Back when I was a kid virtually nobody had autism. Hmmm, that’s not right of course. But back when I was young, kids were either normal or hyper or retarded. Seriously. Those were about the only categories. I’m in my late 40s and all kids who with learning disabilities who weren’t able to compensate pretty … Continue Reading →
In two separate studies recently, more evidence mounts for the value of exercise in school. It’s something any grade school teacher can tell you: going outside and running around allows kids to come back in and focus better. Scientists have shown this now to be the case in older kids too. Physically active children of … Continue Reading →
Recently we’ve had a couple of cases in the office that made me realize that parents don’t know that they can anonymously report concerns they have about child abuse or neglect just like I do. Here are some examples of situations that might warrant a parent calling the state to report a concern: Neighbor children … Continue Reading →
I’m not sure when it changed. And maybe it never did. Maybe my notion of a neighborhood where the adults all kept an eye on the kids and broke up squabbles and made sure they weren’t breaking the rules, and told the other parents what they saw is a romantic one, more a movie scene … Continue Reading →
I’ve been consumed reading the articles surrounding the tragedy of the Penn State sexual abuse scandal, and the recent report from Louis Freeh revealing that there was an intermittent but consistent awareness of Sandusky’s illicit contact with young boys on the part of the Penn State administration and coach Joe Paterno in particular is both … Continue Reading →
Parents of teens on ADD meds need to be vigilant. Several articles recently have pointed out that the use of ADD meds is rapidly rising. Antibiotic prescriptions are down for children, but stimulant medication prescriptions have risen 40% over the last decade. Stimulant medications for ADD can be life-altering in a good way for students … Continue Reading →
Wednesday, May 9, is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day. Every single day in my office I see infants, children, and adolescents who are struggling with emotional challenges. Sometimes these issues are mild and transient like separation anxiety in a nine month old or complex like severe anger outbursts in a teenager with the police … Continue Reading →
I was aware of the association between maternal depression and infant sleep patterns and know that when I see an infant for a well child exam who isn’t sleeping well I need to ask about mom’s mental health. I had assumed that the primary reason for this association was that depressed or anxious mothers were … Continue Reading →
Many parents worry about autism. It’s difficult in part to reassure parents, because we know so little about what causes it. We know that vaccines are not a cause and we know that for some children, there is a genetic predisposition. Recent data showed that a subset of children with autism shared a series of … Continue Reading →
I bet most of you have never heard of Day of Silence. This Friday is the one day set aside each year to remember those children, teenagers, and adults who have been bullied into silence or have taken their own lives because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In observing this day without talking, … Continue Reading →