Anti-Bullying Summit Held for America's Kids

NEW YORK (CBS)The Department of Education held its first-ever anti-bullying summit on Wednesday and Thursday in Washington. The goal of the summit was to engage governmental and non-governmental partners in crafting a national strategy to reduce and end bullying.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan opened the two-day summit Wednesday on the dangers of bullying inside and outside the classroom.

Bullying has long been an issue in schools, but in recent years - with the accessibility of texting and the Internet - the problem has grown. In fact the issue of bullying garnered national attention after the deaths of students like 15-year-old Phoebe Prince of Massachusetts who took her own life last January allegedly in response to constant harassment and bullying from some of her classmates.

At the summit, Duncan and other panel participants spoke about the need to be vigilant in their schools and communities and address bullying if they see or hear about it.

But what can parents do to stop bullying behavior or detect if their child is being bullied?

CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton recommends parents look for these potential indicators in their child:

-Comes home with torn or damaged clothing or missing belongings

-Has unexplained cuts or bruises

-Seems afraid of going to school, riding the bus or participating in activities

-Drop in school grades

-Complains often of physical ailments

-Has trouble sleeping or loss of appetite.

Check out Ashton's complete column on this issue for more helpful tips.

Has your child ever been bullied? What did you do to stop it?