BULLYING

Bullying has become a very serious issues with potentially very serious consequences.  Children who are bullied tend to have a  higher risk of depression and anxiety, and my be more likely to consider suicide, as recent news has tragically demonstrated.  Bullied chidden might also face more health problems or struggle academically.

Bullying can take many forms.  It might include name-calling, spreading rumors or making people feel unwelcome.  It can involve physical acts like punching or shoving, or can be done from a distance using technology.

If your child is being bullied, he or she might not tell you about it.  But there are warning signs you can look for, including:

     1.  Lost or damaged items, such as clothes or personal electronics

     2.  Signs of anxiety, anger or sadness after school

     3.  Frequent complaints of feeling ill

     4.  Unexplained injuries

     5.  Loss of interest in school and/or falling grades

     6.  Declining self-esteem or self-worth

It is important to teach your children to recognize bullying.  Talk to your children and actively listen in case they want to tell you about bullying that might be happening.  Also teach your children to seek adult help if they feel threatened.  Make sure your child knows which adults they should turn to if anyone is being bullied.

Livingwell/Parenting  

Cyber bellying uses modern technology to cause embarrassment or harm.  Most common in middle or high school, cyber bullying may include rude or nasty text messages and spreading lies through   e-mail or on social medial networks.

To be on the safe side, monitor your child's electronic communications, at least periodically , and adjust privacy settings to control contact.  Use search engines to look for your child's name and online ID's so you can check for cyber bullying behavior.

If your child is being cyber bullied, tell your child not to respond.  Instead, try blocking all contact and, if needed, report the incident to school officials, health professionals or law enforcement.  Most forms of electronic communications also let you officially report harassment.

Livingwell/Parenting

Siblings play a powerful role in the "fear factor" for some young children.  Children who were frequently (several time a week) bullied by siblings were twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression, self-harm history or anxiety.  Researchers estimated that approximately 13% of depression diagnoses and nearly 20% of self-harm episodes could be attributed to the sibling bullying history.  

Oakstone Publishing, LLC, Bowes L. Wolke

Young people who have adverse childhood experiences are at greater risk of poor dental health.  Most teenagers brush their teeth every day, but not all of them.  Just over 6% of young people between the ages of 13 and 17 skip brushing their teeth either entirely or partially.  Research now shows that bad childhood experiences, including bullying, are associated with bad teeth cleaning habits.

A total of 6,351 young people participated in the survey.  The results indicated that young individuals with background of adverse childhood experiences were more likely to report not brushing their teeth daily. This doesn't mean that everyone who is bullied doesn't clean their teeth every day.  Most people brush their teeth every day.

Bad dental hygiene habits can lead to cavities and dental pain which in turn can affect one's ability to learn and concentrate at school.

Medical Press, Ingebjorg Hestvik, Norwegian University of Science and Technology