This past quarter has been loaded with excellent continuing education opportunities. I recently was able to livestream one of my favorite conferences – the Institute for Women’s Health and Integrative Medicine’s January Pediatrics update. At this conference, one of the most useful lectures that I attended was pertaining to pediatric skin issues and natural compounded medications. This presentation, brought to us by a compounding pharmacist with an integrative mindset, really added to my arsenal of therapies for little ones struggling with difficult eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis.
We also were presented with a comprehensive and fascinating lecture on the unique nature of the developing adolescent brain and different lifestyle factors such as use of marijuana, nicotine, and technology. As a mother, these are topics that I know make parents especially nervous. And rightly so. One surprising and reassuring takeaway from this lecture which I am happy to share with all you fellow-parents out there is that according to US News and World Report, the #1 reason that teens will report (and they are not being asked by their parents) when asked “why are you not using drugs, what’s holding you back?” is that “my parents expect me not to use them.” This is very encouraging for parents who are fostering open communication with their children about illicit substance use. Those conversations are important and they matter.
