Clinical disorders in children, including symptoms, behavioural conditions and developmental concerns, helping parents better understand challenges and seek appropriate support.
Renan Santana spends days building trust with autistic children who find ordinary haircuts overwhelming, helping families reclaim an everyday routine. For Renan Santana, a haircut for a child on the autism spectrum is rarely just a haircut. It can take…
Police in St. Marys are urging families to secure medicines and discuss the potentially fatal risks of social media dares after a middle school student was taken to hospital. A middle school student in St. Marys, Georgia, was taken to…
A survey of adults treated for cancer as children found high rates of depression, anxiety, fatigue and cognitive difficulties, prompting calls for lifelong follow-up care. A new study has found that many adults who survived cancer in childhood continue to…
Cognitive restructuring and Exposure and Response Prevention can help people separate unwanted thoughts from intent and reduce the compulsions that keep anxiety alive. Intrusive thoughts can feel alarming, but mental-health experts generally describe them as unwanted, involuntary thoughts rather than…
A neurologist says persistent memory lapses, especially alongside changes in mood, sleep or concentration, may point to depression, anxiety or stress rather than ordinary distraction. Forgetting the occasional appointment, name or errand is not unusual at any age, but persistent…
Experts say children need their difficult emotions acknowledged before parents try to offer reassurance or find a silver lining. Parents often try to soothe a child’s hurt with reassurance, but child development experts say that reflex can sometimes do more…
A child psychologist says parents need not avoid an occasional drink around their children, but should pay close attention to changes in behaviour and signs of distress. Parents do not need to panic over the occasional glass of wine or…
A study of more than 9,600 children found that higher caffeine intake, mainly from soft drinks, was associated with shorter sleep, subtle differences in brain structure and later mental health difficulties, although it cannot prove cause and effect. Children who…
Sleep experts recommend shifting bedtime, naps and meals in small steps, while using morning daylight to help children adapt after the clocks go back. As the clocks go back and autumn mornings turn darker, many families are reminded that even…
Treatment for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder is increasingly tailored to whether sensory sensitivities, fears or anxiety are driving eating difficulties, with gradual exposure therapy and nutritional support at its centre. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, or ARFID, does not have a…
People with social anxiety can gradually build confidence by testing feared predictions, shifting attention outwards and resisting habits that keep avoidance going. Mary has found that living with social anxiety is not something that changes overnight, but it can be…
Masking can help autistic people navigate school, work and relationships, but prolonged pressure to appear neurotypical is linked to exhaustion, anxiety, depression and loss of identity. For many autistic children and adults, the daily effort of appearing “normal” is not…
