Bayou Life Magazine | Telehealth, also known as, teletherapy, e-therapy, internet counseling, telepsychology, and telemedicine, is a form of therapy in which patients receive counseling from a licensed therapist or other professional via phone or through a video-conferencing app. It's as simple as using your phone, smartphone, or laptop with a shared link to enable video, or other electronic devices. Clinical settings often intimidate children and adolescents, and building rapport can be difficult in an office setting. Childhood sexual abuse is an adverse childhood experience (ACE) that negatively effects children who will eventually become adults with mental, physical, and emotional issues that are battled throughout life. Having a conversation about the things that hurt our children the most can be gut wrenching, but it is necessary. Even if the conversation about childhood sexual abuse causes eyes to roll and individuals to profess "that doesn't happen in my family," research tells us that parent and professional education programs, like Stewards of Children, can actually prevent child sexual abuse by increasing protective factors and reducing risk factors.

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Bayou Life Magazine ​| Children and families are rapidly facing challenges, and the Children's Coalition is stepping up to serve. Despite doors being closed to the Downtown Monroe headquarters, countless services have continued. Staff continues to provide classes remotely for our childcare providers in the Ancillary Teaching Certificate program, Child Care Connections, and families in the Family Resource Center. Early Head Start families are also provided remote support and supplies like diapers and wipes. Many other programs are pivoting to address issues that are arising because of the shut down including mental health support for childcare providers and families as well as our Child Care Resource and Referral agency working with our essential personnel in finding quality child care. 

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Bayou Life Magazine | Child maltreatment is an ongoing epidemic in Louisiana, the effects of which can impact health and productivity in adulthood. In 2017, 11,289 children were validated victims of child abuse and neglect in Louisiana, and 41 children died as a result. In 2017, the number of youth under the age of 18 confirmed to have been victims of abuse or neglect in Ouachita Parish (11.4 per 1000) exceeded the state rate (9.5 per 1000). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate the lifetime cost associated with one non-fatal case of child maltreatment to be $229,792. As such, an estimated $1.5 billion was spent in our state in 2016 to pay for the costs of treating victims. The CDC states that, in addition to the physical, emotional, and psychological problems experienced by victims, "child abuse and neglect can also affect broader health outcomes, mental health, social development, and risk-taking behavior into adolescence and adulthood." The impact even expands to businesses, including higher health care costs, increased incarceration rates, lost work days, and mental health outcomes which impair the population's ability to be mentally and emotionally prepared for work. 

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Bayou Life Magazine | Self-respect and self-confidence are not the same as self-esteem. They are components of self-esteem and are based on valuing yourself for who you are, but they are outward facing; whereas self-esteem is inward facing. Self-esteem concentrates on the value you give to your abilities and skills. Self-respect and self-confidence refer to the positive feelings that you have about yourself; you value who you are, you believe you can do something. Having self-respect and self-confidence are very important. It is a form of self-love, showing that you accept yourself for who you are, no matter what others say. If you are lacking self-respect and self-confidence, you can easily be ridiculed and put down by others. It is much more productive to take positive action based on having a healthy self-respect or self-confidence, regardless of your thoughts and feelings. Your actions also will help improve your self-esteem. 

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Bayou Life Magazine | ​A life-threatening condition known simply as "vaping illness" has appeared across the U.S., with over 200 cases reported this summer. In Louisiana, the state Department of Health confirmed there are 32 reported cases and 2 deaths related to vaping as of December, 2019. The state-level data comes amid recent reports that otherwise healthy teens and young adults who vape are suffering from lung problems and other issues nationally. Although vaping illness is the latest negative outcome of vaping, the highest risk to our children still comes from addiction to nicotine. One JUUL pod contains the same nicotine as a pack of cigarettes. A JUUL pod is advertised to be used in a single day, and statistics support that is about how frequently users change the pods. 

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KEDM Public Radio | Children who face trauma at a young age can experience physical and mental health issues in adulthood, according to a local professional. 
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​Tammy Washington, early childhood life skills coordinator of the Children’s Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, said that adverse childhood experiences can impact a child's growth and future. 

​Parents and professionals need timely education on the laws, science, society, and culture that children are up against everyday. Time to Talk brings you accurate and appropriate information from state and local experts about issues that affect children, so that you can understand and communicate with and about them.

Through this segment, you'll develop a sophisticated understanding of the issues faced by youth today and be encouraged to confidently discuss tough topics that face our children.

Time to Talk is produced with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, 90.3 KEDM Public Radio and BayouLife Magazine.

​KEDM Public Radio | October is national bullying prevention month, which means it is time to address the issue of bullying because of the negative impact it can have on a child.

KEDM’s Taylor Costa spoke with Tammy Washington, early childhood life skills coordinator at the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, about the issue and why it is crucial to have the talk about bullying with your children.

​Parents and professionals need timely education on the laws, science, society, and culture that children are up against everyday. Time to Talk brings you accurate and appropriate information from state and local experts about issues that affect children, so that you can understand and communicate with and about them.

Through this segment, you'll develop a sophisticated understanding of the issues faced by youth today and be encouraged to confidently discuss tough topics that face our children.

Time to Talk is produced with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, 90.3 KEDM Public Radio and BayouLife Magazine.