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Image via Wikipedia By Dr James Dobson Every parent of a teenager may wonder at some point if their son or daughter has gone crazy. How can you tell the difference between normal behaviour and the beginnings of mental illness ? Dr Paul Meier explains that all teenagers exhibit some symptoms of what appears to be mental illness. It's just part of growing up. But there are some serious warning signs parents should watch for. Beware if your teenager begins to lose touch with reality; if he develops illusions or actually hears voices; if he accuses you, with all seriousness, of poisoning his food ; or he's convinced that people are trying to read his mind. Such behavior requires immediate attention. Symptoms that remain untreated for six months or longer may become permanently ingrained in the chemical pathways of the brain . While a parent of a teen must accept some distressing behaviour as normal, prompt response to the early signs of mental illness will offer the greatest h...

By Dr Bill Maier Here’s a mystery I’ve never understood – how can a preschooler survive an entire day on one graham cracker and half a banana? Obviously most preschoolers eat more than that but it doesn’t always feel like it. Some kids seem to turn their nose up at everything their parents put in front of them. So what can we do to see that they get the nutrients they need? Begin by making sure their portions are the right size. Pre-schoolers only need about a fourth of an adult’s diet, and parents often overfill their plates. Also, watch their intake of fluids. A lot of young kids will fill up on milk or juice, leaving little room for the foods they need. And make sure any between-meal snacks are healthy ones. Finally, don’t worry too much. Kids tend to eat more than we realise. They’ll hit a growth spurt before you know it and then just try to stop them from eating! From TODAY, Voices - Tuesday, 21-April-2009