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If your child is experiencing any of the symptoms below, call us today and make an appointment with Dr. Hassan to discuss managements options. We understand that dealing with mental health issues is a sensitive topic. We will work with you and your child to understand the situation and pinpoint the best solutions. Call at 734-242-9550!
If your child is experiencing any of the symptoms below, call us today and make an appointment with Dr. Hassan to discuss managements options. We understand that dealing with mental health issues is a sensitive topic. We will work with you and your child to understand the situation and pinpoint the best solutions. Call at 734-242-9550!
Anxiety
Anxiety
When a child does not outgrow the fears and worries that are typical in young children, or when there are so many fears and worries that they interfere with school, home, or play activities, the child may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Examples of different types of anxiety disorders include
Being very afraid when away from parents (separation anxiety)
Having extreme fear about a specific thing or situation, such as dogs, insects, or going to the doctor (phobias)
Being very afraid of school and other places where there are people (social anxiety)
Being very worried about the future and about bad things happening (general anxiety)
Having repeated episodes of sudden, unexpected, intense fear that come with symptoms like heart pounding, having trouble breathing, or feeling dizzy, shaky, or sweaty (panic disorder)
Anxiety may present as fear or worry, but can also make children irritable and angry. Anxiety symptoms can also include trouble sleeping, as well as physical symptoms like fatigue, headaches, or stomachaches. Some anxious children keep their worries to themselves and, thus, the symptoms can be missed.
Related conditions include Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. (click to visit the web pages)
Depression
Depression
Occasionally being sad or feeling hopeless is a part of every child’s life. However, some children feel sad or uninterested in things that they used to enjoy, or feel helpless and hopeless in situations they are able to change. When children feel persistent sadness and hopelessness, they may be diagnosed with depression.
Examples of behaviors often seen in children with depression include
Feeling sad, hopeless, or irritable a lot of the time
Not wanting to do or enjoy doing fun things
Showing changes in eating patterns – eating a lot more or a lot less than usual
Showing changes in sleep patterns – sleeping a lot more or a lot less than normal
Showing changes in energy – being tired and sluggish or tense and restless a lot of the time
Having a hard time paying attention
Feeling worthless, useless, or guilty
Showing self-injury and self-destructive behavior
Extreme depression can lead a child to think about suicide or plan for suicide. For youth ages 10-24 years, suicide is among the leading causes of death.
Some children may not talk about their helpless and hopeless thoughts, and may not appear sad. Depression might also cause a child to make trouble or act unmotivated, causing others not to notice that the child is depressed or to incorrectly label the child as a trouble-maker or lazy.
For more information, visit the website below: https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/depression.html#:~:text=Anxiety%20may%20present%20as%20fear,the%20symptoms%20can%20be%20missed.
Recommended Readings, Websites, and Apps
Recommended Readings, Websites, and Apps
Hey Sigmund- Australian based website with psychology research/science based advice on handling anxiety in all ages.
Hey Sigmund- Australian based website with psychology research/science based advice on handling anxiety in all ages.
Treating Childhood and Adolescent Anxiety: A Guide for Caregivers, by Eli R. Lebowitz, Haim Omer
Freeing Your Child From Anxiety, by Tamar Chansky, Ph.D.
Helping Your Child WIth Selective Mutism: Steps to Overcome a Fear of Speaking, by AE McHolm, CE Cunningham, MK Cobham
Helping Your Anxious Child: A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents, by RM Rapee, A Wignall, SH Spence & V Cobham
What to Do When You Worry Too Much, by Dawn Huebner, Ph.D. (an interactive self-help workbook for school-age children)
My Anxious Mind: A Teen's Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic, by MA Tomkins & KA Martinez
Magination Press (http://www.maginationpress.com/) for a wide variety of topic specific books recommended by the American Psychological Association.
GoZenAnxietyphrasebook.pdfGo Zen Anxiety phrasebook has 72 short phrases/concepts to help your child deal with anxious thoughts- well worth the read.
The Whole Brain Child, by Daniel Siegel
The Care and Keeping of You, by Valorie Schaefer
Help Your Dragon Deal with Anxiety, by Steve Herman
1-2-3 Magic - by Thomas Phelan
Visit youth.anxietybc.com,a website with easy to understand, youth-aimed information on anxiety- causes, symptoms and treatment
Helping Children Handle stress- https://healthychildren.org/english/healthy-living/emotional-wellness/pages/default.aspx
Check out Kidlutions: Solutions for Kids article on coping resources for anxious children.
WorryWiseKids -website offering comprehensive, user-friendly information on the full range of anxiety disorders: how to identify symptoms, find effective treatments and prevent anxiety from taking over a child's life.
Go Zen - Offers animated short films on anxiety relieving techniques for kids. Go Zen also has these two lists of techniques and phrases to help calm anxious children:
http://www.gozen.com/49-phrases-to-calm-an-anxious-child/
http://www.gozen.com/37-techniques-to-calm-an-anxious-child/
https://www.anxietycanada.com - Anxiety Canada™ is a leader in developing online, self-help, and evidence-based resources on anxiety and anxiety disorders and promotes understanding about anxiety and anxiety disorders through general information sessions, professional seminars and workshops, offered throughout the year. We are the developers of the free MindShift app which helps youth and young adults manage anxiety, using step-by-step strategies based on psychological treatment.
Mindfulness and Meditation Resources
Mindfulness and Meditation Resources
Mindfulness
Mindfulness
Child psychology has directed a lot of focus on this concept in the last decade. Mindfulness is "mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations." Teaching a child how to recognize and process their emotions is a powerful and lifelong skill.
Below are some apps and resources. These apps help us learn to "turn down the worry" in our brains.
The Glitter Jar and The Calm Down Corner.
The Glitter Jar and The Calm Down Corner.
A Glitter Jar is a jar filled with water, dish soap and glitter- when shaken, the chaos is a good visual representation of how your child's brain is feeling during a tantrum/breakdown- having them watch the glitter settle is both calming and representative of their brain quieting as well.
In a Calm Down Corner you are designating a space where children who are having trouble regulating their emotions can go and use a variety of techniques to calm down their brains instead of acting out inappropriately. The location should be relatively small and cozy, with visuals that can help your child identify what emotion they are working through, and suggestions as to how to handle the emotion. You can have music, some pillows to punch, manipulative to play with, signs of breathing exercises or the aforementioned glitter jar.
Go Noodle
Go Noodle
Movement can be another powerful way of settling a child- GoNoodle is an movement/mindfulness app that is especially useful for children with restless energy, or those who need to physically work out their emotions.
The Smiling Mind (programs for children 7 – 11, 12 – 15 and for young adults
Calm (pre-teen – adult; go to guided meditations on the app)
Breathe (pre-teen through adult)
Mood meter (self-identifies feelings and teaching feeling vocabulary, offers suggestions on self calming and keeps a log)
Aura (3 minute meditations)
Insight Timer (>4,000 guided meditations from 1,000 teachers
Simply Being (customization length)
Stop, Breath & Think Good for kids ages 5-10, learn how to tune into feelings and choose a mission to create a force field of calm. https://www.stopbreathethink.com
Sattva (includes social connections)
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