Description: On April 23, 2018, Alex Minassian drove a rented truck into a group of pedestrians on Yonge Street in Toronto killing 10 of them and injuring even more. After his arrest Mr. Minassian admitted the actions with which he was charged. His lawyers are arguing that he should be found Not Criminally Responsible (NCR)… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Disorders of Childhood
Psychology of Covid-19: Stunting Children’s Social Growth?
Description: Have you heard of social referencing? Even very young infants do this. Basically, it involves looking at and reading another person’s face (facial expression) in order to find out what something that is around you means. Imagine a toddler sitting in a stroller beside a park bench that one of their parents is sitting… 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 »
What do Changes in the Prevelance of Autism Mean?
Description: Ok there are two levels of engagement possible with this linked article. The first is epidemiological. Epidemiology is the study of the rates of things (illnesses, disorders, conditions) within populations. From an epidemiological perspective, when the incidence or rate of a disorder in a population changes (increases or decreases) there are number of key… Read more »
Autism, Epilepsy, and catnap2: Possible New Undertsandings
Description: Consider this well supported research finding. One third of individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are also diagnosed with epilepsy. Epilepsy is the unregulated firing of neurons in the brain, sometime limited to small brain areas (petite mal seizures) and sometime spreading throughout the entire brain (grand mal seizures). Folks with ASD are… Read more »
Refugee Distress and Mental Health: Trauma AND Other Factors
Description: Think about what sports of factors might be involved in how refugees cope with distress once they have arrived in a relatively safe place and are trying to get on with their lives. Certainly the potentially horrific stressful events they endured in their original homes and in their flight towards safety could be important… Read more »
Is “Everything Will Be OK” Good Advice for Anxious Children?
Description: Imagine that a small child that you know is telling you that they feel anxious about some situation or upcoming event. Think about what you might say to them. If one of the things that you might say to them involve some version of telling them not to worry because everything will be okay… 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 »
Video Game Addiction: Internet Gaming Addiction and the DSM-V
Description: Have you heard anybody say that they think they might be addicted to video games? Have you wondered that about yourself? At least you certainly heard some mention in the media of the possibility of young people becoming addicted to video games. The question of whether video games ought to be included in the… Read more »
Books for Success!
