Caffeine and its effects are a very common source of concern in the current day. Through all of the hustle and bustle of the modern world, caffeine has proved itself useful for many people at one point or another in their life. It is the most widely used central nervous system stimulant in the world. As of 2015, approximately 75% of children age 5 or older consume caffeine on a daily basis in the United States. Many people might stop and picture a 5-year-old drinking coffee in the morning before getting on the kindergarten bus– but that’s not the case! Caffeine is added to all kinds of beverages including sodas, teas, sparkling waters, and energy drinks marketed towards the younger generations. How does caffeine affect the body?

Caffeine is a part of a majority of people’s daily routines, especially in the United States. We all know someone (or maybe we are that someone) that cannot be spoken to until they’ve had their coffee! Coffee is commonly referred to as liquid gold or liquid energy, but how does it work?

Caffeine acts on the nervous system as well as the cardiovascular, renal, and respiratory systems. It blocks the uptake of a substance called adenosine. This substance is what builds up causing us to feel tired. For some people, caffeine can increase alertness, stimulate wakefulness, provide a prolonged ability to sustain intellectual activity, and decrease reaction times by blocking the uptake of the adenosine. These are the effects that draw the consumer in, but what if you knew that these effects might only be fleeting and could potentially leave you with some very unfavorable feelings in the future?

Anxiety is a condition affecting approximately 40 million American adults and 4.4 million children aged 3-17. Adults with anxiety disorders have been shown to react negatively to caffeine due to its role in affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). This system of the body regulates things like stress hormones and blood pressure, which directly affect how someone is feeling. For someone with an anxiety disorder, this can induce feelings of panic and even a panic attack. Because it blocks the uptake of adenosine and alleviates feelings of being tired, it can cause detrimental issues related to sleep and rest for many people. That crash you might feel after it wears off? That happens due to the rush of the adenosine finally being able to bind to those receptors making you feel very tired very fast. Not everyone experiences this, but many people do.

Sleep is the body’s way of restoring and repairing. This is the way in which we re-charge and perform necessary metabolic functions, especially those that repair and detoxify.  When it comes to anxiety and related conditions such as depression, sleep hygiene is very important. When sleep is off, hormone production can also be dysregulated including the stress hormone cortisol. Caffeine’s stimulatory effects can disturb sleep hygiene making repairing, detoxification, revitalization, and hormone balance difficult for the body to regulate. When these functions and processes are not being performed optimally, this can show up as issues such as brain fog and trouble concentrating, poor detoxification, skin issues, disruptions within the microbiome, hormone dysregulation, weight gain, and more.

Consuming caffeine should be limited to the beginning of the day and an appropriate amount. The full effects of caffeine are typically felt within 1 hour of consumption and can be felt for up to 6 hours following consumption.  This is why it is very important to be mindful of your caffeine consumption in relation to your desired bedtime if you are having trouble falling or staying asleep.

General amounts of caffeine in common beverages:

What is an appropriate amount of caffeine for the average person? The average person can consume up to 400mg per day of caffeine without any harmful side effects. Keep in mind that everyone is different and unique in their other environmental factors as well as their genetics. Children, those with heart conditions or heart disease, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those with chronic headaches or migraines, people with peptic ulcers or GERD, and those on certain stimulant medications and even some antibiotics should be very careful in regard to consuming caffeine.

Because children are smaller they are especially sensitive to caffeine compared to adults. Studies have shown that children are especially susceptible to the effects of caffeine in regard to immediate effects as well as how they might be affected as they get older. Because most children consume caffeine through the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and teas, they are more likely to be overweight or obese into adolescence and adulthood when they consume these beverages on a regular basis. These beverages have empty calories, lack vitamins and minerals, cause inflammation from added sugars, colors, dyes, flavorings, and act as diuretics leading to increased urination and possible dehydration. It’s best for kids and adults alike to stick to water as their main beverage of choice!

What about genetics? The genetic component to how someone might process caffeine relates to what are called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These polymorphisms are very common within human DNA. This means that single amino acids are altered in the DNA sequence. These SNPs can be beneficial in some ways, but also harmful depending on the SNP as well as other factors such as diet, lifestyle, stress, etc. The CYP1A2 gene plays a role in the body’s ability to process exogenous substances including aflatoxin B1, acetaminophen, and caffeine. Those who have an SNP in this gene might process caffeine at a much slower rate compared to the general population. This might look like someone feeling the effects of caffeine far beyond the general 6-hour window after consumption.

For those who have this SNP and do not know, this might manifest as anxiety, restlessness, trouble concentrating, insomnia, and other behavioral and psychological issues as well as physical ones. If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety, sleep issues, trouble concentrating, trouble losing weight, or hormone imbalances consider eliminating caffeine from your diet to see how it might help.

Keep in mind that for those who consume caffeine on a regular basis, caffeine withdrawal might happen after they discontinue consumption of caffeine, typically one or two days after they stop. This might include headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea, and trouble concentrating. This typically improves as time goes on and resolves itself after a few days.

If you are looking to learn more about Caffeine and its effects on mental health or nutrition, call us at 201-488-6678!

References

ADAA. (2021, April 21). Facts & Statistics. adaa.org. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics

CDC. (2021, March 22). Anxiety and depression in children: Get the facts. cdc.gov. Anxiety and depression in children: Get the facts

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. 2, Pharmacology of Caffeine. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/

Nemours. (2017, February 1). Caffeine. Nemours Kids Health. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/child-caffeine.html

O’Neill, C. E., Newsom, R. J., Stafford, J., Scott, T., Archuleta, S., Levis, S. C., Spencer, R. L., Campeau, S., & Bachtell, R. K. (2016). Adolescent caffeine consumption increases adulthood anxiety-related behavior and modifies neuroendocrine signaling. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 67, 40–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.01.030U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2021, July 2). Caffeine: Medline Plus. medlineplus.gov. https://medlineplus.gov/caffeine.html

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Clinician Guidelines to Culturally Competent Care

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a highly prevalent and pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder. ADHD typically occurs in early development, prior to a child’s school enrollment and is characterized by persistent inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that affects an individual’s functioning and/or development. Individuals with ADHD can present with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or a combination of both.

Inattention manifests behaviorally as failing to attend to details or making careless mistakes, wandering off task, lacking persistence, difficulty sustaining focus, and being disorganized. Individuals with inattentive features tend to reduce their engagement in tasks or activities that require sustained cognitive effort and may appear forgetful or distracted. Hyperactivity and impulsivity manifest behaviorally as excessive motor activity, restlessness or an inability to sit still when appropriate, appearing as if “driven by a motor”, difficulties waiting for one’s turn in social settings, social intrusiveness, and engagement in actions without recognition of the potential for harm or aversive consequences.

For a diagnosis of ADHD to be met, individuals must exhibit six or more symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity or a combination of both. Symptoms must be present for at least six months, are inconsistent with developmental norms, and directly interfere with an individual’s functioning. Symptoms must be present in at least two settings, such as at home, school, with peers/family, or during leisure activities.

ADHD is highly prevalent among youth and adult populations, with 11% of youth and 8.1% of adults affected during their lifetime. Recent research by London & Landes (2021) has demonstrated a significant increase in estimates of ADHD in adult populations by 24.6% in individuals aged 18-64 and a decrease in gender differences with respect to ADHD prevalence.

While estimates have shown higher rates of ADHD among men and boys, greater diagnostic clarity, symptom recognition, and systematic changes in health care have increased the assessment and recognition of ADHD symptoms in women and girls. However, disparities continue to exist for ADHD prevalence cross-culturally. These disparities in prevalence among diverse cultures may be due to cultural biases inherent in diagnostic assessment and clinical screening tools. Cultural prevalence rates may also differ, due to differences in the ways ADHD manifests in diverse cultures, interpretation of diverse youth behavior by clinicians or caregivers, and bias in rating and screening.

Despite research that demonstrates ADHD occurs in virtually all cultures and countries, the majority of the research on ADHD focuses on Caucasian Americans. However, race, culture, and ethnicity are critical to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD. While, searches for articles that include “ADHD” and “Race” have increased from 1990-2000, as well as reductions in bias in clinical care through diversity training that aim to reduce implicit bias, cultural biases in ADHD diagnosis continue. Furthermore, factors such as racism, stereotyping, trauma, and social disadvantage contribute to the maintenance or exacerbation of ADHD symptoms. These factors can also affect how an individual’s symptoms manifest, the likelihood an individual receives a diagnosis and treatment, and the rate of ADHD detection. Thus, recognizing how ADHD can present across various cultures is significant for clinicians and our communities.

For example, people of Hispanic heritage may be at risk for over-diagnosis, due to expectations within their culture to attend to and perform a variety of tasks during one period of time. This is in contrast to European American cultures who organize tasks and activities in a linear fashion, attending to a singular task or activity, prior to initiating another. Additionally, Hispanic culture deemphasizes structure, routine, and punctuality, whereas European Americans place a higher value on these factors. Therefore, Hispanic children may be at a higher risk of being perceived as impulsive and inattentive, symptomatic of ADHD, rather than behaving in accordance with their culture.

Because ADHD occurs during early, critical periods of an individual’s development, assessment and treatment of ADHD in all cultural groups is critical for the attainment of important skills required for a successful transition into adolescence and adulthood.

Tips for Clinicians in Providing Culturally Competent Care:

1. Identify your own cultural biases and reduce them, through:
   1. Intellectual Engagement (learning about cultural groups through articles, videos, journals)
   2. Emotional Engagement (engaging in personal reflection with own biases, attitudes, and experiences with diverse groups)
   3. Relational Engagement (developing positive relationships with people from different cultural groups)
2. Reflect on your life experiences with people of diverse cultural backgrounds
3. Consider your own experiences of discrimination. Ask yourself: “Are there aspects of your identity that impact the way you perceive others?”
4. Understand and assess key historical events, sociopolitical issues, basic values and beliefs, and cultural practices of your client.
5. Consider cultural explanations in the diagnosis and conceptualization of mental health issues.
6. Assess mental health through the use of a Cultural Formulation Interview*

Cultural Formulation Interviews in the diagnosis of mental disorders aims to identify and clarify key aspects of the presenting problem from the point of the individual and family members within the client’s social world.

A Cultural Formulation Interview:

1. Elicits the individual’s view of core problems and key concerns
2. Focuses on the individual’s way of understanding the problem
3. Uses client language in the description of the problem
4. Asks how the individual talks about their difficulties or symptoms with family and friends
5. Focuses on the aspects of the problem that are most salient to the individual
6. Obtains cultural perceptions of the cause of the problem, as well as factors that contribute to resiliency or the worsening of symptoms.
7. Identifies the role of culture as a protective or promotive factor in healing and wellness.

While little research has been conducted on ADHD in diverse cultures, and racial/ethnic minorities are less likely to be assessed, diagnosed, and treated for ADHD, clinicians can mitigate these disparities in mental health care by utilizing a culturally informed approach to care with all clients.

Specialized Therapy Associates includes staff that is highly skilled in the assessment and treatment of a wide range of mental health issues.  For a free consultation with our intake coordinator who will match you to the best provider and service to fit your needs and goals, call 201-488-6678 or visit https://www.specializedtherapy.com/make-an-appointment/ to schedule an appointment.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Centers for Disease Control (2020, November 16). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder  (ADHD). Data and Statistics About ADHD. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

Conrad, P., & Potter, D. (2000). From hyperactive children to ADHD adults: Observations on the expansion of medical categories. Social Problems, 47(4), 559-582. https://doi.org/10.2307/3097135

Danielson, M. L., Bitsko, R. H., Ghandour, R. M., Holbrook, J. R., Kogan, M. D., & Blumberg, J. (2018). Prevalence of parent-reported ADHD diagnosis and associated treatment among U.S. children and adolescents, 2016. Null, 47(2), 199 212.         https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1417860

Fletcher, J. M. (2014). The effects of childhood ADHD on adult lab market outcomes. Health

Economics, 23(2), 159-181. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.2907

Fletcher, J., & Wolfe, B. (2009). Long-term consequences of childhood ADHD on criminal activities. The journal of mental health policy and economics, 12(3), 119–138.

Evans, S. W., Owens, J. S., Wymbs, B. T., & Ray, A. R. (2018). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Null, 47(2), 157-198. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1390757

Hook, J.N., Davis, D., Owen, J., & DeBlaere, C. (2017). Cultural Humility: Engaging Diverse Identities in Therapy. Washington, D.C., USA: American Psychological Association. ISBN 1-4338-2779-4 (Digital, undefined format) or ISBN 978-1-4338-2779-2 (Digital, undefined format)

Iwamasa, G.Y. & Hays, P.A. (2019). Culturally Responsive Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Practice and Supervision (2^nd edition). Washington, D.C., USA: American Psychological Association. ISBN 1-59147-360-8 (Hardcover)

Lensing, M. B., Zeiner, P., Sandvik, L., & Opjordsmoen, S. (2015). Psychopharmacological treatment of ADHD in adults aged 50+: An empirical study. Journal of attention disorders, 19(5), 380–389. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054714527342

London, A. S. & Landes, S. D. (2021). Cohort change in the prevalence of ADHD among U.S.  adults: Evidence of a gender-specific historical period effect. Journal of attention disorders, 25(6), 771-781. https://doi.org/10.117/1087054719855689

Richards, P. S & Bergin, A. E. (Ed.). (2014). Handbook of Psychotherapy and Religious

Diversity (2^nd edition). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

ISBN 1-4338-1736-5 (PDF) or ISBN 978-1-4338-1736-6 (PDF)

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For many children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety, the thought of returning to school and other in-person interactions has triggered increased anxiety symptoms. Early on in the pandemic many children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety may have experienced relief. They may have experienced relief from bullying and social anxiety and may have worried less about their performance and how they are perceived by others.  Studies show that some children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety reported an improvement in their symptoms of anxiety and depression since the start of the pandemic and their ability to attend school and other events remotely. Attending school virtually has decreased unpredictability and uncertainty which is the trigger for anxious symptoms in many children and adolescents. Many children and adolescents have become accustomed to attending school remotely. Therefore, some may be experiencing intensified anxious symptoms as they emotionally prepare to return to in-person school and activities.

What is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety also referred to as Social Phobia, is a mental health condition where you may suffer from increased anxious symptoms and self-consciousness in social situations. You may experience a persistent fear of social situations and be watched or judged by others. This may affect work, school, and your other everyday activities and functioning. For children the median age of onset is 13-years-old, however, onset can also occur between the ages of 8 and 15-years-old (Psycom.Net).

For children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety, they may be easily triggered by numerous situations, including engaging in conversations with others, speaking in public, making eye contact, entering rooms, using public restrooms, reading out loud, reading out loud, going to parties, eating in front of other people, starting conversations, and going to school or work. They may experience fearfulness of being judged in social situations or embarrassment, accidentally offending another person, experiencing increased anxious thought processes during conversations, or being the center of attention. Children may experience intensified worries in social situations, including school, play dates, and sports teams.

Those who experience social anxiety may avoid social stimulation and social events engaging in the cycle of avoidance. This can later lead to low self-esteem, poor social skills, depression, and increased negative thought processes.

Social Anxiety can cause many children and adolescents to experience high distress and may harm social relationships, academic performance, self-confidence, and academic performance.

What symptoms do those with Social Anxiety Experience?

Many children who struggle with Social Anxiety experience fear and anxiety manifested as meltdowns/tantrums, clinging, crying, freezing, or refusing to speak (psycom.net).  They may also experience several physical symptoms including:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Dizziness/Lightheadedness
• Stomach distress
• Muscle tension
• Inability to catch a breath
• “Out-of-body” sensation/ Disassociation
• Shakiness/Trembling

How you can support your socially anxious child?

Parents can assist children to cope with their Social Anxiety by helping them understand the nature and meaning of their mental illness and coping with their symptoms. Parents and mental health professionals can assist children to make connections between emotional responses, physical symptoms, and triggers to begin learning how to cope. Providing psychoeducation and providing normalcy in how anxiety impacts thinking and behavior can significantly impact the ability to cope with negative emotional experiences.

Helpful Coping Mechanisms for Children and adolescents who Experience Social Anxiety:

• Relaxation Strategies
  • The first step is to assist your child to understand physical responses to anxiety within their body and relax to utilize adaptive coping strategies.
    • Deep Breathing: Deep breathing has been effectively proven to calm the rapid heart rate and slow down breathing and feelings of dizziness. You can teach your child numerous deep breathing strategies, including ocean breathing, balloon breathing, and deep belly breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, hold, exhale for 6 seconds).
    • Progressive Muscle Relaxation: For those who experience intensified anxious responses they may experience tension and stress within their muscles. Progressive Muscle Relaxation teaches children to relax muscles and release tension throughout the body from arms, neck, and shoulders to feet and legs.
    • Imagery: As our thoughts have a powerful influence on our feelings guided imagery focusing on a calming environment, such as the beach, mountains, or sky, can significantly reduce intensified anxious symptoms.
  • Problem Solving Skills
    • Children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety tend to engage in the cycle of avoidance. This may provide temporary relief, however, may worsen the anxious symptoms over time. Problems solving techniques can assist children to manage feelings of anxiety. Assisting your child to identify triggers that lead to social anxiety in order to discuss problem-solving skills can assist them to work through these anxiety-provoking themes or situations. For example, assisting your children to develop social skills through role-play and modeling can assist them to gain confidence and reduce anxiety symptoms.
  • Challenging Anxious Thoughts & Cognitive Reframing
    • Children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety are sometimes overwhelmed with negative core beliefs which magnify anxious thoughts. They may experience anxious thoughts surrounding assuming worst-case scenario, believing that others view them negatively/struggling to differentiate between self-image verse others perceptions, personalization, etc. Therefore, examining evidence of the thoughts can reduce anxious feelings. Teaching children to recognize anxious thoughts, examine the evidence which does not support anxious thoughts, and replacing them with positive thoughts can assist in reducing anxious thoughts and symptoms.

If you would like personalized support and guidance on how you can support your socially anxious child, please call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 to schedule your complimentary consultation.

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The impact of holiday stress and pandemic stress on your immune system and the role of perception.

We are undoubtedly living through a stressful time in history. The coronavirus has proposed new and unforeseen challenges to each and every one of us as individuals and collectively as a nation. Suddenly, our daily routine built on stability and predictability has taken a deep dive into uncharted turbulent seas and we have been left to tread water. Between staying on top of the rapidly evolving CDC guidelines, managing our newly virtual careers, keeping small businesses afloat, online schooling, and trying to stay socially connected at a physical distance, it is no wonder we are more stressed than ever!

On top of all that, the holiday season is upon us which proposes a whole new set of challenges. Stress levels tend to be higher this time of year due to the demanding nature of the holiday season. This increase in stress comes with an increase in the incidence of cold and flu, especially as we transition into the winter months. This is no coincidence because stress suppresses the immune system which increases our susceptibility to cold and flu⁴.

This year, we must consider the double affliction of holiday stress and pandemic stress on our immune system’s ability to cope with potential invaders like COVID-19. Therefore, in addition to eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and taking immune-boosting supplements like vitamin D, we must make sure we have our stress levels under control this holiday to make sure our immune system is in fighting shape.

To do this, we must first understand how stress suppresses the immune system so we can determine where and how we can intervene to alleviate its effect.

When we perceive emotional or environmental stress, our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis becomes activated in our brain¹. Once activated, the brain sends a signal to the hypothalamus to release corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) which signals the pituitary gland to secrete an adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)¹. ACTH signals the adrenal gland to produce and excrete cortisol, the primary stress hormone^1,2. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that normal physiologic levels is anti-inflammatory ². This should be considered a good thing… right? In acute situations, yes! Glucocorticoids are so effective at reducing inflammation that they have been reverse-engineered into pharmaceuticals to be prescribed in conditions caused by inflammation like allergies, asthma, and autoimmunity.

However, in today’s world, we are faced with chronic stress which keeps our cortisol constantly activated, and our immune system chronically suppressed. So, the hormone with the initial intention of protecting us by lowering inflammation is causing more harm than good by chronically suppressing our immune system. The current state of the coronavirus pandemic on top of holiday stress comes at an incredibly high price to our immune system. So, what do we do?

The only way to mitigate activation of the HPA axis is to halt cortisol release is by intervening at the source- taking back control over how we perceive stress and what stressed us out. Of course, this is easier said than done, but research shows that people who are better equipped to handle stress with appropriate coping mechanisms have a heightened ability to fight off viral or bacterial threats to the immune system⁵.

There are thousands of studies that link mindfulness meditation to lowering stress levels and improved immunity. From a functional medicine perspective, this is an imperative intervention to bolster your immune response³. In addition, speaking to a licensed clinical therapist or making time for stress-lowering activities like biking, journaling, or painting are quintessential to prime your immune system’s defense and should become a non-negotiable part of your lifestyle- especially this year, this time of year, and always.

If you would like more guidance on how to beat the stress of the holidays, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates at (201)-488-6678 to make an appointment. You can also visit us online at Specialized Therapy.

By Taylor Groff, MS Functional Nutritionist

References:

1. Katz, D. A., Locke, C., Greco, N., Liu, W., & Tracy, K. A. (2017). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and depression symptom effects of an arginine vasopressin type 1B receptor antagonist in a one-week randomized Phase 1b trial. Brain and Behavior, (3). https://doi-org.uws.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/brb3.628. Retrieved from: https://uws.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.485132319&site=eds-live&scope=site
2. Sapolsky, R. M., Romero, L. M., and Munck, A. U. (2000) How Do Glucocorticoids Influence Stress Responses? Integrating Permissive, Suppressive, Stimulatory, and Preparative Actions. Endocrine Reviews 21(1): 55–89.
3. Black DS, Slavich GM. Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016;1373(1):13-24. doi:10.1111/nyas.12998
4. National Institutes of Health (US), National Institute of Mental Health. Fact sheet on stress
   [cited 2013 Aug 21] Available from: URL: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml
5. Abdurachman, Herawati N. THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN BOOSTING IMMUNE RESPONSE: AN OPTIMAL EFFORT FOR TACKLING INFECTION. Afr J Infect Dis. 2018;12(1 Suppl):54-61. Published 2018 Mar 7. doi:10.2101/Ajid.12v1S.7

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Although kids are home with family, they still struggle with social isolation, feeling lonely and missing their friends. If you think about how children interact at school, they are frequently in physical contact, hugging each other or jostling in line, putting an arm around a buddy’s shoulder. Suddenly everyone is home away from all their friends. Suddenly, in quarantine, the closest we can come is 6 feet.

Self-Isolation

We know that in adults, social isolation and loneliness are correlated with premature death. In infants and toddlers, the lack of social interaction and physical contact can lead to “failure to thrive”, poor weight gain, and delayed development. We clearly all need ‘contact comfort’, a term coined by Harry Harlow in his research during the 1950s and 1960s.

So try to be patient with your children (and yourself!). Kids are home, trying to manage schoolwork without the teacher or only seeing teachers a couple of days each week on a Zoom conference. They feel lonely and keep trying to connect with friends through zoom, texting, or video games. Children can’t go out and play in the parks, get lots of physical activity and social contact. They are quarantined at home, struggling with schoolwork, struggling with parents who are feeling overwhelmed themselves, struggling with feeling lonely. No wonder tempers are short, tantrums are more frequent and whining is on the increase.

So, during this difficult time, take more time to cuddle with your child, give them backrubs, and quiet time together reading books. Encourage them to call friends, have face time visits, and tell jokes. Vary your routine on the weekends. Discover new activities and hobbies. And above all, be patient with your kids. They are suffering and struggling as much as you.

If you would like more information, visit specializedtherapy.com or give us a call at 201-488-6678.

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Apprehension about kids and technology is nothing new. Years ago, when it was first introduced, cable television was considered to be a serious risk to the healthy development of children. Today we don’t think twice about it. Closed-mindedness or even fear about new technology holds us back from developing a balanced view of the benefits and risks associated with it. The truth is that technology allows children access to invaluable resources and learning opportunities but also creates real parenting challenges.

Digital literacy and effective parenting

Digital literacy refers to the set of skills we need to survive in the digital age, including communication and collaboration on social media, the ability to find, select, and evaluate information, cultural and societal understanding, and critical thinking. Parents who spend time to become digitally literate are able to make informed decisions. They know and enforce limits appropriately. Digitally literate parents are able to effectively and fairly  moderate the duration, content, and quality of their child’s digital involvement.

Effective parenting requires a balance between flexibility and firmness. Restricting children builds resistance, while guiding them builds judgement. Several strategies to use in communicating about digital use include:

•Offer information about choices, consequences and responsibility

• Prepare, don’t scare

•Offer problem solving and guidance

•Be firm about your expectations and values. Encourage and support your child’s curiosity by demonstrating how the internet can be used as a tool for learning and self-discovery.

Prepare your children for a healthy digital behavior.

Talk to your child about internet safety and their growing digital literacy before it becomes an issue. It is important for every parent to understand that information in the cyber-universe is permanent and not difficult to retrieve to be used against you given proper motivation.  It is  very important to ask your children who they talk to online or if they have friends they only know online. Find out If they talk to someone who upsets or worries them. Make sure they feel they can come to you if they have any uncomfortable exchanges on the web. Are they sharing pictures of themselves? Make sure your child knows that they can talk to you if they are feeling pressured into sending or receiving personal or sexual images.

Warning signs of problematic digital behavior: What signs to look for.

Secretive behavior, evasive answers, excessive time spent on the internet. Upset during or after use. Late night or all-night texting. Diminished in person social contact.

Remember:
As James Baldwin states “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” A parent who is constantly on their phone encourages the same behavior in their children.

At times, we may feel powerless to establish a more effective parenting style that balances between flexibility and firmness and need help of a professional to ease our mind and guide us on a more fruitful path. To get help you want, please call 201-488-6678, click here,  or fill out a form below.

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Does that sound worrisome to actually hear your child may have Autism? You may have been to a parent teacher conference and the teacher mentions that your child has odd behaviors or a certain type of “Quirkiness” which makes them unique. Having Autism is very unique. A person with Autism uses more of their temporal and occipital lobes than the frontal lobes of their brain. What that means  is that they are more adept at following patterns because of their perception and recognition of patterns. They may favor visual experiences because of this as well. By using less of their frontal lobes they may not have as much strength in planning and decision-making as someone without Autism. The result of this is that we have to focus on the strengths of the individual and not to try to have them fit into a preconceived model of learning. We may have to do it their way instead of them doing it the old way.

Your child may not have all of the symptoms to get a diagnosis of Autism but they may have some attributes. Understanding your child and supporting them will help them in their future development.
Here are some common symptoms of someone who may be on the Autism spectrum:

• Difficulty developing friendships

• Selective Mutism

• Lack of empathy

• Unable to make eye contact

• Being socially awkward

• Specific/Focused Interests

• Compliance with routines

• Pattern recognition

• Poor motor skills

The symptoms may sound limiting in today’s society but with awareness and understanding of an individual on the Autism spectrum, these symptoms can be perceived as strengths instead of weaknesses.
Here are some positive attributes that are also seen in someone who may be on the Autism spectrum:

• Honesty – whether they are giving someone positive or negative information their statements will reflect their feelings

• Living in the moment – Instead of distractions such as social cues, individuals on the spectrum depend on sensory input around them. They are practicing mindfulness by being in the present moment without years of studying how to do that!

• Not typically judging others – more accepting of other’s differences

• Less focus on materialism

• Less likely to play mind games with others

• Fewer hidden agendas

If you or your child could benefit from speaking to a therapist about issues associated with Autism, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates at (201) 488-6678 to make an appointment.

The post Could your child be on the Autism Spectrum? first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Could your child be on the Autism Spectrum? appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

It is our experiences in life that shape who we are and how we see the world.    Everything that we believe about ourselves, about others, and about the world in general is learned through our personal experiences.  It is therefore not surprising that experiencing chronic trauma during childhood leaves deep marks.  The effects of chronic trauma on a child’s body and brain build on each other.   They reveal themselves in acting-out behaviors, school difficulties, somatic complaints, eating disorders, self-harming and withdrawal.   This results in issues including post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and substance abuse.  Though the behavioral and psychological effects of trauma have long been known, more recently, researchers have begun to discover what happens in the brain following this kind of trauma.

Childhood is when the brain develops and becomes organized.   When the people who should be protecting, loving, and guiding young children expose them to trauma instead of care, children’s brain development can get derailed.   Children affected by recurrent traumatic experiences may suffer serious symptoms that interfere with normal emotional, cognitive or social development.  It has been noted that the neural connections in the area of the brain associated with regulation of emotion, attention and various other cognitive processes are critically impaired in adults who went through severe abuse as children.   Traumatized children often feel hopeless, confused, unlovable, unsafe, and are afraid to trust others or their environment.

The good news is that children and adolescents can learn new ways of thinking.  In fact, the cortex, the highest part of the brain, continues to develop throughout adolescents and into adulthood.   By providing new, positive experiences we can reshape early patterns and help traumatized children and adolescents to build new neural pathways to bypass old ones.

Specialized Therapy Associates provides a wide range of Trauma Recovery therapeutic treatment and services for Children, Adolescents and Adults.  If you would like to find out more, please call the intake department at 201-488-6678, or visit our website at https://www.specializedtherapy.com

The post How Childhood Trauma Effects the Brain first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post How Childhood Trauma Effects the Brain appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

“Play is a child’s work” is a quote that is attributed to Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget. Both these experts worked in the area of child development and learning. They recognized that when children play, they actively engage in the world. Toddlers play when they drop a toy off their high chair. Is out of sight really out of mind? Will mom or dad pick it up? When they push or pull toys they learn what noise the toy makes and develop cause and effect concepts. Play helps children develop motor skills, learn colors and shapes.

During kindergarten and early school years, children play to build physical and intellectual abilities. Aerobic exercise, like riding bikes, running or swimming triggers the release of brain derived neurotropic factor. This factor works like fertilizer for your brain – so play helps kids learn better. Several years ago, I talked to a kindergarten teacher who told me her students are not allowed free play time. There must be observations, goals and evaluations.

With less play in and out of school, children may be more sedentary. Sitting all day may establish a sedentary habit. Expectations for continued learning and high achievement in all areas of life pushes children to believe that nothing is good enough unless it is outstanding. This stress can lead to higher levels of anxiety, self-criticism and depression if they do not achieve perfect or almost perfect performance. Without play, children have not learned the vocabulary to talk about their feelings and stresses. They have not learned coping skills to reduce emotional distress. They may cry easily, be irritable with parents, yelling or snapping at dad when he simply asks about homework being finished. Children may run to find escape in electronics, further escalating the problem.

Play therapy is an approach used with children, incorporating the natural means for a child to learn what they may be missing. Toys used are based on the age of the child. Some games may be directive –asking a child to take deep breaths or think of puffy clouds. Others will just focus on being able to take turns, win or lose with grace and congratulate the winner. Some therapy may develop intellectual or philosophical ideas with teens. Other therapy will focus on having the child develop trust in a non-judgmental, non-critical adult. Therapy can help children play through trauma and abuse, changing from fear of police coming when mom and dad argue to trusting that police can help stop problems. Playing through problems helps to solve them.

If you would like further information on the benefits of play or play therapy, call us at Specialized Therapy, Exceptional You or FX Med, 201-488-6678 or see our website at .

References

Counseling Children, John Bonordock, Continuum Publishers, 1991
Piaget’s Theory of Intellectual Development, Herbert Ginsberg & Sylvia Opper, Shorter & Hall, 1991
Spark, John Ratey, Little, Brown & Co., 2013

The post Playing and Play Therapy first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Playing and Play Therapy appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Matching- Matching means exactly what is sounds like.  Restate what they are expressing to you in a calm, non-judgmental statement, not a question… For example: “You’re afraid you won’t do well on your test tomorrow;” or “It hurts that you didn’t get invited to the party.” Don’t bother saying that you understand. Matching will do that for you. Matching statements make your child feel like you “get” them.  Matching also communicates that you are in this together, AND you are staying in control!  Don’t worry if they say your matching statement isn’t correct…they will correct it for you and then you match to that.

Empathize – Let your child know that what they feel is real and you can see it from their point of view.  “I would probably feel the same way if this was happening to me.” This communicates that their feelings are not strange or weird.

Acknowledge positive changes – Acknowledge ANY effort towards positive change, such as listening to your directives, using their words instead of yelling, or when they utilize the new skills learned in therapy.  A big changes occur in very small shifts in their perceptions and coping, over time.  Acknowledging when your child makes an effort on even a very small change, will further support their confidence and ease with self-soothing and emotional control.

If you would like to learn more about how to feel safer and get more advice about parenting an anxious child, call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 or check out our website www.specializedtherapy.com

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The post Parenting an Anxious Child: How to confront anxiety appeared first on Specialized Therapy.