If you feel guilt around your child’s learning and attention issues, it’s important to know you’re not alone. Feelings of guilt and shame are common among parents of kids with learning and attention issues. Read more ›
Parenting is hard work, and parenting a child with mental health issues is exponentially harder. You’re almost certainly putting in more effort than any other mom or dad you know, yet your kid may still be at risk, struggling, or making less progress than her peers. This raises a crucial question: How can you keep going without becoming exhausted? Read more ›
Parenting a child with ADHD has its challenges. There are strategies that you can learn and use that can make a big difference for your child. In this parent education class, learn more about how you can support your child with ADHD. Presented by Kendra Fraka, MSW, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at CHC. Read more ›
Learn the most effective practices for in-school and at-home management of ADHD. Read more ›
¿Cuáles son los desafíos, características y comportamientos típicos de un adolescente?
En esta presentación, Iria Sebastiao de CHC discute la fase adolescente y le ofrece sugerencias prácticas para manejar los retos. Read more ›
Effective classroom management is critical to supporting student engagement and achievement. Reframing Classroom Management, a teaching resource created by Learning for Justice, offers educators a variety of tools to help demystify common behaviors and reinforce what works. Read more ›
An important aspect of developing Executive Functioning (EF) skills is the ability to manage oneself and one’s behavior.
This session covers EF and the relationship of the mind and body in developing self-awareness. Learn strategies to increase self-monitoring and self-regulation in kids with EF challenges. Read more ›
Your Psychiatrist Is Your Partner in This ProcessAs a psychiatrist practicing for almost a decade, I would encourage you to view your psychiatrist as your partner in this process. An initial consultation can fulfill many other useful functions besides the possible generation of a prescription. It provides an understanding of what’s going on with your child within a larger context, whether your child has a clear diagnosis or not.
The psychiatry team’s medical training leads to a deep understanding of the mind-body connection and the interactions between mental and physical health. I have been able to help families to develop a comprehensive treatment plan and a personalized road map to determine recommended benchmarks for various interventions, including but not limited to medication. It is very helpful to establish a relationship with families well before symptoms escalate, in hopes of averting a crisis and getting the child back on the right road of growth and self-discovery.
An initial consultation, while a significant investment of time and resources, can help right the developmental course and prevent a lot of twists and turns in your child’s mental health journey.
Developing a decision tree to determine whether or not to medicate your child is complicated, and is not a decision I take lightly in my role as a physician. That being said, medications are always one of the options when there is functional impairment: when social/family relationships are at stake; academic functioning or academic placement is at risk; or the internal experience of a child is adversely impacting their ability to grow and develop in an age- or ability- appropriate manner.
2. Does an appointment with a psychiatrist always result in a prescription?
Consulting with a psychiatrist does not mean that your child will end up on a medication. Consider it a conversation about your child that can empower you with choices.
3. Will medication affect my child’s brain development?
It has always to be weighed against the current risk/ distress that the child and family are under.
4. Could my child become “addicted” to the medication?
The term “addicted” means using something to get a high from it. Most (not all) psychiatric medications do not produce a high and are therefore not addictive.
Consulting with a psychiatrist for your child or teen is an opportunity to detect stressors or illnesses early, potentially limiting the pain and impact of the illness for the entire family. As psychiatrists, we are here to support and partner with you throughout your child’s journey towards mental wellness. You are not alone. Contact us today to speak with a Care Coordinator.
Vidya Krishnan, MD, CHC’s Chief Psychiatrist and Medical Director, works with kids from a variety of backgrounds across the age and developmental spectrum, starting from grade school through young adulthood. She treats a wide range of mental health conditions that cause functional impairment and believes in a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues.
Is there a student in your class that seems to constantly disrupt the class or appears highly unmotivated to learn? Are there student behaviors in your classroom that you would like to change? Read more ›
Walk into any busy classroom and you may feel like you’ve entered a tornado. Kids talking, teachers trying to get through content while navigating different requests, and the inevitable interruptions. When trying to manage the chaos, sometimes the most helpful thing is to just slow down. Read more ›
