Letters: Aug. 2, 2004

Re "The Hidden Scars of Battle" [July 12], on the postwar psychological disorders of veterans of the Iraq war: I know too well the effects on a family of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). My father is 88 years old and a World War II veteran. When I was about age 5, I noticed my father's strange behavior, but I didn't realize what was going on until I became a police officer and dealt with PTSD myself. My father still suffers panic attacks and explosive outbreaks. He finally decided to get help at age 82, but therapy groups did not work. The wounds were too deep. Speedy intervention is most important. The longer one waits, the harder it is to overcome PTSD. ADA LANA-SIMMS West Henrietta, N.Y.

Praise for Neopets

My daughter Wendy and I were interviewed for the article "Pitching It to Kids" [June 28], which addressed the way companies market products to children on game-playing websites like neopets.com My opinion of Neopets was misconstrued in this report. I do not think Neopets' advertising methods are sneaky. In fact, I think the Neopets site is pretty cool. I do not forbid my daughter to take online surveys, so long as I sit beside her to walk her through them. It is my responsibility to educate my child about advertising. I try to instill a healthy amount of skepticism in her because advertising is everywhere. CLANCY V. MENDOZA Atlanta