Pediatricians have an important role in the entire health of children, including their mental well-being. Because there is a shortage of behavioral and mental health specialists in many areas, pediatricians must be well-equipped to treat mental health problems when referrals are not readily available....
When infants and babies feel secure in their relationships with their closest caregivers, it provides a positive impact on their overall mental health. Ensuring pediatric practices meet these needs can help infants and young children grow into healthy and well-adjusted adults....
We are fortunate that diseases like polio, mumps, and diphtheria are now words most young people only know from history lessons — not from first-hand experience with the diseases that were an ever-present danger decades ago. Thanks to the heroic vaccination efforts of physicians, many diseases have been eradicated or...
Many of us have experienced trauma over the last few years as we’ve been forced to deal with the fallout from the pandemic, geopolitical conflicts, social unrest, and a dire economic outlook. Unfortunately, the youngest among us have not been immune to the trauma either....
Cultivating the patient-provider connection is essential to delivering an exceptional patient engagement experience at your pediatric practice. It’s up to you to reimagine what the future of medicine looks like. ...
Parents, researchers, pediatricians, and front-line mental health providers are all saying the same thing: there is an ongoing mental health crisis among youth in America. Taking action to mitigate these challenges is essential. However, it can be hard to know where to start without the appropriate data....
ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders present in childhood. Despite receiving significant attention throughout the last 30 years, doctors and researchers are still uncovering new potential causes, contributing factors, and treatment options for those with ADHD....
Medical professionals and public health officials across the United States are expressing concern about the growing rise of youth behavioral health visits in our nation’s hospitals. While alarming, this trend should come as no surprise given the ongoing youth mental health crisis that the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated....
Recent legislation allows children to take mental health days off from public school, but not all states are on board. See where your state stands, and how you can advocate to include mental health selfcare as a legitimate reason for missed school days....
Learning to communicate with patients online has been a central hallmark of the COVID-19 pandemic for pediatric practices. However, evaluating whether your practice is succeeding in this area can be a challenge. The scope of communication in healthcare varies, and there’s no one standard metric that providers can use to...
Many young children and teens struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fortunately, organizations like Duck Cup Memorial Fund are stepping into the fray to bring more awareness to this issue. Sara Jutz, the Executive Director of Duck Cup Memorial Fund, recently spoke on the PediaTricks podcast to share more information about...
Rich Szabo, MD, joined the PediaTricks Podcast to discuss "Pediatric Mental Health - Seeing the Whole Child” to address the ongoing mental health crisis, what may be exacerbating these issues for our kids, and how OP’s tools can help....
The Trevor Project is one of this nation’s foremost non-profit organizations focusing on the mental health of of youth and young adults in the LGBTQ community. Since 1998, The Trevor Project has sought to help LGBTQ individuals through their work in crisis intervention, peer support, advocacy, research, and public education....
Some of the best summer activities can also help children decompress from a stressful school year, which can help improve troubling mental health symptoms. As social distancing measures are now relaxed, and more activities become available, children may need some encouragement to step outside of their comfort zone and get...
It’s no surprise that pediatric mental health issues have skyrocketed to unrivaled levels as children have been forced to navigate the challenges that have come with the last two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Desperate for ways to address this growing concern, healthcare professionals across the United States are coming together to...
This year, Mental Health Awareness Month feels especially timely, as scientific publications and news pieces continue to chronicle the ongoing mental health crisis in America. COVID, and its impact across all areas of life has triggered an alarming spike in feelings of loneliness, depression, anxiety, stress, and hopelessness. ...
Each May, we celebrate National Children’s Mental Health Week to underscore the importance of nurturing positive mental health among our nation’s youth. This year, from May 1st-7th, the awareness week will emphasize the vital importance of building strong emotional health for children’s long-term development and overall wellness....
April is Autism Acceptance Month (AAM), a month-long celebration devoted to raising advocacy for and awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This year marks the 50th anniversary of AAM, which was founded by the Autism Society in 1972 to spread awareness, promote acceptance, and ignite change. ...
It is no surprise that children and youth mental health has suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic. With schools forced to switch back and forth between remote learning and in-class education, it has been very difficult for teachers and school personnel to keep up with the surging demand for resources. ...
The past couple of years of uncertainty, loss, and change have had a profound impact on our nation’s youth. Even prior to the pandemic, rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation among adolescents had been steadily rising for a decade....
On October 19th, 2021, a variety of leading pediatric organizations including the Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics declared a national emergency in children’s mental health....
As pediatricians are struggling to keep up with limited resources and increased demand for care related to COVID-19, two distinguished pediatricians have partnered up to provide this game changing tool for pediatric practices....
The current healthcare system is set up to treat acute diseases, but lacks the capacity for complex cases. In contrast, the whole child approach uses collaborative care, including physical, behavioral, development, and environmental health....
