Description: A group of high school students in the same class all start to show similar symptoms or anxiety and nausea. The school they attend is temporarily closed and a search is undertaken for pollutants or contaminants that could have caused the reported symptoms. None are found though over the week the school is closed… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Disorders of Childhood
Can You Out-Grow or Out-Develop ADHD?
Description: You know a little bit about ADHD, right? So, consider this question, if a child is diagnosed as meeting the diagnostic criteria for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can or will they, over time, outgrow the disorder (or the diagnosis)? A good friend of mine used to be principal at a school for children… Read more »
Children, Disasters, Mental Health and Wellness: Issues with Bushfires
Description: In addition to this post I also posted today aboutthe issue of Seasonal Affective Disorder among those of us who live well north of the equator. While we reflect on SAD in our winter, we see stories of the issues of wildfires well south of the equator in Australia. Bushfires such as those experienced… Read more »
Screen Time, Social Media, Depression and Development: LOTS of Research Needed
Description: The media storm of concern over the ways in which screen time might be related to levels of depression and anxiety among teens and emerging adults has been heating up in recent months. As has been the case before with other global technological innovations (TV) good research on the questions being raised is hard… Read more »
ADHD: Is Some of It Perhaps a Bit Adaptive in Modern Times?
Description: So here is a thought: In psychology we typically talk about Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) as an unquestionably undesirable thing. Look at its name, we view it as a deficit and a disorder. There is no doubt that there are many situations and circumstances where ADHD would NOT be adaptive (school usually being one… Read more »
Researcher Bias, Facillitated Communication and Ouija Boards: Quite a Combination
Description: This could be a Criminal Minds script. A physician sees 2 infants from the same family in his sleep laboratory. Both showed signs of sleep apnea and shortly after discharge from the lab they each die of what is certified as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, part of which may be linked to prolonged apnea… Read more »
How are Math and Anxiety Related?
Description: Who said this: “the only way to overcome an inferiority complex about mathematics is to learn some”? It was a famous Psychologist (but it is not what they were best known for…). I will answer this question below, but first, think about this: do people develop anxiety about Math because they struggle with it… Read more »
Drugs, Behavioral Treatment and ADHD in Young Children: Either, Or, And
Description: Okay, quick, a good friend of yours says that their young child has been diagnosed with symptoms of ADHD. They ask you what you think they should do. Should they go to physician to see about medication for their child or should they try and find someone who can talk some about behavioural approaches… Read more »
Autism Diagnosis and Culture: Context or Difference?
Description: I’m not sure what your impression is, but if you’ve had some class discussion or have done some reading in relation to the process of diagnosing autism and young children then think for a minute about how such a diagnosis proceeds. What would you think of the suggestion that some of the core diagnostic… Read more »
Rethinking Autism?
Description: When you think of disorders such as Autism or Asperger’s syndrome which of the following words comes was quickly to mind? Would be inferior? Or perhaps disordered? Or how about simply different? This radio interview with Steve Silverman author of the book noted below might cause you to rethink your initial reaction to the… Read more »
Books for Success!
