On Nov. 6, 2008, Norton Healthcare employee Casey Phillips got the call no parent ever wants to receive. It was his father-in-law telling him he needed to get to the Shelbyville emergency room as fast as he could. His 14-year-old had tried to hang himself. “My heart stopped,” Phillips said. “As I was walking out…
As the coordinator of health and wellness for Norton Children’s Prevention & Wellness, I hold teen wellness workshops at local high schools. They cover a wide range of health and safety topics, and each workshop concludes with students presenting a media campaign to raise awareness among their peers on a particular health behavior of their…
“… It’s as if they don’t even realize how fast it is affecting their health. Life is already too short without tobacco products taking years away from the people I love…” These words are the heartbreaking reality for a teen whose family smokes. The fact that smoking makes people die prematurely is the message a…
Smoking used to be glamorous; now being healthy is. That’s the message a group of media students at Pleasure Ridge Park High School wanted to share after brainstorming ideas around why teens use or don’t use tobacco. The class developed “Teens Against Tobacco,” a campaign to encourage youth to be tobacco-free. The project components were…
We all know the benefits of being active and eating healthy foods: Good nutrition and regular physical activity strengthens and nurtures our bodies and minds. But wait, it gets even better! Involving the whole family in physical activity and meal prep has added benefits, including improved academic scores, higher self-esteem and reduced risky behaviors among…
It’s been making national headlines this week — a teen in South Carolina died after consuming a heavy dose of caffeine. Reports indicate he drank a large Diet Mountain Dew, a café latte from McDonald’s and an energy drink just hours before his death. Dying from caffeine? Experts say it’s highly unlikely (there’s speculation other…
As the wellness manager for Norton Children’s Prevention & Wellness, I continually look for innovative ways to promote healthy behaviors among young people. Recently, I took on tobacco use. With 90 percent of adults who smoke starting before age 18, how do we stop this habit from forming in the first place? I went straight…
Over the past 12 years I have had the privilege of listening to hundreds of parents. I’ve heard their funniest moments, their deepest joys, their points of anger/frustration and their secret fears. No matter what part of the country I’m in, there is a common thread of parents secretly wondering if they are doing something…
Let’s face it — we all like to be liked. This is precisely what makes social media so addictive. The more likes we get, the better we feel. The better we feel, the more likes we want! But when does worrying about “likes” become worrisome? In discussing this issue with several mothers of teens, I…
Rebecca “Becca” Campbell couldn’t wait to celebrate her 13th birthday. She had big plans to celebrate. After all, she had just won the fight against stage 4 ovarian cancer. Becca’s birthday celebration quickly became less about her and more about how she could give back to other young people who are now battling for their…
Warmer weather and budding trees mean spring break is just around the corner! This much-anticipated respite from school is a great time to relax and sleep in, but after a day or two you might start to hear the dreaded “B” word — “I’m bored.” Children and teens thrive on structure, so give them what…
It’s not uncommon for a wild child to turn into a couch potato teen, but a new study finds the slowdown in activity happens long before the onset of puberty. The British Journal of Sports Medicine reports that sedentary behaviors start to develop at the ripe old age of 7. The researchers studied 400 kids…