Early Childhood - Understanding Morals - Social/Emotional

In early childhood, the governor of initiative is conscience. During this time, they begin to hear the inner voice of self-observation

Freud states:

superego is the moral branch of personality

-develops with interactions and identifying with same sex parent

-internalize with parents standards of right and wrong

-conform to societal standards to avoid guilt

-emotions such as empathy, shame, guilt and anxiety provide a natural base for moral values

A parent's influence is very strong at this time, as the child's morals and values are directly a result of their standards. 

To make sure your child is being encouraged and punished for the right behaviour, make sure you:

1. Hold your children accountable for their mistakes

2. Share your personal experiences

3. Apologize to your children when you make mistakes 

4. Involve your children in encouraging and helping others

Early Childhood - Language Development - Cognitive

Social learning theory by Albert Bandura explains that children imitate the words and language patterns they hear by watching and listening to the models, caregivers, and family members in their life. Some children imitate German words, others imitate Japanese words, and still others imitate English words. They repeat those sounds that are rewarded with smiles and praise and drop out those sounds that are not rewarded.

Given this theory, it is important to encourage proper language skills and help your child distinguish which are improper.

Ways to enhance language development include:

Be Responsive

Expose Your Children to New Experiences

Use the Senses

Use Language-Rich Routines

Read Books Regularly

Encourage Text-to-text Connections

Use Visuals

Early Childhood - The Dangers of Smoking - Physical

Children are particularly susceptible to the effects of tobacco smoke exposure.

Children of parents who smoke are reported to have:

• An increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome 
• More respiratory infections such as bronchitis, bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
• An increased risk of slower lung growth.
• An increased risk of middle ear diseases.
• An increased risk of wheezing, coughing and breathlessness.

Can you reduce the risk of passive smoking for children?

Many people believe that smoking outside eliminates the risk to children or others in the home. Reports show that nicotine levels are still significantly high in the hair of children even if parents smoke outside. This might be due to leaving windows or doors open, it might be due to smoke entering the door as a smoker returns inside, or perhaps due to children being exposed to clothes with smoke particles on them.

Early Childhood - Importance of Childhood Immunization - Physical

It is always better to prevent a disease than to treat it after it occurs.

Diseases that used to be common in this country and around the world, including polio, measles, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), rubella (German measles), mumps, tetanus and rotavirus and one of the most terrible diseases in history – smallpox – no longer exists outside the laboratory. Over the years vaccines have prevented countless cases of disease and saved millions of lives

• If an unvaccinated child is exposed to a disease germ, the child's body may not be strong enough to fight the disease. Before vaccines, many children died from diseases that vaccines now prevent, such as whooping cough, measles, and polio. Those same germs exist today, but because babies are protected by vaccines, we don’t see these diseases nearly as often.

• Immunizing individual children also helps to protect the health of our community, especially those people who cannot be immunized 

Adult/Senior - Coping with Financial Stress - Social Emotional

-To lower financial stress, set a budget for each day and reward yourself,

-try knitting or crocheting, the repetitive motion and focus of needlework can elicit what's known as the relaxation response—a calming meditation-like state that slows heart rate and causes blood pressure to drop.

-see the bigger picture, a much healthier and more resilient attitude than having a break down is taking some responsibility but seeing this downturn more as a systemic failure and not a personal one.

-Take a stress break. Make a conscious decision to do something healthy to take your mind off your stress. Maybe it’s playing with your dog or kids, going for a run, enjoying a hobby, watching a movie, listening to music, or doing yoga.

-Choose to build wealth. Using your money to create a secure financial future, instead of spending it on material possessions, will give you a feeling of freedom.

-Get financial help. Talking to a wise friend, a family member, or a financial professional can help you see options and solutions to your financial problems that you might be overlooking. 

Adult / Senior - Brain Continues to Change - Cognitive

Neurons continue to grow and change beyond the first years of development and well into adulthood, according to a new study.

The finding challenges the traditional belief that adult brain cells, or neurons, are largely static and unable to change their structures in response to new experiences.

The study, performed in adult mice, found that the branch-like projections on some neurons, called "dendrites," were still subject to change. Dendrites conduct electrical signals received from other neurons to cell body. The changes involved both growth and shrinkage.

However, your brain undergoes many negative Your risk of developing Alzheimer’s increases with age, reaching 50 percent by age 85. Researchers aren’t sure why the risk jumps so dramatically as we get older, but it’s possible the disease is linked to inflammation, a natural part of aging that can lead to a build-up of deposits in areas like the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for forming new memories. These deposits may also interfere with long-term memory. Along with aging, many experts think that genes and lifestyle contribute to the majority of Alzheimer’s and dementia cases.

Adult / Senior - Staying Connected With Family and Friends - Social Emotional

Tips for Staying Socially Engaged as You Age

There are plenty of ways to stay socially connected and intellectually stimulated:

• Nurture your social network. Make an effort to maintain your close personal relationships with family members, friends, church members, neighbors, and other important people in your life. Even if they’re not close by, you can still keep in touch by  e-mail or Facebook.

• Play "mind" games. Regularly doing crossword puzzles and playing chess and other intellectually stimulating games keeps your mind active and, if you play with others, helps you stay socially connected to your peers.

• Join a club. Contact your local senior center and ask around to see if there are any clubs in your area you would be interested in becoming a part of. 

• Go back to work. Many people experience stress after they retire, feeling they have lost part of their identity. If you are longing to work again, consider taking a part-time job, which can help keep your mind stimulated and give you a sense of greater contribution. 

• Offer family assistance. If you have grandchildren or other young family members you would like to see more of, offer to babysit regularly. 

Adult/Seniors - First Signs of Alzheimer's - Cognitive

Alzheimer's is a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia, a general term for memory loss and other intellectual abilities serious enough to interfere with daily life.

There are 10 warning signs and symptoms. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in different degrees.

1. Memory loss

2. Trouble planning and problem solving

3. Daily tasks are a challenge

4. Times and places are confusing

5. Changes in vision

6. Words and conversations are frustrating

8. Lapse in judgment

9. Social withdrawal

10. Mood changes

Adult/Senior - Best Foods For Healthy Bones - Physical

2 Critical Nutrients for Bones: Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium is a crucial building block of bone tissue.  Vitamin D helps the body absorb and process  calcium. Together, these two  nutrients are the cornerstone of healthy bones.

1,000 mg of  calcium a day for most adults and 1,200 mg/day for women after menopause and men after 70 is recommended. Milk and other dairy products are excellent natural sources of calcium. Other good food sources of calcium include calcium-fortified orange juice, leafy green vegetables, and broccoli. If you don't eat those foods regularly, talk to your doctor about calcium supplements.

Researchers believe that most Americans fall short on  vitamin D, a critical nutrient. Your body makes it naturally when your  skin is exposed to sun. Older people especially are at high risk of vitamin deficiency. The reason: the body becomes less efficient at producing vitamin D as we age. 

Vitamin D deficiency is common in all ages and few foods contain vitamin D. Milk and some brands of yogurt are fortified with D.   Adults 70 years and older need 800 IU of vitamin D a day to prevent fractures.

Adult/Senior - Keeping Your Brain Sharp - Cognitive

Do puzzles – Exercise seniors’ brains often by encouraging them to do challenging puzzles. These can include Sudoku, crosswords or even jigsaw puzzles. Anything that challenges them mentally.

5. Avoid smoking – Smoking can actually reduce oxygen to the brain, decreasing its function.

6. Avoid junk food – Similar to smoking, junk food can also limit oxygen to the brain, making it not function to its full capacity.

7. Sleep more – Getting at least eight hours of sleep a night can help to increase brain function and help seniors stay more alert during the daylight hours.

8. Stay educated – Continuing an education way past retirement can help seniors keep their mind active and engaged.

9. Stay social – Developing and maintaining relationships with peers is a great way for seniors to stay active and keep their brain working.

10. Keep a journal – A perfect way for seniors to keep their mind sharp and their memories fresh is by keeping a daily journal.

Adult/Senior - Staying Active - Physical

Be as Active as Possible

Regular physical activity and exercise are important to the physical and mental health of almost everyone, including older adults. Staying physically active and exercising regularly can produce long-term health benefits and even improve health for some older people who already have diseases and disabilities. 

Being Inactive Can Be Risky 

Although exercise and physical activity are among the healthiest things you can do for yourself, some older adults are reluctant to exercise. Some are afraid that exercise will be too hard or that physical activity will harm them. Lack of physical activity can lead to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses. 

Are You Ever Too Old to Exercise?
Video length: 40 sec
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Prevent or Delay Disease 

Scientists have found that staying physically active and exercising regularly can help prevent or delay many diseases and disabilities. In some cases, exercise is an effective treatment for many chronic conditions. For example, studies show that people with arthritis, heart disease, or diabetes benefit from regular exercise. Exercise also helps people with high blood pressure, balance problems, or difficulty walking.

Adult/Senior - Aging linked with depression - Social Emotional

“Subsyndromal” depression is defined by an individual having depression symptoms but don’t meet enough official criteria to get the diagnosis. What that means is that there many seniors dealing with dreadful sad and nervous moods and/or having sleep and energy difficulties, losing desire or pleasure in even basic things such as eating and being with others, dealing with increased aches and pains, and having awful thoughts about life and themselves.   

Unfortunately, all too many depressed seniors fail to recognize the symptoms of depression, or don’t take the steps to get the help they need. There are many reasons depression in older adults and the elderly is so often overlooked:

• You may assume you have good reason to be down or that depression is just part of aging.

• You may be isolated—which in itself can lead to depression.

• You may not realize that your physical complaints are signs of depression.

• You may be reluctant to talk about your feelings or ask for help.

Erik Erikson describes this stage as ego-integrity vs. despair. Erik Erikson believed if we see our lives as unproductive, feel guilt about our past, or feel that we did not accomplish our life goals, we become dissatisfied with life and develop despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness. 

Success in this stage will lead to the virtue of wisdom. Wisdom enables a person to look back on their life with a sense of closure and completeness, and also accept death without fear.

Infancy - Enhance Baby's Physical Development - Physical

These 3 tips are something any parent can do to enhance their baby's physical development

1. Allow your baby to move around. Put him down on the floor so he can look around, kick his legs, and wiggle. Don't let him spend much time in a swing, car seat carrier, or bouncy seat. These limit movement, and he needs to move to develop

2. Dangle safe toys in front of or above your baby. . This will encourage his hand-eye coordination as he learns to focus on an object before reaching and grasping it. He may also randomly kick the toys, helping with deliberate leg motions.

3. Allow your baby to sit up often with the aid of pillows or cushions. This will allow him to practice making minor adjustments, using his torso muscles, without risk of falling over and hurting himself.

Infancy - Autism Symptoms and Early Signs - Cognitive

When it comes to autism, catching it early—ideally by the age of eighteen months—makes a huge difference

Autism is a spectrum of closely related disorders with a shared core of symptoms. Autism spectrum disorders appear in infancy and early childhood, causing delays in many basic areas of development, such as learning to talk, play, and interact with others.

The signs and symptoms of autism vary widely, as do its effects. Some autistic children have only mild impairments, while others have more obstacles to overcome. However, every child on the autism spectrum has problems, at least to some degree, in the following three areas:

• Communicating verbally and non-verbally
• Relating to others and the world around them
• Thinking and behaving flexibly

• Monitor your child’s development. Autism involves a variety of developmental delays, so keeping a close eye on when—or if—your child is hitting the key social, emotional, and cognitive milestones is an effective way to spot the problem early on. 
• Take action if you’re concerned. Every child develops at a different pace, so you don’t need to panic if your child is a little late to talk or walk. When it comes to healthy development, there’s a wide range of “normal.” 
• Don’t accept a wait-and-see approach. Many concerned parents are told, “Don’t worry” or “Wait and see.” But waiting is the worst thing you can do. You risk losing valuable time at an age where your child has the best chance for improvement. 
• Trust your instincts. Ideally, your child’s doctor will take your concerns seriously and perform a thorough evaluation for autism or other developmental delays. But sometimes, even doctors miss red flags or underestimate problems. 

Infancy - Decoding the Attachment Stage - Social Emotional

A study shows how it is a gradual process for babies to realise their own existence. For the research, young babies were placed in front of a mirror to see whether they understood that they were looking at a reflection of themselves. They didn't. The children patted their mirror image and acted as though they were looking at another baby rather than their own reflection.

One of the first ways that babies express this separation is by crying to attract your attention. It is a sign that your baby is growing increasingly aware that her behaviour affects others, namely you. 

At about four months or five months, you may notice that your baby starts to become more aware that she is a separate person. She will want to communicate and feel close to you and will respond readily to your voice, smiles, and chatter. 

However, your baby will go through a stage where he/she will always want to be near you. When it is time to separate, it is crucial to understand your baby's signals and behaviours when left without the parent.

John Bowlby explains that all children/babies exhibit attachment behaviours. Children who are secure in their attachment are able to move past detachment stage and become more active and interactive in an environment without the parent. Less secure children may crawl under a table. Children who are punished for inappropriate behaviour regarding their detachment had intensified attachment behaviours. Recovery from detachment is quicker if affection happens, therefore it is important to show your child affection and touch.

John Bowlby

Infancy - Understanding Your Baby's Cries - Cognitive

Hungry?

Sounds like: Fairly desperate and unrelenting; usually high pitched.

 Tired?

Sounds like: Breathy, helpless. This cry can be intermittent and is more easily soothed than most others.

Bored or Overstimulated?

Sounds like: Usually not as loud as other cries and is often staccato. Boredom can easily transition to laughter; overstimulated can escalate to shrieking.

Uncomfortable?

Sounds like: Forced and whiny; has a pattern of short repetitions, like "uh-UH, uh-UH."

Pain?

Sounds like: Piercing and grating.

Mary Ainsworth joined Jon Bowlby in understanding the importance of attachment in infants. Infants will give a signal such as cry etc and the caregiver will detect the infants signal, correctly interpret the signal, and make appropriate response. Better caregivers were better at this. Parnets need to response to needs as babies communciate mostly through crying

When the baby is responded to, they learn trust and trust is foundation for lifelong social and emotional development 

Infancy - Which foods should your baby be eating - Physical

Bananas

Bananas are full of carbohydrates, which provide sustained energy, as well as fiber to support a healthy digestive tract

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a good source of potassium, vitamin C, and fiber and an excellent source of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps prevent certain types of cancer and mops up free radicals. 

Avocados

 Avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit and are rich in monounsaturated fat -- a healthy type of fat that helps prevent heart disease. 

Eggs

Eggs are packed with goodness. Egg whites are mainly protein and the yolks provide zinc and vitamins A, D, E, and B12. The yolk also has choline, which research is showing is crucial for brain health and development. 

Carrots

Carrots have large amounts of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that gives them their orange color. Beta-carotene converts into vitamin A in the body and plays a role in growth and healthy vision.

Infancy - How to Bond With Your Newborn - Social Emotional

• Have some skin-to-skin cuddle time – hold the baby and stroke him/her gently. Human touch is soothing for both you and your baby.
• Look into your baby's eyes and talk and sing to them regularly.
• If your baby has to spend some time in intensive care and is hooked up to wires and monitors, ask the hospital staff to help you safely touch and hold your baby.

Over time, you'll get to know and enjoy your newborn, learn how to comfort them, and your feelings will deepen. 

When should I worry?

If, after a few weeks, you find that you don't feel more attached to and comfortable with your baby than you did the first day, or if you actually feel detached and resentful of him, talk about it. Your partner, family, and friends can help you feel less isolated and alone, and discussing your feelings with your baby's doctor and your own doctor or midwife is the key to getting help.

Postpartum depression is real and can affect bonding. In this case, it's best to seek help as soon as possible.

Early intervention can prevent your relationship with your child from deteriorating. The longer you wait, the harder it will be to win back your baby's trust and affection.

Infancy - Improving Your Baby's Fine and Gross Motor Skills - Cognitive

Manual dexterity is directly tied to cognitive development. It's through the hands that your baby demonstrates the link between thought and action. 

4 to 6 Months

This is a crucial period in the development of your baby's fine motor skills. The baby will start to learn to coordinate it's thoughts with his hand movements. . He'll also begin to grab his own hands and feet and transfer objects from hand to hand. This type of exploration teaches your child cause and effect and shows him that his actions have an impact on the world.

Here's how to enhance their fine motor skills and coordination:

• -Play pat-a-cake or "The Itsy-Bitsy Spider" with your baby to help improve her coordination.
• -Press a soft block between your baby's hands for practice holding toys.
• -Shift your baby's positions frequently. Their motor skills are challenged in different ways and develop more thoroughly.

• 10 to 12 Months

  During this stage, your baby refines what she knows and moves on to harder tasks, such as learning how to operate her fingers independently of one another.
  • -Babies this age understand dozens of words, so ask your child to perform tasks that challenge her motor coordination and her understanding of cause and effect, such as squeezing a squeaky toy.
  • -Let your baby do things on their own. This allows them to practice her skills and promotes independence
  
  

Infancy - Surviving Breast Feeding - Social Emotional

1. Do your homework

   Take a class at your hospital (or another local hospital if yours doesn’t offer one). Bring your partner or support person with you so that he or she fully understands what you will be going through and how to help.  

2. Find support

   Breastfeeding is a whole lot easier when you surround yourself with people who understand. .  Many hospitals host breastfeeding support groups.

3. Keep track

   It is helpful to track when, for how long, and from which breast your baby eats.  Tracking helps to feel confident that your baby is getting enough and encourages to at the breast a bit longer.  

   Be patient

   Although the pain and soreness may be frustrating, it is important to remain patient and not get stressed when your baby is not feeding properly or it is not working out. If you are relaxed, it is more likely that the baby will be relaxed and grasp/latch on more easily

   

   
   

Infancy - Second Hand Smoke - Physical

Children exposed to second-hand smoke are at an increased risk of premature death and disease and are more likely to have thickening, irritation and inflammation of their airways.

Second-hand smoke can impair a baby’s breathing and heart rate, which can put the baby at a higher risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI including SIDs and fatal sleeping accidents). If parents smoke during pregnancy and after their baby is born, their baby’s SIDS risk increases. The more second-hand smoke a baby is exposed to, the higher the risk of SIDS. 

If children are exposed to second-hand smoke, they’re more likely to develop a range of lung and other health problems, including:

• asthma
• bronchiolitis
• bronchitis
• childhood cancers, including leukaemia
• croup
• ear infections
• impaired sense of smell
• meningitis
• meningococcal disease
• pneumonia
• tonsillitis.

Adolescence - The Damaging Affects of Eating Disorders on the Brain - Cognitive

- the brains of those with anorexia and those recovered from the illness have an under-active limbic circuity, which relates to feeling the reward, and an operatic executive neural circuity, which relates to inhibition.

-anorexia nervosa) tend to perceive their actions as incorrect or flawed and are highly sensitive to criticism, rather than being able to appropriately proportion reward and punishment in order to learn from experience.”

-the brains of people who have or had anorexia don’t even respond to food, or pictures of it, like control groups. When given sugar, people who are recovered from anorexia show less brain activity than other people who like sugar and have never had an eating disorder

-he brains of people with anorexia also have persistent disturbance of the serotonin neuronal systems that may be related to increased anxiety

ALSO

• Reduced heart rate, which could deprive the brain of oxygen
• Nerve-related conditions including seizures, disordered thinking, and numbness or odd nerve sensations in the hands or feet
• Difficulty thinking, switching tasks, and setting priorities

Adolescence - Bullying - Social Emotional

How to stand up against bullying: 

A supportive bystander will take action to protect the rights of others and use words and/or actions to help someone who is being bullied. If bystanders are confident to take safe and effective action to support victims then there is a greater possibility that they can stop bullying and the person who is bullied can recover.

People respect those that stand up for others who are bullied but being a supportive bystander can be tough. Sometimes it’s not easy to work out how to help safely because bullying happens in different ways and places such as online, at work or school.

• Make it clear to your friends that you won’t be involved in bullying behaviour.
• Never stand by and watch or encourage bullying.
• Do not harass, tease or spread gossip about others, this includes on social networks like Facebook. 
• Never forward on or respond to messages or photos that may be offensive or upsetting.
• Support the person who is being bullied to ask for help 
• Report it to someone in authority or someone you trust e.g. at school to a teacher, or a school counsellor; at work to a manager; if the bullying is serious, report it to the police.

Adolescence - Struggling with weight gain - physical

During the preteen and teenage stages there are significant physical changes, including increased weight gain to help support height and physical growth. Some statistics:

• Children gain on average between 30-40 pounds (13.5-18.0 kilograms) between age 11-14.
• A child can gain 20 pounds (9 kilograms) or more in one year.
• Girls gain weight first as a layer of fat all over the body and then more around breast, hip and thighs.
• Girls appear “fat” before curves appear.
• To support large increases in height and weight your preteen and teenager will be hungrier, will eat more and need to sleep more.
• Weight gain during puberty accounts for about half of their adult ideal weight.

Is there a point to be concerned with a teenager’s weight issues?

There are two times:  if a teenager loses or gains a significant amount of weight during a short period of time. If a child is overweight or obese before puberty, education on healthy eating is a critical part of a teen having a successful body image. A child should never be put on a diet, but support for teen on good food choices and physical activity can help a child potentially make their ideal weight during teenage years. If your teenager gains a lot of weight during their preteen or teen growth period but does not thin out or stay weight stable, this is a signal that they may have a potential overweight issue. If at the end of your teen’s growth period, approximately 13-14 years old for girls, and 15-16 years old for boys, your child is overweight, it is best to seek a health professional’s advice on getting your teen on track with a healthier weight.

Adolescence - Screen Time Affecting the Brain - Cognitive

-Too much screen usage seems to result in grey matter shrinkage, problems with white matter's ability to communicate, a lot more cravings, and general poorer cognitive performance.

-Blue light from screens isn't just keeping us awake; it may also damage the retina , and eye strain from too much device use is increasing. 

-Excessive screen time may actually impact on your ability to process emotion properly, as we lose the ability to communicate effectively with others.

-Dopamine is also a key component of the brain's reward system, and is heavily implicated in the formation and maintenance of addictions. There are growing concerns that extensive computer game playing may lead to long-term changes in the reward circuitry that resemble the effects of substance dependence. 

Adolesence - Ways to Cope With Stress - Social Emotional

Teens can decrease stress with the following behaviors and techniques:

Teens explain how they cope with stress

• Exercise and eat regularly 
• Avoid excess caffeine intake which can increase feelings of anxiety and agitation 
• Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol and tobacco 
• Learn relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques) 
• Rehearse and practice situations which cause stress. One example is taking a speech class if talking in front of a class makes you anxious 
• Learn practical coping skills. For example, break a large task into smaller, more attainable tasks 
• Decrease negative self talk: challenge negative thoughts about yourself with alternative neutral or positive thoughts. Learn to feel good about doing a competent or "good enough” job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others 
• Take a break from stressful situations. Activities like listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing, writing, or spending time with a pet can reduce stress 
• Build a network of friends who help you cope in a positive way

Adolescence - Skipping Meals - Physical

Raises Diabetes Risk

Over the course of eight weeks, a study tested subjects where they skipped two meals every day and ate all of the calories they would normally eat in one big daily meal. At the end of the study, participants had blood sugar levels and insulin responses that put them at a higher risk for diabetes than they had had before the study began.

• Impairs Concentration

  Glucose, which your body obtains by breaking down nutrients in the food you eat, is the primary source of energy for your brain and central nervous system. When you fast for several hours or more, the supply of glucose to your brain dwindles. This can impair your concentration, focus, memory and mood. 

Other Health Risks

Skipping meals regularly can have health consequences that range from mild to severe. Fatigue, dizziness or fainting are among the most mild; in the long term, you may also notice anemia, bone loss, thyroid function impairment, decreased immunity and worsening dental health. If you’re considering consistently skipping a meal for any reason, see your doctor before proceeding

Increases Binging

Skipping a meal is likely to make you feel hungrier when it comes time to eat next, and this could cause you to eat more calories than you would have otherwise. Skipping breakfast, in particular, has been associated with obesity in several scientific studies.