WHY AND HOW DO TEENS CYBERBULLY – The Rise of the Social Cyberbully All types of bullying seem to be on the rise but for many of our youth, it is the cyberbully that causes them more pain. Cyber-bullying sneaks right in our homes and most parents are not even aware it is happening! Tweens
Continue Reading...How Technology is Increasingly Putting Our Children into Dangerous Positions
As technology strides forward, so does our quality of life. We are now in a world where common household appliances can operate without our attention, cars nearly drive on their own, and if you need to learn anything about anything, you can look it up on your supercomputer that fits in the palm of your
Continue Reading...The Long-Term Effects of Bullying
Did you know that the effects of bullying reach not just the victim but also the bully? Those who work with kids, tweens and teens know too well why you must stop bullying to avoid long term harm to all parties involved. They know the problems surrounding all forms of bullying are far reaching and may affect the victim, the bully, and even the silent bystanders.
As parents, we all worry about bullying. And, unfortunately, the statistics tell us we have a cause for concern.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tells us that bullying affects as many as 20 percent of high school students while cyberbullying impacts 16 percent.
Continue Reading...Is Social Media to Blame for the Worsening Mental Health of Teenagers?
Today, we live in a technology-dominated world. While this is an exciting and progressive time in human history, technology does have its pros and cons. Many individuals, particularly teens, experience the downsides of it since they consume the most technology and social media. In short, the answer is “yes”, social media is definitely to blame for worsening the health of teenagers and especially the mental health of teenagers, this is why:
Continue Reading...Benefits of Coloring for Kids, Teens, and Adults
What are the benefits of coloring for kids, teens, and adults? Coloring books have been around for ages but when my own children were young we started hearing that coloring someone else’s designs was not creative enough. Parents and teachers were advised to let the children draw their own pictures and then hopefully color them.
Continue Reading...Finger Picking or Skin Picking “Habits” That Are Difficult to Break by Bill Nason, MS, LLP
I just found a very informative page on Facebook, it is the “Autism Discussion Page – Helping Your Child Feel “Safe, Accepted, and Competent”. This page was developed by Bill Nason, MS, LLP to discuss tools that help children on the autism spectrum feel safe, accepted and competent. Although each child is different, with their unique strengths
Continue Reading...Understanding Schizophrenia: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment
A post to help in understanding schizophrenia, a mental disorder that generally appears in late adolescence or early adulthood – however, it can emerge at any time in life. It is one of many brain diseases that may include delusions, loss of personality (flat affect), confusion, agitation, social withdrawal, psychosis, and bizarre behavior. On the Schizophrenia Society
Continue Reading...Academic Accommodations for Mental Health Problems: Know Your Rights
This post about academic accommodations was first published in May 26, 2010. Today, March 2016 we have updated the content and the links to help parents and young adults with mental health issues or other special needs to know their right to academic accommodations while pursuing courses in community colleges, university, and any other post-secondary education.
Parents of 5 year old children going off to primary school, think it is difficult to see their little one leave the nest. Seeing an older teen with mental health problems going off to university can make parents sick with worry. For all of you who are about to face the same situation, read on to find out the kind of academic accommodations university students with mental illnesses are entitled to as are students with many other disabilities or challenging needs.
Continue Reading...Coping with an Introverted Child by Ashley Hardway
When our daughter was a toddler she was very outgoing and brave. She would talk to just about everyone and was not afraid to share her feelings. She had plenty of friends and did really well in school. I was so pleased because she seemed so very well rounded and she was thriving. But then things changed. Our daughter became what could be labelled as an introverted child.
Continue Reading...Questions About Connecticut Shooter Adam Lanza, Asperger’s Syndrome, & SPD by Temple Grandin, PhD
Questions About Connecticut Shooter Adam Lanza, Asperger’s Syndrome, and SPD by Temple Grandin, PhD is a special feature from Sensory Focus Magazine Spring 2013 Issue. Read our post about Sensory Focus Magazine. Sensory Focus Magazine, published by Sensory World, is distributed in digital and print format and past issues are also available.
Many people in the special-needs community are concerned about news reports that indicate Adam Lanza, the gunman who killed the children and teachers at the school in Connecticut, had Asperger’s syndrome and perhaps Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). They fear that this information will make the public think that individuals with these disorders are inherently violent.
Continue Reading...Benefits of Gardening for Children with Autism and Special Educational Needs
Gardening is motivational for the child and is great for the mental health of all involved. Children with special needs benefit from gardening but so do their peers, caregivers and educators
Continue Reading...Mental Illness and Mental Health in Children and Youth
Unfortunately the term “A Happy Childhood” does not apply to all children and youth. It is estimated that 10-20% of Canadian youth are affected by a mental illness or mental disorder, as it is also referred to. Mental disorders are the single most disabling group of disorders worldwide. Surpassed only by injuries, mental disorders in youth are the second highest hospital care expense in Canada.
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