Resources For Families and Educators

Year Into What Was Unexpected

A year ago this time the office doors closed suddenly to seeing patients and families in person. The loom and gloom of this impending virus was felt strongly for 2 weeks prior to March 14, 2020. Trusted colleagues and patients and our practice were becoming increasingly concerned about being in a work space together in close proximity. It was a sense of unabating and rapidly increasing worry that things were not safe and out of control.

When our children feel bad, we might often want to make them feel better instantly. Paying attention to what we say is important because invalidating feelings could ultimately lead to our children feeling worse. Actually, invalidating the feelings of our family members could be especially damaging to their mental health.

The Report

The current U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, released an extensive advisory report on social media and youth mental health. While social media may offer benefits, there are clear indicators that social media can also pose a risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents. Social media use by young people is nearly universal, with up to 95% of young people ages 13-17 reporting using a social media platform and more than a third saying they use social media “almost constantly.”

Call to Action

Dr. Vivek Murthy’s advisory comes as a call to action urging policymakers, researchers, parents, children, technology companies, and those in the mental health community to gain a better understanding of how social media impacts our community, how to optimize social media usage and how to create a safe online environment. Most social media platforms are designed for kids above the age of thirteen, but recent data shows that 40% of kids between the ages of 8-12 use these platforms often. Growing bodies of research acknowledge the potential harm of social media use during critical stages of development on mental health outcomes. The surgeon general’s report goes on to state that, at this time, there is not yet enough evidence to determine if social media is sufficiently safe for children and adolescents. That is a strong statement that highlights the need for a more in-depth understanding of how social media is affecting our young people's mental health.

What is the Harm?

The Jump (Highschool to College)

There are so many concerns for all parents regarding their child transitioning from high school to college. Parents of students with disabilities may especially wonder how their child will keep up with an increased workload. College could be the perfect storm of increased freedom, lack of supervision, and many new demands. Parents know how much support they give their children, and wondering where that support might come from once they leave home is worrying.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects many people globally. It has been connected to higher rates of failure in academic settings, a higher likelihood to be unemployed, and could make developing and maintaining relationships difficult. However, on the bright side, researchers have long wondered if ADHD has a strength: Enhanced creativity.

Hyperlexia is a term that describes a child's precocious ability to read. Children with hyperlexia might show an intense interest in all printed material and could be able to read as early as 18 months old, before any real language skills have even developed. Hyperlexia is not a diagnosis by itself and does not appear as an official diagnosis in psychological diagnostic manuals. The term is used as a practical label to provide parents, educators, and mental health professionals with a better understanding of how a child with hyperlexia might think and learn. This is particularly important because hyperlexia often co-exists alongside Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders.

Children with ADHD and children with anxiety can exhibit some similar characteristics and behaviors making it more challenging to tell the difference. For instance, children with ADHD are more likely to have higher rates of co-occurring anxiety. It can be difficult to tease out if inattention is due to anxiety or if in fact, the anxiety is a result of deficits regarding attention regulation due to ADHD. This brings up the added complication of secondary anxiety. Secondary anxiety in children with ADHD usually involves being anxious about executive functioning difficulty (anxiety about assignments, time management, school demands, etc.).

As we delve deeper into the differences between ADHD and Anxiety disorders, let's briefly look at some of the main symptoms of each.

Dysgraphia is a neurological disorder of written expression. It is a learning disability that affects children and adults interfering with skills like handwriting, typing, and spelling. It can also impact the capacity to translate ideas into language.

Although it is estimated that 5-20% of children have Dysgraphia it should not be confused with poor handwriting. Dysgraphia is more serious and generally appears when children are first learning to write. Each case is unique, and experts are not always sure what the causes are, but early treatment can help prevent or reduce problems.

One of the main differences between Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder (SCD) is that people with Autism have difficulties with social communication (language deficits, social challenges) AND also exhibit repetitive and/or disruptive behaviors.

Repetitive behaviors often look like:

February is “Heart Health Month”: Mind Your Heart!

February is heart health awareness month and the perfect time to talk about how we can better care for our hearts. We know to eat right, exercise and check up with our cardiologists, but our emotional well-being plays such an important role too. Stress, anxiety, and depression are proven to be major risk factors for heart disease, the leading cause of death in our country. So, let's take a step back and take a deeper look at the importance of mental health.

Implementing Vulnerability: Practicing Positive Communication

Problems can arise in conversation. That's when emotions, expectations, and opinions clash. Everybody sees the world in a different way.

Active Listening: Practicing Positive Communication

Listening is so important. It is the easiest way to connect with other people and build relationships. We all know about passive listening. The person is hearing us speak but is tuned out or not mentally engaged. This could be discouraging and unsatisfying. Active listening is the opposite. It means listening completely. This type of listening is a skill that involves intentional engagement and can be improved over time with practice and effort.

Parenting Doesn't Stop at Eighteen

The finishing line is not 18! It can be difficult when your kids become adults. There are new challenges, new responsibilities and the stakes are higher. Guess what? You're still a parent! There are fantastic ways to help your young adult navigate this new stage of life.

Back to School! How to Navigate Anxiety Around Covid-19

Back to School!

This is a time like no other! As our children head back to school and to the playground, we are naturally concerned about Covid-19 and its variants. A little anxiety can be helpful! It reminds us to wash our hands and wear our masks. Following the advice of health experts is so crucial on our quest back to normalcy. Yet, it is our prerogative as parents to give our children the best tools possible in this new chapter!

100 Days into a Pandemic and the Process for Children, Teens, and Youth

It is just past the first approximately 100 days of the COVID-19 pandemic and life seems like it is coming back toward some steps of “reopening” since New York State was in a state of emergency. In fact, the stay at home orders are due to lift in New York State. We have come far, but this time has felt unforgiving for many.

In looking forward now to whatever the future may hold, there is a lot of uncertainty. Basic rhythyms for children, teens, and youth, like summer jobs, a beginning career, summer camps, vacations, and summer fun are a bit of a blur at the present time. The one thing that is admirable with children of all ages is the spirit of belief that resides at their core. In essence, they can be much more hopeful than we are as adults.

Optimism in Children and Youth Especially in Times of a Pandemic

There are many factors that lend to a child feeling well, positive, and hopeful even in the midst of worrisome thoughts. There’s a certain parental style too that helps to raise children who feel embraced, contained, and resilient even in the face of adversity. Children are born into circumstances that can allow or disallow them to experience optimism, yet there are others who even in the hardest of challenges shine hope, optimism, and depth for life that feels good in living it.

The latter are the children who can teach us the most.

Covid-19 and parents, new york

Dear Parents,
The last newsletter that was published for this clinical blog was right at the start of the school/college shut downs that occurred because of this pandemic. The advice was centered on how to speak with children and youth about the pandemic and what to expect in terms of their developmental handling of the information. For the 5th straight week now, all the children in New York and surrounding states have been at home. Whether they are preschoolers, elementary aged students, middle, high school or college students, they faced this great change with initial bravery as they had to.

Department of Education

Download the PDF File here

Children and Covid-19

Sharing some information with children in this trying time is essential, however, that also heavily varies based on the developmental age and stage of the child. A younger child around age 5 or 6 may not need more information besides explanation of the hygiene procedures: “We are trying to keep healthy and need to wash our hands and stay clear of touching our face, nose, and mouth.” Some younger children in this age range have heard of the virus and will ask direct questions about it. Keep the facts simple and try not to over-explain things: “Yes, there is a virus and we need to be careful to stay healthy. That’s why we have to wash our hands more often.” Children under age 5/6 would generally be addressed in the same way if they ask questions.

Interventions for Executive Functioning Challenges: Children, Teens, and Young Adults

Questions often arise in consultations or assessments about strategies and interventions for children and young adults when executive functioning weaknesses are evident. Sometimes these challenges are in isolation, or they very commonly also overlap with other factors like anxiety and learning disorders. Interventions in school settings, such as preferential seating arrangements where both auditory and visual stimuli are optimal are essential. Extended time on tests, usually defined as time and a half on testing, is also a common recommendation as is a separate, quiet testing location either in small group or individually.