Invaluable Tips for Helping Children with School-related Anxiety During the COVID Pandemic As we approach another school year and COVID numbers are on the rise again, we are here to offer some advice. Kids & Anxiety Sometimes children can express anxiety and sometimes they cannot. [...]
When it’s time to refer for an autism screening? Autism awareness has increased substantially in recent years. Most parents, school officials, and other adults that work routinely with children are familiar with the diagnosis, even if they do not completely understand it. There are many benefits to this increased awareness– more effort to [...]
What you need to know about PTSD June is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) awareness month. To help raise awareness for PTSD, this article will discuss what PTSD is, associated symptoms, and common evidence-based treatments, with a particular focus on PTSD in children and adolescents. The following symptoms are characteristic of PTSD. Except [...]
Helping Children Manage Stress in the Aftermath of School Shootings Sadly, we've had another tragic shooting involving a school. Although we are quite a distance away, the 24/7 news coverage brings this tragedy into our immediacy. Two key principles for parents and teachers in disaster and trauma include: 1) Limit children's exposure to the television [...]
As a therapist working with children and teens, I have often seen young people paralyzed by fears, worries, and anxieties. They often experience insomnia as well. It is as if they cannot get a break from the consequences of anxiety. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adolescents get 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Numerous [...]
Is Your Cell Phone Coming Between You and Your Children? by Adam Benton, Ph.D. and Mary Ekdahl, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologists at Arkansas Families First, LLC. Children, smartphones, and social media have made the news again, but not in the way you might think! This time it is not about the risk of online predators, too [...]
Parenting "Troubled Children": Some "Unspeakable" Honesties ADHD, OCD, ODD, Sensory Issues, Anxiety, Autism Spectrum Disorders…whatever diagnosis it’s called in your child’s case, all you really know is that it’s painful. Painful, upsetting, guilt-ridden, and exhausting. Even the simplest of routines become difficult with your child. The most menial tasks become unmanageable. [...]
