Nifty Threads

Category Archives: Health

Schools and Student Suicide

Teenage suicide is a serious issue which has a ripple effect on everyone exposed to the tragedy. According to several mental health experts, the aftermath of a student’s suicide may actually worsen the conditions of other depressed teens. According to these specialists, candlelit vigils, memorials and large assemblies can often trigger additional suicides.

Darcy Haag Granello, professor of counselor education at Ohio State University, explains that “the first goal after a student suicide should be eliminating the contagion that can lead to copycat suicides.“ She brings up the example of a high school where a popular boy died of suicide. Staffers and students organized numerous memorials, only to experience another suicide one month later.

“This second student, who was at risk and vulnerable, had watched his classmates at all the memorials for the first boy and though ‘I wonder what they’d say about me?’ Schools need to let students know that suicide is not glamorous, but also give support by grieving.”

Schools throughout the U.S. are overwhelmed and under-staffed as is, and are largely unprepared to deal with a student’s suicide. Stephen Roggenbaum, a research assistant at the University of South Florida, has helped to develop the Youth Suicide Prevention School-Based Guide for institutes across the nation.

“Teachers and administrators have our youth for one third of their day….. Schools are already asked to do so much with fewer resources,” Roggenbaum said. “Many administrators don’t have time to scour the literature on youth suicide themselves. We’ve tried to fill that void.”
Dr. Nancy Rappaport, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard University, strongly suggests incorporating mental health screenings into routine adolescent health care, like the program offered by Teen Screen National Center for Mental Health Checkups.

“From a historic perspective, 20 years ago schools thought the way to talk to students about suicide was during a large assembly, which was actually not helpful at all in identifying who might be at risk,” Rappaport said. “If you identify and treat depression, you decrease the suicide rate. Any time a school community loses a student to suicide, it’s heartbreaking…. There is nothing worse.”

The Healing Power of our Four-Legged Friends

It has been known for a long time that dogs can bring therapeutic relief to patients with a whole slew of different needs.  It seems like the furry friends are able to take patients’ minds off their troubles. But a recent news story really made headlines when it was the dogs themselves who could have been hospitalized as well!  And these injured dogs were also providing aid to patients in a Dallas rehabilitation  institute.

Wheelchair-bound dogs Chili and Arlo have been able to inspire many patients.  According to program director at Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation Linda Marler, since “many of the patients are new to wheelchairs, when they see Chili and Arlo, they say, ‘If those dogs can do it, so can I.’”  Every week the dogs come and visit these patients who have incurred a traumatic injury or a stroke.  Indeed, 6-year-old Chili was thrown over a fence onto cement when she was just 8 weeks old.

Vigo Gum May Improve Health (And Complexion)

A new chewing gum, developed in Sweden, claims to provide vitamins which will strengthen your hair, nails and skin, possibly improving the chewer’s appearance.

The gum, called Vigo, has sparked controversy with its tagline “Spry, Pretty or Clever- Chew the Gum that Suits You,” which is said to be misleading. However, Antula Healthcare, the manufacturer, defended the product stating that it was approved by the European Food Safety Authority. A spokeswoman added: “We are not saying that you will look better but that you will maintain a healthy complexion.”

Pharmacies and supermarkets have begun to sell the gum, which is rich in vitamins A, B1, B6, B12, C, Beta Carotene and Selenium. The product comes in flavors ‘Beauty,’ ‘Focus’ and ‘Active.’

Certainly, it is important to maintain a healthy, balanced diet despite the gum.

Dealing with Chronic Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common chronic pains that people deal with.  80% of people are affected at some point in their lives with back pain, and it can occur at any age. It’s most common in people who are 35 years old and older.

If your back pain persists for more than a few days, you may want to see your general physician.  Certainly, your physician may prescribe some medicine or may send you for tests.  Often times they will send you to a chronic pain specialist like Dr. Harvey Finkelstein who can offer an even more detailed analysis.

If, in addition to the back pain you have a fever, redness on your back, pain down your legs, numbness in one or both legs or around your buttocks, incontinences or constant pain  you should seek out the help of a physician like Dr. Harvey Finkelstein immediately.  Finding a chronic pain specialist like Dr. Arden Kaisman, Dr. Sanjay Bakhsi or Dr. Harvey Finkelstein is very easy to do, and this person will help you to explore all of your options while offering treatment suggestions.

Often times, the back pain is simply caused by standing, sitting or bending for long periods of time.  It might be a result of something that you lifted incorrectly or of a fall.  If you are overweight, this can often cause back pain as your body is being asked to carry more weight than it should be.  If you have poor posture over a prolonged period of time, this can also cause back pain.

Sometimes the back pain is due to a more serious or underlying reason. These might include a fracture, osteoporosis, a slipped disc, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis and the like.  You can only find out if this is the case by seeking medical attention and by having a thorough examination.

While much rarer, lower back pain can also be caused by an infection or by cancer.  For all of these reasons, it’s important to see medical attention and to take care of your back pain so that you will no longer be debilitated by these issues.

 

Important Sunscreen Tips

As the summer months approach and the weather gets warmer, it’s time to carefully consider your summer preparedness.  While we all want to have fun outdoors during the warmer months, we also need to take safety precautions to take care of our health and our skin.

Many programs, such as Teen Screen, the Skin Cancer Foundation, and others work tirelessly to promote the safe use of sunscreen.  There are specific steps that parents should take to keep a child’s skin protected – and tips that older children should use for themselves.

From the age of six months, children should have sunscreen put on them before they go outside.  One great trick to help kids to remember to use sunscreen, and how to do so, is to spell BEENS.  Sunscreen should be on the back of knees, ears, eye area, neck and scalp. As Teen Screen explains, apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going outside, and reapply it every two hours. Waterproof sunscreen only lasts for 80 minutes after being wet.

In terms of which sun screen to select, here are some tips that Teen Screen, WebMD and other sources offer.  Purchase sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher; look for sunscreens that are labeled “broad spectrum” because they block both UVA and UVB sunlight; spray-on sunscreens are the easiest to apply and stick sunscreens are the best for the face since they are sweat proof.