As a parent, you want to do everything in your power to protect your children. With the recent H1N1 flu outbreak (initially called “swine flu”), FFF is sharing some important steps that you can take right now to help protect you and your loved ones.

Source: Connect with Kids

Alcohol and the Teen Brain

“And one important difference we found…was that the kids with the heavy drinking patterns were not able to retain as much information as the kids who were non-drinkers.”

– Susan Tapert, Ph.D., clinical psychologist

16-year-old Veronica Dyer is taking part in a long-term study. The National Institutes of Health is examining the effects of alcohol on the teenage brain.

“And one important difference we found…was that the kids with the heavy drinking patterns were not able to retain as much information as the kids who were non-drinkers,“ says Susan Tapert, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist involved in the study. 

“The subject on the left is a normal, healthy 15-year-old boy,” says Tapert, as she looks as brain images, “and the subject on the right is a 15-year-old boy who is actually a very heavy drinker. You can see that this is a really important area of the brain for remembering locations of things, and over here – nothing. [The heavy drinker] is not using these important brain areas to do this task, and as a result he actually didn’t perform as well on the task.”

Teens who drink twice a week consistently scored an average of ten percent lower on short-term memory tests, compared to non-drinkers.

In other words, says Tapert, “the heavy drinker is more likely to get a B, whereas the non-drinker would be able to get an A.  So it’s kind of that amount of a difference.”

16-year-old K.T. Taylor says she’s been drinking heavily for four years. Now in rehab, Taylor says the alcohol has affected her memory.

“Yeah, my memory changed a lot,” she says. “I can’t remember anything anymore. I still do good on my tests – it’s just more effort than I used to have to put into it.”

Has K.T. suffered any long-term damage from drinking? No one knows. But Veronica isn’t taking that risk.

“I personally have never drunken even an entire drink of alcohol,” she says. “A lot of my friends have and I have seen how it affected them.  They’re slower in school and that’s all they think about doing.  And they become addicted to it in a way and I don’t want to be into that, so I don’t do it.”

Tips for Parents

Research shows that adolescents may be more vulnerable to brain damage from excessive drinking than older drinkers. Alcohol impairs brain activity in the receptors responsible for memory and learning, and young people who binge drink could be facing serious brain damage today and increased memory loss in years to come. If one begins drinking at an early age, he/she is more likely to face alcohol addiction. Consider the following …

• Imaging studies have revealed a connection between heavy drinking and physical brain damage.
• Neither chronic liver disease nor alcohol-induced dementia, the most common symptoms of severe alcoholism, need be present for alcohol-induced, physical brain damage to occur.
• Alcohol-induced brain damage usually includes extensive shrinkage in the cortex of the frontal lobe, which is the site of higher intellectual functions.
• Shrinkage has also been observed in deeper brain regions, including the cerebellum, which helps regulate coordination and balance, and brain structures associated with memory.
• Alcohol abstinence has shown positive results. Even three to four weeks without alcohol can reverse effects on memory loss and problem-solving skills.

Adolescents have a better chance of recovery because they have greater powers of recuperation. If you suspect your child has alcohol-related brain damage, it is imperative to have him or her assessed by a medical doctor or psychologist. Treatment depends on the individual and the type of brain damage sustained. People with impaired brain function can be helped. Often it is necessary to reduce the demands placed on the patient. Also, a predictable routine covering all daily activities can help. Consider the following points when easing your child’s routine …

• Simplify information. Present one idea at a time.
• Tackle one problem at a time.
• Allow your child to progress at his or her own pace.
• Minimize distractions.
• Avoid stressful situations.
• Structure a schedule with frequent breaks and rest periods.
• Consider joining an alcoholism support group.

References

• Alcoholism Home Page
• Better Health Channel
• National Youth Violence Prevention Center
• Psychological Assessment Research and Treatment Services
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration

THE ISSUE:
Every year over 3 million children are victims of violence and almost 1.8
million are abducted. Nearly 600,000 children live in foster care. Every day
1 out of 7 kids and teens are approached online by predators,  1 out of 4
kids are bullied and 42% of kids are cyberbullied.

THE SOLUTION:  PREVENTION! 
Getting to the root of the cause through education and changing behaviors
and attitudes. Loving and nurturing children. Stopping Violence BEFORE it
starts — creating happy and healthy children … Keeping Children Safe

CELL PHONE AND TEXT MESSAGING SAFTEY

Source: LoveOurChildrenUSA

Are You a Potential Victim of Cell Phone Danger?

Who is text messaging you? If your friends, family and parents are the only ones sending you text messages — than that’s cool!  They should be the only people who are texting you!

In the past 9+ years - I have successfully defeated WWASPS/Carolina Springs Academy through a jury trial as well as continuing to be a voice for parents that are at their wit’s end. I also won the landmark case ($11.3M Jury Verdict for Damages) for Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy done to my by a former WWASPS parent that defamed me online. Read more about that in my upcoming book.

If you are considering a Teen Help Program - take your time, do your homework - learn from my mistakes and gain from my knowledge.

Read Wit’s End  and hear my daughter’s firsthand experiences. This is my first book published by Health Communications, Inc. (HCI) - the original home of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Don’t be a parent in denial - don’t be afraid to give your teen a second chance at a bright future - there are many good programs, just take your time and do your research.

Learn more at http://www.helpyourteens.com/.

Tips to help ADHD students fine-tune their study strategies for specific test formats: multiple choice, essay, and math/science tests.

Many parents of students with attention deficit disorder (ADHD) want to pull out their hair. And most share the same school-related frustration. “She knew the material at home, but she flunked the test.”

What students with ADHD know — or think we know — is not always on the test. The cardinal rule for studying smarter is: “It’s not what you know, it’s what your teacher wants you to know.”

Because we often wait until the last minute to study, we forget this rule. We study hard — but we study the wrong material. Or, in a rush, we don’t dig deep enough into the material, even though that’s what the teacher expects us to do. I’ve been there and done that.

A week before the test, make a rough outline or study guide. Show it to your teacher and ask her if you’re studying the right material, if you’ve missed anything, and where to focus your efforts. After you’ve targeted the relevant material, consider the test format: Different kinds of tests require different study strategies.

Continue reading about Multiple-Choice Exams…

The students can get free homework help in the Q and A area from real teachers, and the literature resources are great for getting in-depth help.

What is eNotes.com?

eNotes.com is a comprehensive online educational resource. Used daily by thousands of students, teachers, professors, and researchers, eNotes combines the highest-quality educational content with innovative services in order to provide an online learning environment unlike any other.

Our Content

Our content is all fact-checked, edited, and written by professionals who are experts in their field. It comes from our in-house publishing unit or from Academic Publishers, including content which is not available online anywhere else.

Are you struggling with debating whether you need to look for outside help with your troubled teenager?

Are you ready to make some very difficult decisions?  Are you at your wit’s end?

Do you believe you need teen intervention from outside resources? Struggling financially and emotionally with this decision?

Are you willing to share your story on TV?  This is not about exploiting your family, but helping others that are silently suffering and not realizing they are not alone as well as giving your teen a second opportunity at a bright future.  Most remember Brat Camp - this is a bit different.  Starting with educating parents about the first steps in getting your teen help - determination and transportation.

If you are interested in participating, read below and contact Bud and Evan directly.  

Brentwood Communications International is an award-winning television production company in Los Angeles, California.  We have recently begun work on a new television series about the real life work of interventionist / transporter Evan James Malmuth of Universal Intervention Services (“UIS”).

If you would be willing to allow us to film your case / intervention for the television series, Evan Malmuth and Universal Intervention Services will provide intervention / transportation services at no charge to you.  In addition, we will negotiate at least one month of treatment services at a qualified treatment center at no charge with the purchase of at least two additional months of treatment at pre-negotiated discount rates.  At the current rate of these services, this represents thousands of dollars in savings.

BCII and Evan Malmuth are not interested in making exploitative reality television.  We are committed to helping you and your family and improving lives through the media. 

If you are interested in participating in the show and using the services of Evan Malmuth and UIS, please contact us right away.  Every day counts.

Email:  tvhelp@bciitv.com

Phone: 818-333-3685

With best regards,

Bud Brutsman                                                            Evan James Malmuth

CEO                                                                              CEO

Brentwood Communications Intl., Inc.                       Universal Intervention Services

Brentwood Communications International, Inc.

3500 N. San Fernando Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505

Newsday.com has an article encouraging coaches to speak with young athletes about this. I think it can hold true to parents of all children that look up to celebrities and athletes. For more information visit D.A.R.E.

Source: NewsDay.com

Coaches: Michael Phelps scandal an opportunity to talk to young athletes

Michael Phelps’ apology for using a marijuana pipe presents an opportunity to talk to young athletes about drug use, poor judgment and how to learn from a mistake, Long Island swim coaches said.

Long Island coaches said they would use the incident as a teachable moment, driving home the point that drugs undermine athletic performance and that Phelps will suffer the consequences of his actions, losing esteem, and perhaps endorsements.

“It’s upsetting on so many different levels,” said Bill Kropp, head coach for varsity boys swimming at Sachem East High School, where the swim team swelled this year with students inspired by Phelps.

“As a coach, you bring up role models, and obviously he is the poster boy of excellence,” Kropp said. “It’s something that he has to live with, and we have to live with as coaches and parents.”Phelps posted an apology on his Facebook page, where more than 500 fans had written comments about the incident yesterday evening. Though the messages were overwhelmingly supportive, some fans were disappointed.

“We should all learn from this,” said Peter Hugo, Nassau County’s boys swimming coordinator. “Even Michael Phelps makes mistakes. We have to learn to forgive and forget as long as it doesn’t happen a second time.”

Read entire article here: http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-liswim026021597feb02,0,5521275.story

“That should bring the parent closer to their child, enhancing that teachable moment,” he said. “Saying listen, it’s something he regrets. You have to learn from your mistakes.”