This article originally ran in the Ruston Daily Leader on January 10, 2012.

Parents take many precautions to keep their children healthy and safe. One safety hazard that is affecting many children today is bullying. Bullying is a form of youth violence that can come in many forms, such as attacks or intimidation whether physical, psychological, or verbal, a real or perceived power imbalance, and repeated attacks or intimidation between the same children over time. These attacks can occur in person, as in at school or through technology: text messaging, email or social networking sites.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), children who are bullied may have increased health risks. Bullying can result in both physical harm and social distress, and it may also lead to death. Victims may also have increased mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. Psychosomatic problems such as headaches, stomachaches or problems adjusting to school may also be common. Children who bully other children are at risk for substance abuse, academic problems, and violence later in their lives.

The CDC presents many signs that may increase the risk of a child being either a bully or a victim of bullying. Although the signs may be present, it does not necessarily mean that the child is either a bully or a victim of bullying. Some signs of a bully may include impulsivity, harsh parenting by caregivers, and attitudes of acceptance of violence. Signs that the child may be at risk of being a victim of bullying including friendship difficulties, poor self-esteem, and a quiet, passive manner with lack of assertiveness.

Parents may ask themselves what they can do to stop the bullying. The first thing to do is try to prevent the bullying from ever happening. Many anti-bullying programs in schools are being implemented. The CDC says that the following elements are promising of school prevention programs:

• Improving supervision of students.
• Using school rules and behavior management techniques in the classroom and throughout the school to detect and address bullying, providing consequences for bullying.
• Having a whole school anti-bullying policy, and enforcing that policy consistently.
• Promoting cooperation among different professionals and between school staff and parents.

With the increased risk of children being victims of bullying, parents must take action to prevent harm. Parents should be involved in the schools anti-bullying programs, and if the school does not have an active anti-bullying program, parents should talk to school administration to see if there is a need for such a program. Parents can also be active in watching how much interaction through social networking is happening with their children to decrease some risk of cyber-bullying.

For more information, please contact me.