Gwenn S. O'Keeffe, MD, FAAP

Dr. Gwenn examines the impact of the Internet on teenagers' understanding of health issues pertinent to them and how a teenager's use of the Internet for information differs from a physician's.

How can we have a real conversation about healthcare reform and other contentious issues without letting anger and frustration stop us from communicating?

My daughter's school has a cool e-communication system, which they love; they post everything on it, from the monthly calendar to grades. The problem is that the school didn't bother to clue in the freshman (or their parents) about this fancy system; early in the year, many important events and announcements were missed, such as back-to-school night, H1N1 clinics, and due dates of forms. There was an orientation and a huge packet sent home, and the kids all have a homeroom, so one would think that somewhere in one of these venues, this system would have been highlighted. They even could have gone old school and sent home a newsletter.