In The News
Parents Worried About Social Media Today as Much as Radio Worried Parents Years Ago
Plain and simple, all parents worry. In the 1930s, they worried about the effects of listening to the radio would have on their children’s priorities. In the 1950s, it was the accessibility of “adult” content on television. It wasn’t until the 1980s, though, that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) came up with guidelines for … Read More
Atherosclerosis and How it Relates to Coronary Artery Disease
The tragedy of Coronary Artery Disease is that it is essentially an “after the fact” diagnosis. This means that a clinical event has to have happened: anginal chest discomfort, acute coronary syndrome, heart attack, placement of a stent, or coronary bypass operation. Once any of these have occurred, a patient is now diagnosed with Coronary … Read More
Teen Suicide Continues to Increase, but There is Hope in the Trenches
In a darkened high school auditorium, the tragedy and reality of teen suicide hits like a gut punch. A short, stark video shows the parents of 16-year-old Patrick Turner grasping one another’s hands for support, speaking about their son taking his life and giving voice to their teenager’s final plea in a letter discovered after … Read More
Identifying Substance Abuse Disorders and Vaping Dangers
CUSD hosted our first speaker series event in partnership with Hoag Hospital on September 11 at Capistrano Valley High School. Thank you to those of you who joined us for the event. If you were unable to attend, we invite you to watch this important discussion with the video recording linked here. A complete recap … Read More
Keeping Kids Healthy And Sane In A Digital World
Smartphones, tablets and video consoles can be addictive. They interfere with sleep. They draw kids into an alternate universe, often distracting them from more productive — and healthier — real-world activities. And they are linked to anxiety and depression, learning disabilities and obesity. That’s according to a growing body of research emphasizing the physical and … Read More
Team Helps Kids ASPIRE Toward High School Graduation At Hoag
The After School Program For Interventions And Resiliency Education offered by the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute at Hoag, received a three-year accreditation, the group announced Wednesday. Teens who complete the program are eligible to receive up to five WASC-approved semester credit hours to be applied toward their high school graduation. The ASPIRE program at Hoag … Read More
Parents Today Worry About Social Media As Much As Radio Worried Parents Years Ago
Plain and simple, all parents worry. In the 1930’s, they worried about the affects listening to the radio would have on their children’s priorities. In the 1950’s, it was the accessibility of “adult” content on television. It wasn’t until the 1980s, though, that the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) came up with guidelines for how … Read More
After-School Program Seeks to Blunt the Increase in Suicide, Suicidal Ideation Among Depressed Teens
It’s not just someone obsessed by Columbine. Last year, a seemingly normal teen was found dead from suicide in a Corona del Mar park. Just a few weeks ago, a young man walked into a local South County fast food joint, then into the restroom, where he was found hung. Another was found dead on … Read More
Regular Checkups with a Mental Health Professional can help Promote Healthy Choices
It is an oddity of human nature that we so often fail to react to troubling developments until they reach the level of a crisis. Such was the case with the recent episode involving some local high school students who posted photos online showing themselves doing a Nazi salute in front of plastic cups arranged … Read More
When a Video Game Obsession Starts to Look Like Addiction
“Turn OFF the computer!” “Oh my God. Done. You are addicted to that game.” “No more Fortnite. You. Are. Obsessed.” I have heard parents say these things to tweens and teens spending too much time gaming. But how strong is the actual pull of gaming and is it really anything more than a power struggle? … Read More