Posted by: Lawrence V. Tucker, M.D.
When it comes to the treatment of ADHD, behavioral therapy with a child psychiatrist and medication are the best approaches. But there are also plenty of natural ways to help your child with ADHD—a solid routine, proper sleep, exercise and even diet. Feeding your family a good diet is always important, but the right nutrients can really help with ADHD. Here are ...
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Battling an addiction is always tough. But in homes with young children, addiction recovery can be especially challenging. If you’ve already started your recovery process by seeking treatment through behavioral health services and going to meetings, that’s wonderful. But children living in homes where there is a substance abuse problem—and a subsequent recovery—need to have the situation explained to them.
Life at ...
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Swimming is a favorite summer activity of almost all children, and it’s a popular way to beat the heat. But water safety concerns are particularly heightened for families of children with autism. Drowning is a leading cause of death for children on the autism spectrum. But there’s no need to keep your autistic child out of the pool. Ask ...
Continue Reading →Maintaining good mental health is just as important as staying in good physical shape. Certain things like financial strain, marital issues, job stress and disruptive children are sometimes inevitable. Aside from finding new work, going to couple’s therapy and seeking out a child psychiatrist, here are 10 ways you can improve your mental health when times get tough:
1. Do more of what makes you happy. It may seem impossible, but schedule some time each day to do something that ...
Continue Reading →Typical teen angst may be the subject of many jokes, but teenage depression is very real. Unfortunately, suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth between 10 and 19 years of age, surpassed only by accidents and homicides. It remains a growing health concern.
According to new research, heightened newspaper coverage following a suicide could have a significant impact on teen suicide clusters. A study published last month in Lancet Psychiatry seems to suggest a correlation between heightened media ...
Continue Reading →Obviously, substance abuse is a bad idea at any age. In adulthood, it can lead to criminal behavior, loss of relationships, inability to hold down a job and an array of physical and mental health issues. But research in psychology and neuroscience shows that substance abuse is especially dangerous for young people. During childhood and teenage years, you shape who you are as a person—your intelligence, emotional development and interests form before age 25.
First, there are behavioral health risks associated ...
Continue Reading →Posted by: Lawrence V. Tucker, M.D.
Bipolar disorder is brutal at any age, but it can be especially difficult for children who are diagnosed with it. Bipolar disorder causes unusual shifts in mood, activity levels, energy and the ability to carry out daily tasks. For a child, this can make managing school work, making friends and keeping up with chores very challenging. New research on the treatment of bipolar disorder is being done all the time, and it is especially exciting when it pertains to children.
The ...
Continue Reading →As siblings grow and learn together, they are bound to have conflict. And while arguments between siblings are common, a new study on the long-term effects of negative interactions between siblings has garnered surprising results. Researchers found that sibling rivalry can be filled with psychological and physical aggression. This can lead to higher instances of anger, depression and anxiety later in life.
There are a lot of factors involved in sibling rivalry. The oldest child may feel burdened with responsibilities for ...
Continue Reading →There is a common misconception that ADHD is caused by excess sugar in a child’s diet. While research does not support this, the fact is, Halloween and its excessive candy consumption is cause for concern. Halloween can be a very distracting time for children in general but can be exceptionally hard for young people with ADHD. There are chemicals in the candy that may interfere with the medication prescribed by their Orange County therapist or trigger negative reactions, not ...
Continue Reading →This week is Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Awareness Week. OCD Week is an international effort to raise awareness and understanding about obsessive compulsive disorder and related disorders, with the goal of helping more people get access to effective treatment. An estimated 1 in 100 adults and 1 in 200 children in the United States likely have some form of OCD.
When most people think of OCD, they think of people who wash their hands compulsively or repetitive counting. But it’s so much ...
Continue Reading →There is still much to learn about the autism spectrum: what causes it, how broad the spectrum is and the best ways to treat it are still being researched. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, children who suffer from a genetic disorder called 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, or 22q, may be at risk of being misdiagnosed with autism. This new discovery goes to show the best way to ensure a proper diagnosis is ...
Continue Reading →October is ADHD awareness month, a time set aside to help the public focus on this common mental disorder. Children with ADHD often show signs and symptoms early in life, but many do not get diagnosed until they start school. But a new study suggests parents can get a heads up on whether their child may develop ADHD as early as their preschool years if they work with their child’s teacher and a mental health therapist who specializes in ...
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