Hot Topics
Anxiety
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Our daughter doesn't accept her diagnoses of anxiety and depression, and we aren't thrilled with the psychologist. Any suggestions?
- Alan Ravitz, MD, MS
People think that you don't need to like a therapist, but that just isn't true. And with teens who are particularly treatment-resitant, finding the right person is key.
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Naomi Judd at the Katz Lecture: Tragedy, Resilience, and Success
- Harry Kimball
Famed singer says there's no shame in mental illness. And to those who perpetuate stigma? 'Shame on them.'
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The Most Common Misdiagnoses in Children
From inattention to disruptive behavior, many symptoms have multiple causes, leading to mistakes when kids aren't carefully assessed
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My son gets angry easily and is anxious about it. Will a safe, over-the-counter remedy or a gluten-free diet help?
- Ron J. Steingard, MD
Excessive anger can be caused by many things. Understanding what's behind it is the first step to helping the child, and behavioral therapy has been shown to be more effective than diet or supplements.
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How Anxiety Leads to Disruptive Behavior
- Caroline Miller
Kids who seem angry and oppositional are often severely anxious and unable to express themselves.
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Anxious About Learning: Helping Kids Find Success - Matthew Cruger, PhD

Dr. Matt Cruger discusses how learning difficulties can lead to impairing anxiety in children if they don't have the right supports. The key is to help them experience success so they can tackle problems with confidence.
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What Drives Self-Injury and How to Treat It
- Rachel Ehmke
Kids—usually teenage girls—hurt themselves intentionally to alleviate some other form of pain in their lives. The behavior is hard to comprehend, but understanding plays a big role in treatment.
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Intensive Intervention for Selective Mutism

Melissa Ortega, PsyD, formerly of the Child Mind Institute, discusses how intensive intervention for children with selective mutism can turn around lives in really stunning ways--for all involved.
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My daughter, 6, had what I think was a panic attack, and she has extreme nightmares. Should I worry?
- Rachel Busman, PsyD
One panic attack does not suggest a disorder, but if the nightmares are frequent enough to be impairing, it's worth discussing with a pediatrician or mental health professional.
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Kids and Anxiety: The Parents' Role in Treatment
Children with anxiety disorders like OCD rely on parents to help them avoid what they fear. But cooperation only makes the fear worse. In therapy parents learn to help kids fight back.
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