Jim Liebelt's Youth Culture Watch

New TikTok Trend of Mouth Taping During Sleep Carries Dangers

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by HealthDay.

A new trend promoted on the social media platform TikTok has people taping their lips shut at bedtime -- a practice that could be dangerous, an expert warns.

The purpose of mouth taping is to keep from breathing through your mouth at night.

"If you have obstructive sleep apnea, yes, this can be very dangerous," sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta told CNN.

"There is limited evidence on the benefits of mouth taping, and I would be very careful -- and even talk to your health care provider before attempting it," added Dasgupta, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.

The reasons given for the mouth-taping trend include trying to achieve beauty sleep.

"I tape my mouth shut every single day," one woman said on TikTok. "Sleeping properly is really important to anti-aging and looking and feeling your best."

One woman said she doesn't remember why she started taping her mouth shut at night.

"Truth be told, I don't know. I saw on TikTok, and I can't remember what the benefits were. But it helps me stay asleep," she said, according to the CNN report Wednesday.

"Nasal breathing may lower blood pressure by increasing nitride oxide, a compound in your body that can be helpful for keeping your blood pressure under control," Dasgupta added.

But anyone interested in this trend should first be evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea, Dasgupta said.

Source: HealthDay
https://consumer.healthday.com/new-tiktok-trend-of-mouth-taping-during-sleep-carries-dangers-2658507136.html

What's Hot? 10/28/22

Trending Today on Twitter - 10/28/22
1. Paul Pelosi
2. Elon
3. #fridaymorning
4. Vin Diesel
5. #NationalFirstRespondersDay
6. #FridayFeeling
7. Rihanna
8. #WorldSeries
9. #FursuitFriday
10. Daily Quordle 277
Source: Twitter

Trending Today on Google - 10/28/22
1. Tom Brady
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3. Powerball
4. Man United vs Sheriff
5. Amazon Stock
6. Kadarius Toney
7. Donda Academy
8. Ja'Marr Chase
9. Michael J. Fox
10. Herschel Walker
Source: Google

Top Five on Apple Music - 10/28/22
1. Anti-Hero - Taylor Swift
2. Lavender Haze - Taylor Swift
3. Midnight Rain - Taylor Swift
4. Maroon - Taylor Swift
5. Snow on the Beach (feat. Lana. Del Rey) - Taylor Swift
Source: Apple Music

Top Box Office Movies - Weekend of 10/21/22
1. Black Adam
2. Ticket to Paradise
3. Smile
4. Halloween Ends
5. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
Source: Showtimes.com

TV Shows Trending on Streaming Services - 10/28/22
1. The Peripheral - Prime Video
2. The Watcher - Netflix
3. Doctor Who - Prime Video
4. Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities - Netflix
5. American Horror Story - Prime Video
Source: Reelgood

Trending Today on YouTube - 10/28/22
1. SZA - Shirt
2. Trying To Find The Worse iPhone Game 2
3. Lil Durk - Risky
4. Steve Harvey breaks down in tears at the podium.
5. Darrell Brooks found guilty on all counts in Waukesha Christmas parade attack
Source: YouTube

Netflix Top 5 TV Shows in the U.S. Today - 10/28/22
1. Love is Blind
2. The Watcher
3. From Scratch
4. Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities
5. Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
Source: FlixPatrol

Playing Video Games Every Day May Boost Brain Development, Behavior in Children

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by StudyFinds.

Playing video games may actually boost a child’s brainpower, according to new research. Researchers in Vermont say gaming leads to better impulse control and working memory, improving behavior and academic performance.

Lead author Dr. Bader Chaarani, a psychiatrist at the University of Vermont, describes the findings as “encouraging.”

“Many parents today are concerned about the effects of video games on their children’s health and development, and as these games continue to proliferate among young people, it is crucial that we better understand both the positive and negative impact that such games may have,” Chaarani says in a media release.

The team analyzed survey, cognitive, and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) brain scan data from nearly 2,000 children between nine and 10 years old. Those who reported playing video games for three or more hours per day were faster and more accurate in memorizing information and controlling impulses.

They also showed higher activity in regions of grey matter associated with attention and memory than peers who never played. The participants also had more activity in frontal areas linked to cognitively demanding tasks and less in those related to vision. The patterns may stem from practicing tasks related to impulse control and memory while playing video games.

“While we cannot say whether playing video games regularly caused superior neurocognitive performance, it is an encouraging finding and one that we must continue to investigate in these children as they transition into adolescence and young adulthood,” says Dr. Chaarani.

The findings are published by JAMA Network Open.

Source: StudyFinds
https://studyfinds.org/video-games-boost-brainpower/

Strict or Neglectful Parents Tend to Have Heavier Kids

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

The effects of different parenting styles on children's weight have been determined—and indicate parental warmth is key to a healthy weight; the International Congress on Obesity in Melbourne (18–22 October, the biennial congress of the World Obesity Federation) will hear.

The analysis of data on more than 10,000 U.K. children found that authoritarian and neglectful parenting in early childhood were linked with higher weight throughout childhood and adolescence. Both of these types of parenting are characterized by a lack of parental warmth.

"The effect of parenting style on a child's weight is often considered a taboo subject," says researcher Alexa Segal, of the Center for Health Economics & Policy Innovation at Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London, London, U.K. "However, a comprehensive understanding of the associations between parenting style and childhood and adolescent obesity has great potential to inform obesity policy and contribute to the development of more effective health and nutrition programs."

The analysis of up to 23 years of data on 10,510 participants showed that youngsters who experienced authoritarian or neglectful styles of parenting in early childhood (age 7) were more likely to have a higher weight (taking into account their age, sex and height) than those who experienced authoritative parenting. They were about 1.5kg (3.3lb) heavier, on average. The association was seen at all ages.

The study's authors say that the lack of warmth associated with authoritarian and neglectful parenting may mean that a child's ability to self-regulate their food intake—to eat when hungry and stop eating when full—does not develop properly.

The results also suggested that permissive parenting was associated with increased weight, although the effect lessened with age. However, this result wasn't statistically significant and more evidence is needed to reach a firm conclusion.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-10-strict-neglectful-parents-tend-heavier.html

Eliminating Sexual Violence Could Reduce Poor Mental Health Among Teens

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

The prevalence of serious mental health problems among 17-year-olds could drop by as much as 16.8% for girls and 8.4% for boys if they were not subjected to sexual violence, such as sexual assault and harassment, according to estimates from UCL researchers.

The new research, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, uses information from 9,971 young people born across the UK in 2000-02, who are being followed by the Millennium Cohort Study. At the age of 17, just over 1,000 girls and 260 boys reported they had experienced sexual assault or an unwelcome sexual approach in the previous 12 months.

The researchers found that rates of two serious mental health problems—severe psychological distress and self-harm—were higher, on average, among victims than among those who did not report experiencing sexual assault or harassment by at this age. This was true even when taking into account a wide range of other factors known to affect teenagers' risk of experiencing sexual violence and mental ill health.

The authors calculated that in a hypothetical scenario where sexual assault and harassment were eliminated, rates of self-harm among teenage girls might drop by 16.8%—from the current level of 28.9% in a world with these forms of sexual violence to 24% (a five-percentage point reduction) in a world without. Additionally, high levels of psychological distress might drop by 14% (22.6% vs. 19.5%).

Among boys, the researchers anticipated rates of self-harm could drop by 8.4% (20.3% vs. 18.6%) and severe psychological distress by 3.7% (10.2% vs. 9.8%) if sexual assault and harassment were eradicated.

The authors noted several limitations of their study. Sexual violence is known to be underreported, and the authors recognize that teenagers with and without serious mental health problems may differ in their likelihood of reporting such experiences.

Finally, as this is an observational study, the authors noted the challenges in establishing cause and effect. The study makes use of very detailed data to account for a wide range of factors that may have influenced the link between experiences of sexual assault and harassment and serious mental health problems. However, it would be impossible to rule out with certainty the influence of every possible factor.

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-10-sexual-violence-poor-mental-health.html

What's Hot? 10/21/22

Trending Today on Twitter - 10/21/22
1. Jeezy
2. #MidnightsTaylorSwift
3. #FridayFeeling
4. #fridaymorning
5. #TheThemeWasBetter
6. #FridayKiss
7. Punk
8. Panthers
9. Spence
10. Daily Quordle 270
Source: Twitter

Trending Today on Google - 10/21/22
1. Lakers
2. John Wall
3. Saints
4. Christian McCaffrey
5. Taylor Swift
6. Barcelona vs Villarreal
7. Anthony Rapp
8. Odell Beckham Jr
9. MLS
10. Kawhi Leonard
Source: Google

Top Five on Apple Music - 10/21/22
1. Forever (feat. Fridayy) - Lil Baby
2. California Breeze - Lil Baby
3. Real Spill - Lil Baby
4. Never Hating - Lil Baby & Young Thug
5. Pop Out - Lil Baby & Nardo Wick
Source: Apple Music

Top Box Office Movies - Weekend of 10/14/22
1. Halloween Ends
2. Smile
3. Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
4. The Woman King
5. Amsterdam
Source: Showtimes.com

TV Shows Trending on Streaming Services - 10/21/22
1. The Watcher - Netflix
2. Interview with the Vampire - Prime Video
3. Yellowstone - Peacock
4. The Peripheral - Prime Video
5. Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story - Netflix
Source: Reelgood

Trending Today on YouTube - 10/21/22
1. Apex Legends - Eclipse Launch Trailer
2. Finesse2Tymes - Humble
3. All Quiet on the Western Front | Official Trailer
4. More than 30 drivers got flat tires along 405 Freeway
5. how I accidentally won a Mario Strikers Tournament
Source: YouTube

Netflix Top 5 TV Shows in the U.S. Today - 10/21/22
1. The Watcher
2. Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story
3. Love is Blind
4. Unsolved Mysteries
5. The Sinner
Source: FlixPatrol

Abuse, Violence, Other Events Linked to Poor Mental Health in Teens During COVID Pandemic

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

As new recommendations encourage providers to screen teens for anxiety, a recently published survey found a majority of high school students reported a potentially traumatic event during the COVID-19 pandemic that may have contributed to poor mental health and suicidal behaviors.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found nearly 3 out of 4 students reported at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), like emotional abuse or food insecurity, between January and June 2021, according to the study published in the agency's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Students who reported these experiences were also twice as likely to report they had poor mental health and up to six times more likely to report suicidal behaviors, like considering suicide, making a suicide plan, or attempting suicide in the past year, compared to students who didn't report recent ACEs.

Nearly 4,400 nationwide students were asked about physical or emotional abuse, parental job loss, food insecurity during the pandemic, sexual violence, physical teen dating violence, or electronic bullying in the past 12 months. Emotional abuse had the strongest link to poor mental health and suicidal behavior.

The survey comes days after the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended Tuesday that providers screen all children and teenagers between 8 and 18 years old for anxiety, which Anderson said can be one of the many mental health outcomes from adverse childhood experiences.

"We're seeing a lot of young people when they're returning back to school having issues with social anxiety," said Dr. Anisha Abraham, acting chief of adolescent and young adult medicine at Children's National Hospital. "It's so important to identify these issues before it get worse so they can get support."

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-10-abuse-violence-events-linked-poor.html

Some Screen Time Better Than None During Children's Concussion Recovery

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by ScienceDaily.

Too much screen time can slow children's recovery from concussions, but new research from the University of British Columbia and the University of Calgary suggests that banning screen time is not the answer.

The researchers looked for links between the self-reported screen time of more than 700 children aged 8-16 in the first 7-10 days following an injury and symptoms reported by them and their caregivers over the following six months.

The children whose concussion symptoms cleared up the fastest had engaged in a moderate amount of screen time. "We've been calling this the 'Goldilocks' group because it appears that spending too little or too much time on screens isn't ideal for concussion recovery," said Dr. Molly Cairncross, an assistant professor at Simon Fraser University, who conducted the research while a postdoctoral fellow working with associate professor Dr. Noah Silverberg in UBC's psychology department. "Our findings show that the common recommendation to avoid smartphones, computers, and televisions as much as possible may not be what's best for kids."

Ultimately, the findings suggest that blanket restrictions on screen time might not be helpful for children and adolescents with concussions. Instead, the researchers suggest using the same approach as with other activities, which is moderation. If symptoms flare up, screen time can always be limited.

Source: ScienceDaily
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221017081923.htm

Strict Parenting May Hard-Wire Depression Risk into a Child's DNA

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

Strict parenting can alter the way the body reads the DNA of children. These changes can effectively become "hard-wired" to the DNA of those children who perceive their parents as harsh, increasing their biological risk for depression in adolescence and later life.

Presenting the work at the ECNP Congress in Vienna, Dr. Evelien Van Assche said, "We discovered that perceived harsh parenting, with physical punishment and psychological manipulation, can introduce an additional set of instructions on how a gene is read to become hard-wired into DNA. We have some indications that these changes themselves can predispose the growing child to depression. This does not happen to the same extent if the children have had a supportive upbringing."

The researchers from the University of Leuven in Belgium selected 21 adolescents who reported good parenting (for example, the parents being supportive and giving the children autonomy) and compared them with 23 adolescents who reported harsh parenting (for example, manipulative behavior, physical punishment, excessive strictness).

The researchers then measured the range of methylation at more than 450,000 places in the DNA of each subject and found that this was significantly increased in those who reported a harsh upbringing. Methylation is a normal process which occurs when a small chemical molecule is added to the DNA, changing the way that the instructions written in your DNA are read: for example, methylation may increase or decrease the amount of an enzyme produced by a gene.

Dr. Van Assche (now working at the University of Munster, Germany) explained, "The DNA remains the same, but these additional chemical groups affect how the instructions from the DNA are read. Those who reported harsher parenting showed a tendency towards depression, and we believe that this tendency has been baked into their DNA through increased variation in methylation. We are now seeing if we can close the loop by linking it to a later diagnosis of depression and perhaps use this increased methylation variation as a marker to give advance warning of who might be at greater risk of developing depression as a result of their upbringing."

"In this study we investigated the role of harsh parenting, but it's likely that any significant stress will lead to such changes in DNA methylation; so in general, stresses in childhood may lead to a general tendency to depression in later life by altering the way your DNA is read. However, these results need to be confirmed in a larger sample."

Source: MedicalXpress
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-10-strict-parenting-hard-wire-depression-child.html

Broken Bones, Fractured Skulls Remain Common Bicycle Injuries, Especially Among Teen Boys

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by ScienceDaily.

More than one million U.S. children fractured a bone while riding a bicycle over the past 20 years, and most of them were boys between the ages of 10 to 15 years old, according to research presented during the 2022 American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference & Exhibition.

Authors of the abstract "Pediatric Fractures Associated with Riding Bicycles: A National Twenty-Year Analysis" found that, despite efforts to make roads more bike-friendly, over 65,000 injuries occurred in an accident involving a motor vehicle. About 85% of children who sustained a skull fracture while riding bicycles were not wearing helmets.

"The results of our study suggest that continued efforts teaching road safety and promoting helmet use should be targeted towards all children, but with additional efforts being directed towards the most affected population, namely 10- to 15-year-old boys," said J. Todd R. Lawrence, MD, Ph.D., at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "Municipalities should continue to evaluate traffic patterns on their local roads to improve bike safety for children."

The researchers examined information provided in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System database for the years 2001 through 2020 to identify patients ages 18 or younger who showed up at U.S. emergency departments with fractures associated with bicycles. They found an average of 50,975 fractures reported annually, with about 71% of patients being male. Only a small minority of patients with skull fractures were wearing helmets; nearly 87% of patients were not wearing helmets at the time of the skull fracture.

Source: ScienceDaily
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/10/221007085626.htm