Recently there has been media attention surrounding ‘cyberbullying’. The Globe and Mail reported this week ‘one in three Canadian kids say they have been a victim of cyberbullying’. Why is this an important issue that requires attention? Because bullying whether cyber bullying or just plain old fashioned bullying can be dangerous to the individual on the receiving end. It could potentially lead to a child becoming depressed or even worse – committing suicide.
With easy access to social media and an overwhelming choice of options it makes bullying much more convenient. You no longer have to wait until you are in the school yard. Bullying can now be done any where, any time and has a much broader reach. I bring up this issue as I am encountering it more and more in my practice and have seen the effects. Being bullied affects a child’s self esteem, self confidence and how they perceive themselves in society. This tends to also be true of a child who bullies. It is not unlikely when you ask a child why they bully they will indicate it makes them feel better.
I do believe we all have a role in preventing the consequences of bullying. Listen, observe and ask questions. As a healthcare professional I will always ask my young patients about school, friendships and extra curricular activities. By doing so it may just preclude two children from having to deal with complex health issues down the road – the child who is bullying and the child on the receiving end.
Let’s not forget to check in with our children!
Advocating for a bully free world,
Shelley
February 14th was a significant day for me – not just because it was Valentine’s Day but it also meant another trip to the Orthopod. As I was in the waiting room watching Patrick Chan skate to Olympic Silver I was wondering what the outcome of this visit would be. Cast off, cast on; cast off or existing cast remaining in tact…
I had had my CT done and was pleased with the result – subtle nondisplaced fracture of the distal radial metaphysis. The scaphoid bone appears normal. Subtle. This was a good word. Subtle to me meant ‘delicate’, ‘faint’ perhaps almost non-existent.
The Orthopod looked at my scan and report. Based on the findings he recommended another cast but one that would allow my thumb to move freely. I pointed out to him the CT report indicated a ‘subtle’ fracture which was good news. He quickly corrected me by saying the wording should have been ‘incomplete fracture’ and not ‘subtle fracture’. The outcome – cast off, cast on!
And then a change of heart…he looked at me and said no cast but you will be getting a brace. Thank you cupid! With the brace comes greater freedom – showering without a plastic bag on your arm, being able to take the brace off when your wrist becomes itchy and allowing for better mobility.
I always thought of myself as being very disciplined but in this case discipline went out the window. My interpretation of having a brace meant wearing it when convenient. Another interpretation – not wearing it at all. I am now learning the true definition of discipline. It means to wear the brace full time and take it off as needed and NOT to have my brace off all the time and wear it when my wrist begins to throb!!
Re-learning the importance of discipline,
Shelley
Recently there has been media attention surrounding ‘cyberbullying’. The Globe and Mail reported this week ‘one in three Canadian kids say they have been a victim of cyberbullying’. Why is this an important issue that requires attention? Because bullying whether cyber bullying or just plain old fashioned bullying can be dangerous to the individual on the receiving end. It could potentially lead to a child becoming depressed or even worse – committing suicide.