Warning Signs & Prevention

This post was updated slightly in August of 2022. If you’re a Dallas Cowboy fan, there’s no way you missed the Rolando McClain controversy in 2016. But for all the non-football fans out there, we’ll catch you up: McClain, a linebacker for the Cowboys, faced a ten-game suspension for failing his latest drug test and […]

We’ve all been there. There comes a time every year when just about everyone has a cough. Before you know it, there you are, joining the choir of coughs you hear throughout the day. If your cough is pestering but manageable, you are likely to self-medicate with over-the-counter (OTC) medicines like the majority of Americans. […]

This post was updated slightly in September of 2025. Winter brought the usual coughs and colds to our house, and I headed to the drug store to stock up on medication. I have always been grateful for the relief and comfort cough medicines can bring, but this year, I viewed them in a different way. […]

It’s hard to find a family that hasn’t been impacted by substance abuse in some way. And even though we know the prevalence of teenage substance use is high, denial is often stronger. “Not my teen,” we think. Or we minimize it: “Kids experiment. What’s a little beer or cough syrup?” The problem is many […]

E-cigarettes, sometimes referred to as vaporizers, have become a topic of debate and concern among health professionals and parents in recent years. The health risks, accessibility and use of these electronic devices by teens are specific areas of apprehension. There are more flavors and choices than ever, making vaping attractive to teens. However, if teens […]

Today’s teenager does not come with a handbook – and even if they did, it would need to be updated and reprinted almost daily.  The speed at which dangerous trends develop and social media enables adoption amongst teens presents a real challenge to parents ability to identify trouble in their child. I have found that […]