In response to 13 adolescent suicides in New York’s Westchester and Putnam counties last year, local educators and psychiatrists have published a handbook designed to aid schools in dealing with the crisis of teen-age suicide.
The handbook, “Teenage Suicide: Prevention, Intervention, Response,’' outlines the behavioral signals that may indicate a troubled teenager and suggests elements that should be included in a suicide-prevention program. It also includes a 22-page listing of professional and curriculum materials for teacher education and classroom instruction.
Copies of the handbook may be obtained for $6 by writing to the Director of Public Affairs, Four Winds Hospital, 800 Cross River Rd., Katonah, N.Y. 10536.
A program designed to teach children in grades K through 12 how to save the lives of heart-attack victims was launched last month in three elementary schools in the Clarkston (Mich.) School District.
Designers of the program, called “Kids Add Life,” say it is ready for national distribution and are seeking support from health organizations and major corporations. It has already received the endorsement of the Michigan affiliate of the American Heart Foundation.
Developed by Margaret Franckowiak, a registered nurse, with the support of the Pontiac (Mich.) Osteopathic Hospital and its staff, the program teaches children in grades K to 3 to recognize and respond to emergency situations. Older children actually learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cpr) techniques.
Of the estimated 1 million Americans who suffer heart attacks each year, nearly 650,000 do not survive. About 350,000 of these deaths occur in out-of-hospital settings in the company of fellow workers, friends, and family members. Medical experts argue that if more people were trained in cpr techniques, the survival rate for heart-attack victims would increase dramatically.
For more information on the program write to Tim Bahr, 221 North LaSalle St., Chicago, Ill. 60601.
Breakdancing can be hazardous to your health, according to the International Chiropractors Association, which has released a list of “do’s and don’ts” to protect breakdancers from injury.
Reports of bruised muscles, broken bones, dislocations, and jarred vertebrae suffered by practitioners of the dance craze, prompted the ica to develop the guidelines, according to Dr. Sidney E. Williams, president of the association.
The guidelines recommend that breakdancers get proper instruction, warm up before dancing, wear gloves, pads, or supportive tape, and dance on a smooth surface. They should not dance in small cluttered areas, absorb impact on wrists, hands, or forearms, or spin the body while in the head-stand position.
For a complete list of the “do’s and don’ts” of breakdancing, send a stamped self-addressed envelope to International Chiropractors Association, 1901 L St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.--br
