The Safe Child Handbook

            BOSTON - In an age when parents and children are bombarded with images and stories of natural disasters, terrorist attacks, child abductions, and school violence, it's no surprise that heightened efforts to protect the family are often joined by more anxiety and stress. Parents and caregivers seeking to safeguard their children from dangers of the modern world - without burning out - can use The Safe Child Handbook: How to Protect Your Family and Cope with Anxiety in a Threat-Filled World (John Wiley, New York ). Written by John S. Dacey, of Boston College, and his former doctoral student Lisa B. Fiore, now of Lesley University, the book outlines the top eight threats to children and parents - kidnapping, terrorism, child abuse, school violence, drug and alcohol abuse, weather emergencies, home safety, and inappropriate media influence - and shows how families can be ready to face the most drastic situations with confidence. The step-by-step guide is a tool for families to prepare and protect their loved ones from realistic threats and risks without getting stressed out. "It can be as dangerous to over-protect your children as it is to do too little," says Dacey, developmental psychologist and originator of the four-step "COPE" method that teaches children to use self-control to reduce anxiety.

            WASHINGTON - Monday Morning in Washington, DC noted if you’re unable to complete your tax return due to a physical disability, you may get help from an IRS office, or Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program ( VITA , sponsored by IRS ). Telephone assistance for the hearing-impaired is available for those with TTY equipment. The toll-free number is 1-800-829-4059 . Hearing-impaired people without this equipment may obtain access through the federal or state relay services. Braille materials are available at any of 142 regional libraries via National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, 1291 Taylor St., NW , Washington , DC 20542 . Available materials are limited to Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, Publication 334, Tax Guide for Small Business and Forms 1040, 1040A, and 1040EZ (instructions and tax tables). For more data on subjects that may affect persons with disabilities, refer to Publication 907, Tax Highlights for Persons with Disabilities.

            ` LONDON - Regular exercise can cut the likelihood of developing degenerative eye disease Age-related Macular Degeneration ( AMD ) by 70%, suggests research in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. In AMD , the light sensitive cells in the macula at the back of the eye stop working. This affects central vision and activities such as driving. AMD is usually divided into two types: “dry” or non-exudative and “wet” or exudative. The authors base their findings on the number of AMD cases arising over 15 years among 4,000 U.S. men and women in Beaver Dam, WI aged between 43 and 86 at the start of the study in 1988-90 and assessed at five yearly intervals. As well as detailed eye exams, they were asked about lifestyle and regular physical activity, including climbing flights of stairs, daily walks, and formal exercise. One in four had an active lifestyle, and nearly one in four climbed more than six flights a day while around one in eight walked more than 12 blocks a day. After taking account of other risk factors, such as weight, blood fat, and age, those with an active lifestyle were 70% less likely to develop “wet” AMD than those who had a sedentary lifestyle. Regular walkers were 30% less likely to develop this variant. Other factors, such as diet, may explain the findings, caution the authors, but physical activity is known to reduce systemic inflammation and irregularities in cells lining the arteries, both of which are thought to have a role in the condition, they say. Physically active people are also likely to be “biologically” younger than those with a sedentary lifestyle, which could be important as AMD is tied to ageing, they add.

            WASHINGTON - Monday Morning in Washington, DC noted every month new products and services are added to the Resources Database. To view complete details on any of the items listed, visit the Resources Database at wind.uwyo.edu/resourceguide/resources/resources.asp.

            ATLANTA - The Associated Press reported one in 150 U.S. children has Autism, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said, calling Autism an urgent public health concern more common than thought. The new numbers are based on the largest study done in the U.S. , and trump previous estimates at 1 in 166. The difference means roughly 50,000 more children and young adults may have Autism and related disorders than was thought - more than 500,000 people nationwide. "This data show we're going to need more early intervention services and more therapists, and need federal and state legislators to stand up for these families," said Alison Singer, spokeswoman for Autism Speaks, the largest agency advocating services for autistic children. "Autism is more common than we believed," said Catherine Rice, a CDC behavioral scientist and the study's lead author. The CDC study was based on 2002 data from 14 states and involved an intense review of medical and school records for children and gives the clearest picture yet of how common Autism is in some parts of the country, CDC officials said. The study doesn't include some of the most populous states, like California , Texas , and Florida .

            WASHINGTON - Monday Morning in Washington, DC disclosed an online manual, available on the Commonwealth Fund Web site, provides guidance on crea ting a single-po int-of-access system to connect children at risk for developmental or behavioral problems with community resources. It’s based on Connecticut 's Help Me Grow initiative, which assists families and providers in identifying developmental concerns in children from birth to age eight and connects families with appropriate programs and services. To access the manual, go to join.buddywalk.org/site/R?i=BwIAkXI8QtGsoyb748OCEg.

WASHINGTON - Monday Morning in Washington, DC noted that 47,XXY/Klinefelter Syndrome is believed to be the most common genetic disorder, affecting approximately one in 600 males. Despite its prevalence, and the high rate of psychological disorders, social difficulties, physical and psychological manifestations of hypogonadism and infertility, only 35% of all males with the condition are ever diagnosed. The University of Tennessee College of Medicine/Chattanooga and the EP Foundation for Education Inc. invite interested families and friends to attend a free online interactive live seminar on Feb. 21, 6:30-9:30 p.m. ET . The purpose is to raise awareness of 47,XXY/Klinefelter Syndrome in the diagnosis and treatment of children with developmental delays. Seminar participants will discuss the features and variable presentations of XXY syndrome in children.