Teen Health 411

Movie Review: New Moon

2009-11-20T08:51:00.001-08:00

oooh la la I am so tired this morning because ... of course, we had to see New Moon at 12:05 AM this morning. Luckily the theater let us arrive two hours early and sit waiting cozily inside, doing homework, reading and listening to the chatter of all the excited Twilight Saga fans. Not everyone was so lucky - when we arrive at 10 PM there were still lots of people sitting in the cold waiting to...

Dinner Together Makes a Difference

2009-11-19T08:23:00.000-08:00

I know I have said this before, but now there is more research to back it up. A recent report on the results from the "back-to-school" survey (September 2009) done by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University reports a decade of research finding that the more often children have dinner with their parents, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, or use...

Thank You - Grand Rounds 6.8

2009-11-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

Thank you Louise Norris at Health Insurance Colorado for hosting Grand Rounds 6.8 this week and including a post from Teen Health 411 about what teens want from parents. This week was really diverse, interesting, and downright odd in the case of the dystonia claim and the beautiful pictures, combined with our 37 degrees in Palo Alto this morning made me feel very thankful! Photo credit: Hare...

Snacking and the Environment

2009-11-16T08:52:00.000-08:00

One way to increase the health of teens would be to get them into the habit of carrying healthy snacks, when they are little. A recent study in Pediatrics with 800 elementary-aged children found that purchases made at corner stores contributed to the frequent intake of high-calorie, low-nutrition foods. Makes perfect sense. Some of these kids shopped at these stores daily and with under a dollar...

Ode to the Human Body

2009-11-15T08:31:00.000-08:00

A body - we each have one - whether we cover it, fight with it, or celebrate it. In the beginning of our life, an adult cares for the body we are given and as we grow, we assume more and more control over the wonders of it and responsibility for its upkeep, functioning, and longevity. As children we damage it continually while learning our limits and challenging the environment - defying it in...

Life Without Gluten: Celiac Sprue

2009-11-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

Celiac Disease is an inherited, autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats. Celiac disease is one of the most under-diagnosed diseases seen by primary care physicians and one of the most common genetic diseases worldwide. The average delay from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis is...

The Ideal Relationship With A Parent

2009-11-13T07:22:00.000-08:00

As a parent, sometimes it is hard to know how our teens perceive us. We all want to be there for our children and have a great relationship with each of them, but sometimes they might not perceive our actions the same way we intend them to, so here is what a group of teens have to say about the perfect relationship with a parent. Just food for thought. The perfect parent would ... Male, age 18:...

Thank You - Grand Rounds 6.7

2009-11-10T09:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks for Emily McGee at crzegrl, flight nurse for hosting Grand Rounds 6.7 this week and including a post from Teen Health 411 about Resources for Sexually Minority Youth. This week was really diverse - spanning poetry, rattlesnakes and mistakes - all making for a great read, and the last post about the marriage brought a tear to my eye. Thanks! Photo credit: Per Ola Wiberg (Powi)

It is TIme to Change the College Application Process

2009-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

It is high time that the process of applying to college changed! It is so ridiculous to me that every US family with a college-bound junior in high school takes the same path - trying to identify the 10 colleges (out of 3,500) that will be the perfect match for their child. We all read the web sites, visit if we can, talk to people, and support our seniors during the application process - only to...

Book Review: Tempted, 6th in the House of Night Series

2009-11-07T08:56:00.000-08:00

If you have not finished this book, do not read this book review - it will spoil it for you! Tempted is book six in the House of Night series and begins after Zoey and her friends have banished Kalona and Neferet, Zoey and Stark are both recovering, the nuns and vampires are friends, and it is clear that Stevie Rae is keeping some really bad secrets about her red vampires and a bigger secret - a...

Resources for Sexual Minority Youth

2009-11-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

Sexual orientation is not something teens choose, and for teens who are struggling in families without support or even tolerance, there is always someone to help. Teens can reach out to an adult who will help - a teacher, a relative, a doctor, a clergy member, or a counselor. There are also national hotlines: The Trevor Helpline is a nationwide 24-hour helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual,...

Book Review: What to Expect When Your Child Leaves for College

2009-11-03T14:19:00.000-08:00

According to M. Spohn (2008), most parents experience some sort of separation anxiety when their child leaves for college. What to Expect When Your Child Leaves for College: A Complete Guide for Parents Only will give you some valuable information to help make the upcoming transition easier, including information about encouraging independence, offering support, handling the drop-off, dealing...

Thank You - Grand Rounds 6.6

2009-11-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

Thank you Dr. Joe Kim at Non-Clinical Jobs for hosting Grand Rounds 6.6 this week and including a post from Teen Health 411 about emergency preparedness. This week was such an easy read - organized and interesting! Photo credit: Ed Bierman

Is "Average" Really OK?

2009-11-01T08:11:00.000-08:00

My heart is going out to teens these days, especially in my high-achieving community. It seems school districts and parents alike have lost the sense that "average" is really OK, and in some cases, much healthier than "above average." An emotional goal of adolescence is to answer the question "who am I" acquiring self-certainty as opposed to self-consciousness and self-doubt. Most teens...

Set Your Clocks and Check Your Stocks!

2009-10-31T08:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween! I know the Autumn weather has been here for at least a month and we have all been waiting to set our clocks back, but it is finally time to do just that. Tonight before you go to bed remember to set your clocks back an hour (Fall back, Spring forward) and tomorrow would be a great day to check your stocks in your family's emergency preparedness kit (or start one) - including...

Book Review: Prepared Parent's Operational Manual: Sending Your Child to College

2009-10-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

Normal 0 0 1 220 1255 Palo Alto Medical Foundation 10 2 1541 11.1282 0 0 0 OMG! Your kid is applying to college. Are you ready? Now you may be struggling to help them apply or maybe struggling to stay out of the whole process, but come April, when all the letters (good or bad) are in, the decision will be made, the check written, and then it...

Alley Dog Honors Teen Health 411

2009-10-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

Teen Health is honored to have been selected by AlleyDog.com as one of the best psychology-related blogs, for which I am deeply grateful. AlleyDog is a popular psychology-specific website launched more than 10 years ago, and well worth a stroll through.

Book Review: Choices: A Novel

2009-10-28T09:42:00.000-07:00

Choices: A Novel is a must read for teachers, parents and teenagers, everywhere. A combination of coming-of-age textbook, conversation starter, bite-your-nails, and gotta finish book, it took me by surprise. Laughter, tears, and some great conversations have filled our home this week as we read Choices. In a nutshell, the main character, 15 year-old Kara, lives in a very sheltered world, attends...

Teen Talk Sexuality & Education

2009-10-24T07:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there are wonderful resources right under my nose and I do not find them for a while. This is the case with Teen Talk Sexuality - a wonderful group of people doing amazing sexuality education work with schools and communities in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their mission: To provide science-based comprehensive educational programs to youth and adults to help teens make the healthy...

My Kid is Going To College!

2009-10-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

OMG! WTF? Are you kidding? I am not ready! Those 17 years sure blew by fast - I still remember singing to her while rubbing my pregnant belly! How the heck will we all manage? I take it all back - encouraging independence, providing a great education, fostering decision-making and organization skills - nah - it is over rated! Or how about this - sheer bliss, satisfaction, a happy glow, peace,...

Teen Read Week 2009

2009-10-22T07:46:00.000-07:00

The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has announced the Teens Top Ten Books of the Year. More than 11,000 teen voters chose Paper Towns as their favorite book during the online poll that took place from Aug. 24 through Sept. 18th. The winners were announced during Teen Read Week (Oct. 18-24th), and here they are: Paper Towns by John Green (Penguin/Dutton)Breaking Dawn by Stephenie...

Thank You - Grand Rounds 6.5

2009-10-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

Thank you Alvaro Fernandez at Sharp Brains for hosting Grand Rounds 6.5 this week and including my book review of your wonderful book, The Sharp Brains Guide to Brain Fitness, from Teen Health 411. This week was so very interesting - I loved the brain and cognition theme. It was so interesting in fact, I have not yet opened my email or checked phone messages, but I have had a lovely read and...

Love Your Body Day!

2009-10-18T07:58:00.000-07:00

Loving our bodies and accepting our size may be the hardest things most women ever have to do! I found an old news article from Deb Burgard about the "war on obesity" and decided that I needed to help promote October 18th, which is still Love Your Body Day. The article talks about the size acceptance movement, which we can see everywhere, including the Dove campaign for real beauty and the...

Book Review: The Sharp Brains Guide to Brain Fitness

2009-10-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to be asked to review the new book, The Sharp Brains Guide to Brain Fitness: 18 Interviews with Scientists, Practical Advice, and Product Reviews, to Keep Your Brain Sharp, by Alvaro Fernandez and Elkhonon Goldberg (2009), and am happy to report that I really enjoyed the book. One of the big differences in our house between the teens and the grownups is definitely brain...

It Is Not Too Late: Get Your Flu Shots!

2009-10-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

People, people, people, this is going to be a nasty flu season - so please, make sure your entire family has had their seasonal and H1N1 flu shots! A recent study by the Stanford University School of Medicine suggests that providing flu shots in October rather than in November, would save lives and money. Putting it simply, vaccinating as many people as early as possible is the best way to avoid...