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Tag Archives: children
Trauma and Kids…a look at the numbers
The National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence was a Federally-funded survey of 4,549 children between the ages of 0-17, conducted during 2008. Here are some of the key findings…
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Posted in Advocacy, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, PTSD
Tagged adolescents, children, children's ministry, Key Ministry, NIMH, PTSD, Resources, statistics, trauma, youth ministry
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The many types of childhood trauma
As we launch into a series on trauma, a good place to start might be to define what exactly constitutes trauma? Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health, PTSD, Resources
Tagged children, church staff, Key Ministry, NCTSR, pastors, PTSD, teens, trauma, volunteers
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How well should medication work for my child’s condition?
Medication typically isn’t a panacea for kids and teens experiencing mental illness, and in general, the more serious the symptoms of mental illness experienced by children and teens, the lower the likelihood is that medication will lead to an ongoing remission of the child’s symptoms. Continue reading
When should parents consider non-medical treatment first?
Many mental health conditions are commonly seen in kids for which medication generally isn’t the first step in a well-developed treatment plan. Today, we’ll look at some situations when parents and clinicians might consider non-medical treatment alternatives first. Continue reading
Posted in ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Controversies, Depression, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health
Tagged ADHD, anxiety, children, Depression, families, mental health, non-medical treatment, OCD, Parents, PTSD, teens
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Who’s qualified to prescribe medication for my child?
If you’re open to considering psychotropic medication for your child or teen, you want an experienced clinician who will take the time to fully understand the nature of your child’s difficulties prior to whipping out the prescription pad. You want a clinician who appreciates the benefits and limitations of medication and is capable of recognizing situations when medication makes problems worse. You want a clinician with the time and availability to answer difficult questions when they arise. Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, Families, Key Ministry, Mental Health
Tagged American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, children, Developmental Pediatrics, medication, mental health, Pediatric Neurology, pediatrics, physician extenders, primary care, psychiatry, teens
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What type of evaluation should a child receive before starting medication?
Parents need to feel confident that their child’s physician has truly taken the time to understand the causes of their child’s situation and considered a full range of medical and non-medical alternatives prior to moving forward with a treatment plan that includes prescription medication. Continue reading
Posted in Controversies, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Mental Health, Strategies
Tagged AACAP, child psychiatry, children, evaluation, medication
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How would I know if my child would benefit from medication?
Given all the controversy generated by the topic of psychiatric medication for kids and teens, I’m frequently asked for guidance and direction from parents and caregivers as to when medication is necessary and appropriate. Here are some clarifying questions I share with parents to help them in their decision making process…
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Posted in ADHD, Controversies, Hidden Disabilities, Mental Health
Tagged children, medication, mental health, Parents, teens
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The DSM-5: Will kids with mental illness be abandoned in an evidence-based world?
The tragic flaw in the DSM-5 is that the new diagnostic criteria have been declared “dead on arrival” by the leaders of the organization positioned to fund the research necessary to direct clinical care. Continue reading
Posted in Advocacy, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health
Tagged adolescents, children, dsm-5, mental illness, research
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DSM-5: Recognizing the signs of trauma in kids
Most importantly for the sake of our discussion, the symptom thresholds for establishing a diagnosis in children and teens have been changed to take into account differences in the ways that trauma is manifested in kids, and a unique set of diagnostic criteria have been established for identification of PTSD in kids ages six and under.
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Posted in Controversies, Mental Health, Resources
Tagged AACAP, Adoption, children, children's ministry, diagnostic criteria, dsm-5, Foster Care, Inclusion, Key Ministry, mental health, PTSD
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