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Teen Health

If you’re a teen, tween, parent, or just a Netflix aficionado, you’ve likely heard of the new series, 13 Reasons Why. If you haven’t, the premise is that Hannah, a high school student, has already died by suicide when the series begins. She leaves behind 13 tapes for the people she blames for her eventual death. The series shows the people on the tapes working their way through them, and ends with a graphic scene of Hannah taking her own life. Some are praising this work for suicide awareness. And while suicide awareness is indeed very important and much needed — suicide is the second leading cause of death for young adults — the way this show depicts suicide overlooks important media recommendations offered by experts on the portrayal of suicide. John Ackerman, PhD, suicide prevention coordinator and clinical psychologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio, spells it out further in […]

The term performance-enhancing substances brings to mind elite athletes, doping trials and drug tests. But substances like creatine, protein supplements and caffeine are commonly used by teenagers who are driven to perform-and look-their best. It’s a trend that has pediatricians concerned, and one that parents should be aware of. What Are Performance-Enhancing Substances? Performance-enhancing substances, also called sports supplements, are products that claim to use natural products to enhance athletic performance. The claims include increasing muscle mass, strength, speed, endurance, fat loss or recovery time. Most are available over the counter. They may include vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, or botanicals (plants)-or any concentration, extract, or combination of these ingredients. Creatine One of the most popular supplements on the market, creatine, is easy to obtain and comes in a variety of forms (like powders, tablets, energy bars). Creatine is a natural substance that we usually get from protein-rich foods in […]

This post was originally published in the Wilmington News Journal and DelawareOnline. Suicide. It’s a troubling topic, a hugely difficult conversation, a “that could never happen to my child” pronouncement. But with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announcing that suicide rates in the U.S. are steadily on the rise, the time is now to confront this issue with your family — especially with your preteens and teenagers. The CDC reports that from 1999 through 2014, suicide rates have increased for both males and females and for all ages 10–74. While this is concerning news, perhaps most troubling is the fact that the suicide rate among girls aged 10–14 tripled during this time frame and had the largest percent increase (200 percent). And although suicide is relatively rare among children, it is the third leading cause of death in youth ages 10–24, after accidents and homicide. Who’s at Risk? […]