early sexual activity in children

Early Sexual Activity in Children: Know the Facts & Help Your Child

Early sexual activity in children can occur for a myriad of reason and with a wide variety of consequences. Here are some facts to know in order to help your kids:

Reasons of Early Sexual Activity

  • Today’s culture promotes early sexual activity with little regard to the consequences
  • Students are inundated by the message that early sexual activity is an acceptable decision that will promote popularity and solid relationships
  • Lack of communication at home whether about why to be abstinent or protection
  • Overall lack of sex education
  • Lack of monitoring by responsible adult (either outside of the home or within the home)
  • Peer Pressure
  • Contradicting messages from family, school, friends, and the media
  • Self-doubt
  • Lack of education while going through radical physical/hormonal changes
  • Low self-esteem

early sexual activity in children

Consequences of Early Sexual Activity:

  • Self esteem issues
  • Stress of an image or reputation to uphold
  • Center of critiques from others, often negative
  • Change in attitude towards school and authority
  • Difficult time focusing on her school work
  • Loss of respect toward adults
  • Provocative clothing
  • Contracting a disease
  • Teen Pregnancy
  • Adolescents who have sex early are less likely to use contraception, putting them at greater risk of pregnancy and STDs

Between 2006 and 2008, 14 percent of female adolescents and 25 percent of male adolescents had sex for the first time with someone they had just met or with whom they were “just friends.” –National Center for Health Statistics

How to Help Your Child

  • Talk with them openly
  • Be supportive
  • Encourage positive outlets
  • Educate them on sex
  • Monitor your child: know where they are at all times
  • Watch for warning signs, like sudden withdrawal
  • Get them involved in positive activities
  • Know your child’s friends and their significant others
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Autism: ABA Therapy, Applied Behavior Analysis, Getting the Facts

autism

Autism effects a wide spread demographic. One therapy that is often sought out to help those effected with Autism. ABA refers to Applied Behavior Analysis. It used to be referred to as behavior modification. ABA is based on the theories of behaviorism. It focuses on using consequences to teach now and effectively teach skills for the future. Although ABA is predominately used for those individual’s with Autism Spectrum Disorders, the techniques could be used to teach the general population.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

There are different processes to become a certified Applied Behavior Analysis provider. If you as the parent are not certified or would like to learn more, often school directed toward those on the Autism Spectrum Disorder have trained individual’s and can get you more information.

autism therapy

Although ABA is often thought of as an Autism focused therapy, it can be helpful for a wide spectrum of disorders. These include but aren’t limited to: Autism, Asperger Syndrome, PDD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Problem Behaviors, Developmental Disabilities, Tantrums, Non-compliance, Physical Aggression, Dementia, Self-Injurious Behaviors, and Alzheimer’s. Since the whole Applied Behavior Anaylsis approach is based off of creating an individualized plan to reach the individual’s goals, it really can be used on anyone. The amount of time and effort put into the approach can often effect the outcome of improvement seen in the individual. Meaning the more time you spend with quality ABA therapy the better likelihood of good results.

autism spectrum disorders

There is a wide range of approaches or types of ABA therapies used to meet a variety of goals. These are some of those included. It is important to use what works best for the child. Many children may need more than one, but with each individual case there are many variables to consider.

autism spectrum disorders

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autism spectrum disorders

 

behavior and cognitive interventions

Behavior and Cognitive Interventions: Finding the Best Solution

Behavior and Cognitive interventions can help children succeed when they have been having difficulty. The following are activities, strategies, and methods for teaching appropriate behavior and cognitive skills to children with Emotional Behavior Disorders.  Although these tools are primarily for those with Emotional Behavior Disorders, they can be applied to all children learning these skills.

Behavior Interventions

Behavior interventions can be necessary for children who act out in class or home and have difficulty following along.  These children may need extra guidelines and assistance to stay attentive in class or at home with appropriate behaviors.  They also may assistance in forming a positive self-value and learn new coping skill. In order to help them:

  • Set up minimal, concise, and clear rules
  • Get on the same page as parents, therapists, and other professionals
  • Reinforce positive behaviors
  • Stay patient and remain objective
  • Establish routines so that children know what to expect
  • Allow times for children to practice their responsibility
  • Concisely identify the behavior that needs to be changed

 

behavior and cognitive interventions

 

Cognitive Interventions

Students with Emotional Behavior Disorders are often challenged throughout school in a variety of academic skills and as a result may need some cognitive interventions.  These interventions can help to challenge them and encourage them to become successful in the classroom.  Cognitive interventions can also apply to helping children’s mental health.  The following ideas are strategies that can be used to encourage cognitive development:

  • Direct families to seek professional psychological help if necessary.
  • Keep children challenged and push them without being scared of their outburst and/or other reactions
  • Set up appropriate academic goals, which challenge the child’s academic skills and cognitive development
  • Assess the child to see where they currently are psychological and developmentally
  • Set up a plan to help children cope independently as well as facilitated
  • Have children as part of the IEP team to set up goals, which can focus on academic and psychological health
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deliquent habits

Delinquent Habits: Help Your Children Overcome

Delinquency is defined as the illegal behavior of a minor. There is a rising problem in our society with adolescent delinquent habits. There are lots possible causes to consider. Once you define the cause, it may help you to find a solution.

delinquent habits

Possible causes:

  1. Living Environment: Many students would not be classified as being Emotionally Disturbed if they did not have difficult family situations or were not living in environments surrounded by violence and drug use. Although this is not always the case, in many situations it is, so first consider a child’s living environment. If anything can be done to improve it, please do.
  2. A cycle: If students who get involved in delinquent behavior become trapped in a pattern of bad decision making and often do not have the support at home to get them out of their trapped way of thinking. The child might not know how to get out of their involvement with delinquent behaviors
  3. Family History:Is family in jail; do they have gang involvement; is there a history of mental health issues
  4. Hanging with the wrong people: Are other students at school or elsewhere influencing the child negatively, which can lead toward delinquent behavior
  5. Always had difficulty with his behavior, but can get involved in delinquent behavior at older age. Ask: are the schools were not offering enough support services; does the child need positive or negative reinforcements
  6. Neighborhood environment: the neighborhood one grows up in can be the reason that they exhibit delinquent habits. What is the crime like in the area? What kind of supports help the child better themselves from delinquent behaviors?
  7. School Interventions: Are there interventions like praise, rewards, and strengthening self-efficacy skills in the school environment to help with delinquent habits?
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alcohol and drug abuse

Alcohol and Drug Abuse: Know the Facts

Alcohol and Drug Abuse are ongoing issues, especially for those with emotional disabilities. When mental health issues and substances collide, it can result in death. It is important to educate ourselves on these issues, so that we can recognize the warning signs and get help when needed. September is National Alcohol and Drug Recovery Month, and in honor of this important month, here are some surprising statistics I recently read about Alcohol and Drug Abuse:

  • More than 3 million people use Cocaine
  • Nearly half of all drug-related emergency room visits involve cocaine abuse
  • More than 10 million people abuse prescription medication
  • More than 40 people per day drive from drunk driving accidents, approximately 16,000 people per year
  • Alcohol is the leading risk factor in deaths of males 15-59
  • Alcohol dependence and abuse costs $220 billion per year
  • 17.6 million people, or about 1 in 12 adults, abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent

alcohol and drug abuse

According to National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2009, 51.9% of Americans age 12 and older had used alcohol at least once in the 30 days prior to being surveyed:

  • 23.7% had binged (5+ drinks within 2 hours)
  • 6.8% drank heavily (5+ drinks on 5+ occasions)
  • In the 12-17 age range, 14.7% had consumed at least one drink in the 30 days prior to being surveyed, 8.8% had binged; and 2.1% drank heavily.

The NIDA-funded 2010 Monitoring the Future Study showed that:

  • 13.8% of 8th graders, 28.9% of 10th graders, and 41.2% of 12th graders had consumed at least one drink in the 30 days prior to being surveyed
  • 5.0% of 8th graders, 14.7% of 10th graders, and 26.8% of 12th graders had been drunk.
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