A Letter To To The Doctor Who Diagnosed My Daughter
By Shanell Mouland, contributer to The Huffington Post Dear Dr. M, It's not like I hadn't heard of you before we walked into your office that day. Your reputation as the best developmental pediatrician around is why we stood in front of you. I had done the research on you, both professional and personal. I knew who I was looking at but I still stared a little too long during our greeting in the hospital lobby. I wanted to really understand the woman who held so much power ove
Put the Physical in Education
By Gretchen Reynolds of The New York Times When confronted with an overly active child, many exasperated teachers and parents respond the same way: “Sit still!” It might be more effective, though, to encourage the child to run. Recent research suggests that even small amounts of exercise enable children to improve their focus and academic performance. By now it’s well known that diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are increasingly widespread among American c
Pilot Intervention Eliminates Autism Symptoms In Babies
By Catherine Pearson, contributor to The Huffington Post A small new pilot study has found that parents can help significantly reduce symptoms of autism in babies who haven't even reached their first birthdays simply by changing how they play and interact with them. By age 3, nearly all of the infants who participated in a 12-week, parent-led treatment and subsequent follow-up had no evidence of an autism spectrum disorder, nor did they appear to have developmental delays of
Will Social Anxiety Keep Your Child From Succeeding in School?
By Phyllis Foxworth, Director of Advocacy at the Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), as written on PsychCentral With the ringing of the first classroom bell to signal the start of a new school year, two images often come to mind: children excited about seeing old friends and their favorite teacher, or the endearing scene of a shy child clinging to his mother’s leg. But what if the latter scenario is not as innocent as popular culture depicts? In the most recent Care
This Teen Has Autism. He's Also One Of The Top High School Runners In The Country.
By Dominique Mosbergen, News Editor for the Traffic & Trends team of The Huffington Post When Mike Brannigan was 18 months old, he was diagnosed with autism. At the time, his doctors said he would likely need a special school and a group home. His mom, Edie, admits she thought he'd “never be able to function in the world.” Fast-forward several years. Brannigan is now 17, and is a senior at Northport High School, a public school in Long Island, New York. He's doing well academ
Sometimes, I'm Not Myself. By My Maybe-Autistic Son. Sort Of.
By Kristi Rieger Campbell, contributor to The Huffington Post and author of the blog, Finding Ninee We've had to work hard to help my son Tucker (who has special needs) find his words. Applied Behavior Analysis therapy has been instrumental in helping him, both with attempting words and regulating his behavior. When under stress, it's much more difficult for him to express himself. The following is how I imagine it to be, inside my little boy's head, during the moments when h
Comply Or Defy, ADHD Reaction To Routine And Structure
By Kelly Babcock, author of the blog, "ADHD Man of DistrAction" on PsychCentral I’ve written about routine and structure before. I’ve blatantly stated: “Structure good, routine bad!” And I’ve explained it. Structure allows some freedom within it’s confines, providing more of a guide to life. Routine allows no freedoms, providing instead a regimen that allows no room for creativity or variety. But even structure can be somewhat stultifying. If structure provides a guide, for i
Anxiety And Kids: When To Worry About An Anxious Child
By Jerome Bubrick, PhD, of the CHILD MIND INSTITUTE Kids worry. Whether it’s fear of the dark, starting at a new school, or getting another pimple, children can take life very seriously. But some kids worry more than others. It’s always painful to watch a child suffer from anxiety, but it’s especially difficult if you’re not sure whether she’s worrying too much and might need help. The difference between normal worry and anxiety disorders is the severity and duration of the a