The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 42 COVID patients today, down from 44 Friday. Other significant numbers:
- 21 with the active virus today, 24 Friday
- 3 in ICU, same as Friday
- 2 on ventilators, 3 Friday
- 21 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 20 Friday
Key points from today’s guests:
Dr. Danielle Johnson, psychologist, The University of Kansas Health System
- Talking to your kids about school shootings is really dependent on their ages.
- There are some kids that are more anxious, so talking to them about it when they've never mentioned it, may make them more anxious and may bubble up some of the anxieties they already have.
- If students have a hard time with active shooter drills at school, talk to the school and have your teacher give a heads up when these drills are coming, and you can prepare your kids.
- Teens are most vulnerable for suicide when school stressors combine – return to school, grades, tests, etc.
Lauren Lucht, executive director, Behavioral and Mental Health, The University of Kansas Health System
- When it comes to suicides, the biggest misconception that that we are trying to fight against us is this idea that if we talk to our kids, we will somehow make that happen.
- Talking about it will not make it happen.
- One thing we've seen a lot of is just athletes and the pressure they are on our students who are participating in athletics and then that pressure climbs as they're approaching opportunities for college. And so I would say as people are getting college rejections, injuries, those are all things that we need to remember for our teen population.
- We have social media that also makes an impact on kids and their functioning.
- We think about school bullying happening at school and people making comments at school. And these days, those comments are posted everywhere and don't stay at the school -- they come home with you.
Damon Daniel, president, Ad Hoc Group Against Crime
- Our goal is to really connect with that young person to make sure that they have the support that they need.
- We provide counseling services as well as connecting them to much needed community resources as well.
- We recognize that violence is a social determinant of health. And when our young people return to school, many of them have repeated exposure to crime and violence.
- It can be linked to an increase negative health outcomes. For example, people who fear crime in their communities may engage in less physical activity, which is not good for overall health.
- If you're in school and you're being bullied, back in the day, you were you able to leave that stuff at school, but now it follows you home. It says out there 24 hours, seven days a week sometimes.
Wednesday, August 17 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Open Mics With Dr. Stites. School has been tough for students for the last couple of years during the pandemic. How will it be this fall? We will focus on the mental health of students and how teacher staffing shortages affect this.
ATTENTION: media procedure for joining:
Zoom link: https://kumc-ois.zoom.us/j/7828978628
Telephone Zoom link: 1-312-626-6799, meeting ID: 782 897 8628
TVU Grid link: UoK_Health_SDI
Restream links: Facebook.com/kuhospital
YouTube.com/kuhospital
Send advance questions to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
