**What Should I Do When I See Pornography?

What Should I Do When I See Pornography?

This is a Mormon.org video by young people for young people.
1. Name it
2. turn it off and turn away.
3. Talk to a trusted adult.

**Fiction to Get You Through Tough Times

This is a book mark from Reachout.com.  It suggests children's books which give a greater understanding of various maladies.  This list was compiled in 2011.  The themes is mentions are: abuse, bullying, depression, eating disorder, helping, manic depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, self harm and suicide.  I cannot recommend any of the books because I have not yet read them.

**CANS: Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths

CANS Training

I attended CANS Training at EMQ Families First in Campbell.  CANS stands for Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths.   It is a comprehensive multisystem assessment for children.  It is “communimetric” in that it facilitates communication between children, parents and therapist, as well as between therapists as a way be on the same page in communicating.  This provides a set of different area for which a score determines the course in therapy.  Basically for need items, a score of 0 indicates no action, 1 indicates something to keep an eye on, 2 calls for action, and 3 for immediate action or intensive action.  Strengths are scored differently with 0 indicating a centerpiece strength, 1 a useful strength, 2 an identified strength, and 3 no identified strength in that area. 
The scaling is done in six different area.  Only Youth strengths use the alternative scoring mechanism.  These areas are: Life Domain functioning; Youth’s Strengths; Acculturation; Caregiver’s Needs and Strengths; Youths Behavior/Emotional needs; and Youth’s risk Behaviors.  Each area has a series of questions to define what might be a need or a strength in each particular area.  Additional there are individualized assessment modules.  These modules are only completed based on a response to previous question.  These modules include: developmental Needs; Trauma; Substance use Disorder; Violence; Youth Emotional/Behavioral risks; Resiliency Factors; Sexually Aggressive Behavior; Runaway; Juvenile Justice; Fire Setting.
I liked this module because you could go quickly from an identified need to formulating a plan to address that need.  This way counseling could be goals oriented and a child and parent could actually see progress being made. 

**Bipolar Disorder in Children and Teens

This is a summary of a pamphlet published by National Institute of Mental Health to inform parents of this illness. Bipolar dx also known as manic depressive dx is marked by unusual mood changes, extreme “ups” and extreme “downs called mania and depression.  It is not the same as normal ups and downs which is common for every kid.  Bipolar symptoms are more powerful.  Bipolar illness makes it difficult to do school work or to get along with friends and family.  Bipolar disorder can be dangerous as sometimes young people with this disorder try to hurt themselves or attempt suicide.  People with bipolar disorder should get treatment. 

In terms of diagnosing bipolar disorder there are no brain scans or blood tests.  However a thorough examination including questions about mood, energy sleep and behavior help to diagnose bipolar disorder.  Bipolar is marked by depressions and manias.  Someone having a manic episode may:  Feel very happy or act silly; have a short temper; Talk really fast about a lot of different things; Have trouble sleeping but not feel tired; have trouble staying focused; Talk and think about sex more often; Do risky things.  This is contrasted against depressive episodes.  Someone having a depressive episode may: Feel very sad; Complain about pain, stomachaches, headaches; Sleep too little or too much; Feel guilty or worthless; Eat too little or too much; Have little energy or no interest in regular activities; Think about death or suicide.

The important thing for a parent is to watch for any sign of suicidal thinking.  These signs should always be taken seriously.  In Santa Clara County the crisis line for children and teens is 408-379-9085.  The Suicide and Crisis line is 1-855-278-4204

**Pamplet Review: Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters

Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Violence and Disasters: What Community Members Can Do
This pamphlet is available through the National Institute of Mental Health.  Trauma is an emotionally painful, shocking, stressful and sometimes life-theatening experience that may involve physical injuries but also can happen without physical injury.  (It includes witnessing events.)  This pamphlet lists the most common responses to trauma by age:
Children 5 and under: Facial expressions of fear, Clinging to parent or caregiver, crying or screaming, moving aimlessly, whimpering or trembling, returning to behaviors common to being younger, bedwetting, being afraid of the dark.
Children 6 to 11: isolating themselves, becoming quiet around friends, family and teachers, having nightmares or other sleep problems, refusing to go to bed, having outburst of anger, becoming irritable, starting fights, being unable to concentrate, refusing to go to school, complaining of physical problems, becoming depressed, feeling numb, doing poorly with school and homework, loss of interest.
Adolescents 12 to 17: Having flashbacks to the event, having nightmares or other slep problems, avoiding reminders of the event, using or abusing drugs, being disruptive, disrespectful or behaving destructively, being depressed, being angry, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activity, having suicidal thoughts.
In then provides ideas of what community members can do to help children following trauma:
Allow child to express their feelings and the event, but not forcing.  Listen to them, accept and do not argue with their feelings, help them cope with the reality of the experience.
Love and support your children, and be with them if possible.
Community members should identify and address their own feelings.
Use their buildings as gathering places.
Help identify resources and emphasize community strengths and resources that sustain hope. 
Reduce other stressors, avoid frequent moving, school pressures, transportation problems, being hungry.
Community members should help children that continue to show problematic behaviors find appropriate help.  Behaviors which should alert to finding help include: refusing to go places that remind them of the event, emotional numbness, behaving dangerously, unexplained anger/rage, sleep problems, thoughts of suicide. 
Important does: get food and water, get a safe place to stay, gel help from doctor if needed, contact loved ones, keep children with family, understand what happened and what is being done, know where to get help, meet your family’s needs.
Important don’ts: force people to tell their stories, probe for person details, say things like “It will be OK.” Say people deserved to suffer, tell others how others should feel or act, be negative
I was able to go to Los Angeles after the Northridge Earthquake and was located in a FEMA Center.  Mostly what we did was make sure people had water.  Coors had supplied water bottles for people to take.  We did anything to help people feel like they had a sense of control.  During this time I was also on the phone, and supported some of the people had experienced this trauma with phone support, the same for Katrina and other disasters.  Sometimes just a listening ear, and anything supportive statement so help the individual feel they have some control, when things don’t always make sense.
Remember, if you are worried, voice your worry.  It is OK to ask someone if they are contemplating suicide. 
Santa Clara County Suicide and Crisis line: 1-855-278-4204
National Suicide prevention line 1-800-273-talk (8255)