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Archive for the ‘Physical Health’ Category

Getting Kids Hooked on Unhealthy Snacks: There’s an app for that

Candy, soft drink, and other snack companies always look for new ways to sell products to kids. Saturday morning ads are unsavory due to high cost. Now some food companies are using a more subtle tactic: kid-friendly game apps for smartphones and tablets that involve food products. This new tool in the marketing arsenal is…Continue Reading

Categories: Parenting, Physical Health

The Net Nanny “Pornography Addict Sponsor Program”

The issue of pornography addiction is very real. Its effects are far-reaching with families, personal relationships, and among those influenced. Two years ago, we started an initiative at ContentWatch called the Pornography Addict Sponsor Program.  As the makers of Net Nanny, we felt it our obligation to provide a tool for those fighting serious pornography…Continue Reading

Categories: Digital Citizenship, Physical Health

Be Aware: Porn Harms National Awareness Campaign

Marsali Hancock featured in Video Pornography is a pandemic ruining lives, marriages and families. In a united effort to educate the public on the harms of pornography and provide tools for support, Be Aware: PORN HARMS launched their third annual National Awareness Campaign this month. The campaign offers free posters and events. For example, one…Continue Reading

Categories: iKeepSafe News, Online Security, Physical Health

iKeepSafe and SafePlans Forge Partnership

Recently, iKeepSafe and SafePlans forged a partnership to provide online and real-world safety and emergency preparedness services to educators, policymakers, and the communities they serve. iKeepSafe and SafePlans are integrating their respective products and services to offer a set of robust solutions designed to protect students and staff in the “online and offline” space. SafePlans’…Continue Reading

Categories: iKeepSafe News, Physical Health

Is internet addiction real? Science seems to think so

8-18 year old youth now spend an average of 10 hours and 45 minutes a day, seven days a week with media! Based on the recent research studies, Internet addiction- Neuroimaging findings and Violent Video Games Alter Brain Function in Young Men, this week’s iKeepCurrent curriculum delves into the specifics of internet addiction. Although most…Continue Reading

Categories: Balance, Educational Issues, Physical Health

Protecting Children and Schools From Pornography

“Across all media, 23% of children have seen sexual or pornographic images in the past year,” the London School of Economics reports. “While this is much more likely for older teenagers, younger children are more bothered or upset by seeing sexual images. And children are going online at ever younger ages—at an average age of…Continue Reading

Categories: iKeepSafe News, Physical Health, Videos

Family Day 2011

Regardless of whether you are ordering food from your favorite take-out place, stopping by fast food, or enjoying a homemade meal together, what your kids really want during dinnertime is your attention! And not only are family meals the perfect opportunity to talk to your kids and to listen to what’s on their mind, research…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

The Porn Identity

If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t want your child’s brain rewired, you probably want to teach them to stay away from internet pornography. Earlier this summer, a psychology blog entitled Cupid’s Poisoned Arrow published a report highlighting recent scientific research on the physiological impacts of internet porn. The study details some of the…Continue Reading

Categories: Educational Issues, Physical Health, Videos

SOCIAL MEDIA & MENTAL HEALTH: What You Need to Know

Recently, a clinical report about the impact of social media on youth was published in the journal Pediatrics and the subsequent discussion in the media about Facebook Depression has some parents concerned.  While Facebook Depression, when a child spends a great deal of time communicating on social media websites such as Facebook and then displays…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health, Social Networking

Are Today’s Youth Wired for Distraction?

New York Times Provides In-Depth Look at Teens in California Thanks to technology today’s youth have great advantages, but also face great challenges to stay focused on what’s most important. The New York Times recently reported on the difficulties technology presents to teens. The Times interviewed five students from Woodside High School in Redwood City,…Continue Reading

Categories: Balance, Physical Health

Take the Family Day STAR Pledge

Photo credit:cafemama via Flickr. See CC license. Celebrate Family Day — A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children Today is the 10th anniversary of The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University’s Family Day — A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children. CASA’s research has consistently found that the…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

Preventing Sensitive Boys From Being Bullied

Photo credit: musiciennedusilence via Flickr. See CC license. 5 Strategies from Dr. Ted Zeff Noted psychologist Ted Zeff is an expert on highly sensitive people. For boys described as “highly sensitive,” he recommends five strategies to prevent your son from being bullied. Dr. Zeff says 20 percent of all boys have a highly sensitive nervous…Continue Reading

Categories: Cyberbullying, Physical Health

Study: Poor Sleep Patterns Related to Overuse of Electronic Media

Photo credit: Gabriela Camerotti via Flickr. See CC license. Teach Kids to Balance Sleep Time with Screen Time A recent study from researchers in Israel shows that poor sleep patterns are related to the overuse of electronic media and daytime sleep-related problems. Researches surveyed 470 Israeli 8th and 9th graders. On average, these teens spent three…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

Many Teens Sacrifice Sleep for Technology

Photo credit: western4uk via Flickr. See CC license. Teach Kids to Balance Sleep Time With Screen Time A recent Chicago Tribune report says today’s youth sacrifice sleep for more time with technology. The Tribune’s article is based on two things: (1) real stories of teens that stay up until morning to play video games and…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

Overcoming Dangers of Unsupervised Internet, Video Game Access

Photo credit: AMERICANVIRUS via Flickr. See CC license. The Mediatrician Counsels Parents to Dialogue with Kids Unsupervised Internet access in a child’s room carries great risk for several reasons. For example, parents are unaware of what their child is viewing online and have fewer opportunities to communicate with their child about online experiences. The Mediatrician…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

Preventing Technology Addiction

One person recently asked whether kids with ADHD are more prone to develop technology addictions. Dr. Michael Rich of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, recently used his “Ask the Mediatrician” forum to answer this question. Dr. Rich noted one study…Continue Reading

Categories: Balance, Physical Health

Study: Pro-Eating Disorder Sites Use Graphic Material to Encourage Anorexia, Bulimia

Photo credit: Ed Yourdon via Flickr. See CC license. Findings from Johns Hopkins, Stanford Researchers A recent study shows that pro-eating disorder Web sites use graphic material to encourage anorexia and bulimia. Of 180 analyzed Web sites, 84% encouraged anorexia and 64% supported bulimia. Eighty-three percent of the sites offered ways to engage in eating…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

Using Video Games to Solve Health Problems

Photo credit: mtsofan via Flickr. See CC license. Researchers Use Electronic Breath Game to Help Patients with Cystic Fibrosis A recently published study from four University of Vermont researchers shows how an electronic breath game is safe and helped patients with cystic fibrosis develop breath awareness. Researchers tested their game on 10 patients (ages 7…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

How Do Violent Games Like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Affect Teenagers?

Playing These Games Shifts Players’ Ideas Of What’s Normal The Mediatrician recently answered a question from a concerned parent about whether to buy their son the video game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The parent was concerned because the person playing the video game vicariously shoots and kills people. According to the Mediatrician, “the…Continue Reading

Categories: Digital Citizenship, Physical Health

Survey Shows that Internet Addiction Leads to Self-Harm for Some Teens

Teach Children to Balance Real Life With Screen Time According to a recent survey, ninety percent of the survey participants were normal users of the Internet, but about 10 percent were moderately addicted and 0.6 percent were severely addicted. It is interesting to note that those in the survey with Internet addiction had emotional problems,…Continue Reading

Categories: Balance, Physical Health

Active Video Games an Antidote to Obesity

Study Shows Video Games Can be Used in Healthy Ways Access to connected technologies is a vital part of the modern world and an important tool in the education of our children. In addition, it is a highly entertaining and informative medium. However, these very qualities also make it an enticing escape for many children.…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health, Videos

Social Media a Major Cause of Internet Addiction Disorder

5 Steps to Overcoming IAD Most people will admit social networking sites can be very addictive. With this new form of entertainment, the need to balance real life with screen time has never been greater. The Journal Record recently reported that social media sites are magnifying Internet addiction and causing what is called Internet addiction disorder…Continue Reading

Categories: Balance, Physical Health, Social Networking

Potential for Cyberspace in Assisting Public and Mental Health Professionals

World Wide Web Connects and Changes Doctor-Patient Relationship Last week, Psychiatry News highlighted a recent American Psychiatric Association conference discussion on how the Internet changes the dynamic of the doctor-patient relationship. [Read article here] According to the article, the main concern is that the Google search could be abused by a psychiatrist. Jun Yan, the…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

Game Changer: Investing in Digital Play to Advance Children’s Learning and Health

Joan Ganz Cooney Center report identifies Video Games a Potential Ally in Children’s Health “Children as young as four are immersed in a new gaming culture, but many parents, educators and health professionals, concerned over violence, sexual content and reports of addiction, do not consider games to be a positive force in children’s lives. Based…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

How the Internet is Changing Kid’s Self-Esteem

Vanessa Van Petten is the teen author of “You’re Grounded!” a parenting book from a kid’s perspective. Her website and blog, RadicalParenting.com is written by teens! Her awesome and unique advice has been featured on hundreds of television, radio shows and articles such as the Wall Street Journal, Teen Vogue and Fox and many more.…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

Too Much Social Networking Depresses Teen Girls

A recent study by Stony Brook University in New York reveals that excessive time spent on social networking sites, such as Facebook, can lead to depression among teenaged girls. According to the study, this depression is attributed to frequent and lengthy discussion – or “co-rumination” – which, among teenaged girls, tends to focus on romantic…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health, Social Networking

Kids’ Health Affected by Online Racial Discrimination

January, 2009 – There are a variety of activities parents should be aware of when their children use the Internet: victimization, cyber-bulliying, online reputations, on-line predators …and now online racial discrimination. A recent study by the University of Illinois (UIC), shows that adolescents are experiencing discrimination via the Internet, which can result in stress, anxiety,…Continue Reading

Categories: Physical Health

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