Youth Health Center | Health Insights!

Today's Youth, Tomorrow's Future.

Children and Adolescent Health

Bubbles away, children and adolescent health is on the national agenda as a result of new discoveries related to developmental milestones in cognitive, physiological, and social-emotional development. The obesity crisis among youth has also caused concern prompting new policies and legislation to introduce healthier menu selections in schools and colleges. The importance of incorporating holistic practices early in life can foster lifelong gains. Moving youth away from sugary drinks and candy to fresh fruit and a solid meal will improve mental clarity and physical fitness. Click on one of the topics in the list below to encourage positive and healthy development in your child:

Social-emotional development

Cognitive development

Childhood transitions

Self-esteem/image

Health/nutrition

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Aspergers Syndrome

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD)

Effective communication

Effects of the social media

Expectations/boundaries

Suicide rates

Gender Identity

Disease/immunizations

Sexual exploration/HPV//HIV

Cultural and value systems

Fostering respect

Character development

Positive discipline

Mind, Body and Spirit Connections

IS THERE A LINK BETWEEN VACCINES AND AUTISM?

12/2014 - Voice of America News

"The US Finds No Link Between Vaccines and Autism "

The recent controversial debate related to the ingredient thimerosal has escalated. Thimerosal is a preservative containing mercury is used in vaccines. The preservative has created distress among parents.

12.5 MILLION CHILDREN ARE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE IN THE U.S.

"The Childhood Obesity Epidemic"

The research shows 12.5 million youth are experiences problems with weigth control. This is not only unhealthy but can lower the self-image of the youth.

Kids Love Fun

ENJOY JELLO

ENCOURAGE FUN COOKING

HAVE A FUN CRAFT DAY

ENCOURAGE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

EXPLORE PARKS AND OUTINGS

ENCOURAGE POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE

Healthy Development Children are the most vulnerable population in the world, therefore ensuring experiences are positive early on will produce confidence as they transition to adulthood. Developmental milestones which occur from childhood to adulthood requires proper nutrition, physical activity and socialization. Over 30 years of research shows being involved in your child's education improves self-confidence, academic development and mental stability.	Autism Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Aspergers Syndrome are three childhood disorders, which have acclaimed national attention. There are many resources available to assist parents when children are diagnosed. Making sure the child has a healthy diet and environment is also important. Click on the arrow to learn more about treatment options.	Media and Youth The dominance of media has been stated to be linked to obesity inhibiting proper activity and recreation. The media can also influence the actions of both children and adolescents to engage and become involved into dangerous settings. The American Association of Pediatrics (AAP) cautions against the use of media for children under age 2. Media can be the television, radio, the cellphone, Internet or other forms of social networking.
Adolescent Health Children transition from childhood to adolescence than to adulthood. In order to make this transition healthy communication is key. Adolescents are exposed to a variety of factors contributing to their overall development. The statistics show over 400,000 teen girls aged 15–19 years gave birth in 2009, 8,300 youth aged 13–24 were diagnosed with HIV and 50% of the 19 million individuals with STDs were adolescents.	Obesity In the United States 12.5 million children and adolescents in the age ranges between 2-19 are obese or overweight.(CDC, 2011). Childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions, which has spurred an outcry for coordinated school health programs, revision of the nutritional guidelines and policies to foster improved nutritional management. Parents and practioners alike must implement strategies to reduce obesity.	Communication Calm down and take a deep breath. Siblings will disagree at times, however it is important to handle bullying and sibling rivalry constructively. Transitioning can be a great process or a difficult process for both the child/adolescent and the parent. Understanding ways to discern changes in behavior is important for parents or guardians. Learn the art of communicating to resolve conflicts.
Healthy Eating Dental decay is the number one problem among children of diverse ethnic and racial groups. Break the candy bar habit through adopting a healthy nutritional regime for breakfast, lunch and dinner to build the stamina the youth requires. A nice bowl of oats can be garnished with fresh fruit, swap the candy bar for a banana and a nice smoothie can add fruits and vegetables into their diets. Making a bowl of oatmeal will improve heart health and build strong healthy bones and tissues.	Encourage Healthy Eating Early On Parents teach children how to eat healthy early on. Have fun teaching them about the food pyramid, nutrition and cooking. Involve them making breakfast, lunch and dinner. Get some fun ideas from Nourish Interactivity.	Health Literacy and Numeracy Health literacy and numeracy is important for children as they mature into adulthood. Understanding how to read labels, prescriptions and calculate measurements early in life paves the way for a smarter adult.
The Health of Self-Expression Every child should have a fun hobbie which parents encourage. Whether it be painting, drawing, making jewelry or stacking the building blocks make sure the child has an outlet for self-expression. It might appear that the child is just playing, however research shows problem solving, reasoning and critical thinking abilities are being developed.	Physical Fitness The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports only 1 out of every 4 adolescents exercise regularly. There are many fun ways to engage your child in a healthy exercise routine. Running, skating, basketball, yoga and gymnastics are great ways to encourage flexibility and lower risk for disease.	Encourage Spirituality & Meditation Encourage spiritual connections and meditation early on in the child's life. This will reduce violent tendencies, improve reflection and enable children to cope when things they don't understand happens. Children also learn to share and extend love for others.
Youth Violence Teen violence is well understood in the media today with violent situations such a Sandy Hook, Columbine and Virginia Tech massacres. The research showed children at an early age modeled violent behavior after watching Batman. The video gaming industry has been linked to the emergence of violence in youth. Take time to watch or play with one of the videos to get a sense of the levels of violence exhibited in the video games.