Ontario Child Health Study Getting Revival

In 1983, the late Dr. Dan Offord co-authored and led the Ontario Child Health Study, the largest and most comprehensive child mental health study of its kind at the time. Thirty years later, they're going even bigger.

Dr. Dan Offord (source: offordcentre.com)

CBC News reports that the study will expand its sample to 10,000 children from 7,020 families across Ontario. The study will also increase it's age range on the tail end by 2 years so now children between the ages of 4 and 18 years old will be included.

Study showed that 1 in 5 children have a mental health problem.

The original study used a sample of 3,294 children from 1,869 different families and determined that one in five children from the study had some type of mental health problem. (These conclusions drew worldwide attention and earned the study a reputation for being the most significant population-based study on children's mental health conducted anywhere. It became a model study for researchers of child health for the years to follow.)

We hope this study will once again bring the topic of child mental health issues to the forefront of society. We hope this study once again proves mental health affects more people than we think it does. 

Above all, we hope this study can once again start an open dialogue about mental health. Want to start that conversation sooner? We do, too. Drop us a line on Facebook or Twitter!

How to spot signs of a mental health concern in children:

Shyness Is Nice

Spreading the word about the value of quiet, sensitive people.

by Barbara Markway, Ph.D., and Greg Markway, Ph.D.

The basic feeling of shyness is universal and over the years evolved into a mechanism used to help individuals cope

Shyness is a common but little understood emotion. Everyone has felt ambivalent or self-conscious in new social situations.

What can you do if you're a parent of a quiet child and you learn that he or she is being teased or bullied? Here are some guidelines that may help:

▪ Let your child know she should tell you if someone is bothering her at school. Sometimes kids are afraid to let someone know they’re being bullied for fear of retaliation. Also, they may feel ashamed and embarrassed.

▪ Reassure your child that you will work with him to improve the situation. It’s not his fault, and it’s not going to continue forever.

▪ Help your child project an image of confidence. Tell her that holding her head up high and making eye-contact will make her look less appealing to a bully.

▪ Tell your child to look for opportunities to be nice to the bully. For example, approach her first and ask her what she did over the weekend.

▪ Encourage your child to “hang out” with others. Kids are often bullied when they are by themselves. Bullies are less likely to approach a group of kids.

▪ Do not instruct your child to fight the bully. Fighting back not only satisfies the bully, it can also be dangerous.

If these tips don’t help improve the situation, talk with school personnel and enlist their help. Often times they’re not aware of the situation. Once they know what’s going on, they can observe more closely and intervene when necessary.

It’s important for a child’s growth not to take away the fact that some children simply prefer listening to talking and reading to socializing.

Become aware and start to appreciate the idea that children should not be punished for appearing being shy.

Work Cited

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shyness-is-nice/201205/the-sting-shyness-1

  

"Brain Food" by Eden and Brian Prockert

 Foods that aid in the development of functions within the brain are considered “Brain Foods

A good example of this is fish. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, Blood vessels of the brain are able to stay healthy and fluid. Allowing cells to function at their highest, fish provides nerve cells within the brain, improving mental health and cognitive function.  It may help relieve or prevent such mental illnesses as depression, bipolar disorder, and Alzheimer’s. Being high in protein and low in calories and saturated fats, salmon is one of the most nutritious fish out there. Having a mild, tender taste, salmon lends itself to a variety of recipes and spice combinations.

There’s more to salmon than just omega-3 fatty acids. Protecting your body from damaging effects of free radicals, which can damage cells and leave them vulnerable to cancer, infection or other diseases, a trace mineral known as selenium, serving as a powerful antioxidant, is found in salmon. High levels of B vitamins, particularly B3 (niacin) and B12 (cobalamin) are also contained in salmon, which are vital for a healthy metabolism and good mental health.

Check out these great recipes from Eden and Brian Prockert ...

Imagine Supports Pink Shirt Day

Bullying is a major problem in our schools, workplaces, homes, and over the Internet. Today,February 27, 2013 we encourage all of you to wear something pink to symbolize that we as a society will not tolerate bullying anywhere. We wish we could take credit for this idea but it comes from two incredible Nova Scotia high school students. Here is a snippet of the Globe & Mail article which inspired it:

“David Shepherd, Travis Price and their teenage friends organized a high-school protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 boy who was being bullied [for wearing a pink shirt]…[They] took a stand against bullying when they protested against the harassment of a new Grade 9 student by distributing pink T-shirts to all the boys in their school.

‘I learned that two people can come up with an idea, run with it, and it can do wonders,’ says Mr. Price, 17, who organized the pink protest. ‘Finally, someone stood up for a weaker kid.’

So Mr. Shepherd and some other headed off to a discount store and bought 50 pink tank tops. They sent out message to schoolmates that night, and the next morning they hauled the shirts to school in a plastic bag.

As they stood in the foyer handing out the shirts, the bullied boy walked in. His face spoke volumes. ‘It looked like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders,’ Mr. Price recalled.

The bullies were never heard from again.”

Do you have a story about being bullied, how you stopped a bully or about how bullying has affected a loved one? Share your experiences here by leaving a comment.

If you are a student, print off this web page and give to your Principal / Headmaster / etc. so that your school can get involved. Also, drop us an email to let us know who you are and which school you attend.

More information and details about this project will be posted on this website soon. Until then, be sure to click on the links / menu items at the top of the page to learn how you, your school, business or organization can get involved.

Also, join the Facebook Event by clicking HERE. Last year over 160,000 people committed on Facebook to wear pink and help stop bullying.

MCC Thrift Store Supports Local Organizations

Please take a moment to read this amazing story from the Eden Foundation.

MCC Thrift Store board chair Gord Kornelson, presented five charitable agencies with cheques. Each of the agencies received a portion of funds available from the proceeds of sales at the Steinbach MCC Thrift Store. Mr. Kornelson pointed out that not only does MCC support efforts overseas but also supports efforts locally.

Recipients of that generosity were South-east Helping Hands, Soup’s On, Anna’s House, Today House and our own Debra Stockwell on behalf of Segue Career Options and Eden Foundation. Ms. Stockwell was most pleased not only to receive support from neighbours across the street from MCC but equally as important has been the fact that the Segue Career Options program was recognized by MCC Steinbach as a service of significance to the community of Steinbach along with other local helping organizations.

On hand to receive cheques were Hank Klassen representing South-east Helping Hands, Joy Barkman representing Soup’s On, Vicki Olatundun representing Anna’s House, Simone Penner representing Today House and Debra Stockwell representing Segue Career Options.

Staying Positive During The Holidays

For many people the holidays are a time of happiness, cheer and spending time with friends and family. We at Imagine, understand that for some that this is not the case,  and that the holidays can often be a hard and depressing time for those with mood and mental health disorders.  The days are short and cold, (especially in Winnipeg),  and it can be hard to watch others enjoy the holidays when you feel less then cheerful.  

We found a great article that discusses ways that you can stay positive during the holidays.  Everyone at Imagine and Eden Health Care Services wish you and your family a safe, positive and happy holiday season! Source: Positively Present 

5 Ways to Stay Positive During the Holidays...

Local Bullying Awareness

Before 2011, the third week of November was the unofficial National Bullying Awareness Week. Now, thanks to the efforts of local radio host Ace Burpee, the week is officially recognized by the Canadian Government.

This year the National Bullying Awareness Week fell between November 12th and 17th. With Virgin Radio leading much of the charge, plenty of local efforts were made to support the cause. Many of the programs in Winnipeg are not only offered during National Bullying Awareness Week, but also are available on different dates throughout the year.

Organized by the University of Manitoba, Bisons Against Bullying is a free program that reaches out to youth in grades 4, 5 and 6. Bison Athletes visit schools to make interactive speeches and presentations on the subject of bullying to kids. By telling stories of their own personal hardships and experiences with bullying, the athletes are able to relate to the youth and make the program a hit.

The Rainbow Resource Centre focuses on creating a safe community where LGBTT youth can gather to discuss their personal experiences of bullying and develop resiliency. The Y.E.A.H (Youth Educating against Homophobia) program provides presentations in schools which aim to celebrate diversity, teach youth to identify and stop homophobia-based bullying and encourage role models to step up.

The Youth Agencies Alliance is a group supported by The United Way, which consists of organizations that serve the youth of Winnipeg. For the National Bullying Awareness Week, the Alliance shared personal bullying stories from people in Winnipeg on their facebook page. Additionally, the United Way supports the Canadian Red Cross’s RespectED program, which visits schools to present workshops on how to prevent and deal with violence and bullying.

The goals of the National Bullying Awareness Week are reflected in the various programs available throughout Manitoba. All focus on educating youth about issues of bullying to promote tolerance and responsiveness. 

Source: United Way Winnipeg