A four-part seminar hosted by parent-teacher organizations in the Conejo Valley Unified School District will help parents identify and tackle behavioral disorders their children may exhibit.

"What Parents Need to Know About Child and Adolescent Disorders" begins Tues., Jan. 30 with a look at major depression, including cutting and suicide, and will be followed by monthly programs covering bipolar disorder, Feb. 27; attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, March 27; and anxiety disorders, April 24. The seminars will be held in the Thousand Oaks High School library, 2323 Moorpark Road.

"The Conejo Council PTA is committed to building healthy families," said Aleta Smith, president of the Conejo Council PTA. "We have an important role to play in making sure parents, schools and communities have the support and resources they need." The seminars will be given by Dr. Stazan K. Sina, a practicing psychologist in Thousand Oaks who specializes in the treatment of children and adolescents with disorders.

Each seminar will cover diagnosis, parent support and related treatment considerations followed by a question-and-answer period. A special feature in the report "America's Children: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2005" shows that nearly 5 percent- or an estimated 2.7 million children- are reported by their parents to suffer from definite or severe emotional or behavioral difficulties, problems that may interfere with their family life, their ability to learn and their formation of friendships.

The statistic is based on responses from a sample of parents of children ages 4 to 17.

Admission is free, but reservations are required. E-mail conejoforum@hotmail.com or call Thousand Oaks High School at (805) 495-7491, ext. 1026.