My Child Is a Victim of Bullying. What Can I Do?

What Can parents Do? If you suspect or it is obvious that your child is being bullied by other students and the school has not already informed you of the situation, then it is important that you contact the school immediately. Parents should have the right to expect the school to take this seriously and [...]

Is My Child a Bully?

How do I find out whether my child is bullying? It can be difficult to discover and to acknowledge that your own child is a bully. Bullying other students is obviously not something a child will talk about at home. But if several of the points described under “Who Bullies?” fit your child, you should [...]

Is My Child Being Bullied?

How do I find out if my child is being bullied? FIRST: You need to have frequent conversations with your child or adolescent to ask about what happens at school. Establishing a relationship helps you keep the lines of communication open and gives you a sense of context for what your child or adolescent experiences [...]

Group Bullying

Bullying MAY ALSO BE a group phenomenon with particular characteristics. This means that there are a number of children and young people who may at times be involved in bullying, but who would not usually take the initiative themselves. These are called passive bullies, henchmen, or bystanders. The group of passive bullies is quite mixed [...]

Who Bullies?

Children and young people who are potential bullies have a number of common features. Again, it must be emphasized that these points are just the main trends. All the same, it is likely that an active bully will have one or more of the following characteristics. It has often been presumed that bullies are anxious [...]

Who Gets Bullied?

Research gives a fairly clear picture of those who are potential victims of bullying. They tend to have at least one, or usually several, of the characteristics listed below. These lists only indicate main trends; in some cases, victims may be quite different. Potential victims of bullying can be divided into two main groups: The [...]

Where Does Bullying Take Place?

The claim is sometimes made that most bullying takes place on the way to school, not at school. However, research shows that two to three times as many students are bullied at school compared to those who are bullied on the way to school. Approximately 40 to 75 percent of bullying takes place during breaks—in [...]

How Much Bullying Goes On?

Major studies in Norway in the 1980s and 1990s with more than 150,000 students found that about 15 percent of students in primary and lower secondary school, or approximately one in seven students, were involved in bullying with a degree of regularity—as a victim, as a bully, or both. At least 5 percent (more than [...]

Facts About Bullying

Generally, we call it bullying when one or more persons repeatedly say or do hurtful things to another person who has problems defending himself or herself. Direct bullying usually involves hitting, kicking, or making insults, offensive and sneering comments, or threats. Repeatedly teasing someone who clearly shows signs of distress is also recognized as bullying. [...]

Bullying Is a Form of Abuse

HARASSMENT AND VIOLENCE. Harassment and abuse are more accurate names for it. Parents and school personnel should no longer consider bullying “just a part of growing up.” It is harmful to both the perpetrators and the victims and is responsible for behavioral and emotional difficulties, long-term negative outcomes, and violence. The National Institutes of Health [...]

The Stigma of Mental Health Illnesses

Anti-Stigma: Do You Know the Facts? Stigma is not just a matter of using the wrong word or action. Stigma is about disrespect. It is the use of negative labels to identify a person living with mental illness. Stigma is a barrier. Fear of stigma, and the resulting discrimination, discourages individuals and their families from [...]

Whiplash: A Brief Introduction

Definition Whiplash is when the soft tissues of the neck are injured by a sudden jerking or “whipping” of the head. This type of motion strains the muscles and ligaments of the neck beyond their normal range of motion. Considerations When a vehicle stops suddenly in a crash or is struck from behind, a seat [...]

Is There Treatment for Whiplash?

Is there any treatment? Treatment for individuals with whiplash may include pain medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, and a cervical collar (usually worn for 2 to 3 weeks). Range of motion exercises, physical therapy, and cervical traction may also be prescribed. Supplemental heat application may relieve muscle tension. What is the prognosis? Generally, [...]

What is Whiplash?

What is Whiplash? Whiplash-a soft tissue injury to the neck-is also called neck sprain or neck strain. It is characterized by a collection of symptoms that occur following damage to the neck, usually because of sudden extension and flexion. The disorder commonly occurs as the result of an automobile accident and may include injury to [...]

Dental Health of Americans

The prevalence of tooth decay in the permanent teeth of youths aged 6 to 11 years decreased from approximately 25 percent to 21 percent, and among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years decreased from 68 percent to 59 percent. The use of dental sealants increased from 22 percent to 30 percent among youths aged 6 [...]

Cavities Increasing in Baby Teeth

Americans of all ages continue to experience improvements in their oral health. However, tooth decay in primary (baby) teeth increased among children aged 2 to 5 years, according to a report released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Based on data from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the report, “Trends [...]

Embryonic Stem Cells vs. Adult Stem Cells

An adult stem cell is an undifferentiated cell found among differentiated cells in a tissue or organ, can renew itself, and can differentiate to yield the major specialized cell types of the tissue or organ. The primary roles of adult stem cells in a living organism are to maintain and repair the tissue in which [...]

What Are the Unique Properties of Stem Cells?

Stem cells differ from other kinds of cells in the body. All stem cells—regardless of their source—have three general properties: they are capable of dividing and renewing themselves for long periods; they are unspecialized; and they can give rise to specialized cell types. Scientists are trying to understand two fundamental properties of stem cells that [...]

Parkinson's May Be the First Disease Cured Through Stem Cell Research

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a very common neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 2% of the population over 65 years of age. PD is caused by a progressive degeneration and loss of dopamine (DA)-producing neurons, which leads to tremor, rigidity, and hypokinesia (abnormally decreased mobility). It is thought that PD may be the first disease [...]

What Are Stem Cells? It's Important for All Americans to Know

It’s important for all Americans to understand what stem cells are all about, and why the issue has taken central stage in the Presidential Race for 2008. Stem cells have two important characteristics that distinguish them from other types of cells. First, they are unspecialized cells that renew themselves for long periods through cell division. [...]

Diabetic Treatment Should Start Years Prior to Diagnosis

A 44% relative risk reduction occurs if treatment for diabetes occurs years before being diagnosed. Pre-Diabetes diagnosis is easy in today’s medical world. A fasting blood sugar that is between 110 and 126 is indicative of future diabetes. Additionally, other risk factors significantly increase the risk of diabetes; including obesity, hypertension, or a high level [...]

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