JOSH'S CONDITIONS & TREATMENTS BLOG

Kids and Television: A Love Story

Pediatricians and old men who are often angered by the disruption of their yard say that kids these days are watching too much television. The television, despite being easy to use and entertaining, is detrimental to the development of children.

According to fun-ruining studies, an excess of television may cause social and behavioral problems in youngsters. Children who suffer from television watching are also at risk for anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, loss of concentration abilities, aggressiveness and poor social skills.

One doctor offered up some surefire tips to help parents know when there child is watching too much television.

• If your child accidentally kills a pet of a friend or relative and tries to replace the pet with a replica.
• If your child hears a bit of shocking news but ignores it at first and continues his or her conversation only to say, "WHHAAAAT?" a few moments later in response to the original bit of shocking news.
• If your child invites two dates to the big dance and tries to escort them  at the same time instead of doing to mature thing and canceling on one of them.
• When you and your child get caught or trapped in an attic, cabin or cellar, your child wants to reminisce about the past instead of looking for a way out.

     Like most things, television is considered okay in moderation. It is not considered an evil appliance. The only evil appliance, according to the Vatican, is the toaster oven. (It has to do with an obscure verse in Leviticus.) {He who owns a device of cookery that lies twain a conventional oven and yon toasting box of unleavened breads shalt be smote or possibly poxed.}

  According to doctors who research this stuff for a living, parents need to limit the amount of television their children watch. If you want to talk to one of those doctors, click here. I recommend Dr. Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce. Although unconventional, he is the best surgeon the 4077th has.   

Only the Lonely and/or the Good Die Young

More bad news for the socially awkward, a recent study revealed that lonely people are more likely to become ill and die young. Apparently, the lonely didn't have it bad enough with just being lonely. Also, this puts many cats at risk.

     There are two schools of thought on why these quiet people shuffle off their mostly-unnoticed mortal coil before the rest of us. Some scientists argue that lack of social support is the culprit. For example, the Lonelian ( a lonely person) is unable to get a ride to the doctor when he or she is sick. The Lonelian cannot take days off of work, because money is needed and there is no one to loan the Lonelian money.

    The other theory states that something happens to the physiology of the lonely person. This new study shows that lonely people actually have a genetic pattern, predisposing them to loneliness and sickness.

Mostly, the lonely suffer from high-blood pressure, weak immune systems, impaired sleep and depression. Believe it or not, depressed, lonely people are also more prone to suicide.

It is not known whether genetic disposition causes loneliness which causes illness or if genetic disposition causes illnesses which cause loneliness.

There is good news. Loneliness has a cure. Joining a social club or a church, taking on a roommate or joining a dating service are all viable solutions.  Maybe, as a group effort, all of us could keep an eye out for people who look lonely and invite them over for tea and a card game.

If you want to find someone to talk to, click here.
  

The New Sleep

A British study shows that teenagers may be sleeping unhealthily. This new sleep or "junk sleep" is not as good as classic sleep. Junk sleep is obtained by sleeping with your television, iPod, computer or other electromechanical widgetry turned on. This junk sleep was first pioneered by divorced men in the Late-Twentieth Century and has now been made popular by a younger, hipper crowd.

When a person does junk sleep, their brain doesn't get the necessary rest it needs to function at peak levels. A junk sleeper might find himself or herself exhausted during the day.  Parents need to make sure their teenager isn't sleeping while the movie Captain Ron is playing on their TV, because not only is that a really bad movie, but it doesn't bode well for the health of the teenager.

Remember, classic sleep is still the best and it can be found in a bed near you.

To talk to a doctor about sleeping problems click here.