Takeaway: Generalised anxiety disorder can make your child worry all the time, become restless, and struggle to concentrate. But merely reassuring her when she’s anxious is unlikely to help. Cognitive behavioural therapy from a trained therapist can teach coping skills to manage her emotions. Read More
Takeaway: Children with autism are usually quite solitary and emotionally withdrawn, making it harder to spot mental health issues. And they’re especially vulnerable to conditions like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, and depression. If you’re concerned about your child’s mental health, it’s worth finding a team of specialists who can support you and put together a comprehensive care plan for your child. Read More
Takeway: Many ‘problem behaviours’ in children are a sign of deeper issues that need to be resolved. They’re a sign of unmet social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs. The bad news is that these issues won’t magically sort themselves out. But the good news is that skilled practitioners have an array of tools and techniques to help your child work through her challenges. Read More
Takeaway: Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a subtype of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), where children compulsively try to avoid any demands and requests from other people. These are stressful, so avoiding them feels good. But only for a bit. Then the anxiety comes back even stronger and slowly takes over their lives. Thankfully PDA can be managed if diagnosed early enough. So, it’s worth consulting a specialist for an assessment and a custom care plan. Read More
Takeaway: There are many schools of psychology, each with its own approach and solution to common life problems. Eclectic therapy takes aspects of these different approaches and uses the ones that will best help your child. So, it’s a personalised, flexible form of therapy that focuses on your child’s specific needs. And it offers a holistic approach that is often missing in more rigid forms of traditional therapy.
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Takeaway: Children with learning difficulties often think of themselves as being ‘stupid’, which stirs up a storm of frustration, anger, stress, and sadness. But with the right set of social and emotional coping skills, they can craft a new life and rebuild their self-esteem. So, support your child by teaching her the essential skills of (1) Self-awareness, (2) Social awareness, (3) Responsible decision making, (5) Self-discipline, and (6) Relationship building.
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Takeaway: Your child might be anxious, but this is a chance to teach her coping skills she can use for the rest of her life. The trick is to (1) Listen, watch, and stay available, (2) Be positive, calm, and reassuring, (3) Help her process what she hears, (4) Be honest and fact-based about what you tell her, (5) Teach her what she can do to stop germs from spreading.
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