Separation Anxiety in Children

As the school year gets underway, we start the weekday routine of saying goodbye as parents leave for work and children leave for school. For some, however, this parting of ways and the time leading up to it can be paralyzingly scary. Sometimes there’s an event to blame, perhaps a change in the family dynamic, like parents separating, the birth of a sibling, or a move to a new home or school. Other times, kids may be overly fearful for no obvious reason. Particularly for young children starting school for the first time, breaking away from the safety of their home and parents can be understandably anxiety-provoking. Whether we understand why or not, our job as parents and teachers is to help smooth that transition and make sure every child feels safe.

To help kids learn the language they need to communicate these fears and feel heard, and to assist us as adults to reinforce the message that even when our kids of out of sight, they’re not out of mind, here are a few children’s books that might help ease the separation.


LLAMA LLAMA MISSES MAMA (Anna Dewdney)

Excellent rhymes help this book skip along while Little Llama experiences first-day jitters at his new school.

I LOVE YOU ALL DAY LONG (Francesca Rusackas)

Owen worries about separating from his mom, but she reassures him that he’s in her thoughts even when they’re not together.

DANIEL GOES TO SCHOOL (Becky Friedman)

Not just for established Daniel Tiger fans, this book explains that the time away from each other is just temporary. There is a Daniel Tiger episode on the topic as well, that includes a “Grown-Ups Come Back” song.

THAT’S ME LOVING YOU (Amy Krouse Rosenthal)

From a prolific author of books for children and adults, this story reminds the child that they can recognize their parent’s love in everything around them.

   

WHEN MAMA COMES HOME TONIGHT and WHEN PAPA COMES HOME TONIGHT (Eileen Spinelli)

Instead of highlighting the separation, this book focuses on all the things we can look forward to once we’re reunited after our day apart.

THE INVISIBLE STRING (Patrice Karst)

This book covers not only separating for school or work, but also other life circumstances that keep us apart when we’d prefer to be together.

OWL BABIES (Martin Waddell)

When three owlets wake up overnight to discover their mother is missing, they worry. Children will relate to the little owls’ unease and their attempts to be brave.


We’ve all been there, rushing through the morning, praying to avoid a loud, ugly scene at the bus stop or at daycare drop-off. Any opportunity to reassure our children that our love is enduring, despite distance, is a chance to make them feel loved and valued, and to strengthen our relationship with them. Allowing them to feel safe also affords us a smoother transition and a more productive morning routine. And starting out on a positive note often sets the tone for the rest of the day.

Adequate preparation and messaging in anticipation of separating can make the morning goodbyes more pleasant for everyone involved.


From UH Pediatrician and PSI Medical Expert – Dr. Carly Wilbur.

Click here for more great insights from Dr. Wilbur.

What’s new in COVID boosters?

The FDA has approved an emergency use authorization for a new bivalent booster shot to aid in the fight against COVID-19. Here’s what you need to know about these new vaccines.


Q: What is a bivalent vaccine?

A: Bivalent refers to the two separate virus strains whose mRNA instructions are included in the new booster vaccine. The original, or “ancestral,” COVID strain that circulated at the beginning of the pandemic, plus the current dominant strain, the BA.4/BA.5 subvariants of Omicron. It’s not uncommon to have more than one strain of a virus incorporated into a vaccine, for instance the annual flu shot is quadrivalent, meaning it’s comprised of four different flu virus strains.

Q: Who is eligible for this new booster?

A: These vaccines can be used as a first booster (after the primary series of COVID vaccines is complete) or the second booster (as long as at least two months have passed since the first booster). Moderna’s version is available to those 18 years and older, and the Pfizer-BioNTech brand is approved for ages 12 and up.

Q: Can this be used in patients who haven’t completed a primary COVID vaccine series?

A: No, the mRNA dose in the booster vaccine is lower than what is contained in the primary vaccines. Its efficacy is only studied as a booster dose and not as a primary vaccine.

Q: Does it matter which brand of vaccine was used for the primary series?

A: It does not. Both the Moderna and Pfizer brands can be used in patients who meet age and primary vaccine requirements, regardless of which vaccines they received as their primary series or previous booster shots.

Q: Should people who had a recent COVID infection get this booster?

A: While there is no perfect answer, the prevailing wisdom currently suggests that most healthy individuals will maintain a good immune response for at least 90 days after a COVID infection, essentially functioning as a booster dose.

Q: Why is this relevant? Isn’t the pandemic just about over?

A: Unfortunately in the United States, we continue to see a death rate from COVID of about 400 people per day. While that’s much lower than the more than 4,000 daily deaths reported in the US in January of 2021, it’s still significant. With mask mandates disappearing, more relaxed standards for physical distancing, school starting, and the anticipation of colder weather on the horizon that will move people indoors, this booster is one way to limit spread and severity of disease.

Q: Does this booster shot guarantee a person won’t get COVID-19?

A: The goal of broad-reaching vaccination campaigns is to reduce what the medical community calls morbidity (the severity of sickness) and mortality (death) for large populations. COVID vaccines are no exception. The goal in vaccinating the public was to reduce the burden of serious illness and loss of life. Don’t forget that early in this pandemic, hospitals were running out of staff and space for COVID patients. Vaccination works to reduce people’s viral load, which translates into milder symptoms, lower rates of contagion, fewer community outbreaks and therefore less of an opportunity for viral mutation into a new more dangerous strain, and of course fewer deaths.

Q: Have there been human studies on the new COVID-19 boosters?

A: The data has been extrapolated from studies on mice. While that might discourage some people, keep in mind that every year a new flu vaccine is formulated using different strains of virus and it doesn’t necessitate new human trials with each new configuration. Similarly, the COVID-19 vaccine didn’t change much except for the addition of this Omicron-specific strain. Waiting to collect data from human trials would negate the attempt to protect people before the anticipated increase in COVID cases over the winter.

Q: Will this be the last booster dose?

A: It’s impossible to predict with any certainty which direction this virus will go, but the greater percentage of people in the community that have protection against contracting COVID-19, the less likely we are to see another surge of serious illness in the population.


From UH Pediatrician and PSI Medical Expert – Dr. Carly Wilbur.

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In Case of Emergency with Dr. Carly Wilbur

Would you know how to respond in an emergency situation?

Some of us learned CPR in high school or for a babysitting class, but how many adults keep up with these skills? No one ever plans to be in an emergency situation, but quick thinking in a crisis can potentially mean the difference between life and death. Here are a few examples of emergency situations where recognizing the problem and knowing how to react could lead to rapid reversal.


BURNS—A first-degree burn makes the skin warm to the touch and pink. This is what a simple sunburn looks like. A second-degree burn creates blisters on the skin. If someone has been burned, immediately expose the area to cold water. This reverses the thermal injury and halts the progression of damage to the skin. A wet-to-dry dressing (moist bandage touching the skin and dry bandage outside of that) will do until proper medical attention can be sought.

ALLERGIC REACTION—Allergic responses range from sneezing to respiratory failure. Exposures to an allergen can trigger sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, rash (including but not limited to hives), itchy mouth, narrowing of the airway, facial swelling, and vomiting. The most severe kind of allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Insect stings, food ingestions, and medications are the leading culprits in anaphylactic reactions. An appropriately-dosed Epi-Pen (for under 60 lbs an Epi-Pen Jr, and for over 60 lbs a full-strength Epi-Pen) should help halt the progression of an anaphylactic attack. Immediate removal of the offending allergen, if possible, and delivery of Epinephrine should happen while emergency personnel are contacted.

POISONING—Finding a toddler chowing down on Tide pods, chewing fistfuls of Grandma’s blood pressure pills, or drinking Windex is harrowing. After removing the child from danger, call the Poison Control hotline at (800)222-1222. Try to have the name and dose of any ingested prescription medications available for that phone call. Do not try to induce vomiting; caustic substances will damage tissue for a second time on the way up the esophagus. For safety purposes, it is recommended that cleaning and laundry supplies be kept in a high-up cabinet that locks. Medications should certainly be kept out of reach of children and should be dispensed with child-safe lids.

OPIOID OVERDOSE—Signs of opioid or narcotic overdose (from medications like prescription pain killers) include pale and clammy skin, subdued respiratory drive, stupor, and sometimes vomiting. Narcotic medications are meant to dull pain, but too big a dose can be fatal. Street drugs can contain traces of Fentanyl, an extraordinarily addictive, powerful, and dangerous medication that can easily cause accidental overdose. A patient overdosed on narcotics may have very small pupils, itchy and pale skin, slurred speech, and a slack or droopy appearance. Narcan, a drug that reverses the effects of opioids, is now carried by most emergency workers, include police officers. Many schools stock it as well. It can be utilized as an injectable, but it is available as a one-dose nasal spray that anyone can deliver.

CARDIAC ARREST—In adults, heart attacks are often the result of years of untreated high cholesterol, obesity, poor diet, high blood pressure, or smoking, but in children this is not the case. Young people can suffer cardiac arrest if there is interruption of the normal electronic rhythm of the heart (due to electrocution, direct chest trauma, or medication overdose) or if there is underlying heart disease (Rheumatic valve damage, cardiomyopathy, infectious carditis). Damar Hamlin’s recent televised cardiac event after tackling a fellow NFL player raised awareness of heart attack risk in young people. Because he had access to an AED (Automatic Electronic Defibrillator) that could deliver a shock to his heart, his life was saved. Most sports arenas, schools, and gyms have EADs on site, and they come with instructions for the layperson to operate them correctly. For it to work, it’s vital that intervention happen in the first few minutes after a cardiac arrest, so knowing where to find the AED quickly is critical.

CHOKING—When food “goes down the wrong pipe”, it can get lodged in the airway and obstruct airflow. In the right setting (a restaurant or meal), a person who puts their hands up to the throat and starts sputtering should sound the alarm for a choking episode. Swift intervention is key, including performing the Heimlich maneuver, where the rescuer essentially hugs the patient from behind and delivers upward thrusts with grasped fists toward the diaphragm. Should the patient fall unconscious, gently lie them on their back and continue to provide an upward pushing motion just below the ribcage to encourage the offending morsel to be dislodged. There may be an instinct to reach inside the patient’s mouth to grab the item, but experts warn against a “blind sweep” of the mouth and throat, lest the item get unintentionally pushed down even further.

INJURY—High-speed collisions (car or bike or skiing accidents) can result in broken bones, concussions, internal organ damage, or lacerations that require repair. If there is even a question of head or neck injury, patients should not be moved until emergency care workers arrive. The risk of causing further damage (and possibly paralysis) from manipulating the spine is real, and should only be attempted if the patient can’t otherwise breathe.

SEIZURE—Whether a person has a known history of seizures or is having their first one, it can be scary to experience, even as an observer. Making sure the patient is safe from compounded injury (so, on the floor and away from sharp corners) is important. There are injectable medications that can stop a prolonged seizure, so finding out if the patient has that with them may help. The duration of seizure activity can drive the medical investigation, so if possible, try to note the time that a witnessed seizure starts and stops.

BLEEDING—Whether it’s an injury or a nosebleed, the best first step is to apply pressure to the site. In the case of an injury, there may be an open wound (cuts or scrapes) or a foreign body (nail or splinter). Applying a moist, clean towel to the area should help the blood clot without sticking to the cloth. For nosebleeds, have the patient sit down, lean forward (but not facing downward), and pinch the nose. Tissue that is rolled up and inserted into the nose can serve the same purpose. Ice or a cold pack will help to constrict blood vessels and slow bleeding as well.

In general, emergency medical situations warrant involvement from emergency medical personnel. If you encounter an unconscious, injured, choking, bleeding, or seizing individual, calling 911 is always a smart move. A quick-thinking and informed “good Samaritan”, however, can drastically change the outcome, and could even mean the difference between life and death.


From UH Pediatrician and PSI Medical Expert – Dr. Carly Wilbur.

Click here for more great insights from Dr. Wilbur.

Teen Invents World’s First Sustainable EV Motor

Robert Sansone’s research could pave the way for the sustainable manufacturing of electric vehicles that do not require rare-earth magnets – and he’s only 17 years old!

Robert Sansone is a natural born engineer. From animatronic hands to high-speed running boots and a go-kart that can reach speeds of more than 70 miles per hour, the Fort Pierce, Florida-based inventor estimates he’s completed at least 60 engineering projects in his spare time. And he’s only 17 years old.

A couple years ago, Sansone came across a video about the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars. The video explained that most electric car motors require magnets made from rare-earth elements, which can be costly, both financially and environmentally, to extract. The rare-earth materials needed can cost hundreds of dollars per kilogram. In comparison, copper is worth $7.83 per kilogram.

“I have a natural interest in electric motors,” says Sansone, who had used them in different robotics projects. “With that sustainability issue, I wanted to tackle it, and try and design a different motor.”

The highschooler had heard of a type of electric motor—the synchronous reluctance motor—that doesn’t use these rare-earth materials. This kind of motor is currently used for pumps and fans, but it isn’t powerful enough by itself to be used in an electric vehicle. So, Sansone started brainstorming ways he could improve its performance.

Over the course of a year, Sansone created a prototype of a novel synchronous reluctance motor that had greater rotational force—or torque—and efficiency than existing ones. The prototype was made from 3-D printed plastic, copper wires and a steel rotor and tested using a variety of meters to measure power and a laser tachometer to determine the motor’s rotational speed. His work earned him first prize, and $75,000 in winnings, at this year’s Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the largest international high school STEM competition.


Click here for the full article from Smithsonian Magazine.

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Debunking Medical Myths

 

“COLD WEATHER MAKES YOU SICK”

Incorrect! Going outside in the wintertime—whether you’re wearing a scarf or have wet hair—isn’t what raises your risk for illness. Seasonal circulation of certain illnesses, particularly Influenza, and the indoor gathering of crowds due to uncomfortable outdoor conditions are what drives the numbers of cold weather illness up. Any increased stress on your body, like exhaustion, underlying illness, or pregnancy, can also intensify your risk for illness.

 

“YOU NEED TO DRINK 8 GLASSES OF WATER EVERY DAY”

Not necessarily. Certain drinks actually dehydrate us. Caffeine (in soda and coffee) and alcohol shouldn’t count toward the total number of ounces of water per day since their chemical components actually encourage the body to lose water. More active individuals, like athletes, will likely need to step up their hydration. Children’s requirements are lower than adults due to smaller body size overall.

 

“WE ONLY USE 10% OF OUR BRAINS”

Untrue! Metabolic studies tracking the brain’s utilization of fuel reveal no dormant areas. Functional MRI testing has failed to demonstrate the latent 90% of unutilized gray matter.

 

“YOU CAN’T GET PREGNANT WHILE ON YOUR PERIOD”

You can! Every woman’s cycle is different, and even for each individual, it can vary from month to month. Any incidence of unprotected sexual activity can result in a pregnancy. The “rhythm method” used by some couples to avoid getting pregnant during a woman’s most fertile time of her cycle is incredibly unreliable.

 

“READING IN LOW LIGHT RUINS YOUR EYESIGHT”

Nope. While trying to use your eyes in an environment with insufficient light can cause muscle strain from squinting, and infrequent blinking that can dry out the eyes, ophthalmologists generally agree that these are not lasting effects.

 

“PLUCKING OUT ONE GRAY HAIR WILL CAUSE MANY MORE TO GROW”

False. Action taken on one hair follicle effects only that one hair follicle. Hair cells are not vengeful nor are they vindictive, so while it might feel like it’s the plucking of the hair that prompts more of them to arrive, it’s more likely just the probability of a person with one gray hair growing other gray hairs.

 

“EAR INFECTIONS ARE CONTAGIOUS”

They are not. All of the “holes” in your head drain into the back of your nose and throat. That means the sinuses, eyes (through the tear ducts), and ears (through the Eustachian tubes) all provide a path for nasal congestion to drain. When the nose is stuffy, though, it interrupts this drainage and allows fluid to back up into the sinuses, eyes, and ears. Standing fluid tends to get infected (picture a fish tank without a filter) and fluid stuck behind the ear drum is no exception. So while ear infections themselves can’t be passed from one person to another, the cold that caused the congestion that triggered the ear infection can.

 

“HOLDING IN A SNEEZE IS BAD FOR YOU”

This one is true! The amount of pressure that is built up in the lungs in preparation for a sneeze is significant. Sneezed air and respiratory droplets can travel up to 100 miles an hour! That pressure has to go somewhere, and contained sneezes not only risk damage to the blood vessels of the nose, throat, and brain, but also can potentially cause hearing loss.


From UH Pediatrician and PSI Medical Expert – Dr. Carly Wilbur.

Click here for more great insights from Dr. Wilbur.

Find out how PSI makes health a priority every day.

What to say to students when the news is scary

The news can be devastating: Communities are reeling after a mass shooting killed 21 people — including 19 children — at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas. That’s after a shooter, motivated by a racist conspiracy theory, shot and killed 10 people at a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y., and another shooter in Dallas injured three women of Asian descent in what the police chief called “a hate crime.”

These events can be incomprehensible for adults — so how do we talk about them with students?

We spoke with a handful of child development experts about what parents, teachers and other caregivers can say to help kids process all the scary news out there. Here’s what they had to say:

Limit their exposure to breaking news

“We can control the amount of information. We can control the amount of exposure,” says Rosemarie Truglio, senior vice president of curriculum and content at Sesame Workshop.

Truglio says that for starters, try not to let your children experience the news without you. That includes letting the TV or audio play in the background. In 2017, 42 percent of parents of young children told Common Sense Media that the TV is on “always” or “most” of the time.

As a little girl growing up in rural Louisiana, Alison Aucoin remembers her father watching the evening news during the Vietnam War. “The way that our house was set up, it was kind of impossible for me to completely miss it.”

Aucoin vividly recalls the rapid fire of rifles and the shouting of soldiers, but it was two wordsthat the reporters and anchors kept using that truly frightened her.

“[I] heard the words ‘guerrilla warfare’ and … thought, gorillas — like apes,” Aucoin says. “And I literally had a plan for where I would hide in my closet when the gorillas came.”

Truglio says that because we can’t control the news itself, adults need to control the technology that exposes kids to potentially traumatic news.

For big stories, ask: “What have you heard and how are you feeling?”

While it’s important to limit your kids’ exposure to potentially frightening media, some stories are simply too big to avoid. And as kids get older, if they don’t hear about it at home, they’ll almost certainly hear something from classmates at school.

Tara Conley, a media researcher at Montclair State University, says adults should choose a quiet moment to check in with their kids, maybe at the dinner table or at bedtime.

The idea, she says, is to allow kids to “ask questions about what they’re seeing, how they’re feeling and what do they think.” In other words: Give kids a safe space to reflect and share.

Give kids facts and context

Check-ins also allow you to debunk memes, myths and misconceptions, and that’s important in the social media maelstrom, says Holly Korbey, author of Building Better Citizens, a new book on civics education. In the days since the recent Iran news broke, she says, “My own teenagers were showing me these memes and rumors on Instagram spreading about boys being drafted for World War III, no kidding.”

Korbey says, “One of the most important things parents can do in this scary climate is to talk to kids about facts. For example: ‘No, there is not a draft, and no we haven’t started World War III.’ ”

Truglio says that if scary news is happening far from home, the best thing a parent or caregiver can do is to reach for a map. Then, she says, a child could “see distance, that it’s not in their immediate environment.”

Some traumatic events, however, might be closer to home — a school shooting, for example. In that case, it’s important to convey that, overall, such events are incredibly rare. After all, that’s why it’s news.

When they ask why something happened, avoid labels like “bad guys”

Evan Nierman, a father of two, lives in Parkland, Fla. His son turned 11 the day after the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, and his daughter was 8. He says one of the toughest moments for him as a father was when his kids asked why the shooting happened. “And there’s obviously not a great answer for that. It’s hard to explain.”

Truglio says we should resist the temptation to label anyone “bad guys” or “evil.” It’s not helpful, and it may increase fear and confusion. Instead, she says, talk about people being in pain, being angry and making bad choices. That’s what Nierman and his wife settled on, telling their children that the shooter wasn’t well and needed help.

And according to Truglio, there’s one important thing parents shouldn’t be afraid to say: I don’t know.

“Sometimes we don’t have the answers to all of these whys,” she explains. “It’s important for parents to say … ‘I don’t know why it happened.'”


Click here for the original article from KQED.

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TikTok Banned from all state-owned devices

Ohio bans TikTok from state devices, some officials push for total ban

Time is ticking for one of the most popular social media apps in the world. On Sunday night, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order to ban TikTok from any state-owned device, but some public officials are advocating for a complete ban.

One billion users worldwide scroll, like and comment on TikTok. Even state government has gotten involved, with the Ohio Dept. of Transportation (ODOT) having more than one hundred thousand followers.

The quirky videos from ODOT sharing safety tips, recruitment montages from the highway patrol and highlights from the latest OSU football game all have one thing in common: They are accounts that have either been shut down or are being evaluated.

As soon as he was sworn into office Sunday, DeWine prohibited state and local government employees from downloading, using or accessing any website or app that is owned by a Chinese business. The most popular for Americans is TikTok, but included other apps like Weibo and WeChat.

This decision disappointed state Rep. Latyna Humphrey (D-Columbus).

“You have the ability to reach constituents and Ohioans in a way… that they haven’t been reached before,” Humphrey said.

The app beneficially changed the way people engage with their government, the Democrat added. Luckily for her, she can still keep her TikTok account.

“It is not going to change my ability because I utilize my own device, the device that… I pay for,” she said.

Chair of the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County Lisa Stickan said the government should also consider banning TikTok completely, not just on government devices. Due to the widespread security concerns about spying and data harvesting, this could be a real national security threat, she said.

“If it is something, particularly a government-owned device that has confidential information… it’s good we’re doing it there,” she said. “But should we explore, down the road, personal devices?”

It’s possible Stickan’s proposal could stifle free speech, but cyberlaw expert and Case Western Reserve University professor Raymond Ku said there is also a way it could be supported.

TikTok isn’t happy with the governor’s decision, with their spokesperson Jamal Brown giving a statement to News 5 explaining that the order “will do nothing to advance cybersecurity” and is “based on unfounded falsehoods.” The company also added that they are working with the federal government to address the concerns. Their full statement can be found below.

“We’re disappointed that so many states are jumping on the political bandwagon to enact policies that will do nothing to advance cybersecurity in their states and are based on unfounded falsehoods about TikTok. TikTok is loved by millions of Americans, and it is unfortunate that the many state agencies, offices, universities, student groups, and sports teams in those states will no longer be able to use TikTok to build communities and share information. 

We are continuing to work with the federal government to finalize a solution that will meaningfully address any security concerns that have been raised at the federal and state level. These plans have been developed under the oversight of our country’s top national security agencies—plans that we are well underway in implementing—to further secure our platform in the United States, and we will continue to brief lawmakers on them.”

Stickan is not the only one to raise the idea of a total ban. Lawmakers around the Statehouse have been debating the idea, but the free speech argument is always being considered.


Click here to view the original article from News 5 Cleveland.

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Pearl Neumann – AGE 100 – fulfills her goal of earning HS Diploma

At age 100, Pearl Neumann knows it’s never too late to accomplish your goals and earn a high school diploma. In her sophomore year, Neumann dropped out of Spencerport High School in New York to help on the family farm. She went on to be active in the community, helping others, but she never lost her desire to graduate.

Now she has her diploma.

Spencerport High School celebrated her graduation at a special ceremony in December. Her picture will be included in the class of 2023 composite that will hang in the high school. After leaving high school, Neumann remained in Spencerport, a canal town in Western New York west of Rochester, devoting her life to service. Neumann, who turned 100 last September, now lives in a nursing home and uses a walker to get around. She remains feisty and in strong voice.

“I’m proud of what I did. I’d do it all again in a minute if I had the ability to do it and the health to do it,” Neumann said during the ceremony.

Sean McCabe, principal at Spencerport High School, said he found her efforts humbling.

“It’s a life that was centered on family and on service to others and service to the community,” McCabe said. “I certainly would say that everything that you have accomplished in your life has well exceeded anything associated with graduating from high school.”

Over time, Neumann was active in local 4-H and volunteer service, worked several years with the local ambulance and helped families emigrating from Germany to get established in the United States.

“It makes you feel good all over. You’re not only helping somebody else, but you’re also helping yourself to stand on your own two feet and fight for the good old U.S.A.”

Her advice to others: Stand up for yourself.

“By golly, stand on your own two feet,” she said. “Don’t let someone else tell you what to do because they think they know more than you do. Baloney!”

Above – a short video of Pearl Neumann’s graduation ceremony.


Click here to view the original article from Cleveland.com.

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9 Facts About Dehydration That May Surprise You

Do you wake up thirsty? If so, the reason may not be that you’re dehydrated from drinking too little water throughout the day. Your body also loses water while you sleep, simply through breathing and sweating. This is one of the lesser known causes of dehydration.

How Much Water Do I Need to Drink?

The widespread belief that you should drink eight, 8-ounce glasses of water a day for good health is a myth. There is no scientific research behind it. There’s no standard amount of water you should drink daily – it varies person to person. Most people need about four to six cups. Certain health conditions and high levels of physical activity will increase the need.

Common Causes of Dehydration Include:

  • Poor sleep quality. You lose water as you sleep especially if you breathe through your mouth. A small study published in 2006 found that people who breathed through their mouth during sleep lost 42 percent more water than those who breathed through their nose.
  • Not enough sleep. Dehydration also can be influenced by how much sleep you get. A study in the medical journal Sleep found that people who slept six hours or less a night were more likely to be dehydrated than those who slept at least eight hours.
    The study involved about 20,000 adults in the United States and China. It found those who slept six hours or less had up to a 59 percent higher risk of dehydration compared to the other group.
    Researchers said the difference may be related to an anti-diuretic hormone, vasopressin, which plays a role on how much water the kidneys excrete. The brain releases the hormone at night so that we retain water while we sleep.
  • Drink choices. Caffeine doesn’t increase risk of dehydration, but drinking alcohol does. If you’re drinking beer and urinate frequently, it’s not just the beer being eliminated. Alcohol is a diuretic and causes excessive urination. And drinking on an empty stomach will contribute even more to dehydration, because the alcohol is absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream.
  • Childhood. Children are at higher risk of dehydration than adults. This is especially true of infants. That’s because a child body holds a smaller volume of water than an adult body. Kids can become dehydrated quickly. So, it’s important they get enough fluids, especially if they have diarrhea or vomiting.
  • Aging. An obvious sign you need water is thirst. But you should not rely on thirst as an indicator of fluid needs. The thirst sensation also weakens with age. Older adults are more susceptible to dehydration because of this. They also hold less water than younger people.

Other Hydration Facts to Remember

  • It’s possible to become overhydrated. Sometimes called water intoxication, excessive water intake dilutes sodium in the blood. Cells absorb excess water, which can cause swelling in the brain. Overhydration can lead to vomiting, seizures, confusion and headaches. It can be life-threatening.
  • The color of your urine is good indicator of dehydration. Pale is good. Darker yellow indicates you need to drink more water. Very dark indicates dehydration. Keep in mind, certain foods and medications can affect the color.
  • Seek medical attention in cases of vomiting, fever or lack of urination.Dehydration can cause dizziness, fatigue, headaches, confusion and fainting. Moderate to severe dehydration calls for medical attention. Severe dehydration can lead to electrolyte imbalances, kidney problems, seizures, coma and death.

Click here for the original article from UH Hospitals.

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How Run DMC Is Helping Students Grow By Embracing Their Emotions

Please click on the video above or read this short video description below –


Rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels has had just about every kind of success a person can have.

As part of the groundbreaking group Run-D.M.C. McDaniels racked up a formidable list of “firsts” in the hip-hop world, with multi-platinum albums, Grammy awards, rock’n’roll crossovers, sold out stadiums, a Rolling Stone cover, and hip hop’s first major apparel endorsement.

But McDaniels, who had been creative and introspective since childhood, also battled depression and personal demons that threatened to steal the joy of his success. Now, he’s using his influence and ability to rap on command to reach kids with an important message: Your feelings matter.

He takes this message to schools, and works with Nickelodeon’s educational arm, Noggin, on a literacy and social emotional learning television series “What’s the Word?” He also authored a children’s book, Darryl’s Dream, about a third grader who finds perseverance and confidence in the face of doubt.

Ahead of a panel discussion hosted by Big Heart World, Sparkler, Noggin and The 74, McDaniels spoke with correspondent Bekah McNeel about his love of therapy and empowering words, and about the ways adults can validate the emotions of children while helping them through the tough parts of growing up.

“A lot of the things we go through as adults start in childhood,” McDaniels said. Rather than pushing away anxiety, fear, and sadness—insisting that children be happy simply because they don’t carry the responsibilities of adulthood—he suggested teachers and parents, “Let them be engaged from the point where they’re at.”

A lifelong fan of superhero comics, McDaniels reminds kids that when Spider-Man and the Hulk and others are not in their superhero form, their alter egos like Peter Parker and Bruce Banner have to deal with bullies, setbacks, and all the problems regular people face. Even Star Wars’ Luke Skywalker, McDaniels said, “He had parental issues.”

Parents and teachers, the original heroes in kids’ lives, can also model vulnerability so that kids see how to handle tough emotions—it’s healthy to have negative feelings, because bad and sad things happen. At the same time, the feelings don’t have to stop you from reaching your goals. Being appropriately open and vulnerable with kids also strengthens that adult-child relationship, which will also contribute to the child’s success. People admire strength, he explained, but they connect to vulnerability.

Those connections are a top priority for University of Michigan researcher and pediatrician Jenny Radesky, who joined Austin ISD educator Rebekah Ozuna and American Enterprise Institute policy analyst Rick Hess in a discussion following the McDaniels interview. The panelists discussed the state of social and emotional learning in their various fields—from insight gained during the pandemic to current political pushback, from social media to classroom management.

While there may be ideological and political debate over whether topics like anti-racism and LGBTQ identity belong in social and emotional learning curricula or in schools at all, Ozuna said every classroom inherently has a “culture and climate” in addition to academic instruction. If the culture of the classroom doesn’t acknowledge the real struggles students face, she said, little else was going to break through. This became more clear than ever as students and teachers struggled through the pandemic. “Everything was greatly intertwined.”


Click here for the original article from The 74.

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