PCAIN Breaking the Cycle Conference

March 29, 2011 ~ PCAIN's "Breaking the Cycle" Conference is only one month away and we are excitied to announce that Academy Award Winning Actress Patty Duke will be the Evening Keynote Speaker. Please visit our website at www.pcain.org and view the brochure and register ASAP.

Talking to Your Teen – The “Preventative Medicine”

Want to try and prevent many ills your preteen, teen, tween may develop?? Start by doing a lot of talking, and more importantly, listening. Talking to your kids when they’re young about uncomfortable topics such as sex, inappropriate touches, relationship violence, bullying, smoking, drugs, alcohol, etc., may be just what the doctor ordered. Reports show that “middle schoolers” (and some younger) may be trying to deal with some of these issues already.



Studies show that kids want their parents help and information about these topics. Kids want parents to “paint a picture” of how their future might look, help them to set goals, and make realistic steps to reach those goals. Goals are more attainable when young people don’t have to worry about an unplanned pregnancy, STI (sexually transmitted infection) an addiction, or being bullied.



Parents, grandparents, or any other caregiver have to help young people think about their futures. In a Canadian study 43% of teens said their parents are their most useful and valuable source of information. Forty-Five percent of teens called their parents their role models.



The best method would be to start talking with your child while they are very young; then you have a platform from which to grow. BUT, anytime, is better than never. Put aside the embarrassment factor. This is your kid and these are important topics. Being the adult means you HAVE to be the one to start and continue these conversations. I say it’s much like the ever-on-going conversations about “flushing the toilet” or “turning off the lights”…these conversations have to be frequent! Use the TV shows, their music, or YouTube to open the door. Make the time, and help our kids find their way. Be patient, set an example, and be there for them if they fall. YOU are what the doctor (and your kids) ordered!



(Survey from nonprofit Canadian Assoc. for Adolescent Health)

Prevention: Love in Action

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY



Although often promoted as a romantic holiday for couples, Valentine’s Day has a wider meaning. Each year on February 14, people throughout North America and parts of Europe share tokens of love and affection with one another. Valentine’s Day celebrates every kind of love from friendship to romantic love and marriage.

Working to prevent child abuse and neglect is, at its heart, a loving act. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has several definitions of love, including:



A strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties: We may not have a personal relationship with every child we encounter, but it’s clear that we want what is best for all children. Our children are the future, and we have a personal stake in their well being.



Unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: I met Captain Kangaroo (Bob Keeshan) years ago. In his speech that day he said something that has stayed with me ever since: “Even if you don’t like kids—and not everyone does—it makes sense to ensure that they are well cared for and prepared for a productive adulthood.” The Captain makes sense. He always did, even when I was four years old! Whether or not we are parents, we need to be loyal to and concerned for the next generation and our actions should reflect those values.



The frustrating part of prevention is that we hear a lot more about the problem than we do about solutions. Sometimes when I bring up the issue of prevention, people around me immediately begin discussing the latest horror-filled headline. I know—it’s natural to go there. But going there leaves us nowhere else to go except to a place of powerlessness. We wring our hands and say, “But what can I do? How can I possibly make a difference?”



As advocates, we have enormous power to help our communities understand prevention by modeling prevention in its most practical forms. We can ask elected officials to support programs and services that help children and families. We can ask our schools to sponsor classes and support programs for new parents. We can be good neighbors, offer to baby-sit, or donate our used children’s clothing for use by another family. We can respond to families in crisis and direct people to services. We can do our part to make our community a place where abuse and neglect is less likely to happen, and we can encourage others to do the same.



This Valentine’s Day, let us remember the love behind the work of prevention. Let us give a year-long Valentine to our communities by working together to improve them.

HEALTHY TEETH, HAPPY BABIES

The experts are learning SO MUCH about how our WHOLE BODIES are affected by our TEETH AND GUMS! Our teeth and gum health may impact our risk of heart disease, poor memory, pneumonia, lung conditions, arthritis, diabetes, preterm and low birth weight babies. (That’s a “mouthful!”) Adults set the example for their children. Adults must take care of their teeth, and teach children how to care for their own. It’s paramount for life-long, healthy living!

Here are some quick tips from the “Teeth Pros” for the wee people:

1.If possible, take children to a pediatric dentist. They’re experts in kids and their teeth issues!
2.Take your baby to the dentist when they get their first tooth, or by their 1st birthday.
3.Their baby teeth must be brushed! Although they will fall out, they “set the stage” for problems if not brushed. Use a children’s toothpaste during those early years. Fluoride toothpaste can be used after they know how to spit, usually around age 3.
4.The 1,2,3 RULE. Little one’s should drink these liquids with this rule in mind: 1 juice, 2 milks, 3 waters a Day. This should be emphasized with their sitters as well.
5.Thumb sucking and pacifiers are great “self soothing tools” when children are babies. Hopefully weaning of these can be done around 2 ½ or 3 years. (Encouragement and patience help too. Remember, they’ll out-grow it. There aren’t too many adults out there still sucking their thumbs)
6.Remember, keeping teeth clean for as long a period of time as possible is the goal. So brushing after breakfast, and the last thing before bed are great.
Yeah, these tips are great reminders of life-long practices for healthy teeth, gums, and overall healthier bodies! But kids aren’t perfect, especially with their teeth, so patience is important and diligence pays off! (Excerpt from WebMD, Inc. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.)