Depression in Youth

The National Survey of Drug Use and Health just reported the staggering statistics regarding adolescent depression. Roughly 8% of adolescents from 12 to 17 had major depressive episodes in the past year. Then from those teens between 12 and 15 years of age, the rates of major depression increased from 3.6% to 10.4% and females were twice as likely to suffer from this depression as their male counter parts. And even more frightening is that those that had these serious episodes were three times more likely to have problems with substance abuse. But, only 1/3 of those suffering from depression receive treatment.
Depression affects millions of teens every year, putting their physical, emotional, and social development at risk. Those who are depressed are more likely to use drugs, participate in high-risk sexual behaviors, have problems at school, and have thoughts of suicide. Therefore, it is imperative that parents, caregivers, teachers, and doctors are well aware of signs of depression among teens. Too often the subject is avoided for fear of “stepping on toes” and bringing up “sensitive” issues. But depression is a medical condition that has to be addressed as soon as possible.
So check out the report and become aware! Awareness necessary for safety!

http://oas.samhsa.gov/2k11/009/AdolescentDepression.htm

Clean is not Necessarily Healthy Especially When It Concerns Asthma

Guest Post by Jill Smith-Mott

A recent article published in the New England Journal of Medicine helps confirm that farm living is healthy, especially for children.  In the past 30 years, childhood asthma has more than doubled.  Treatments to control asthma have improved, but there has been little headway made in the prevention of asthma.  This could change, according to two studies published by Markus J Ege, M.D. and others.  “Children who grow up in environments that afford them a wide range of microbial exposures, such as traditional farms, are protected from childhood asthma and atopy.”  (Atopy is a predisposition to have an allergic reaction to a trigger.)   

We imagined that children who grow up on farms are healthier because of the clean fresh air, good food, exercise, or lots of sunshine.  It turns out it is not because of clean living, but because of the not-so-clean living – the interaction with cows, pigs, horses, hay, and raw milk.  You see, all of these things have tons of bacteria.  And it’s that bacteria that protects children.

One of the studies compared samples of mattress dust for bacteria, and another collected samples of settled dust from children’s rooms for bacterial and fungal cultures.  In both studies, children who lived on farms had lower prevalences of asthma and allergic reactions.  They had also been exposed to more environmental microbes than the children in the control group who did not live on farms.  Also, the more different types of microorganisms there are in the environment, the less asthma. 

What does this mean for your child?  Just that environments that are rich in beneficial bacteria and fungi promote tolerance to allergens and protect children against asthma.  So if you can’t up and move to a farm, simply think of how a baby would have been cared for 50 or 100 years ago.  Let that baby crawl around on the not-perfectly clean floor.  Let her get dirty and put things in her mouth.  Don’t worry so much about antibacterial soaps and sprays and disinfectants; just use common sense to keep things clean.  Hot soap and water will do wonders, and it might help protect your child’s lungs.

Hard Headed Children

I just bought my first helmet three months ago. I am 23 years old. I have been rollerblading, biking, skating, and scootering around since I could barely walk, and I am only now a proud owner of a blue and silver Schwinn hard hat! Growing up my parents never enforced the helmet rule, and I saw helmets as super dorky. But now, I don’t leave for a long bike ride without one! I cringe every time I see a motorcyclist riding with no protection. There is not much hope for making helmets “stylish” but something ought to be done in order to encourage the young ones to protect their noggins.
Luckily, there are those out there who are a-”head” of the game. There was a recent program at Gilliam Indoor Track Statdium at TAMU called Hard Hats for Little Heads, where 2,500 second graders from local schools were given helmets. Texas ENT & Allergy, Aggie Athletes Involved, Texas A&M Athletics, College Station Medical Center, the Texas Medical Association, Wells Fargo, AgriLIFE Extension, MSC Bookstore and the Kiwanis Club sponsored the donation and the program to teach children recreational safety.
When A&M athletes are demonstrating the importance of helmets will have a better chance to make an impression on the second graders who are listening in awe. Parents can try to emphasize the necessity of helmets, but an Aggie football player will instill greater results.