Many children who are diagnosed as having ADHD also share some of the characteristics of children who are considered gifted.   Frequently, bright children are referred to a specialist because they exhibit certain behaviors, such as restlessness, boredom, inattention, impulsivity, and daydreaming that children with ADHD have.   Let’s review the DSM criteria for ADHD: […]

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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD, is a relatively common anxiety disorder in children and adolescents.   A quote from Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, Chapter 3 Section 6 states: “Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by recurrent, time-consuming obsession or compulsive behaviors that cause distress and/or impairment. The obsessions may be repetitive intrusive images, thoughts or […]

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In a previous article, AUTISM: BASIC FACTS FOR INFORMED PARENTS, (Part-1, Part-2) readers were provided with an overview of the developmental history of autism, or the pervasive developmental spectrum disorders.   It was noted that while much remained to be known, we now understand that these disorders comprise a wide range of presentations. Parents were […]

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We have been alerting and informing the public for years about ADHD and ADD disorder.   Our archives are filled with information–books and articles aplenty have been written. And now, most recently, we have a new medication that the readers of The Informed Parent need to be aware of.   ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity […]

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Sleep problems commonly co-occur with psychiatric problems.   Many people, parents and doctors alike, have noticed that sleep problems have been associated with several emotional and behavioral disorders, including anxiety and depression, autism, and Tourette’s disorder. A recent study from the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Research Centre in King’s College, London examined the nature […]

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