News/Media
How to help families awaiting an autism diagnosis
“Wait times to get a formal autism diagnosis from a qualified program range from six months to two years. It’s very frustrating for parents and their children who need services,” explains Dr. Mark Wolraich, MD, a REACH faculty member and retired professor of pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.
Read MoreNavigating the ADHD stimulant medication shortage
“The ADHD stimulant medication shortage is affecting patients, families, pharmacists, and clinicians,” explains Andrew Adesman, MD, a developmental pediatrician specializing in ADHD.
Read MoreSleep Smart: Back-to-School Edition
REACH faculty, Dr Kowatch, emphasizes that it’s essential for caregivers to recognize the challenges that can arise when transitioning from summer to a more structured school routine. “Parents have got to anticipate there may be an adjustment period for the first week or two.”
Read MoreResponding to the Alarming Rise of Depression in Adolescent Girls
Gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by adolescent girls and the proactive steps clinicians can take to support them.
Read MoreSupporting mental health needs in rural areas
Rural healthcare providers can be overwhelmed—and understaffed with specialists. Discover how REACH inspired Elizabeth Wallis, M.D., to build a community to support her patients.
Read MoreDealing with mental health issues in injured student athletes
When student athletes can’t play, their mental health may suffer.
Read MoreDon’t panic about panic attacks
“The impairment from a panic attack doesn’t come from the episode itself,” said REACH faculty member James Wallace, MD. “It comes from the patient’s and family’s reaction.”
Read MoreAssessing and treating substance abuse
“The risk of substance use starts at about age 10,” said Sam Chang, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist on the REACH faculty. “Prevention has to start before that. By the time kids reach adolescence, the horse has left the barn.”
Read MoreIs it ADHD? Or something else?
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common behavioral health disorders, affecting approximately 9% of all children and adolescents. About 75% of pediatric patients with ADHD have comorbid mental health conditions, ranging from oppositional-defiant disorder to anxiety and mood disorders.
What is a busy clinician to do? How do you discern whether a child who is, say, having difficulty focusing at school and at home has ADHD, anxiety, both, or something else?
Read MoreWhen and how to send kids to the emergency room
“The first thing I would say to any clinician is that it’s never wrong to send a child to the emergency room,” said Amy Dryer, MD, pediatrician and REACH faculty member.
Having spent 10 years in a hospital emergency department, Dr. Dryer is intimately familiar with the criteria ER physicians use to decide to admit psychiatric patients: a medical condition, suicidal ideation with a lethal plan, homicidal ideation, or active psychosis.
However, she emphasized that your decision to refer to the ER doesn’t hinge on whether the patient is likely to be admitted. “If what they’re telling you makes you uncomfortable,” she said, “go ahead and refer them.”
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