Comprehensive "Back-To-School" Teen Health Information Now Available Online for Parents

The National Women's Health Resource Center has available online "Back-to-School Kit for Parents," a comprehensive source of information about the health risks faced by teenagers and helpful information on how to keep teens safe and healthy.

The "Back-to-School Kit" provides a checklist for parents about the warning signs of depression and eating disorders, as well as tips to encourage teens to eat a balanced diet and get plenty of exercise, and make the most of their annual visit to a healthcare professional.

Parents also will appreciate the "New Trends in Teen Drug Abuse" section that discusses experimentation with and abuse of illicit drugs such as alcohol, ecstasy (MDMA), and methamphetamine; prescription pain relievers; inhalants; and over-the counter cough medicines containing dextromethorphan. An important component of the kit is "How-to Raise Healthy, Drug-Free Teens," a frank and informative question-and-answer article highlighting the views of leading experts in adolescent medicine.

The "Back-to-School Kit for Parents" can be found only online at the Web site of the National Women's Health Resource Center, www.healthywomen.org. The production of the kit was made possible with an educational grant from the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA). CHPA represents U.S. manufacturers and distributors of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and nutritional supplements. CHPA partners with other nonprofit organizations to produce educational content on the safe use of medicines, making those materials available at no cost on its web site, www.chpa-info.org.