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Health and Wellness Advice From AAMC
PARENTING
Q
How can I help my child make
smart choices?
A
Your child may not be able to avoid
peer pressure, but you can help him
or her prepare for it. Here’s how.
Talk about the dangers.
Ask what your
child knows and thinks about issues like
drinking, smoking or using drugs. Point
out the consequences of poor decisions,
such as addiction and bad health. And set
clear rules and expectations for your child
regarding these behaviors.
Practice saying no.
Help your child
plan and practice ways to say no in various
situations. From the simple “no, thanks”
to the tried-and-true “I can’t—my parents
would kill me,” it will help if your child has
an answer or two ready to go.
Model smart choices.
Your actions
will always speak much louder than your
words. If you want your child to avoid bad
habits, set a good example yourself.
Build a strong foundation.
Your child’s
best defense against peer pressure is a
healthy sense of confidence and self-esteem.
Help your child build and strengthen
those defenses: offer praise for a job well
done, spend time together as a family,
and help your child find activities where
he or she can excel and cultivate a sense
of accomplishment.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
SEASONAL HEALTH
Q
What is seasonal
affective disorder?
A
Does your mood seem to mirror
the seasons—grow darker as the
fall and winter days get shorter and lift as
the brighter days of summer approach?
You could have a condition known as
seasonal affective disorder (SAD)—a type
of depression that’s related to seasonal
changes in light.
When there are changes in the amount
of light you get, your internal biological
clock gets out of balance and levels of
the sleep-related hormone melatonin can
increase. This hormone has been linked
to depression.
A diagnosis of SAD is based on your
symptoms and history. If you have SAD,
getting more sunlight may make you
feel better. It might be helpful to take
walks outdoors or to place yourself near
a window during the day when at home
or work.
If your symptoms are particularly
bothersome, light therapy may be
recommended. Therapeutic lighting
is much more intense than standard
lighting and has been shown to decrease
levels of melatonin in the brain.
For many people with SAD, light
therapy is highly effective. However, if it
doesn’t work for you, your doctor may
have other suggestions, including taking
medicine for depression.
With proper treatment, SAD
is manageable.
Sources: American Psychiatric Association; Mental
Health America
POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION
Q
What’s the difference
between baby blues and
postpartum depression?
A
Most new moms (50 to
80 percent) experience what’s
commonly referred to as baby blues.
Symptoms usually appear within a few
days after childbirth and can include
tearfulness, sadness and stress. Having
baby blues is normal. With some
encouragement and comfort, most
women feel better after a couple weeks.
On the other hand, about one in
seven moms is affected by postpartum
depression (PPD). It can begin
immediately or at any time during the
first year following delivery.
PPD is often characterized
by
frequent crying,
sleep problems,
anxiety,
appetite changes
,
negative or
scary thoughts,
feelings of inadequacy,
hopelessness, or difficulty bonding with
your baby.
If you have signs of postpartum
depression, seek help immediately by
talking to your obstetrician or your
child’s pediatrician. He or she may
recommend helpful community resources
or a referral to see a mental health
professional for therapy or counseling.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; PBS.org
AAMC offers a support group for
women with postpartum depression.
It meets every fourth Tuesday of the
month. For more information, call
774-254-2619
.
Jennifer Cuhran, MD,
is an internist with
Annapolis Internal
Medicine.
410-897-9841.
Lauren Parmer, DO
, is
a family physician with
Pasadena Primary Care,
part of Anne Arundel
Medical Group.
443-270-8600.
Melissa Groves, MD,
is an OB-GYN with
Premier OB/GYN,
part of Anne Arundel
Medical Group.
301-352-4007.
