Hot Topics

Choosing Appropriate Gifts for Children

Parents and caregivers today may be overwhelmed by the number of possible gifts for children that promise to increase a child’s intelligence or physical development.  Mass marketing often controls what is available in the market, and not every well-marketed toy is appropriate for your child.

Do As I Say, Not As I TXT: Tips for Parents to Manage Technology Use at the Dinner Table

In 21st-century America, where we no longer quilt on the front porch, play musical instruments together, or plant beans side-by-side in the field, dinner is the primary occasion we use to connect with one another. It’s also an important time to tell family stories, teach social skills and model good manners.

What to Know About Getting Your Child SAT/ACT Accommodations

The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Test (ACT) are important tests for students hoping to go to college.  If you have a high school student with a learning disability (such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, disorder of written expression) or ADHD, you might be wondering if they can—or should—receive extended time on tests.

Raising Resilient Children

This has been a tough year to be a parent.

Violent Schoolyard Scribbles: How Can Teachers, Doctors And Parents Tell If A Child’s Scary Drawings Are A Cause For Concern?

The resident, Dr. G., arrived for a four-hour shift. A pediatrician in his second year of training, he was in the midst of a rotation designed to teach him about psychiatric problems in children.

Kids at Risk for Violence: Warning Signs of Aggression

Some kids will become violent as adolescents.

Many have a very short fuse, exploding over the smallest thing. Others, like a ticking time bomb, harbor pent up anger until something pops.

Over-Scheduled, Stressed-Out Families

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps – just search for “Shrinking It Down.

Is It Safe to Use Stimulants to Treat ADHD?

It’s not unusual for parents to bring their kid with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to a child psychiatrist and say:

“We really want you to help, but do not want any medications.

Tips For Parents Sending Kids To College

College is quite a milestone in family life. For parents and college-bound youth, it represents the real beginning of adulthood. Prospects of autonomy, independence and REALLY leaving home come to mind. It’s an incredibly exciting and long-awaited achievement.

The Adolescent Brain: Primed for Thrills and High On Life

Teenagers are convinced they are ready to take the reins, no longer wanting to be held back by overly-cautious adults who don’t really ‘get it,’ who don’t understand the urgency of whatever situation is brewing at that moment.