Dyslexia, Ages 6 to 12
What is dyslexia? Although the term has fallen out of favor among child psychologists and other experts, dyslexia is popularly used to mean a disability in processing language. There are three types: visual (trouble recognizing printed letters or word…
Learn MoreOppositional Defiant Disorder
Consider the standards used to diagnose oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and you may think they could describe any kid on a bad day — and almost any teenager almost every day: They argue with adults, deliberately annoy people, defy rules, and hav…
Learn MoreComforting Your Child During Medical Procedures
What can I do to comfort my child during medical procedures or hospital stays? Even though the typical pediatrician’s office comes fully equipped with clowns on the wall and a dozen issues of Highlights magazine in the waiting room, your child will st…
Learn MoreAttention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Ages 12 to 16
What is attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder?ADHD (commonly known as ADD) is a behavioral disorder. Basically, kids who have it have difficulty concentrating and are extremely restless, or both. The American Psychiatric Association calls the disti…
Learn MoreWhining, Ages 6 to 12
How can I get my child to stop whining?A school-age child who whines can be a serious nuisance and may earn a reputation as a complainer at school. Ending the habit isn’t easy. Find the patience and resolution to help your child by reminding yourself …
Learn MoreWhining, Ages 1 to 3
How can I get my child to stop whining?That depends on why he’s whining. If he’s hungry, tired, or bored, give him what he needs: a snack, a nap, a suggestion of something to do, or maybe just a hug. Then you can figure out how to curb his fussy behav…
Learn MoreHarry Potter and Divorce Among the Muggles
We were listening to a tape of the most recent Harry Potter volume, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, on the way back from the beach, my three children and I. It was late, and everyone was sunburned and sandy, stunned into peaceful silence. T…
Learn MoreNight Terrors
If you’ve ever seen a young child in the grip of a night terror, you’ll never forget it. He’ll wail in panic, scream, and thrash about like a small animal. His eyes are wide open but he doesn’t recognize or even see you. A child with a night terror is…
Learn MoreStress and Child Abuse: The Past Hurts
Child abuse casts a long shadow. A long-term study published in the Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect found that by age 21, up to 80 percent of child abuse survivors had developed a psychiatric illness, including depression and anxiety disorders.In r…
Learn MoreSinus Congestion in Children
What are the sinuses? The sinuses are four sets of air-filled cavities located behind and around the nose and eyes. Many people (adults as well as children) only become aware of these spaces when they begin hurting, so they may not appreciate their va…
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