News/Media
How Clinicians Can Partner with Schools to Support Pediatric Patients
“Clinicians who are aware of and know how to direct parents to obtain services for children within the school system can make an enormous difference for patients and families,” explains Dr. Mark Wolraich, MD, a REACH faculty member and retired professor of pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. The challenge for clinicians…
Read MoreSpotting OCD in Pediatric Patients
“Even among skilled clinicians, misconceptions about obsessive-compulsive disorder or OCD can delay diagnosis and treatment,” explains Carla E. Marin, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and Assistant Professor at Yale School of Medicine. With common sayings like “we’re all a little OCD” and representations of OCD that center on germs and handwashing, getting a clear picture of…
Read MoreWhy Clinicians Should Consider Coding by Time for Mental Health Care
“Many primary care providers are still coding by medical decision-making for mental health care,” explains Eugene Hershorin, MD, a REACH faculty member and medical coding expert. “However, time-based coding is both easier and often results in higher coding levels and therefore higher payment rates, especially for pediatric patients who require ongoing care for mental health…
Read MoreADHD and Racial Disparities: What Clinicians Can Do
“When a parent of color raises concerns about their child’s behavior, clinicians should always stop to assess for underlying disorders,” explains child and adolescent psychiatrist Brittainy Erby, MD. “I see many children and adolescents of color who have been diagnosed with a behavior disorder, but they actually have untreated ADHD.” The research reinforces what Dr.…
Read MoreWhen Adolescent Patients Transition to College: The Provider’s Role
“Any transition is a time that our patients can trip and fall,” explains Tina Nicholson, MD, a family doctor specializing in children and youth mental health. The transition to college, especially if it involves moving away from home, is no exception. To understand how providers can help adolescents navigate this transition, we spoke with REACH…
Read MoreIs it autism, or something else?
With Autism Spectrum Disorder, early screening and intervention are essential—with diagnosis ideally made in early childhood. But as shared in our recent article about how autism may present at different ages, less severe cases may not be detected until children are school-aged or adolescents, especially among girls. We asked REACH faculty member Ron Marino, DO/MPH,…
Read MoreNavigating Parent Concerns About Children’s Medications
“Many parents’ biggest concern about starting their children on medication is committing to an intervention they won’t be able to stop in the future,” explains child and adolescent psychiatrist Laurence Greenhill, MD. Research shows that parental beliefs and concerns are a top contributing factor to whether children and adolescents receive proper treatment for mental health…
Read MoreUntangling ADHD and Anxiety as Comorbidities
“ADHD and anxiety presenting together is very common in children and adolescents. But it can be difficult to discern which is the primary condition and which to treat first,” explains Kari Overstreet, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC, PMHS, a pediatric nurse practitioner focused on child psychiatry and a Patient-Centered Mental Health in Pediatric Primary Care (PPP)…
Read MoreBurnout, Mental Health, and Practical Tools for Pediatric Providers
“As clinicians, our training has not encouraged us to look inward and care for ourselves,” explains Rachel Petersen-Nguyen, MD, a primary care pediatrician and Medical Director at Children’s Minnesota in St. Paul. “But we are humans who have real human needs – to rest and rejuvenate and care for ourselves. You can’t just keep pushing…
Read MoreHow Autism May Present at Different Ages
“No two kids with autism spectrum disorder are identical. The presentation often depends on the degree of severity and the age of the child,” explains Ruth E.K. Stein, MD, a Professor of Pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. Now recognized as a spectrum disorder, autism may be diagnosed…
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