Misbehavior at School? Don’t Pull Recess and Sports

by Robert Althoff, MD PhD For many child and adolescent psychiatric diagnoses, problem behaviors occur in more than one setting – often home and also at school. Problem behavior, particularly externalizing or disruptive behavior, is a common reason for children to be sent to the principal’s office or the “opportunity room”.  Sometimes these “opportunities” are […]

Reinforcing Holiday Traditions

Family traditions during the holidays repeated year after year can be a wonderful part of the season.  These rituals small and large can take all forms including…  Holiday services Getting and decorating the tree Preparing holiday cookies Charity work Special foods Reading particular stories or singing carols Making gifts or decorations Of course, holiday traditions […]

Defiant Behavior: Discussing the Full Array of Treatment Options with Families

by Allison Hall, MD Behavioral and emotional problems, like some other health conditions such as diabetes, are often best treated with a package of interventions.  Because families may sometimes expect a quick fix, it is helpful to have a strategy to discuss the importance of several treatment features.   Russell Barkley, a psychologist who is one […]

Getting Parents Involved in Their Child’s Education

Compared to the media attention given to what teachers and schools can and should do to improve education, parents have sometimes seemed like an afterthought.  Maybe no more, as a New York Times article highlights a couple reports recently published about how parents can help their children succeed at school.  The article summarizes findings from […]

Psychiatric Medications and Foster Care: The New GAO Report

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has been investigating the rates of foster care children taking psychiatric medications in several states (not Vermont).  A Senate hearing was held on Thursday December 1 about the issue which was picked up by a number of media outlets. You can see CNN’s report for yourself.  In their typical manner, […]