Did you know that anxiety disorders and OCD work differently in children than in adults? This may seem intuitively obvious but is not reflected in most treatments for child anxiety and OCD. Current treatment protocols conceptualize anxiety disorders and OCD as the result of an overactive threat detection system. This understanding falls short when we […]
We all had our fair share of struggle this past year-plus. But it’s hard to argue that parents of young children had it particularly rough. Workloads doubled, tripled, or quadrupled overnight for parents who suddenly found themselves not “just” parenting and working their regular jobs, but now also acting as stand-in teachers and childcare providers. […]
As a clinician specializing in the treatment of pediatric anxiety and OCD, I am very fortunate to have access to so many effective interventions designed to treat the children suffering from these disorders. However, as anyone who works with this population knows, addressing the child’s symptoms is only half the battle.
It’s no secret that kids crave attention—in fact, parents’ attention can be the most powerful reinforcement a child can receive. And that goes for positive as well as negative attention—whether you’re complimenting your child or yelling at him. Therefore, it’s important to know how to use your attention wisely.
Most children have their fair share of behavioral challenges, but for some, these can be especially intense, leaving the whole family exasperated. Difficult behaviors like backtalk, incessant arguing, attention-seeking, lying, and even swearing, hitting, and outright defiance can be incredibly stressful for […]