Momathon Blog

Make A Difference: Send a Net, Save a Life

The financial meltdown yesterday makes me want to stay in bed and hide from the news. Obviously that's not the best idea. Just to make easing into the day better, I had an extra muffin for breakfast and I added an extra dollop of honey to my morning tea. But perhaps the best thing to keep me going isn't sugar or carbs, it's realizing I still am a very lucky person and I need to give back. All this week I will focus on simple ways as moms we can help the moms in the world live healthier, safer, and happier lives.

Giving Back:

Nothing But Nets Campaign

Malaria is the single greatest cause of death for the world's children. But there is a simple way to save lives: Send a net.

The rainy season is fast approaching and now is the time to prevent more devastation and loss of life from malaria. Malaria is a major threat to the women and children in the refugee camps in Eastern Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.

Nothing But Nets is a global campaign to fight one of largest killers in Africa's biggest killers: Malaria. It was initially inspired by by Sports Illustrated columnist Rick Riley who would go across the country to raise $10 per bed net to help prevent the spread of malaria across Africa. Nothing But Nets is an initiative in partnership between the United Nations Foundation, Sports Illustrated, the people of the United Methodist Foundation, and the National Basketball Association.

How to Help:

It's simple: Send a net, save a life.

Log on to Nothing But Nets Campaign and donate $10 to buy a bed net.

More information on malaria and Nothing But Nets is available at these links

• United Nations Foundation » Nothing But Nets- It Only Takes a Net to Save a Life
• Kathy Bushkin Calvin: Malaria Kills. Nets Save Lives.
• World Leaders Embrace Goal of Ending Malaria Deaths by 2015 - washingtonpost.com

Banners and ecards

If you want to add a banner to your blog or website, please visit this link Nothing But Nets widgets and banners.

You can send an ecard to friends or family at the Nothing But Nets Campaign: "Send" an e-card

Paul Newman's Generous Spirit Will Always Be Remembered

Paul Newman, 83, died of cancer on Friday. Is is possible that his own life was more inspiring than his legendary movie roles? He stole our hearts. He seemed like someone I'd like to know--or if I was very lucky, perhaps I could someday learn to live with the same generous spirit. He raised almost a quarter of a billion dollars for charity with his Newman's Own natural food line. All the profits went to a variety of charitable causes. He set up 11 Hole in the Wall camps for chronically ill children that helped 135,000 children free of charge. Realizing that he was very lucky himself, Newman felt he had to give back. For all his generosity we all owe it to him to try to give back ourselves.

Robert Redford, his good friend and co-star in Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid and Sting, said: "My life--and this country--is better for his being in it."

Newman will always be remembered as one of Hollywood's greatest actors, but he also has a large philanthropic legacy, check out the video below.

Newman and  Woodward were married over fifty years. Check out the video below for more on their marriage.

-Posted by Chris at Momathon Blog.

Momathon Faves: Domino Magazine

A stack of magazines is one of the little indulgences I look forward to each month. Sitting down on the couch with a cup of tea and a magazine like Domino (or Oprah, InStyle, Real Simple or one of the many others) has the power to lift my spirits even after the longest day. For less than $5 I'll find inspiration to improve my day, my home, my closet, and even maybe my personal style. The online editions are fun to check out, but I still love my paper version complete with sticky notes that mark important pages. Domino has a clever and cute mini issue of the magazine online that you can flip through like a the real thing. My favorite article for October is "Starting from Scratch." It's all about Domino editor Rita Konig's move from London to Manhattan. She's a smart shopping expert. Don't you just love her car? I'll take one in yellow.

Treadmills for Tots?

At what age should parents begin a gym workout with their kids? Does a preschooler really need a grueling circuit training workout? I hope most young kids can get plenty of exercise during unstructured playtime. Even something as simple as a walk around the block with your kids has health benefits. I have nothing against enrolling your preschooler in a weekly tennis class or swim lessons, but a nightly gym class seems over the top. The toy companies are getting into the tot fitness craze too. Now parents who are unable to--or just don't want to--leave the house to get their kids to exercise can buy a Fisher Price Smart Cycle stationary bike that hooks up to a television, according to ABC. I'm all for tot toys like mini kitchen sets or work bench tools that encourage playing at being grown up. The key word is "play." But I wonder if a toddler running on a treadmill is play or torture?

(My First Treadmill, $89.99)

Many kids need more exercise and a healthier diet. The CDC studies estimate 16 percent of American children are obese and 15 percent are overweight. 

Older school-age kids participating in the gym seems like a healthy idea, as long as it is done in moderation. And above all, parents have to be mindful that the kids need to be motivated. Evidently lots of kids want to squeeze in a daily cardio workout. More and more kids are going to the gym with their parents. "Last year 1.3 million children ages 6 to 11 were members of a health club," according to an AP article. Fitness centers and families are buying kid-size equipment for workouts. Hook the stationary bike up to a PlayStation 2 and it's hard to get kids to stop exercising. Besides circuit workouts designed for school-age kids, fitness centers now are offering hip hop dance, yoga, karate, and nutrition classes.

-Posted by Chris at Momathon Blog.

Special Needs Kids and the Future of Health Care

No one wants to get sick. But it happens. If you have a child with a chronic illness you probably visit the doctor office more than you ever imagined possible. As a parent you try to do everything humanly possible to keep your child healthy, but if you have a child with chronic illness your child might end up visiting the ER or being admitted in the hospital.

As a mother of a special needs child, I worry about the outcome of the election in November. Will my child be denied health care coverage because of a pre-existing condition? At the RNC the VP candidate Sarah Palin, mother of 4-month-old Trig, born with Down syndrome, promised voters she has a place in her heart for all special needs children, yet with the McCain health care plan too many special needs children with chronic illness will fall between the cracks.

It's just a piece of plastic, but the health insurance card you carry in your wallet can mean the difference between getting adequate health care for your family and getting denied appropriate health care. That's why the upcoming election is vital.

Here's my concern: If you vote for McCain, let's hope your family stays healthy or only gets "moderately" sick. But good luck if you or your children have a pre-existing condition like a chronic illness, cancer or severe food allergies because then you risk getting denied coverage. If you vote for McCain, then you better be rich enough to afford top-notch private health insurance.

McCain's solution to the health care crisis: tax rebates. Wow! Talk about blind faith in the free market. His plan might work for some of us, but what happens to the poorest people who won't benefit from McCain's $5000 family tax rebate because they don't pay $5000 in taxes? Will the cost of health insurance decrease if we shop for our own insurance? No guarantees. Since administrative costs can dramatically increase on the open market, private health insurance could end up being more expensive and less generous according to the WSJ.com.

It's ironic that under McCain's health plan, McCain himself would not be covered. Under his plan insurance companies do not have to cover individuals with pre-existing conditions like melanoma and breast cancer. 

McCain wants more competition between private health insurers. He wants to bring down the cost of health care by having individuals/families shop for their own insurance. McCain would give direct refundable tax credits to individuals to offset the cost of buying private insurance. The "human price" of McCain's health care cost cutting will be that some people with pre-existing conditions like cancer will be denied insurance by private insurance companies. Corporations will be less likely to offer health insurance benefits to employees because McCain's plan would eliminate the current tax exclusion for health care benefits. The McCain campaign has mentioned a plan that would require individual states develop plans to help those with pre-existing conditions, but I haven't seen the details on this program. And will it really work? Makes me wonder if under his plan, those under-insured people will then be forced to move just to find the best state health care for their family's health issues. Let's hope McCain develops a safety net for those with pre-existing conditions.

Obama would increase federal regulations on health care while still giving consumers more options like private insurance. His plan would set up a new national health plan to cover everyone so no one would fall between the cracks. To help pay for this national program he would tax large corporations that do not provide health insurance. Obama's plan would include private insurance plans with increased federal regulation to ensure coverage to everyone, at consistent prices and ensure even those with pre-existing conditions get coverage. Private insurance plans under Obama's plan would feel the pressure to offer the same generous benefits as the government-run plan. The cons? This would lead to higher premiums for private insurance. How would the uninsured fare under Obama's plan? Much better. Sometimes children--the most vulnerable--are the ones who lack appropriate health care because under the current plans they are not insured. By mandating health coverage for all children, Obama's health plan would improve the health care of these children. Obama's plan is expected to reduce the number of unisured people by 18 million in the first year according to the Tax Policy Center. 

Elizabeth Edwards forcefully denounced the McCain health care proposal during the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing last week. 

"Sen. McCain and I have something in common, and that is neither one of us would be insured under his health care plan...If you're 55 with cancer...good luck to you," said Elizabeth Edwards during the hearing according to The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report.

Not sure if Obama solves all my health care concerns, but I'll keep listening to what Elizabeth Edwards has to say. Hope the candidates are listening too.

If you want to read more about the health care plans of the candidates, check out the health care comparision on CNN.com and  WSJ.com.

--Posted by Chris at Momathon Blog. A version of the post also appears in my blog Political Hotdish.)

Time to Mark Your Ballot: 60th Primetime Emmy Awards

The countdown begins. I'm not talking about the election in November. No, I'm talking about the excitement over who will be winning the coveted Emmy statuettes in just two days. Television's biggest event, the Primetime EMMYs will air Sunday, September 21 at 8:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT on ABC. For a complete list of nominations so you can mark your ballots at home, click here.

Health: Stopping the Superbugs

We've got lots of creepy crawly big bad bugs in my area. Some bugs are poisonous and some just look gross. Today I'm not writing about the bugs in my garage, but those deadly superbugs with completely different legs. 

Last week my son spent four days in the hospital. Thank God he is slowly getting better. Unfortunately kids (and adults) who stay in hospitals are at a higher risk of catching the deadly antiobiotic superbugs like C. diff (Clostiridium difficile) and MRSA (a form of staph) which create drug-resistant infections.

The good news is that hospitals and researchers are working to solve this issue. The bad news is that for now we only have a few "big guns" in our antibiotic arsenal. The trend of infections is increasing. The superbugs are now infecting more children and even healthy adults.

When my son was admitted to the hospital because he couldn't swallow and barely breath due to severely swollen tonsils, he was given the last ditch antibiotic vancomycin. While this drug and other antibiotics can treat many of the most serious infections, it can also suppress both the good and bad bacteria and allow drug resistant infections to grow out of control. My son was lucky. He does not have C. diff. (Although I am still crossing my fingers because C.diff infections can emerge days or weeks after antibiotic therapy.)

I am not a doctor or a medical professional. I am a parent. That is why it is so difficult for many parents to know what questions to ask doctors and health professionals in the hospital. Infections such as C.diff can last as dry spores on hospital surfaces and other surfaces for months. Am I being paranoid when I wonder how effectively the hospital cleaned my son's room? 

If you are concerned about the spread of superbugs and the use of antibiotics, I recommend you read an excellent Wall Street Journal article by Laura Landro.

--Chris at Momathon Blog

Clogged: When Your Posts Are "Borrowed"

Just yesterday I wrote a Momathon Blog post about my Mom and how much her cooking inspiration means in my life. I also included a recipe that I created based on the cooking skills my Mom, the home-ec teacher, inspired.

You can imagine my surprise when this recipe and my story about my Mom turned up copied word-for-word in a post by another blogger. My husband says I was "clogged." She also included the photo of my lasagne--complete with the partially burnt cheese topping. (I warned you that I'm not Martha.)

I like to share recipes, but when my family story and my "Easy Vegie Lasagne" was copied without any mention of me and used in another blog it stung. 

I am hoping this blogger just accidentally forgot to credit me. Still, you'd think she'd ask my permission first before she copied the entire post. 

I also found some of my other Momathon Blog posts copied word-for-word with my photos to her Blog. At least the first line of the post she copied about the serious health risks of BPA also included the name of my Momathon Blog, but her post credits Susan as the writer. 

Am I missing something here? Did I accidentally join a blogging group that "shares" posts that I didn't intend to join? 

Plastic Bottle Safety Update: JAMA Says BPA Poses Serious Health Risks

You've heard me talk about the BPA controversy in previous Momathon Blog posts. Consumer activists have warned about the dangers of the estrogen-like chemical BPA for decades. BPA is used in lightweight, often clear, hard plastic containers for food and drink such as baby bottles and water bottles. The FDA and other groups argue that BPA does not pose a "serious" health risk according to the industry-funded studies.  

My health question still remains: Is a moderate or even a low risk worth taking when so many BPA free alternatives are available? What level of safety are we willing to accept especially when feeding the most vulnerable--our babies and young children.

JAMA ISSUES NEW BPA WARNING

Now there is new evidence that BPA (bisphenol A) does indeed pose serious health risks. The latest study, the first large study in humans, links BPA to heart disease and diabetes according to an article in USATODAY.com as well as many health journals and other newspapers. This study of 1,455 people published today in The Journal of the American Medical Association says:

"Adults with the highest BPA levels in their urine were more than twice as likely to have heart disease or diabetes than those with the lowest levels."

Previous studies that found BPA safe have been criticized due to the fact that they were industry-funded studies.

BPA is everywhere, but the greatest exposure is through food and drink since it is most readily absorbed through food and drink containers. The dangers of BPA on children and fetuses are higher since they may be able to absorb more of the chemical than adults. Chances are if you are using a reusable clear, hard plastic bottle with the recycling #7 on it, then it includes BPA. More BPA can potentially leach into liquids in polycarbonate plastics if you add boiling water when making formula or use high temperatures for cleaning bottles because this may “damage” the bottle.

BPA is used in lightweight, often clear hard plastics containers for food and drink such as baby bottles and water bottles. 

In a recent Momathon Blog post I included the following tips for finding safer bottles:

• #1 plastic bottles like the ones you buy with water in them at the grocery store are fine for one-time use according to the FDA. Do not reuse them or add hot/boiling water to them because this can damage the bottle and cause BPA to leach into the liquids inside.
• BPA-free plastic bottles include #2 HDPE (high density polyethylene) and #5 PP (polypropylene).
• Plastic reusable bottles with a number 3, 6, or 7 are potentially unsafe because they can release BPA.  
• Just to make it confusing, not all plastic bottles with the #7 on it are unsafe. The #7 clear, hard plastic Nalgene reusable bottle is made from polycarbonate contains BPA, but the new corn-based, compostable plastic dinner plates and cups are also labeled #7 are safe according to National Geographic: The Green Guide

For more information, check out my previous Momathon Blog posts on this topic

Momathon Blog: Are Water Bottles Dangerous?

Momathon Blog: Update: Are Plastic Bottles Safe?

Easy Vegie Lasagne

If you know me, then you probably already know that I'm a foodie, but so not like Martha. I just happen to have been lucky enough to grow up with a talented home-ec teacher for my Mom. Endless new recipes landed on our kitchen table for our meal-time testing. 

Now I live miles away from Mom's kitchen, but her love of "tweaking" a recipe still pulls at my cooking soul. I can't say I make my family the fabulous meals of my childhood, but thanks to my Mom's inspiration some meals turn out pretty darn deelish. Here's a fall/winter favorite recipe:

Easy Lasagne

32 oz. (approx.) prepared spaghetti sauce or make your own sauce from scratch

12 oz. Mozzarella cheese

16 oz. cottage cheese

1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

8 oz lasagne noodles, uncooked

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 packages frozen spinach leaves

1/2 cup water

This recipe can be modified to fit your taste buds. Feel free to "tweak" it. 

1. Cut 6 slices from Mozzarella cheese and reserve for topping (if you buy pre-shredded cheese, just save approx. 6 slices worth of cheese for topping). Shred remainder of Mozzarella.    
2. Combine Mozzarella with cottage cheese, egg, parsley, salt and pepper. 
3. Place half of spaghetti sauce and 1/2 cup water in bottom of 13x9x2-inch pan or lasagne pan.
4. Thaw spinach. (I thaw it in on the stove in a steamer, or you can use the microwave.) Drain spinach.
5. Layer half of uncooked noodles over sauce; top with half of spinach and half of cheese mixture. Repeat layers.
6. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
7. Top with reserved Mozzarella slices (or pre-shredded cheese). 
8. If you want to prepare the lasagne ahead of time, then it can be covered and refrigerated until you are ready to bake it. Remove cover before baking.
9. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until hot and bubbly around the edges.

  
One reason I love this recipe is the fact that it is the perfect meal for busy families. This lasagne tastes just as good when you reheat the leftovers the next day.  

Ciao

OOOPS.... When I first posted this yesterday, I forgot to add the amount of water you add to the spaghetti sauce at the bottom of the pan. I apologize for the confusion. Try using 1/2 cup water. Now the corrected recipe is above.

Stressed Out?

I'm a worrier. Some days I hover, getting way too close to the problem. So close that I can only see problems. When I sink into obsessive self analysis, then I can't find the solution.

What I need most is space. Turns out self-distancing gives you a "psychological time out" according to Ethan Koss, PhD at the University of Michigan as reported in O, The Oprah Magazine. Self-distancing is a proven therapy for lowering stress levels. How does it work?

Script for Self Distancing Based on Koss' Ideas

1. Mentally step back so you can visualize yourself in the situation. "This (name the situation) is happening to (fill in your name).
2. Ask yourself "Why is (fill in your name) reacting by (fill in the reaction).
3. Watch yourself go through the event and try to make sense of the event. "Why is (fill in your name) feeling (fill in the feelings you felt). 
4. Repeat whenever bad feelings recur. 

Above all, remember to breathe when you feel stressed. Meditation techniques can be helpful. 

If you are like me, stress is just part of life. You can't escape it. You can't remove it from your life, but you can learn to cope. 

The saying that bad things come in threes often hits close too home. But it is just a saying. If I allow myself to constantly worry about what could happen next, then my life predictably gets even crazier. Some of the best advice I've learned for lowering stress levels is to be realistic and stop projecting what could happen next. When I do that, I can focus on what actually happened instead of imagining that something bad might happen next.

If Bonnie Hunt Was My Sister

I don't have a sister, just two brothers. Some kids had imaginary friends, I had an imaginary sister. Ever since I was a kid I have made a game out of picking a celebrity that would make the perfect sister.

Bonnie Hunt has been a recent favorite for the big sis pick. We even look a bit a like. Maybe it's that midwestern style. Or perhaps I just like her gentle wit and down-to earth manner. She knows show biz, but she has also worked the unglamorous 9-to-5 grind just like the rest of us. Before she started acting she was an oncology nurse. When her sitcom was cancelled a few years back, I was so disappointed. But there is good news. Now Bonnie has a new talk show. She has always been a favorite talk show guest--she is one of Letterman's favorite guests. Her new show could be a Ellen-ish talk show that is just a bit less edgy. To find out how to tune into her new show, click here.

Go Green: Recycle Old Sneakers at Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe

We all know some weeks are better than others. This just happens to be a crazy week at my house. My son is recovering from an illness at the hospital, so I haven't been blogging lately. Instead I will recycle a previous post on a topic that is near and dear to my heart.

Recycle Old Sneakers at Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe

Recently my Momathon Blog post was all about the relationship between buying three or more sneakers a year and leadership potential. If you and your kids buy lots of new sneakers each year, then why not turn your old shoes into new places to play. Kudos to Nike for creating a great green solution that recycles old shoes to make new sport surfaces. The Reuse-A-Shoe program is part of the Nike Let Me Play campaign--one of Nike’s longest-running environmental and community programs. In this eco-friendly program, worn-out athletic shoes of any brand are collected, processed and recycled into material used in sports surfaces like basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, running tracks and playgrounds for young people around the world. According to Nike; “Since the birth of Reuse-A-Shoe, we’ve recycled more than 20 million pairs of athletic shoes and created more than 250 sport surfaces; giving thousands of young people access to new playgrounds and athletic facilities around the world.” To find out how to recycle your shoes, click on this link: Reuse-A-Shoe: How It Works

Another Crazy Day? This Song's For You

How is it a simple song can change how you see everything? Somehow a good song can make you smile even when the day was an endless stream of carpool drop-offs, diaper changes, soggy preschooler play dates in the rain, 90-minute waits for pediatrician appointments, more diaper changes, and burned casseroles. 

Well, even if your day has only had a taste of that craziness, then it's time to take a musical break and listen to crooner Michael Buble sing the perfect lullaby to soothe the mommy soul, "Everything," part of the TODAY Show  Concert Series on the Plaza. 

Here's hoping you have someone in your life to tell you how wonderful you are. As Michael says it so well in his song...

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.

Momathon Fave: A Book of Ages

If you are like me, you rarely find enough time in the day to get all your errands done. Planning weeks--even months--ahead of time is the only solution for this optimistic mom wants to somehow magically squeeze in a few more hours into a 24-hour day. What to do? In September before the holiday shopping mania in December begins, I make my list and begin shopping for holiday gifts (and fall birthday gifts too). 

Best tip. I love gift ideas that multi-task --presents that will be the perfect gift for several people on my list. 

Here's a great multi-tasker for this year's holiday list: the witty new gift book by Eric Hanson, "A Book of Ages." This book will be a great birthday gift or holiday gift for so many of my friends. If you know me, then you probably recognize the name. Eric's my brother--and a talented writer/journalist and illustrator. 

Ever wonder about the triumphs as well as those failures, crossed paths, midlife crises, and missed chances that occurred in famous lives? As Hanson's book promo says:

"A witty, ironic collection of moments from famous lives--triumphs, failures, revealing anecdotes, odd incidents, crossed paths, missed chances, early and late masterpieces, mid-life crises and reinventions, great partnerships, changes of heart and changes of mind--organized by year of age."

Of course I had to get a copy for my bookshelf too. Check out "A Book of Ages" by Eric Hanson at Barnes & Noble. ($14.96)

Book synopsis courtesy of Barnes & Noble:

 

Age isn't just a number--it's a way of keeping score. This is your scorecard.

The day we turn any age, we become contemporaries of everyone who has ever been that age, and it becomes our business to know that Bob Dylan wrote “Blowin’ in the Wind” when he was twenty, Orson Welles cowrote, directed, and starred in Citizen Kane when he was twenty-five, Winston Churchill was fired from the Admiralty when he was forty and took up painting, and Jane Austen died, unmarried and mostly unknown, when she was forty-one. Knowing who did what when provides the yardstick by which to measure our own progress; it’s comforting to learn that Grandma Moses didn’t show her first painting until she was seventy-eight, and discouraging (but not surprising) to discover that Einstein was already smarter than you at age sixteen.

A witty, ironic collection of moments from famous lives organized by year of age from infancy to death, A Book of Ages tells you who is doing what, who is on top of the world, who is waiting for his luck to change, who is saying unkind things about whom, who is planning his revenge, who is meeting for the first time, and who Elizabeth Taylor is currently divorcing. 

Living a Sitcom

Do you ever think your own life could be a sitcom? All those "special" mommy moments that make it worthwhile. Got a great story to share? Just log on to In the Motherhood and submit your story. And of course you'll want to watch the show by moms for moms and about moms on the web--In the Motherhood starring Jenny McCarthy, Leah Remini and Chelsea Handler.

Teen Sex Happens: More Often Than We Want to Admit

Recently we have been reminded by candidates in both parties that the candidate's families should not be targets of media scrutiny. Some say it's politically incorrect. Some say it's just common sense. I agree. Today I'm not talking about a specific teen, I'm talking about teens in general and the increase in teen sex. 

Teen sex happens and more often than some parents are willing to believe. In fact, "the decade-long decline in sexual activity among high school students leveled off between 2001 and 2007," according to a recent government study reported in the Washington Post.

In the same article they report another troubling trend, "One in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease and that the teen birth rate has increased for the first time in 15 years."

For those parents with their heads still buried in the sand, listen up: Teen sex happens and now teen pregnancy and STDs are also increasing.

Some say teen sex is a moral issue. Some say it's a family issue. Some blame the parents. Some blame the media. 

No matter how you look at the topic of teen sex and teen pregnancy, it can't be ignored in family discussions. I believe that parents need to keep the line of communication open with their teens about all the tough topics including sex. In fact, I don't think parents should wait around for their teens to come to them first, I think moms and dads need to be prepared now--not wait for "tomorrow" or "next week"--to have a frank talk with their teens (and in some cases even preteens) about sex. I'm not saying this is easy or that talking to your kids will solve every problem, but it can help your teen understand that you are there for them when and if they have a concern.

The obvious consequence of sex is pregnancy, but the more common consequences are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The high STD rates among teens is a clear signal that parents and doctors are not getting the message about the risks of sex and STDs through to teens. Because so many STDs do not have any symptoms in the early stages, teenage girls might not get appropriate medical care and they can pass it on without knowing. 

What should we say to our teens? Teaching abstinence-only sex education is one method, but this may only delay sexual activity. Even if you believe abstinence is best, giving teens information about STD prevention and pregnancy prevention is a powerful way to explain that "casual sex" is a myth. So what is another option for sex ed? Teaching comprehensive sex education is another option--one that doesn't ignore the fact that more and more teens are engaging in a wide variety of sexual activities. 

In a recent post I blogged about why parents need to talk to their kids about sex. Here is a snippet from that post:

STDs are on the rise among teenage girls. A recent study by the CDC found that 1 in 4 (26 %) teenage girls between the ages of 14 and 19 is infected with at least one of the most common STDs. That translates to about 3.2 million female adolescents estimated to have at least one of the most common STDs in the US. Fifteen percent in the study had more than one kind of STD. This is not a study to dismiss because parents want to believe this could never happen to their daughters. Sex among teens is common--estimates suggest approximately 40-50% of teenage girls are sexually active. If teens think sex is just another form of communication, they need to rethink the consequences and know how to protect themselves. Buying into the message from peers and the media that says “sex is casual” is a big mistake for teens. The severe health effects of STDs for women – from infertility to cervical cancer – shouldn’t be ignored. Teens need to know a condom isn’t always enough protection. According to the FDA, latex condoms do not protect against all STDs.

Even if you'd like to believe teens don't have sex, they do know where to find condoms in the drug store. But do they know they can talk to you about sex if they have concerns?

(Looking for more information? After I posted on this topic on BlogHer, Barb at www.NurseBarb.com  sent me a great link to her interview on ABC's View from the Bay in San Francisco. You can also read more about health issues on her blog Barb's Daily Dose.)