Publications - Parenting/Caregiver Advice and Support

Teen checkups should include suicide risk screening, by Lisa Rapaport, Reuters, Jun 27 2016.

“Suicide is among the leading causes of death in U.S. adolescents and while it’s not entirely preventable, doctors can minimize the risk by asking the right questions during routine checkups, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.   Pediatricians should ask about mood disorders, use of drugs and alcohol, suicidal thoughts, bullying, sexual orientation and other risk factors for suicide as part of a routine conversation about medical history, the AAP notes in treatment guidelines released today. ”

Parenting Methods Shown to Impact Outcomes for Kids, by Janice Wood, PsychCentral, Jun 18 2016.

“A new study from Japan shows that children who receive positive attention and care from their parents have high incomes, high happiness levels, academic success, and a strong sense of morality. ”

For teen girls, risky dieting tied to family conflict, depression, by Kathryn Doyle, Reuters, Jun 15 2016.

“Young teen girls are more likely to count calories, skip meals and engage in other risky dieting behaviors if they’re experiencing family conflict or have symptoms of depressed mood, according to a new study from Australia. “There are many factors associated with the development of risky dieting, including socialization by peers, media, and parents/family,” said coauthor Adrian B. Kelly of The University of Queensland in an email. “This study takes a look at the emotional climate of families as an underlying vulnerability of girls to risky dieting.” ”

How teachers and parents can talk to kids about the Orlando shootings, by Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post, Jun 13 2016.

“Sadly, this is not the first time I have run some of the information in this post. The mass shooting in a popular gay Orlando nightclub by a gunman who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group has made it relevant again. Here is information about how teachers and parents can address the violence with students of different ages. ”

More Than 6 Million U.S. Students Are 'Chronically Absent', by Elissa Nadworny, NPR, Jun 10 2016.

“It's one of the oldest issues in school improvement: Getting kids to show up. If students miss 10 percent of the school year — that's just two days a month —research shows they are way more likely to fall behind — even drop out. Today, the U.S. Education Department is releasing a report on the first national data set on chronic absence — defined as missing 15 or more days of school a year. The numbers come from the 2013-2014 Civil Rights Data Collection survey — an on-the-ground look from 95,000 schools. The numbers are striking: More than 6 million kids are missing 15 days or more of school a year. ”

Building Brainerd's resilience: Could research on childhood trauma change society?, by Chelsey Perkins, Brainerd Dispatch, May 29 2016.

“What if one area of research could prevent some of society's biggest problems? Researchers say an ever-expanding pool of data on the effects of childhood trauma—and how to counteract those effects—might be the key to alleviating countless societal problems. These include criminality, substance abuse, mental health problems and some of the leading causes of death. ”

How To Teach Children That Failure Is The Secret To Success, by Tara Haelle , NPR, May 6 2016.

“Is failure a positive opportunity to learn and grow, or is it a negative experience that hinders success? How parents answer that question has a big influence on how much children think they can improve their intelligence through hard work, a study says. ”

Tighter Alcohol Curbs For All Help Reduce Teen Motor Vehicle Deaths, by Katherine Du, NPR, Apr 30 2016.

“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading causes of death for teenagers in the United States, and alcohol is involved in 1 out of 4 of those crashes. The stronger a state's restrictions on alcohol overall, the lower the teen death toll, a study finds. ”

Teen Moms Trust Their Gut, Even When It Puts Their Babies At Risk, by Laurel Dalrymple, NPR, Apr 21 2016.

“Teenage mothers who know about safe-sleeping practices to reduce the risk of infant death often deliberately do not follow those recommendations, a study published Thursday finds. Each year, sudden unexpected infant death will claim about 3,500 babies up to a year old in the U.S., with about a quarter of those due to accidental suffocation or strangulation in bed. Almost all of the 43 teens in the study reported bed sharing and using loose blankets or soft bedding, which are all listed as practices to be avoided in safe-sleeping recommendations for babies.  ”

'No differences' between children of same-sex and opposite-sex parents, by Nadia Kounang, CNN , Apr 15 2016.

“A new study in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics finds that the kids really are all right. Despite the ongoing cultural debate around same-sex parenting, the new study finds the children of same-sex parents are just as healthy emotionally and physically as the children of different-sex parents. ”

For New Parents, Dad May Be The One Missing The Most Sleep, by Tara Haelle and Emily Willingham, NPR, Apr 5 2016.

“You might think that mothers, being the ones with the breast milk, have it the worst. But science seems to indicate otherwise. For example, one 2013 study of 21 mother-father pairs enjoying their first infant experience found that fathers actually got less sleep than the mothers and experienced more confirmed sleepiness, as measured using wrist trackers. The study authors also found that even though the mothers got more sleep, their sleep was disturbed more often, which makes sense given their role in feeding. ”

Addiction may explain the link between social media and depression, by Rob Goodier, Reuters, Apr 5 2016.

“Studies have linked the use of social media to depression, but addiction to social media, rather than use alone, may explain the connection, new research suggests. “We believe that at least having clinicians be aware of these associations may be valuable to them as they treat patients with depressive disorders. For example, they may wish to inquire about social media use patterns and determine if those patterns are maladaptive,” coauthor Ariel Shensa of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine told Reuters Health by email. ”

Kids' Grades Can Suffer When Mom Or Dad Is Depressed, by Patti Neighmond, NPR, Apr 4 2016.

“When parents suffer depression, there can be a ripple effect on children. Kids may become anxious, even sad. There may be behavior problems. Health may suffer. Recently, a large Swedish study showed that grades may decline, too, when a parent is depressed. Using data from 1984 to 1994, researchers from Philadelphia's Dornsife School of Public Health, at Drexel University, measured school grades for more than 1.1 million children in Sweden and compared them with their parents' mental health status. The study was published in a February issue of JAMA Psychiatry. ”

After Terror Attack Like Brussels, Parents Can Play Key Role So Kids Aren't Traumatized, Experts Say, by Gillian Mohney, ABC News, Mar 23 2016.

“The deadly attacks in Brussels have produced another wave of frightening headlines, videos of the bombing and new stories about victims injured or killed in the incidents. The effect can be traumatizing for children or adolescents who are trying to make sense of what has happened, but experts said parents can help to ease the shock of confronting such devastating news. Russell Jones, a professor of psychology at Virginia Tech and a trauma expert, said a key thing to remember is that children will mimic the behavior and attitudes of adults around them. ”

The Best Way to Fight With a Teenager, by Lisa Damour, The New York Times, Mar 16 2016.

“When raising teenagers, conflict usually comes with the territory. A growing body of research suggests that this can actually be a good thing. How disagreements are handled at home shapes both adolescent mental health and the overall quality of the parent-teenager relationship. Not only that, the nature of family quarrels can also drive how adolescents manage their relationships with people beyond the home. ”