Parents
Adult ADHD: A Family Affair
“Most primary care providers aren’t new to seeing adults with ADHD,” explains Kathleen McCoy, DNSc, who specializes in family psychiatric mental health and integrative care. “What’s changing is our understanding of the condition and how to help adults manage it well, often while also supporting their children with ADHD.” More than half of the estimated…
Read MoreCulturally Responsive Parent Empowerment and Children’s Mental Health
“Parents want to feel like they’re part of the solution for their child’s mental health needs. As pediatric primary care providers, we can help make that possible by being thoughtful in how we navigate cultural differences,” explains Noor Jihan Abdul-Haqq, MD, a REACH faculty member and pediatrician with her own practice in Oklahoma City, OK.…
Read MoreHow Social Media is Impacting Teens
The most important question that we can ask teens isn’t if they use social media, it’s how. Just last May, the Surgeon General’s advisory on social media use in youth exposed some shocking statistics: Among 13 to 17-year-olds, up to 95% use social media, with 35% saying they use social media “almost constantly.”
Read MoreHow 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 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 MoreWhen parents’ mental health affects children
“When we’re thinking about children’s mental health, we’re also thinking about the health of the family unit,” explains Alyx Holden, MD. “In order for children’s neurobiology to develop, they need the support and context of healthy caregivers.”
Read MoreManaging challenging behaviors in children
“There is a lot of research on programs to help parents manage their children’s behavior. It is not complex for clinicians to learn key evidence-based principles and share them with parents, even in brief office visits,” explains Elena Man, MD, a board-certified pediatrician and faculty member at The REACH Institute. We asked Dr. Man to…
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 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.
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