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Regular Features
THE
PARENT COACH
Dr.
Steven Richfield provides articles on many different aspects of raising a child
with ADHD.
ASK
THE ADVOCATE
Each
month we our advocate will be answering questions from our visitors about yours
and your children's rights in the educational system.
PARENTS
TALK
A mother is trying to help her teenage son learn anger management.
MOTIVATION
TIPS
Five great ideas for motivation, including The Shoe Race, Trading Places
and more.
ORGANIZATION
TIPS
Organize your child at home, and maybe find some tips that will help you
as well.
ADHD
IN THE NEWS
Headlines about ADHD, Learning Disability and Mental Disorders
Study on ADD and TV
The recent study published on watching television between the ages of one and
three and the possible link to ADD/ADHD did not take many considerations into
account. The author of the study even admits that he cannot conclude that
television watching and ADD/ADHD are linked.
Read the
Article
Back To Education Articles Index
About the Recent
shooting
In this mornings paper
they stated that Andy the boy from Santee who used the gun last week. He is now
telling officials the plan had been just to shoot the gun not at any one person
but just to shoot to kill. He stated then he was saving one bullet to kill
himself. He said the Police arrived to quickly. Well, obviously this child has
many mental problems. We all were told that the 2 boys in Columbine that they
both were supposed to be on medications for Mental Illness problems but
they were not taking it or the dosage was not correct.
From Columbine to Santee…Violence in America's schools is no longer rare; it's
epidemic. The public is outraged, parents are grieving, and fingers are pointed
at the availability of guns, at broken families, at peer pressure, or at a
pervasively violent culture. But no matter what experts may say, we all should
know at least one thing instinctively: 14 and 15 year olds who resort to
violence may be suffering from more than just alienation. As the mother of
a son with multiple disabilities. I hope the epidemic of school violence forces
us to confront the fact that, contrary to some popular misconceptions, children
and adolescents do develop diagnosable and treatable mental illnesses. Early
diagnosis, appropriate intervention and treatment can save lives. At a time when
preventable tragedies seem to occur almost weekly,
early screenings for mental illness should be mandatory. Learning the signs and
symptoms of mental illness should become part of all teacher and counselor
training curricula. In addition, parents and friends should all learn to
recognize where normal adolescent development ends, and mental health problems
begin. Too often, children with mental disorders go undiagnosed. Family doctors
rarely ask about mental health problems. Routine mental health screenings, which
should begin at an early age, rarely are performed. Unfortunately, it may be the
stigma of mental illness that keeps doctors and parents from even talking about
real problems. Even if mental illness is suspected, school personnel too often
blame the parents. But the US Surgeon General has called for a war against
stigma, greater education of both parents and teachers, and routine assessments
of children and adolescents. Even in cases where young people choose not to kill
their peers, suicide today remains the third-leading cause of death for youth,
ages 15 to 24. Detection of mental illness is not a new science. Tools exist,
and
as responsible adults and caring friends, we must learn to use them. NAMI and
the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health at Columbia
University are working hard to introduce a program called DISC-the Diagnostic
Interview Schedule for Children-to communities around the country David Shaffer,
MD, chief of the Division of Child Psychiatry at Columbia Presbyterian Medical
Center, is a firm believer in the help that the DISC
offers. Dr Shaffer has been outspoken on the connection between mental
health problems in young people and school failure, substance abuse and even
suicide. He insists that doctors and parents need more information to recognize
and treat serious depression and the early onset of manic depression and
schizophrenia. These tools are available today. They can help to prevent
additional tragedies like Columbine or Santee. As a parents or teachers, it is
imperative that we ask whether our schools, physicians, and communities are
using them. The price of silence is too great, and the price of neglect is
unconscionable.
WARNING SIGNS OF
TROUBLE
The following
recommendations are derived from the pamphlet "Help and Hope: Caring for
Your Children's Mental Health," (pp. 5-7) published by NAMI and the Center
for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health at Columbia University.
Children
of Elementary School Age
Difficulty in going to sleep or taking part in activities that are normal for
the child's age or refusal to go to school on a regular basis.
Frequent, unexplainable temper tantrums.
Hyperactive, behavior-fidgeting or constant movement beyond regular playtime
activities.
A steady and noticeable decline in school performance.
A pattern of deliberate disobedience or aggression.
Opposition to authority figures, and little or no remorse for breaking rules or
norms.
Persistent nightmares.
Poor grades in school despite trying very hard.
Pronounced difficulties with attention, concentration or organization.
Preteens
and Adolescents
Sustained,
prolonged negative mood and attitude. Often accompanied by poor appetite,
difficulty in sleeping, or thoughts of death.
Opposition to authority, truancy, theft, vandalism, and consistent violation of
the rights of others.
Abuse of alcohol, drugs, and/or heavy tobacco use.
Intense fear of becoming obese with no relationship to actual body weight,
constant dieting, restrictive eating habits, purging food or vomiting.
Frequent outbursts of anger or inability to cope with problems and daily
activities.
Marked change in school performance.
Marked changes in sleeping and/or eating habits.
Persistent nightmares or many physical complaints.
Threats of self-harm or self-injury; harm or violence toward others.
Sexual acting out.
Threats to runaway.
Strange thoughts and feelings and unusual behaviors.
Parents usually are the first to recognize that a child has a problem. As a
first step, they should seek to validate concerns by talking with teachers,
day-care or after-school providers, or anyone else who interact with their child
on a regular basis. If a child exhibits any of the above warning signs, talk
with the child's regular doctor. If he or she shares your concerns, ask for a
referral to a psychiatrist or other mental health professional. A psychological
assessment may be needed to determine how best to help the child. Beware of any
assessment that "it's just a phase." Get a second opinion. Not all
pediatricians or family physicians may recognize symptoms of mental illnesses.
If necessary, ask for consultation with a developmental pediatrician. If you
think your child has a problem, trust your instincts. Self-injury, talk of
suicide, or actual violence require immediate attention. If necessary, take your
child to an emergency room for a psychiatric assessment to be done. This all may
seem extreme to you but this is real many of our children have problems and we
should try to get them all the help they deserve before it is to late.
Hugs and Prayers Judy