They are available free to parents, educators, youth counselors, or others who work with children and youth.
Five of the 10 titles in the Massachusetts Medical Societyâs series of parent education brochures on youth violence, part of the MMSâs Campaign Against Violence. They are available free via download from the MMS website at www.massmed.org/violence.
Physicians of the Massachusetts Medical Society have produced a series of 10 brochures - including one on "Protecting Your Child From Gun Injury" - to help parents identify and deal with a range of topics on youth violence, including bullying, dating and street violence, violence in the media, and child sexual abuse.
They are available free to parents, educators, youth counselors, or others who work with children and youth.
Originated by Dr. Robert D. Sege, and developed by the society's Committee on Violence Intervention and Prevention, the current publications are updated versions of a previous series and contain information from a variety of sources, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and Massachusetts Citizens for Children.
They are written by experts in the field of youth violence.
"Violence or abuse affecting children occurs in far too many places - in the home, at school, on the street, online, in relationships - and has enormous effects on physical and mental health," said Dr. Elliot Pittel, chairman of the Society's Committee on Violence Intervention and Prevention and a psychiatrist at The Home for Little Wanderers in Boston, "and we see the results all too often in headlines and news reports. Physicians can play a major role in addressing the needs of hurt and injured children by screening for violence as an essential part of every visit to the doctor."
In a release distributed early last week, Sege, who is director of the division of family and child advocacy at Boston Medical Center and professor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, the aim "is to reach beyond the physician's office, to educate parents and those who care for children with expert, practical information, first to prevent violence, and then, when and if it does occur, to intervene appropriately.
"Parents and their children's health care providers must be allies in trying to keep children safe," Sege said.
The series includes 10 titles: "Protecting Your Child From Sexual Abuse," "When Children Witness Violence in the Home," "Bullying Prevention: When Your Child is the Victim, the Bully, or the Bystander," "Street Violence: Your Child Has Been Hurt, What You Can Do," "Dating Violence: What Parents Need To Know," "Protecting Your Child From Gun Injury," "Pulling the Plug on Media Violence," "Some Myths and Facts About Violence," "Time-Out! A Break From Negative Behavior," and " Raise Your Child With Praise: Tips for Parents of 2-5 year-olds."
The brochures may be downloaded free at www.massmed.org/violence. Printed copies may be ordered individually or in sets from the Medical Society by writing to dph@mms.org or calling (1-800) 322-2303, ext. 7373.
"Recognizing and Preventing Youth Violence, edited by Dr. Sege and Vincent G. Licenziato, provides basic information about youth violence for physicians and health care providers, describing risk factors and appropriate screening tools, as well as suggesting approaches to violence prevention and intervention. A PowerPoint presentation and lecture, based on the guidebook, is also available on the society's website listed above.
"Intimate Partner Violence," written by Dr. Elaine J. Alpert describes the role of the physician in screening and caring for patients at risk for domestic violence, spousal abuse, or battering.