Publications - Parenting/Caregiver Advice and Support

As kids move from quarantine to school, separation anxiety may follow. Here’s how to help., by Hannah Selinger, Washington Post , Aug 24 2020.

““Separation anxiety is a normal developmental phenomenon,” said Judith A. Crowell, professor and interim division director of child and adolescent psychiatry at Stony Brook University. “We all want to connect with people that we are close to when we don’t feel well, when we’re frightened. And so it’s just the young child’s version of that natural urge.” The pandemic, Crowell said, probably has heightened a tendency that is already naturally occurring in children. “I think anything that is associated with uncertainty or change has the potential to trigger anxiety in kids.” Friends and acquaintances have all abruptly disappeared, she noted. “What makes him think you might not, too?” ”

America is failing Black moms during the pandemic, by Anna North, Vox, Aug 10 2020.

“Long before the pandemic hit, Black pregnant and birthing people around the country were reporting that doctors disregarded their concerns, ignored their wishes, and put them at risk. Out of 10 similarly wealthy countries, the US had the highest number of maternal deaths per capita in 2018. Black women are disproportionately impacted, dying in childbirth at three to four times the rate of white women. Now, birthing people and their advocates say the Covid-19 crisis is only exacerbating the discrimination that Black patients and other patients of color already face from providers — one of the main drivers behind their higher rates of maternal mortality.  ”

Should schools reopen for students' mental health? Experts weigh in, by Dr. Yalda Safai, ABC News, Jul 29 2020.

“The talk of schools reopening in the fall and the push from President Donald Trump and his secretary of education to open in-person classes have many parents worried about the safety of their children. "It is critically important for our public health to open schools this fall," said CDC Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield. School closures due to the coronavirus pandemic have disrupted normal ways of life for children and parents, and have had negative health consequences for our youth, he said. Although the CDC has said that scientific studies suggest COVID-19 transmission among children in schools may be low, many remain concerned. ”

Back to school: What doctors say about children and COVID-19, by Denise Chow, NBC News, Jul 12 2020.

“Evidence suggests that children aren't as susceptible as adults to COVID-19, but the risks aren't the same for all young people. ”

Kids Feel Pandemic Stress Too. Here's How To Help Them Thrive, by PATTI NEIGHMOND , NPR, Jul 11 2020.

“As the pandemic continues, children are still mostly at home. Summer activities are canceled or up in the air, and many children are suffering confusion and stress. Parents may be stressed themselves, but there are ways to help kids feel better. ”

Pediatric Group Calls for Children to Return to Schools Despite Coronavirus, by Lauren Camera, U.S. News & World Report, Jun 29 2020.

“PEDIATRICIANS SAY students should be in classrooms for in-person learning as soon as possible – the most full-throated endorsement yet for getting children back into schools amid the coronavirus pandemic and one that was included in a set of recommendations released by the American Academy of Pediatrics for how schools should safely reopen. ”

How to talk to your children about protests and racism, by Sandee LaMotte, CNN, Jun 2 2020.

“As cities and social media explode with anger over the killing of yet another black man at the hands of police, worried parents struggle with how to protect their children from seeing the worst of the violence while simultaneously explaining the ravages of racism. ”

How to talk to your children about protests and racism, by Sandee LaMotte, CNN, Jun 2 2020.

“As cities and social media explode with anger over the killing of yet another black man at the hands of police, worried parents struggle with how to protect their children from seeing the worst of the violence while simultaneously explaining the ravages of racism. ”

Supporting Social and Emotional Learning During the Coronavirus Pandemic, by Erlanger Turner, U.S. News & World Report, Apr 14 2020.

“During this current COVID-19 crisis, many parents now find themselves in the role of a teacher given school closures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. For decades, psychologists, child development experts and educators have emphasized the importance of social and emotional learning, or SEL. ”

Fathers should be screened for postpartum blues, too, by Vishwadha Chander, Reuters, Dec 26 2019.

“Screening fathers for postpartum depression is as important as screening mothers, researchers argue, and current guidelines don’t go far enough in urging doctors to identify new fathers who may be suffering. ”

How Vaping Nicotine Can Affect A Teenage Brain, by John Hamilton, NPR, Oct 10 2019.

“The link between vaping and severe lung problems is getting a lot of attention. But scientists say they're also worried about vaping's effect on teenage brains. "Unfortunately, the brain problems and challenges may be things that we see later on down the road," says Nii Addy, associate professor of psychiatry and cellular and molecular physiology at Yale School of Medicine. Potential problems include attention disorders like ADHD, impulse control issues and susceptibility to substance abuse. ”

Suicide games can spread online for months before parents know, by Lisa Rapaport , Reuters, Mar 8 2019.

“Researchers traced the path of one suicide game, the “blue whale challenge,” as awareness of it spread across social media and mainstream news outlets from 2013 to 2017. By the time the first U.S. news article about this suicide game appeared, the game had been circulating in English language social media posts for four months and in other languages for nine months, the study found. Nobody knows for sure whether this particular suicide game really existed or caused teens to harm themselves, or if it was an elaborate hoax. But as reports of these suicide games continue to go viral - including the latest one known as the “Momo challenge” - researchers say that it’s crucial for parents to know what their children and teens are exposed to in their digital lives. ”

MMR vaccine does not cause autism, another study confirms, by Dr. Edith Bracho-Sanchez, CNN, Mar 4 2019.

“The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine does not increase the risk of autism and does not trigger autism in children who are at risk, according to a new study of over 650,000 children. ”

Parents often don't know when teens have suicidal thoughts, by Lisa Rapaport , Reuters, Jan 14 2019.

“Three in four parents are unaware when their teens have recurrent thoughts about suicide, and a big part of the problem may be that adolescents often deny feeling this way, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers interviewed 5,137 adolescents, ages 11 to 17, along with one parent or stepparent. Most teens in the study didn’t report suicidal thoughts. But when they did, half of their parents were unaware these teens had thoughts of killing themselves and 76 percent of parents didn’t know when teens regularly thought about death, researchers report in Pediatrics. ”

When your child vapes, what's a parent to do?, by Michael Nedelman, CNN, Jan 11 2019.

“Health experts say parents whose kids are vaping often don't know what to do or where to turn for help. While federal authorities grapple with how to regulate e-cigarettes on a broad scale and while leading tobacco company Altria invests billions in e-cigarette maker Juul, parents are scrambling at home to deal with nicotine dependence -- or to prevent their kids from getting hooked on something that's ubiquitous at many schools. Some are even approaching addiction rehab programs in hopes of weaning their kids off these products. ”