“Parents can help children develop resilience by learning ways to cope with stress early on,” says Dr. M. Elyce Kearns, child psychiatrist. Try to model healthy stress-easing tactics when life runs you ragged. Encourage children to find a mix of calming choices that work for them (see bullets). Stick to sleep and mealtime routines, and keep communicating. Checking in daily about homework, plans and activities, and what happened during the day helps keep communication lines open for more difficult times.
The protection provided by some early childhood vaccines can wear off, and risks for other diseases increase as children approach their teen years. Recommendations for immunization are made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Make sure your adolescent is fully protected. If your teen was not immunized at the recommended age, for most illnesses, there’s still time to catch up. More
When you think of osteoporosis, you see visions of older women with stooped posture. But actually, you should think of teens and vitamin D and calcium. Although osteoporosis usually is manifested in older people, its groundwork is laid in youth. If children and adolescents fail to reach optimal bone mass and strength, they are more likely to develop osteoporosis. But there’s a way to “add bone to the bone bank” while you’re young. More
Robertho Gay is a 16-year-old junior at Codman Academy Charter Public School. He gets up at 4 a.m. to hit the gym before school, and his extracurricular activities and homework keep him up later than he’d like. But he’s not really worried about his schedule. “Not a lot really bothers me,” he said.
Robertho has his sights on a career in business, but for now nutrition holds his interest. He’s a member of the Academy’s Nutrition Action Club in which a group of students meet regularly to discuss health, fitness and nutrition to promote a healthy lifestyle. He confided that he actually joined the club to learn how to cook. More
In many ways, Terrance Miles, 18, is a typical teenager — he has a set of headphones seemingly glued to his head.
“I listen every chance I get,” he says, “on my way to school, on my way home from school, on my way to work.” More
Teen depression: More than just a bleak mood
Teen years can be tumultuous, full of mood shifts and eye-popping drama. If bleak moods or other troubling signs stretch on for weeks, however, it’s wise to take a closer look. One national survey of 13 to 17 year olds found 8 percent of participants had experienced depression. Girls were almost three times as likely to do so as boys. More