All Posts Tagged: children’s treatment center

0
screen time

Screen Time Dangers And Your Kids – How To Set Limits

Posted by

As pandemic restrictions begin to ease, parents are finding out just how reliant their kids have become on their screen time. For many families, shut downs forced us to turn to virtual entertainment. Schools went totally online. We dramatically increased our online communications with the loved ones we couldn’t see in person. The result is that now, more than ever, we’ve embraced the virtual world  – and many children are finding it hard to break their screen time “addiction.” How dangerous is screen time for our kids and how can parents restrict their online time?

What Do Kids Say About The Time They Spend On Their Devices?

Back in 2018, the Pew Research Center set up a study to see how much screen time use there was among children. At the time, 54 percent of the teens aged 13 – 17 were voicing concerns about the amount of time they were spending on their phones and online.

The study researchers reported that, “Some 52% of U.S. teens report taking steps to cut back on their mobile phone use, and similar shares have tried to limit their use of social media (57%) or video games (58%).”

But then Covid-19 came into our lives and our device use skyrocketed. We’re now worrying if screen time can cause any mental or physical harm to our children (or ourselves).

How Does Screen Time Change A Child’s Brain?

At this time, experts aren’t 100 percent positive that spending a good part of our waking hours online is bad for us, but they’re pretty sure that it is detrimental. Because we’ve only been able to access affordable computers and cell phones for about three decades, there just isn’t enough scientific evidence to prove the theory yet. While thirty years may seem like a long time, it really isn’t when it comes to studying physical or behavioral effects.

However, we do know that children’s brains are still in the process of developing and growing, so experts agree that this technology is very likely having a negative impact on their brains.

The National Institutes of Health agrees. Right now, they are conducting the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. This ongoing research is following more than 11,000 kids, ages 9 and 10 years old, at 21 locations throughout the United States.

An article on Healthline, has reported the initial results of the research. The data gathered to date shows that:

  • Children who reported more than two hours a day of screen time got lower scores on thinking and language tests.
  • MRI scans found significant differences in the brains of some children who reported using smartphones, tablets, and video games more than seven hours a day.

If you think about it, it’s frightening to think that we still have to wait for years before finding out if these changes are from too much screen time or caused by something else. If these effects are caused by using our devices, what further damage will be done by then?

How About The Emotional Effects Of Too Much Screen Time?

Is there an emotional component of having too much screen time? Sadly, it seems that our devices are affecting kid’s mental health, as well.

Another 2018 population-based study (this one from Twenge and Campbell) reports that “…increasing screen time was generally linked to progressively lower psychological well-being.” And this is the result after just one hour of screen daily time! The study also notes, “High users of screens were also significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression.”

Okay, but it can’t be too big of a deal if kids are interacting with each other, right? They’re developing social relationships, among other perks.

Again, the answer is unmistakably ‘no’. According to a Psychology Today article by Victoria L. Dunckley M.D., “…many parents mistakenly believe that interactive screen-time—Internet or social media use, texting, emailing, and gaming—isn’t harmful, especially compared to passive screen time like watching TV. In fact, interactive screen time is more likely to cause sleep, mood, and cognitive issues, because it’s more likely to cause hyperarousal and compulsive use.”

In addition to the physical and psychological effects, too much social media time can lead to problems with acquiring and using social skills. It also decreases self-esteem – in both children and adults. Furthermore, kids can be bullied online and be unable to to stop it – even though their parents could be sitting right next to them.

How To Limit Your Child’s Screen Time

If you’re having a tough time limiting your child’s screen time, try these tips and recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

  • For children under 18 months old, no screen time.
  • For children 18 to 24 months old, parents should choose only high-quality media and watch it with their child.
  • For children 2 to 5 years old, less than one hour per day of high-quality programming is recommended, with parents watching along.
  • Don’t use screen time as a way to calm your child down or as a babysitter.
  • No screens 1 hour before bedtime, and remove devices from bedrooms before bed.
  • Keep bedrooms, mealtimes, and parent–child play times screen free for children and parents. Parents can set a “do not disturb” option on their phones during these times.

We Can Help Break The Screen Time Cycle

If you are concerned about your teen or ‘tween’s reliance on their screen time, we can help you take steps to “disconnect.” For more information, contact The Children’s Center for Psychiatry Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

Read More
0
mask-wearing student sitting in classroom

In The Classroom: Supporting Your Child At School During Covid

Posted by

Vaccines are beginning to be dispensed, so hope for an end to the pandemic is on the horizon. Life, however, is still far from normal. Education has been deeply impacted by the virus response. Virtual learning is now widespread, while kids in traditional classes are having to cope with untraditional rules and regulations aimed at keeping us all safe.

If your children are attending in-person classes, there is still a different aspect to their normal day-to-day learning. Many extra-curricular programs have been closed or are operating in a limited way. Staying socially distant means kids don’t interact the way they used to. Even classroom participation may have been reduced in an effort to keep kids and teachers safe.

Back To School Tips For Parents During Covid

When your children are in a classroom, it may be hard for them to physically distance themselves from friends. The fact that they have to do so can create anxiety for some kids who may worry that peers or teachers might get sick and pass the virus on to them.

Remind your children to wash their hands during the school day and wear their masks. Teach them to cover their sneezes and coughs with their elbow.

But, at the same time, try to avoid making them feel overly cautious to the point that they are afraid to do anything. While it’s good to make them aware of their part in helping to stop the virus’ spread, it can be upsetting or frustrating for them to be constantly on guard and worrying about everything little thing they do.

Helping Kid’s Mental Health During Covid

To support your kid’s mental health during covid, try to keep to a routine. Children feel more secure when they know what to expect. Although they may complain about having to do homework at a certain time or go to bed at the same time, keeping a routine makes them feel like things are under control.

Also ensure that your children know that you are open to discussing their worries and fears. Check in with them regularly to ask if they are concerned about anything at school or if anything is bothering them.

Watch for signs that your child is anxious or depressed. Maybe they aren’t eating well or seem withdrawn or irritable. Have you noticed that their sleeping habits have changed? Are they complaining about frequent stomachaches or headaches? These changes can indicate that your kids are experiencing heightened stress and anxiety that needs to be addressed.

Acting out their fears through play or by writing or drawing can help when a child can’t find the words to tell you how they are feeling. If you are concerned they may be struggling emotionally, set aside time to interact with your child. Pay close attention to their words or ask questions about their drawings – these can give you insight into how well they are coping.

Take Care Of Yourself, Too

While you are helping your child, don’t forget to support your own mental and emotional health. Aside from navigating the innumerable changes brought on by the pandemic, many families have faced financial impacts, job loss, and the loss of loved ones to the virus.

There is no doubt that most people’s anxiety levels have increased. This upending of our normal world and the resulting reduced social connections have led to a corresponding increase in depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. If possible, stay connected with family and friends virtually for support. It can also be helpful to look for online support groups.

Meditation and deep breathing exercises can help to calm your thoughts, as can limiting sensationalized news coverage as much as possible. Try to distract yourself with a hobby or by getting some exercise, either in the home or out in a nearby park.

Anxiety and depression can show up in several ways. Keep an eye out for the signs of heightened stress that were mentioned in the prior section – in both you and your children.

If you notice concerning changes like these, it may be time to consider calling a professional – especially if these changes are becoming more obvious or have lasted for more than two weeks.

We Are Here For You

For more information, contact The Children’s Center for Psychiatry Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

Read More
0
boy wearing facemask

What About Kid’s Mental Health During Covid?

Posted by

2020 has changed our world dramatically. We know that adults are struggling with the challenges brought on by shut downs and worries about protecting themselves and their families from the virus. But what about kid’s mental health during covid?

Our children have had to deal with their own upheavals. They’ve gone from familiar school routines and activities to shortened sports schedules, reduced or eliminated school programs and navigating through virtual learning while being isolated from friends. All of this disruption has raised their own stress levels.

Signs Of Pandemic Stress In Kids

Just as with adults, stress and anxiety in children often shows up in both physical and emotional ways.

Emotional symptoms can include:

  • Expressing fears about their health or that of a family member
  • Trouble concentrating in school, or slipping grades and test scores
  • A worsening of mental health conditions they may already have
  • Not wanting to do things they usually enjoy
  • Expressing fear and / or hopelessness about the future
  • Angry outbursts, crying or tantrums

Physical symptoms can include:

  • Nightmares and problems sleeping
  • Gastrointestinal problems, such as nausea, stomachaches or diarrhea
  • Headaches
  • Changes in eating patterns
  • Muscle tension or, conversely, indifference and listlessness

What Should I Do If I Am Concerned With My Child’s Well Being Due To Covid-19?

Check in with your kids – It’s easy for children to get carried away by their fears, while keeping their worries to themselves. This is especially true because kids can sometimes have trouble expressing their anxiety. For that reason, it’s a good idea to check in with your kids periodically. This way, you can answer any questions and help to calm them.

Limit catastrophic thinking – Whether we realize it or not, kids pick up on their parent’s distress. As difficult as it may be for you to deal with your own concerns and “what ifs” about the impact of the pandemic, it is best if you can refrain from talking too much about them around your children.

We aren’t saying that you should act like your fears aren’t real issues, but it can help children feel more secure if parents can deal with their concerns in a healthy way.

Catastrophic thinking (i.e: automatically envisioning the worst in a situation) teaches kids to model the same behavior when dealing with their own stress. You want your child to come out of the pandemic stronger, not someone who is terrified of what the future may hold.

Think positively – You’ve probably heard the saying, “fake it ‘til you make it.” That applies with positive thinking as well.

A 2020 study by Marmolejo-Ramo, et al, published in Experimental Psychology showed that when your facial muscles turn up in a smile, “the emotion implied by the covert facial expression seems to engage a wide range of motor systems that, all together, are representative of the ongoing emotional state.”

What this means is that forming a smile with your facial muscles activates neurons in your brain. These neurons actually put you into a more positive emotional state. If you feel more positive, your outlook will be more positive, too.

Take a break from the news – The next thing to do is to take a break from your news media exposure, as well as your social media feeds. Constantly watching and reading about pandemic death counts and hearing doom and gloom stories can make anyone feel helpless. They keep our emotions and pandemic anxiety elevated.

Use the pandemic as a way to reset. Eat meals together with your kids, do activities as a family, and enjoy the things you can right now. Find creative ways to engage your kids, no matter how lame they say you are.

Boredom breeds pessimism and a more negative outlook, so try thinking out of the box. Do something totally silly with your children, like making one of those videos we’ve been seeing of dads with dancing with their kids. What your kids will remember is that you spent time with them. Doing something fun will teach them to look for the positive side of a challenging situation.

Keep to a routine – Kids feel more secure when they know what to expect and can anticipate what’s coming. Having meals or doing school work at a certain time, setting time aside for exercise and family activities, and going to sleep on a schedule all contribute to helping us feel in control. It’s okay to be flexible but, as much as possible, try to stick to the routines you had before the pandemic.

Helping Kid’s Mental Health During Covid

If your child is struggling with anxiety or depression during the pandemic, our compassionate child psychologists are here for them. For more information, contact The Children’s Center for Psychiatry Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

Read More
0
Toddler holding American flag

Is Election Stress Affecting Your Child?

Posted by

Anxiety is mounting while the country waits for the official results of the 2020 election. In this unique pandemic year, the very contentious and now unresolved election has raised everyone’s stress levels. Since the topic is on everyone’s mind, there can be no doubt that election anxiety has affected our children as well. Regardless which side of the debate you land on, it is likely that you have been discussing the election in your home.

In the days before the election, the American Psychological Association (APA) conducted a “Stress in America” Harris poll that was set up to gauge stress levels. The results showed that the majority of Americans (68 %, in fact) reported feeling a significant amount of stress about the presidential race. This stress was felt across party lines. It is uncertain how much the stress of the ongoing pandemic has contributed to our anxiety, but we do know that the hotly debated and oftentimes nasty election has affected many people.

Results Of Election Stress On Kids

With so many adults talking about the election unknowns, we are sure that their distress and fear is trickling down to their children. Young children likely won’t understand the complications that have developed, but kids do pick up on their parent’s stress even when parents try to shield them.

Older children and teens who do understand the election process may have become victims of bullying after peers took sides. Even if they haven’t been harassed, they have likely felt some loss of control or may have had arguments with peers who fall on the opposite side politically.

How To Help Kids Cope With The 2020 Election Anxiety

The first thing to do when helping your child through both election stress and the pandemic anxiety is to give them a safe outlet for their fears. Make sure they know that it is normal to feel distress when things are out of our control. Tell them it is okay to ask questions or to talk about their emotions.

You will also want to limit your news consumption as well as that of your children. The same goes for social media exposure during troubling times. When we binge on news reports about election recounts or debates about the outcome, it keeps emotions running high.

Instead, try to do something together as a family. Pull out the family board games, take a walk, work on holiday crafts, visit a park, or engage your children in other activities that they enjoy. The point is to take care of yourself and your children’s mental health first.

In some ways this distress can also  have some positive aspects to it. By teaching your children to respect the opinions and political parties of others, the debate becomes a life lesson. Help them understand that it is okay for people to have different beliefs since we all have come from different backgrounds and experiences. Tolerance for another viewpoint does not mean they have to agree with it.

In addition, when the winning candidate is officially declared, your reaction can also be a life lesson for your kids. Showing them how to be gracious if your candidate won or how to respectfully accept defeat and disappointment if they didn’t teaches kids how to work towards a kinder world going forward.

Helping Children With Anxiety

For more information about how our child psychologists can help your child deal with election anxiety,  contact the Children’s Center for Psychiatry Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

Read More
0
college student studying

Anxiety Rises Among College Students During The Pandemic

Posted by

Another year of college is in full swing across the country.  In an effort to control the spread of Covid-19 among their students, some schools have gone to strictly virtual learning. Others, however, are combining this option with in-person classes, which creates a higher chance of exposure to the virus. In addition, many campuses are dealing with students who flaunt social distancing guidelines and gather for parties, which spreads it even more. While many young people were eager to get back to college after being fairly isolated during the summer, we are finding that these seemingly reckless situations are negatively impacting the mental health of many students.

Earlier this year, the American College Health Association collected information for their Spring, 2020, National College Health Assessment. At that time, an average of 49.6 percent of the 50, 307 respondents reported moderate levels of stress. Another 24.9 percent said they were experiencing high levels of stress – and that survey only included schools who had begun their data collection prior to March 16, 2020, when many states began shutting down. Today, those numbers are much higher.

In fact, the results of a study done at nine public research universities across the U. S. and led in part by the University of California, Berkeley, Center for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE), shows the incidence of major depressive disorder among college students has more than doubled since Spring, 2019.

Anxiety Symptoms

If your college student is suffering from anxiety, they will likely show some emotional or physical symptoms. Keep in mind that they may not have all these symptoms – they may only have a couple of them. It’s important to talk to your child if they are experiencing some of these concerns.

  • Problems concentrating on coursework (or in general)
  • Distress about their own health or the health of loved ones
  • Changes in eating patterns
  • Trouble sleeping
  • An increase in the use of alcohol, tobacco, or other drugs
  • A worsening of mental health conditions they may already have

There are also physical symptoms of anxiety that may include:

  • Muscle tension
  • Headaches
  • An increase in migraines
  • A rapid heartbeat or shortness of breath
  • Nausea
  • Sweating

Self-Care For Your College Student’s Mental Health

Sometimes taking a little extra time for self-care can help to reduce the mental health aspect of college life during the pandemic. We recommend your student try the following:

  • First, remember that the pandemic is temporary. At some point we’ll have a vaccine, the pandemic will ease, and life will become more normal.
  • In the meantime, it is good to stay connected with family and friends. Your teen can either do this in person (while safely social distancing) or they can keep in touch through a video application, such as Zoom or Facetime.
  • Know that it is okay to feel scared or angry, sad, homesick or anxious. But they should tell someone if they are feeling this way – especially if it has gone on for more than two weeks or if they seem to be feeling worse.
  • Limit online and social media time to avoid being sucked into the gloomy headlines that are so prevalent right now.
  • Set daily goals for completing assignments and tasks.
  • Maintain a routine – as much as possible, they should try to eat at regular mealtimes, get up or go to sleep on a schedule, do coursework on a schedule, etc.
  • Make time every day to do something enjoyable. It can be as simple as carving out time to meditate or do yoga, read a book for fun, or write in a journal.
  • Set aside time to get outside – fresh air, a change of scenery, and endorphin-releasing exercise can all help to rejuvenate the mind.
  • Look into a campus support group, which will help them feel less alone.

If these self-care measures aren’t enough to help your student with their distress, suggest that they reach out to their campus’ psychological services. The campus  counseling center likely can help through phone, telehealth or video platforms, eliminating the need for your child to visit the center in-person.

We Care

If your college student is struggling with the mental health effects of the pandemic, oftentimes it can help to talk with a children’s therapist. We are here with both virtual / online and in-person treatment options.

For more information about how our child psychologists can help your college student deal with anxiety about college life during the pandemic, contact the Children’s Center for Psychiatry Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

Read More
0
kids at summer camp

More Pandemic Grief: No Summer Camp, Plus School At Home

Posted by

We’ve hit midsummer and kids across the country have had to deal with the disappointment of canceled summer camps this year. Now, many school districts are making parents choose between virtual learning this fall or sending their children to school during a pandemic. Some school districts are going entirely virtual. Having to face more upheaval in a year of unprecedented changes has brought up grief and anxiety for both kids and parents. Yet, despite this turmoil, there are some good things that have come from the pandemic.

The Good – Some Pandemic Silver Linings

One of the most significant changes are the family ties that formed or remodeled after our hectic lives were halted. Parents and kids are spending more time together as a family because extracurricular activities aren’t taking precedence. Plus parents who are working from home have extra time to interact with their children since they don’t have to commute.

Just being able to play like children has been good for kids. Often their lives are structured from the time they awaken until they fall into bed at night, so being able to simply play has been good for developing their imagination, exploring their world, and just being a kid.

The Bad – Pandemic Grief And Anxiety

For many kids, having no summer camp has been very distressing. It’s something they look forward to –often, they have friends there that they don’t see for the rest of the year because they live in a different state. For teens who were anticipating becoming camp counselors or who were attending their final year of camp, not being able to go is beyond frustrating.

Furthermore, children haven’t seen most of their school friends in person for several months and are now being told they likely won’t see them this fall, either. In addition, when it comes to learning, many kids do better in a classroom environment where they can see examples and question the teacher directly, so it’s upsetting for them to know they will be stuck at home and struggling with virtual learning.

Parents faced similar emotions at the canceling of camp and the prospect of having their children home for at least some of the fall school semester. Along with having to figure out how to keep kids meaningfully entertained, they’re grieving the loss of their own couple’s trips and trying to navigate another semester of being involuntary teachers.

PTSD And Anxiety In Children During COVID-19

Just as with adults, the stress of life during coronavirus has dramatically altered children’s day-to-day world.

Natural disasters like a pandemic can have long term effects on kid’s emotional and mental health. In studies of children’s mental health after Hurricane Katrina, researcher Carolyn Kousky, reported that, “researchers found high rates of PTSD symptoms as well as other negative mental health impacts and behaviors, such as aggression in adolescent.” Furthermore, a 2013 study found that kids who had gone through a quarantine for disease control scored four times higher on a post-traumatic stress test than children who hadn’t been quarantined.

You can see why it is vital for parents and adult family members to help kids make sense of the pandemic, especially in an accurate way that minimizes their fears.

  • Be available to talk if they have questions (and be sure they know they can come to you).
  • Speak to your children in a calm voice. Try to be reassuring about their fears. Remember that kids can and do pick up on cues in your tone and body language.
  • Validate their feelings of loss and try to show empathy.
  • Try to reduce or limit news broadcasts and screen time so your child (or you!) doesn’t become overwhelmed by news coverage of the pandemic.
  • Try not to condemn or ridicule someone you know to your kids if they have been sick with the virus.
  • Remind kids that rumors run wild on social media. Many stories are inaccurate.

To avoid any long term consequences, it’s essential that parents take steps to address and reduce any COVID-19 anxiety their children may have. KidsHealth.org provides great resources for keeping kids busy during the pandemic and has some helpful ideas for addressing the topic with your child.

Helping Children With Anxiety

For more information about how our mental health professionals and child psychologists can help your child deal with anxiety about the pandemic, contact the Children’s Center for Psychiatry Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

Read More
0
teen wearing fack mask

Is The COVID-19 Pandemic Affecting Your Child’s Mental Health?

Posted by

Schools have been closed for the last couple of months since the coronavirus pandemic began to spread across the country. Stories about the virus’ effects and death rates abound on the news and on social media. Usually, we wouldn’t expect children to be too affected by broadcasts about a new disease unless someone close to them gets sick. In this case, however, their lives have been upended by school closings, parents working from home (or losing their jobs), the requirement to shelter in place and wear masks, and the inability to gather with friends or go to familiar venues.

Children are also likely tapping into their parent’s own fears and concerns. In turn, they may worry that they, their friends, or their family will catch COVID-19. We can estimate how this affects American kids by reading through the studies that were done on children in China, where the outbreak began.

In an article on Psychology Today, Jamie D. Aten, Ph.D., founder and Executive Director of the Humanitarian Disaster Institute at Wheaton College, reports that, “due to uncertainties surrounding the outbreak and ongoing scientific research, it’s estimated that 220 million Chinese children are at a risk of facing mental health issues due to potential prolonged school closure and home containment.”

If this is true for the children in China, why would it be any different here for kids in the United States?

Why Kids Need Mental And Emotional Support During COVID-19

The stress and apprehension surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has altered children’s day-to-day world in a huge way. We know that natural disasters such as this can have a long term effect on kids, just as they can for adults.

As an example, one researcher, Carolyn Kousky, noted that in studies of children’s mental health after Hurricane Katrina, “researchers found high rates of PTSD symptoms as well as other negative mental health impacts and behaviors, such as aggression in adolescent.”

For older children, the added disappointments that have come along with the safer-at-home orders – such as the cancellation of graduations and proms, no school athletic games or activities, and isolation from friends – is sure to have emotional consequences, too.

In fact, it was reported in a 2013 study that researchers found that kids who had gone through a quarantine for disease control scored four times higher on a post-traumatic stress test than children who had not had that same experience.

How To Help Your Child Through Pandemic Anxiety

It’s important for parents and adult family members to help kids make sense of the pandemic, especially in an accurate way that minimizes their fears.

  • Let your child know that you are available to talk if they have questions.
  • When talking to your children, do so in a calm voice. Try to be reassuring and also remember that kids will pick up on cues in your body language and tone.
  • Consider reducing or limiting news broadcasts and screen time so your child doesn’t become overwhelmed by news coverage of the pandemic.
  • Remember that this pandemic can affect anyone, so try not to condemn or ridicule someone you know who may have contracted the virus.
  • Remind kids that rumors run rampant on social media and that many stories are inaccurate.

Teach your children how to stay safe during the pandemic (and afterward):

  • They should wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (have them sing the birthday song twice as an easy way to count the time). They especially need to do this after sneezing, blowing their nose, or using the bathroom, and before eating or handling food. Hand sanitizer is a great option if soap and water are not available (supervise young children if they are using hand sanitizer).
  • If your child needs to sneeze or cough, they should do it into their elbow or a tissue (then throw the tissue in the trash).
  • Stay away from those who are sick or are sneezing or coughing.
  • Keep things that they touch clean. Wipe down frequently used objects such as doorknobs, light switches, the television remote, their phone or tablet frequently with a disinfectant to avoid spreading germs.

It’s important for parents to take steps to address and reduce any COVID-19 anxiety their children may have, so they can avoid any long term consequences. KidsHealth.org provides some great resources for keeping kids busy during the pandemic and offers some helpful hints for addressing the topic with your child.

Connect With A Child Psychologist At Our Children’s Center

If your child is experiencing anxiety related to the COVID-19 pandemic, our child psychologists are available for online services. For more information, contact the Children’s Center for Psychiatry Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

Read More
0
woman talking on a cell phone

How Being On Your Phone Affects Your Child

Posted by

woman talking on a cell phoneWe are all so “connected” nowadays. Everywhere you look, you see people of all ages engrossed in the online world. Children are asking for cellphones at younger and younger ages, while parents often seem so attached to their devices that they barely pay attention to their children. This brings up the question of how being connected to your own phone and devices might be affecting your child.

A colleague recently told me what she had witnessed during her last dental visit: a father came in with two young children under the age of 6. All three of them were on their own devices (dad had a phone, each child had an iPad).

When the little boy was being examined, he was told he had his first loose tooth. The child was so excited and he kept exclaiming, “Daddy! Daddy, my tooth is loose!”

The father barely acknowledged this milestone, even after several attempts by his son to get his attention. Finally, although he did not even look up from his phone, he muttered, “Uh huh, that’s great.” My colleague’s heart broke when she saw how disappointed the little boy was with his father’s lack of response.

In effect, the father had just told his son that whatever he was looking at on his phone was much more important than his child.

Are Parents Addicted To Their Phones?

Several studies and many experts say the answer is “yes.”

A 2015 study done by the online security company, AVG Technologies, found that more than 50 percent of the children who took part in the research ”felt that their parents checked their devices too often (54 percent); and their biggest grievance, when given a list of possible, bad device habits, was that their parents allowed themselves to be distracted by their device during conversations (36 percent) – something that made a third of the complainants feel unimportant (32 percent).”

How does this affect a child’s development? Children learn things like social cues, how to regulate emotions, and how to have conversations by watching and copying their parents. If a parent is hardly interacting with their child, it stunts the child’s development in these social skills.

In a recent opinion article in USAToday, Theresa H. Rodgers, a speech-language pathologist and the 2020 president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), stated that, “Many of my colleagues across the nation say they are seeing more children entering kindergarten with limited communication and social skills. Older children, they say, are unable to handle formal social interactions, like ordering from waitstaff at a restaurant.”

What Are The Effects Of Cell Phones On Family Relationships?

According to an article on NPR, after watching a mother ignore her smiling, babbling infant in favor of viewing a YouTube video, Dr. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician who specializes in child development, began to wonder about the effects of cell phones on family relationships. This led her to conduct a study (albeit an unscientific one) with the help of two colleagues over one summer. Together, they observed 55 family groups who were eating at fast food restaurants.

What they found was “forty of the 55 parents used a mobile device during the meal” and seemed to focus more on their devices than on their kids.

When children feel ignored, they often act out to get their parent’s attention. In her book about parenting, called The Big Disconnect: Protecting Childhood and Family Relationships in the Digital Age, psychologist Catherine Steiner-Adair talks about how parents who ignore their kids in favor of their devices are telling their children “they don’t matter, they’re not interesting to us, they’re not as compelling as anybody, anything, any ping that may interrupt our time with them.”

Further, when Dr. Steiner-Adair did the research for her book, she interviewed 1,000 children, ages 4- to 18-years old. She kept hearing from the kids that they felt “sad, mad, angry, and lonely” when their parents were on their cell phones. This was so upsetting to them that some kids made a point of hiding or damaging their parent’s smartphones.

Help For Parent’s Cellphone Addiction

It can be hard to break your dependence on screen time, even though it’s what is best for your children (and, frankly, yourself). Try these ideas:

  • Limit your use of your cell phone and devices to just 10 percent during the time you are with your child. You can dash off a quick text if it is important, but for the most part – put the phone away.
  • Keep bedrooms, mealtimes, and parent–child play times screen free for children and parents.
  • Use phone apps to remind you when it’s time to stop using the phone.
  • Turn off the majority of your notifications.
  • Delete or limit your social media apps.
  • Stop using your phone as an alarm clock because it’s too easy to get caught up in checking for updates from friends, scanning texts, and reading emails if you pick up the phone to turn off the alarm.

Contact Us To Learn More

For more information and help with breaking your cellphone addiction, contact the Children’s Center for Psychiatry Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

 

Read More
0
Children's Center Now Open

Intensive Outpatient Therapy Helps Children With Depression And Anxiety

Posted by

We all have our anxious moments or times when we are depressed. It’s normal to feel these emotions when we are in stressful situations. In children, anxiety and depression can manifest differently than it does in adults. We often see more dramatic signs of frustration, irritability, and even anger. Kids might be restless, withdraw socially, or lose their appetite.

Usually these conditions go away once conditions improve. For many children, however, anxiety or depression can drag on and on. It may get worse over time and might even start to interfere with their school life, social relationships, or daily activities. When it reaches this point, it is likely that the child has an anxiety or mood disorder that requires treatment from a child psychologist. Be assured that these conditions are highly treatable.

Traditionally, children who are undergoing treatment for anxiety or depression will see their therapist once or twice a week for 30-60 minute sessions. These sessions often continue for three to four months, but could go on much longer depending on the severity of the child’s disorder. However, a relatively new concept in psychotherapy, called intensive outpatient therapy, is showing promise for helping kids get better faster.

What Is Intensive Outpatient Therapy?

Intensive outpatient therapy is focused therapy that is given over longer treatment sessions. For example, intensive treatment might be concentrated into daily, three-hour sessions given five days in a row over a two to four week period.

Just as with a regular psychotherapy session, intensive treatment uses methods like cognitive behavior therapy CBT, mindfulness, and exposure response and prevention (ERP). The idea behind the intensive sessions is to teach strategies to decrease the child’s symptoms and provide support, but to do it within a framework that allows them to live at home and continue school and family activities.

An intensive outpatient therapy program includes:

  • Comprehensive treatment planning
  • Learning to recognize unhealthy behaviors
  • Building successful problem solving abilities
  • Learning coping strategies and skills
  • Methods and practice to aid in asking for and getting support
  • Follow up sessions to reinforce these new skills

Although intensive therapy is fairly new, research is showing that it is just as beneficial as long term therapy or in-patient centered therapy. A 2012 study of adults by Ritschel, Cheavens, and Nelson at the Emory University School of Medicine reported that, “Depression and anxiety scores decreased significantly and hope scores increased significantly over the course of treatment.“

Children who have anxiety and depression make similar advances when they undergo intensive outpatient therapy. These gains are long-lasting, just as they are for traditional treatment.

Intensive therapy involves parents as well as children. During treatment, family meetings are held so that parents can better understand the therapy process and learn how to best support their child.

Additionally, children may interact with other kids so they can see that others are going through similar challenges. This is also an opportunity for them to relate to children their own age in a way they may not be able to with their peers or siblings who don’t face the same concerns.

If you are looking for an intensive program for your child, be sure that whichever one you choose utilizes therapists who have been highly trained in treating anxiety and depression in children and teens.

Also, you want the program to be individualized to your child. They should feel a connection with the therapist. The therapist should work with your child to develop a plan specifically for their needs in order to maximize the outcome of their treatment.

Who Would Benefit From Intensive Outpatient Therapy?

Sometimes a child struggles with depression or anxiety symptoms while still being able to function in their daily life. At other times, they may need more focused therapy and support. Intensive outpatient treatment would work for both children. Intensive therapy can also provide rapid and effective management in someone with severe symptoms who has taken time away from school for their recovery.

To be most effective, children who participate in intensive therapy should:

  • Attend every session. This can be difficult if they are having bad days, but they will get the most benefit by coming to every appointment.
  • Allow themselves time to process what they are learning.
  • Treat themselves gently while they learn that it’s okay to make mistakes
  • Trust in the therapy and therapist.

Learning coping skills and effective management of symptoms may continue on and off during a child’s life. Sometimes kids need a “booster” even after intensive therapy, but trusting that the psychotherapists and treatment will help can aid in quickly reducing and managing moderate to severe anxiety and depression.

Learn More About Our Upcoming Intensive Outpatient Therapy Sessions For Children – Starting Soon!

For more information about our upcoming intensive outpatient therapy sessions for children and teens, talk to the professionals at the Children’s Center for Psychiatry, Psychology and Related Services in Delray Beach, Florida. Contact us or call us today at (561) 223-6568.

Read More
Call Us (561) 223-6568