chief executive of the British Liver Trust. "Unit awareness is staggeringly low among this key age group, special offers and supermarkets incite bulk purchasing, and one in ten respondents did not give their liver a day off from alcohol."

Genetics May Influence Drinking, Drug Use Among Girls

Genetic factors can affect conduct problems in girls, causing them to smoke, drink, and use drugs, according to a new study in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Boys were more likely to be influenced by family and friends.

"Our findings show that risk factors for substance abuse are different in boys and girls," said Prof. Judy Silberg of Virginia Commonwealth University. "In girls, there was a significant genetic influence on all substance abuse in adolescence. But with boys, environmental factors, including a dysfunctional family and peers using drugs and alcohol, had a pervasive influence."

Dr. Silberg and her colleagues studied 1,070 teenage twin girls and boys, ages 12 to 17 years old, using data from the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development.

Dr. Silberg said the study has implications for how to treat substance abuse in teenagers. For example, changing family and peer relationships might affect boys' substance abuse. In girls, it might be more effective to target the antisocial behavior itself.

Date Rape Column Ingites Furor at American University

An opinion piece about date rape in American University’s student newspaper has sparked a firestorm of protests from angry students.

The column’s author, Alex Knepper, wrote that a girl who gets drunk at a party and accompanies a guy back to his room is "indicating that she wants sex," and can’t call it rape the next morning when she regrets her decision.

Susan Donaldson Jones reported on the column and ensuing controversy in an April 1 article on abcnews.com:

[Drew] Franklin, 22, and an audio production major, said he wasn't protesting Knepper's ideas, but rather the platform the newspaper gave the writer for "hate speech." ...

"They crossed the line when they marginalized survivors of sexual assault," he said.

One in six women will survive sexual assault in her lifetime, and college-age women are four times more likely to be victims than others, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN). Only about a third of all rape victims report these crimes and about 73 percent know their assailants.

About 90 percent of college women who are victims know their assailants -- usually a classmate, friend, boyfriend, ex-boyfrend, or other acquaintance, according to 2006 statistics from the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services at the Department of Justice.

Teen Bloggers Primarily Positive, Creative

Teenagers who maintain online diaries (or blogs) do so to maintain relationships with friends and to build a sense of community, and they rarely write about risky behaviors, according to a new study from Ohio State University.

Dr. Dawn Anderson-Butcher and her colleagues studied 100 teenage blogs kept on the website Xanga, and found that most writers recorded positive behaviors, such as studying, participating in school activities, going to worship services, and spending time with family.

"We looked at every single quote, and the kids wrote about very few problem behaviors," said Dr. Anderson-Butcher. "They showed a lot of creative expression through poetry, lyrics and song." They often wrote about boredom, which Dr. Anderson-Butcher considered a positive development.

"Think about the other things they could be doing," she said. "We know when kids are bored, mostly between the hours of three to 6 PM, they are at most risk for having sex or using alcohol, for example. ... but instead these youth sought out social expression via Xanga. So that's definitely a positive. They're filling their time with social networking."

The most common activities described by teenagers were playing video games (65%), boredom (65%), watching television (45%), doing homework (40%), going to lessons like music or dance (38%), browsing the Internet (29%), and participating in religious activities (22%).

The study appeared in Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal.

Moms Spending More Time Helping Kids Get Into College

If it feels like your efforts to assist your child's college search are amounting to a part-time job, you may be right -- but if you're a mother, you're not alone.

• College-educated women give up an average of nine hours a week of leisure time in order to help their high school children get into college, according to a new study from the University of California in San Diego.
• The researchers found that the amount of time that women of all levels of education are spending on child care has increased since the mid-1990s.
  
• Women without college educations increased their childcare time from 11 to 16 hours a week, and those figures were 13 to 22 hours a week for college-educated women.

Professors Garey and Valerie Ramsey found that the reason women were spending more time on child care was that they were driving their children to organized activities in order to increase their chances of getting into the best colleges.

Parents perceive that college admissions have become more competitive, and that a college education will help their children earn more money.

Who Do Girls Resume Sex After Extended Abstinence

A group of researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine wanted to find out why girls resume sexual activity after periods of abstinence.

• The researchers tracked 354 sexually active girls (ages 14 to 17 years old) between 1999 and 2006.
• The girls were more likely resume sexual relationships if they were in a good relationship with their boyfriends, if they felt good about themselves, and if they were interested in having sex.
• Girls who felt irritable, angry or unhappy were less likely to return to sexual activity after a period of abstinence, contrary to the findings of previous studies.

The study appeared in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health.

College Visits Can Help Daughters Overcome High School Peer Pressures

In the March 22 edition of her syndicated advice column, Carolyn Hax featured advice submitted by readers.

One parent reported that she helped her daughter rise above the pressure to fit in with her high school colleagues by encouraging her to focus on the benefits of college life:

When my daughter was starting 10th grade, we went to visit towns that, to her surprise, were college towns. Just being on campus helped her realize that high school was only the steppingstone to get her to college and then to her future. ...

We'd find some on-campus food or drink, go to the admissions office for some literature and ask about a tour, even though my daughter was young. If a tour was not available, we'd walk around campus and ask where the students hang out. ...

We'd look for students who might be willing to talk about their experience for a bit. These few minutes can help your teen realize that when someone goes to college, everyone from high school does not go with them! From my experience, this works.

Study Says Teen Girls Shop Carefully, With Regard to Value & Price

According to a new study titled "The Teenage Girl As Consumer and Communicator," teen girls shop carefully and with regard to value and price. They are most influenced by a small but intimate group of friends and family members who drive all their social interactions, including shopping.

• The primary purpose of this study was to find out how teenagers spend over $200 billion a year, even in recessionary times.
  
• The researchers were surprised to find out that teenage girls are not oriented toward trends but rather toward developing a personal style.
  
• About 40 percent get e-mails from stores to find out about sales.
  
• Girls tend to spend 23 percent more money when they shop with friends, and less when they shop with their boyfriends.
• More than 70 percent of girls go online in order to maintain friendships and not to "surf the net" without purpose.

"Teenage girls represent an awesome consumer force, buying, spending, trendspotting, and trendsetting," said Marian Salzman, president of Euro PR, which commissioned the study. "They are unique in virtually every aspect of their consumption behavior. They buy and spend in an almost ritualistic manner."

Officials Suspect Bullying May Have Led to Teen Girl's Suicide

A March 11 article in the British newspaper The Daily Mail indicates that yet another teen girl may have committed suicide after being bullied by classmates:

An investigation has been launched into the death of a 13-year-old schoolgirl amid claims she hanged herself after being bullied because she was pretty.

Poppy Bracey was found in her bedroom last week after returning home from her Manchester school. The teenager was taken to hospital but later died.

Council officials said today they are looking into allegations Poppy was being bullied in the run up to the death. ...

Emma-Jane Cross, CEO of bullying prevention charity Beatbullying, said: 'Poppy Bracey’s tragic death once again sadly highlights the devastating impact bullying can have on young people and their families.

"It is vital for young people being bullied to know that they are not alone, there are people they can talk to, there are structures in place for them to seek help, and that action will be taken to support them," [Cross said].

Though many people mistakenly believe that bullying is a boys' problem, increasing numbers of adolescent and teen girls are involved in bullying (as victims, perpetrators or both).

Study Says Tobacco Ads Targeted Teen Girls

A study that appears in the current edition of the journal Pediatrics, researchers with University of Southern California-San Diego's Moores Cancer Center report that advertisements for R.J. Reynold's Camel No. 9 cigarettes were designed to promote smoking by underage girls.

A March 15 article by CNN Medical Producer John Bonifeld provided the following details about the research, which was led by John Pierce:

The ads, which were featured in popular women’s magazines like Glamour, Lucky and Vogue back in 2007, look a lot like the pages of a glitzy fashion magazine. The cigarettes are featured right alongside a beautiful dress, shoes, jewelry and a purse -- the kinds of items that you might expect teen girls to find glamorous and appealing.

"The ads had a lot imagery that is girl-like," says Cheryl Healton with the American Legacy Foundation, an anti-tobacco advocacy group. "Shocking pink on the packaging. Describing the cigarettes as light and luscious. Making them almost like candy." ...

The R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company tells CNN that it "adheres to numerous restrictions on how it markets its tobacco products and does not take any action to target youth." The company's statement goes on to say, "Camel No. 9 was developed in response to female adult smokers...who were asking for a product that better reflected their taste preferences and style."

'Brain Foods' Can Boost Your Child's Academic Performance

Parents who are looking for ways to help improve their daughter's academic performance may want to take a close look at the family dinner menu.

According to a WebMD article by Jeanie Lerche Davis, "certain 'brain foods' may help boost a child's brain growth -- plus improve brain function, memory, and concentration." Davis identified the following as the 10 best brain-friendly foods:

1. Salmon
2. Eggs
3. Peanut butter
4. Whole grains
5. Oats/Oatmeal
6. Berries
7. Beans
8. Colorful vegetables
9. Milk & Yogurt
10. Lean meat (or meat substitutes)

Alcohol Linked to Rise in Fatal Car Crashes Involving Young Women

More bad news on the topic of young women and alcohol abuse: New research indicates that alcohol is becoming an increasingly important factor in the number of fatal car crashes involving young women drivers in the United States.

• The new research, which was recently published in the journal Injury Prevention, included an analysis of data from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on fatal road traffic collisions for the years 1995 to 2007.
  
• The study shows that the increase in the proportion of young female drivers with a positive blood alcohol test involved in a fatal collision was greater (3.1 percent) than it was for young male drivers (1.2 percent).
• In addition, the increase in the proportion of young drivers involved in fatal crashes with positive blood alcohol tests at all times of the week was greater among young women than it was among young men.
  
• The rate increased by 3.5 percent on weekdays and 2.2% percent on weekends among young women. By contrast, it rose by 1.5 percent on weekdays and 0.4 percent on weekends among young men.
  

[Source: www.sciencedaily.com]

Excess Screen Time Puts Teens at Risk for Poor Relationships

Too much time spent in front of television or computer screens may cause teens to have poor relationships with their parents and peers, according to a new study from New Zealand.

• Dr. Rosalina Richards and her colleagues studied 3,043 people ages 14 and 15 years old in 2004, asking them about their leisure time habits.
  
• The more time teenagers spent watching television or playing computer games, the more likely they were to tell researchers that they had poor relationships with their parents.
  
• Every hour of "screen" time increased the risk by 4 percent.

The same research team went through interview responses from 976 people who were 15 year old in 1987.

• Among this group, time spent watching television was correlated with lower attachments to parents and peers.
  
• Each hour spent watching television increased the risk of low attachment to parents by 13 percent and low attachment to peers by 24 percent.

"Given the importance of attachment to parents and peers in adolescent health and development, concern about high levels of screen time is warranted," Dr. Richards wrote in her report published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Adolescent Fitness Associated with Improved Academics

Young people who are physically fit have better academic test scores, according to a study from West Virginia University.

• Dr. Lesley Cottrell, a professor of pediatrics, and her colleagues tested the physical fitness levels of 1,200 students in fifth grade and again in seventh grade.
  
• The researchers gave the students standardized tests in seventh grade in reading, mathematics, science, and social studies.
  
• Children who were physically fit in fifth grade and who maintained that high level of fitness through seventh grade had the highest test scores.
  
• Their average score in reading was 3.31, with a 3.0 indicating "mastery." Children who tested unhealthy in fifth through seventh grades at the lowest scores in reading, a 2.91 out of a possible five.

Dr. Cottrell's team explained the results in terms of "a mind-body connection".

"Children's physical fitness is associated with academic performance," Dr. Cottrell said.

The study was presented at the American Heart Association's 2010 Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism.

Most Teens Want to Help Less Fortunate

Three out of four teenagers want to help charities and 38 percent would like to do more volunteer work, according to a survey commissioned by World Vision and the 30 Hour Famine.

"The findings of this study paint American kids in a new but accurate light- informed global citizens who understand that solvable global social problems like hunger and poverty exist everywhere around the world," said Justin Greeves , senior vice president with Harris Interactive.

The 30 Hour Famine has taken place annually since 1988, with hundreds of thousands of teenagers give up food for 30 hours in order to increase their understanding of the world's poor children. The teens give one dollar for each hour they go without food.

Teen volunteerism has been associated with a wide range of benefits, including enhanced self-esteem, improved confidence, the development of leadership skills and better performance in school.

Study Says Adolescents, Teens Have Easy Access to Inappropriate Media

The vast majority of teenagers and preteens can get any movie, DVD, music or video game they want, despite industry ratings and warning labels, according to a new study from the University of South Dakota.

• Professors Patrick Garry and Candice Spurlin and their colleagues gave three surveys categorized as "Movies," "Music CDs," and "Video and computer games" to 440 student ages 10 to 14 years old.
  
• Over 70 percent of the surveyed teens had seen PG-13 or R-rated movies without their parents, or listened to music CDs with Parental Advisory Explicit Content warnings on the wrappers.
  
• Over 80 percent of the boys told researchers they have played video games rated inappropriate for their age group. Public school students were much more likely to play inappropriate games than were private school students.

Inappropriate media images have been associated with a range of unhealthy developments in boys and girls, including lowered self-esteem, body image problems, eating disorders, desensitization to violence, and increased levels of aggression.

During Teen Years, Parent's Role Morphs from Manager to Coach

Though many teens project an air of indifference (or, in some cases, outright hostility) when it comes to parental involvement in their lives, it's no secret that they still depend on their parents' guidance and oversight as they navigate the often rocky path toward adulthood.

In a Feb. 24 article on the website of Oregon's Statesman Journal newspaper, Cheryl Page of the Salem-Keizer School District offered the following insights into the ways that parents can successfully manage the relationship changes that accompany the teen years:

Most parents would agree that the purpose of parenting is to raise healthy, self-sufficient adults who can support themselves physically, emotionally, socially and financially.

To do this, teens need to start making personal decisions. This doesn't mean that parents step out of the picture entirely; it just means that they move from the position of manager to coach or consultant.

What does this look like?

As a coach you are still deeply involved in the life of your teen, but in a more passive role. Make yourself visible and available. Make time daily to interact with your teens. Use television programs or community news as opportunities to talk about issues such as drugs, alcohol and sexuality. Really listen to what your kids are saying.

Sleepiness Raises Risk of Teen Car Accidents

Another report on teens and driving indicates that parents are right to worry when their children are behind the wheel.

In the middle of February, a report by the insurance company Allstate noted a rise in risky driving practices by female teen drivers, parents of young drivers.

Now, a study of Italian high school students found that they were twice as likely to have an automobile crash when they were sleepy or sleep deprived.

• Researchers at the University of Bologna studied 339 students and found that most of them slept about seven hours a night instead of the recommended nine.
  
• 64 percent said they were often sleepy during the day, and 19 percent reported sleep problems.
  
• Eighty of the students had been in at least one automobile crash.
  
• Dr. Fabio Cirignotta, lead author of the study, said that commonly used measures such as opening the car window, listening to the radio, or drinking coffee are useless, and the only safe thing for a drowsy driver to do is to pull over and nap for 10 to 15 minutes.

"Poor sleep quality , together with sleepiness at the wheel, significantly increases the risk of car crashes in the population," the authors wrote in a report published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

First Lady Joins Fight Against Childhood Obesity

First Lady Michelle Obama has taken up the challenge of childhood obesity, telling the press, "It won't be easy and it won't be quick. But make no mistake, this problem can be solved."

About one in three American children is either overweight or obese. Obese girls are at increased risk for a number of conditions and problems, including asthma, type 2 diabetes, early onset puberty, and sleep apnea.

• The First Lady plans to promote healthier foods in school lunch cafeterias and vending machines, and increase the hours children spend in physical activity during recess and physical education classes.
  
• She and others will try to improve food labeling and ask restaurants to post calorie counts and other nutritional information on their menus.
  
• Other initiatives include more medical screening and counseling for obese children.
  
• She will be promoting farmer's markets and setting up a website with tips for parents.

"That's the legacy I want," Mrs. Obama said. "I want to leave behind something that we can say, because of this time that this person spent here --this thing has changed."

Girls Gaining on Boys in Risky Driving Practices

From athletic competitions to male-dominated academic areas such as science and engineering, recent decades have seen girls and young women make significant inroads into areas that were once thought to be "males only."

But when it comes to catching up to the boys, the news isn’t all good.

According to a Feb. 17 article by Julie Wernau of Tribune Newspapers, evidence indicates that female teens are gaining on their male counterparts in at least one worrisome category: unsafe driving practices:

The Allstate Foundation, part of insurance giant Allstate Corp., says in a newly released "State of Teen Driving Report" that teenage girls admit to speeding, texting and acting aggressively behind the wheel more often than their male counterparts.

The trend hasn't translated into females becoming as big a risk behind the wheel as males, according to insurers. But if the trend continues, that could result in higher insurance rates down the road. ...

The overall risk factor for girls is rising as evidenced by insurance rates. Twenty years ago, it cost twice as much to insure a male teen driver as a female, said Thomas DeFalco, an actuary at the New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Co. Today, young men pay between 20 percent and 30 percent more than young women.

"We've seen the difference between young men and young women getting smaller," DeFalco said. "There is still a gap, but it's getting smaller all the time."

Insufficient Morning light Can Ruin Teenagers' Sleep Patterns

The average teenager gets less than nine hours of sleep a night, and lack of sleep has been linked to a range of problems, including automobile crashes, poor academic performance, and adolescent depression.

According to a small but significant study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, teenagers need short wavelength light in order to set their biological clocks for proper sleep.

• Dr. Mariana Figueiro and her colleagues had 11 eighth graders wear orange goggles that block short wavelength light but not other wavelengths necessary to see.
  
• Students who wore the goggles, experienced up to a half-hour delay in a surge of a hormone called melatonin that induces sleep.

The study's results indicate that if a teen leaves for school when it's dark, spends most of the day in a room without windows, and comes home after sunset, she may have trouble getting to sleep because she is not exposed to enough sunlight.

"There is a biologically based shift in the natural sleep onset and wake-up time," said Dr. Judith Owens, a professor of pediatrics at Brown University. "This study shows you can impact that shift with light manipulation. The major take-home message is to get natural light exposure early in the day."

The study appears in the journal Neuroendocrinology Letters.

Study Says School Sports Offer Education, Employment Benefits to Girls

A new study indicates that girls who play sports in high school and college may be more likely than non-athletes to do better in school and on the job.

Dr. Betsy Stevenson and her colleagues from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania wanted to determine effect of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 that required schools and colleges receiving federal money to provide the same opportunities in sports for girls as they did for boys.

• In the first six years after the law was passed, the percentage of girls participating in team sports went from 4 to 25 percent.
  
• Today, about 33 percent of high school girls play sports, compared to 50 percent of boys.
• Dr. Stevenson's research indicates that effect of the Title IX legislation could explain about 20 percent of the increase in women's education and 40 percent of the rise in employment for women ages 25 to 34 years old.
  

"It's not just that the people who are going to do well in life play sports, but that sports help people do better in life," she said.

Oral Cancers Increasing Among Teens, Young Adults

Dentists and dental hygienist are seeing more cases of oral cancer and cancers of the neck and throat among young people.

The cause of these cancers is human papillomavirus (HPV), which is transmitted by oral sex.

• About 35,400 people are diagnosed every year with oral cancer, according to an article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
  
• The rate for people under 40 doubled between the years 1973 to 2004, and 39 percent of those cases were related to the HPV virus.
  
• Some of the treatments for mouth, throat, and neck cancers can be painful, disfiguring, and can adversely affect the sense of taste.
  
• One problem is that the majority of people are diagnosed late, so the survival rate is only 59 percent. Throat cancer can feel like a simple but long-lasting sore throat.

The number one risk factor for oral cancer is having a high number of sexual partners. One study from Johns Hopkins University found that people who had five or more partners had an 250 percent increased risk for throat cancer.

Dentists can screen patients for oral cancer, but very small lesions can be missed by the naked eye, and require special techniques to be detected.

Fewer Teens Getting Drivers' Licenses

More U.S. teenagers are waiting to get their driver's licenses, according to new federal data. Only 31 percent of eligible 16-year-olds in 2008 became drivers, compared to 45 percent in 1988.

Experts theorize that there are several reasons for the decline:

• Teenagers are connected to one another online and by cell phones and have less need to drive to their friends' houses to meet.
• New laws are restricting teenagers' nighttime driving and the number of passengers they can have a car, as well as requiring parents to spend time teaching them.
• Some of these laws require as many as 60 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, and many teens do not have time for that.
• Automobile insurance rates for teenagers keep rising.

Some experts believe that parents should nevertheless encourage their 16-year-olds to drive.

"Learning to drive is a fundamental part of adolescence," said psychologist Joseph Allen of the University of Virginia. "It gives teens a major responsibility they have to handle, and it also gives them the chance to move about on their own, and to function independently of their families. ... Parents are scared to death about their teens driving, but they won't grow up if we just lock them in a room to keep them safe."

Study Cites Benefits of Encouraging Abstinence

A new study indicates that abstinence classes may be an effective way of encouraging young boys and girls to delay sex.

• Researchers studied 662 African-American students in the sixth and seventh grades in Philadelphia, dividing them into five groups.
  
• One group participated in an eight-hour program that encouraged them to "wait until they were ready."
• The second group got an eight-hour lesson on safe sex.
• The the third and fourth groups underwent either an eight-hour or twelve-hour program that incorporated both ideas
• The fifth group got an eight-hour lesson on healthy lifestyles.
• The average age of participants at the start of the study was 12.2 years, and 53 percent were girls.

Two years later, the researchers discovered that 33.5 percent of the members of the "abstinence" group had lost their virginity, compared to over 40 percent in the fourth and fifth groups, 47 percent in the health education only group, and 52 percent in the safe sex group

This study appeared in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.