Children’s and teens’ use of electronic devices have vastly increased over the past several years. The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that kids ages 8-18 now spend about seven and half hours per day consuming electronic entertainment. On average, they watch about four hours of television or video, spend two hours playing video games, and surf the internet for over an hour. Because many children often use multiple devices simultaneously, a typical child may spend a combined total of more than 10 hours daily using entertaining themselves with electronics. These figures do not include time spent listening to digitally recorded music, texting or talking on the phone. [Read more…]
Archives for July 2010
Welcome to Our Blog!
This blog is written by the clinicians at Jonah Green and Associates, a mental health practice based in Kensington, MD that provides quality services for children, teens, families, and adults. It is intended as a resource for families who are seeking to expand their knowledge about mental health and mental health services, and also as a resource for families who are seeking quality mental health services, especially in the mid-Atlantic region. Please feel free to post questions and comments on any of the entries as well as on any topics or articles from our companion web site www.childandfamilymentalhealth.com.
Parents: The Essential Tether
Children’s needs shift as they travel across the developmental stages from infancy, middle childhood, adolescence, and into young adulthood. Throughout these stages, parents may need to adjust their strategies accordingly and remain firm but flexible. Parents serve as their children’s secure base from which they could explore the world around them, providing safety and comfort as children’s capacity to explore the world gets bigger and wider. It is also through this attachment that children can learn about relationships, as well as means to regulate their emotions. [Read more…]
Educating The Child About His Brain: A First Step in Taking Charge of ADHD
The Child and Family Mental Health blog is pleased to present a guest post from Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst, Ph. D., a psychologist in Silver Spring, MD, with over 30 years experience working with children with ADHD and learning disabilities and their families.
One of the common fears for parents is that a diagnosis of ADHD will be stigmatizing for their child. Sometimes an evaluation is put off because of this fear. In my work with clients who have ADHD, I have learned that knowing the diagnosis is the entry card to the mysterious world of the brain. Exploring how our brain works and understanding what goes on inside of this world will enable the child to take charge of his own functioning and facilitate progress in learning how to cope with this unique brain. [Read more…]
