A Wild Ride: Our Blog

In addtion to the web sites we listed a couple of days ago, Mary Scribner suggests several good books on the topic of Special Needs Siblings written by Don Meyer from the Sibling Support Project.

Sibshops, Workshops for Siblings of Children With Special Needs with Patricia Vadasy

Living with a Brother or Sister with Special Needs – A book for Sibs

The Sibling Slam Book: What It’s Really Like to Have a Brother or Sister With Special Needs

Also, check out the The Sibling Support Project Store for more books and videos.

Posted by Elizabeth at 9:14 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Welcome Momference participants and other parents dealing with special needs and sibling rivalry! As promised, here are several Web resources for those of us dealing with special needs children and their siblings. If you have other resource suggestions, please send them to Mary Scribner.

Families Together, Inc. is a parent training and information center out of Kansas, Mo. That serves families with special needs children. It has some great resources on topics of interest to families, links to national resources.

LDonline.org offers up-to-date information about learning disabilities to related issues parent tips, resources.

The Sibling Support Project is a list serve for young brothers and sisters of kids with various special needs.

Partnership for Learning provides articles for the sibling of a special needs child.

Visit Special Needs Parenting for some excellent resource for children with learning challenges.

Posted by Elizabeth at 8:21 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Welcome Momference participants and other parents dealing with special needs and sibling rivalry!

Helping Kids Get Along

Simple things you can do every day to prevent fighting include:

• Set ground rules for acceptable behavior. Tell the kids that there's no cursing, no name-calling, no yelling, no door slamming. Solicit their input on the rules — as well as the consequences when they break them. This teaches kids that they're responsible for their own actions, regardless of the situation or how provoked they felt, and discourages any attempts to negotiate regarding who was "right" or "wrong."

• Let them know that they are safe, important, and needed, and that their needs will be met.

• Don't let kids make you think that everything always has to be "fair" and "equal" — sometimes one kid needs more than the other.

• Be proactive in giving your kids one-on-one attention directed to their interests and needs. For example, if one likes to go outdoors, take a walk or go to the park. If another child likes to sit and read, make time for that too.

• Make sure kids have their own space and time to do their own thing — to play with toys by themselves, to play with friends without a sibling tagging along, or to enjoy activities without having to share 50-50.

• Show and tell your kids that, for you, love is not something that comes with limits.

• Have fun together as a family. Whether you're watching a movie, throwing a ball, or playing a board game, you're establishing a peaceful way for your kids to spend time together and relate to each other. This can help ease tensions between them and also keeps you involved. Since parental attention is something many kids fight over, fun family activities can help reduce conflict.

• If your children frequently squabble over the same things (such as video games or dibs on the TV remote), post a schedule showing which child "owns" that item at what times during the week. (But if they keep fighting about it, take the "prize" away altogether.)

• If fights between your school-age children are frequent, hold weekly family meetings in which you repeat the rules about fighting and review past successes in reducing conflicts. Consider establishing a program where the kids earn points toward a fun family-oriented activity when they work together to stop battling.

• Recognize when kids just need time apart from each other and the family dynamics. Try arranging separate play dates or activities for each kid occasionally. And when one child is on a play date, you can spend one-on-one time with another.

• Keep in mind that sometimes kids fight to get a parent's attention. In that case, consider taking a time-out of your own. When you leave, the incentive for fighting is gone. Also, when your own fuse is getting short, consider handing the reins over to the other parent, whose patience may be greater at that moment.

Getting Professional Help

Many parents feel frustrated and ineffective due to a high degree of sibling quarreling. If you have questions about sibling rivalry and would like strategies and a fresh perspective, call a parent coach.

In a small percentage of families, the conflict between brothers and sisters is so severe that it disrupts daily functioning, or particularly affects kids emotionally or psychologically. In those cases, it's wise to get help from a mental health professional. Seek help for sibling conflict if it:

• is so severe that it's leading to marital problems
• creates a real danger of physical harm to any family member
• is damaging to the self-esteem or psychological well-being of any family member
• may be related to another psychiatric disorder, such as depression

Talk with your doctor, who can help you determine whether your family might benefit from professional help and refer you to local mental health resources.

Adapted from: Sibling Rivalry @ Kids Health for Parents

Posted by Elizabeth at 9:11 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

And here's a final idea from Kirsten Locke. Visit Suite 101: Special Needs Parenting for more information.

Also, inform the abled children about their sibling’s particular disability and what it entails. You may even get the non-impaired children involved in their sibling’s care, as is fitting to each age and situation. Very young children may not understand more than ‘Danny is fragile, so we have to be more careful,’ while older juveniles may be able to take their special siblings for a walk in the park or other fun activities. Encourage interaction in whatever form is possible. Despite whatever needs each represents, they are still brothers and sisters and need to be able to connect with each other and learn to get along.

Take Parenting Breaks and Get Other Help as Possible
Making private time for each child and for yourself can be difficult, especially if you have one with severe problems or otherwise requiring round-the-clock care. Again, organization and scheduling is your best friend. Obtaining child care breaks is very important and should be marked on the calendar as often as possible. Not just for you the parent, but for the rest of your household as well.

If your insurance or other aspects of your budget do not adequately cover respite care, ask your family physician, local church or other such helpful organization about obtaining aid. Many wonderful groups and charities exist for whatever special needs any of your children may have, too, and some of these organizations may offer some sort of day care swap, financial aid or similar help. Find your local chapter and see what resources are available. When possible, find other parents who are dealing with similar issues to yours and set up play groups or even a neighborhood child care co-op. The moral support alone from interacting with other families can help ease the stress that comes with this type of demanding family life. And less stress can mean fewer squabbles at home.

Even if you have two or more children who all suffer from similar, or even differing disabilities, rivalry can occur. The above suggestions are just as useful in this circumstance. So whether dealing with one child who has special needs along with other ‘abled’ children or handling two or more children each with disabilities of their own, the above basics can be applied to any household. Scheduling, special one-on-one time, positive reinforcement, education and care breaks are tools available to any parent. No matter what shape their particular family may take.

Photo © binagel - Fotolia.com

Posted by Elizabeth at 3:58 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here is another idea from Kirsten Locke. Visit Suite 101: Special Needs Parenting for more information.

Praises and other positives go a long way, too, and can be doled out with as much frequency as you can manage. And always be sure to let each child, no matter their condition, know that they are special and loved in your eyes no matter what. Make the effort every day. Everyone will feel better when positive messages are provided on a regular basis.

Keep in mind that even when they receive their own time with their parents and other positives, non-disabled siblings may still feel neglected on occasion and act out on those negative feelings. This is due to all the extra attention that usually needs to be poured into their disabled sibling’s care. When a tantrum or other emotional flare-up occurs, time-outs followed by heart-to-heart talks are always good. And again, emphasize with them that they are just as special and loved as anyone else in the family.

Posted by Elizabeth at 3:57 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Kirsten Locke offers great suggestions for any parent dealing with sibling rivalry. Visit Suite 101: Special Needs Parenting for more information.

Here are some tips for managing the jealousy that can occur between brothers and sisters when one or more have special needs.

Parenting in general can be overwhelming. Add a disability, whether it be physical, mental, learning-oriented or some other condition, and the job can be that much more daunting. When there is more than one child involved, no matter how able or disabled they each may be, there are ways to handle the juggling act that is parenthood so that the entire family can grow healthy bonds with each other. And so that everyone can cope with the challenges that such a household can bring.

Get Organized and Stay on Schedule

Taking care of a special needs child can take up a vast majority of a guardian’s time and energy. From learning everything you can about the condition and what it entails, to various doctor and specialist appointments, to seeing about special accommodations both at home and at school, the list of things that must be done can seem endless. Fitting time and effort into more than cursory attention to the better-abled children who are also under your care can easily fall by the wayside without realizing it.

Being organized is essential. Keep track of your efforts. One of the best things any parent can do to is to schedule not only doctor and other appointments but also certain events such as playtime. Be sure to set aside time for each child individually, at least once a week if not more, along with other family time. This does not mean you can’t be spontaneous, but it does allow breaks in your busy pace to occur more often if you purposely pen them in between all the other appointments.

Read more.

Posted by Elizabeth at 3:51 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

So how does the developing normally sibling feel? Autism and the Empress shares her story:

I never thought I'd see the day when my children would rival each other. My two eldest (a boy and a girl) were quite close. Being three years apart, they played together, ate together, were disobedient together and thus, disciplined together. Although they are adults now, they remain close.

Not so with my teenager and ER. They are not the best of friends. There's five years between them, but that shouldn't constitute the attitudes, bickering and yes, sometimes fighting amongst them.

From the comments I receive....my teenager is jealous. He feels I pay more attention to ER than him. He says I allow ER to "get away with things" I wouldn't allow him to get away with. Oh, and also, I buy ER more things from the store than I do him. When these comments are flying back and forth over me, I stop and take a look at myself. Am I doing all that he claims? In a way, I have to say....yes. Am I doing it knowingly? No.

I try to explain to my teenager that ER has a disability and with that disability comes special needs that should be met. "He doesn't care for water, so I buy him juice to mix with the water. You love water," I'll say to him. Unfortunately, these needs that should be met have caused a sort of resentment in him and it shows in several ways:

a) He has no mercy for ER. He feels ER should be just as tough as anyone else.

b) He teases ER. I've caught him on several occasions when he feels I am not looking and have also been told by other family members.

c) He isn't willing to lift a hand. When asked to do something for ER, he grumbles and complains.

My teenager's resentments are therefore having a negative effect on ER in several ways:

a) He strikes out in anger. When ER looses on a video game he will get up and hit my teenager even when he's not the one playing against him.

b) He does not want my teenager to touch him or tell him what to do. I was watching them cross the parking lot this morning and my teenager put his hand on ER to protect him from the oncoming car. ER screamed and moved his hand away.

c) Any playtime turns to violence. On the off chance that the two of them do play together, it often turns into a hitting fest.

Between the both of them, I feel more like a referee than a mother. I've tried my best to spread myself equally between the two of them. But, there is only so much spreading a single parent can do. I've encouraged my teenager to start attending the local Teen Center down the street to mingle and make friends with kids his own age. He is finally doing that.

As far as their brotherhood, I hope and pray it will develop beyond the jealousy stage. A good family relationship is so important -- for them and for me.

Read more from this author.
Photo © Monika Adamczyk - Fotolia.com

Posted by Elizabeth at 3:39 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Here's another great piece on Sibling Rivalry and the Special Needs Child. This time I found the story and strategies posted on one of my favorite sites for parents of challenging children. The site is called The Special Parent and it is dedicated to "those extraordinary mothers and fathers who devote their lives to provide the most meaningful existence possible to their special needs child."

It was a long and trying day. Katherine was challenged (and that’s polite) by this project for class. It’s beyond anything she’s ever done. Sometimes a challenge is a good thing. This much challenge….probably not. Hindsight being 20/20 I should have intervened with the teacher earlier. I most likely will because the balance of the project is likely to create similar results. But I digress….

As all this chaos is going on I worry. Sure I worry that Katherine will break the door with the slamming, or hurt herself with the head banging. Yea, I worry that I’ll eventually lose my cool and blow up at her. But today what really stuck with me was how I worried about the impact all this chaos has on her brother, Donovan.

Donovan is 2 - just shy of 2 ½ actually. He’s at the age where you have tantrums anyway so of course I worry about what he might pick up to add to his repertoire. He’s an amateur compared with his sister and I’d like to keep it that way.

Mostly what I worry about though is how being the sibling of Katherine impacts him daily. Not everyday is hellish chaos. But everyday does seem to have some challenge or issue that sucks attention from Donovan. Right now I think being the younger child helps. If he had been first born he’d probably notice the fact that I get sucked away to deal with Katherine as a sudden deficit to him. I hope that right now at least he sees that as a normal part of life around here. As he gets older, I’m concerned he’ll have issues, even be resentful of some of the things that go on with Katherine around.

Maybe there’s something to be resentful of. Katherine does get a lot of attention and time. She requires it even when she isn’t in a tantrum. I know that my husband and I work very hard to make sure that Donovan gets special time with each of us, either on weekends or during the day when Katherine is in school to balance this out. We also make sure that one of us is with him when the other of us is dealing with Katherine. I worry he’ll think I care more for Katherine than him because I spend so much time addressing her needs.

NICHY (National Information Center for Children & Youth with Disabilities) has a great list which I hope to follow to lessen some of these concerns as he continues to age.

1. Limit the caregiving responsibilities of siblings
2. Schedule special time with the non-disabled sibling
3. Let siblings settle their own differences
4. Welcome other children and friends into the home
5. Praise all siblings
6. Involve all siblings in family events and decisions
7. Require the disabled child to do as much as possible for himself or herself
8. Recognize each child’s unique qualities and family contributions
9. Seek out sibling-related organizations such as the Sibling Support Project which is a national effort dedicated to the life-long concerns of brothers and sisters of people who have special health, developmental and/or mental health concerns.

While I have no question that he already deeply loves his sister, and I have no reason to believe that will change, I also believe that even the best sibling relationship is difficult. Adding the types of disabilities Donovan is going to be asked to deal with at such a young age…..all I have to do is think about how hard it is for me to deal with and I recognize how much more I’m asking of him. I hope I’m able to help him through it. I hope he’ll grow to appreciate the incredibly special opportunity he has as well.

I’m fairly new to this piece of the journey. I’d be interested in hearing what other parents have to say about the ways in which they handle sibling issues between their special needs and “typical” kids.

The author of The Special Parent is Kyron Arambula. Kyron is "a mom to a two wonderful children, one of whom has special needs - in less than pc terms she has disabilities - or as some I know like to say, she’s “differently abled”. Because of this I’m constantly on the search for information that can give me the ability to make the most of her different ABILITIES…of which she has many!"

To read more from Kyron visit her web site The Special Parent.

Photo © Monika Adamczyk - Fotolia.com

Posted by Elizabeth at 3:10 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My Brother. My Enemy. My Friend.
One Sibling's Story

“Yeah, I’m upset.” I hear my older son say. I peek into his room. He’s talking on the phone, pacing the floor, fingering a business card. “You said to call you when I was really fed up. Well, I’m really fed up. Why does he get all the attention? Why does my Mom spend all her time with him? She’s too tired to do anything with me. She can’t even think long enough to help with my math homework.”

Sean’s voice becomes more agitated, more urgent. “Then tonight he throws a fit because I beat him at basketball. He yells at me. He screams. I don’t want to play with him anymore. But Mom says I have to understand him. I don’t want to understand him. I want him to act NORMAL."

I don’t need to see the card he’s holding to know that Sean called his brother’s therapist, Ben, who told him after one of our family sessions, “Call anytime you need to talk. This isn’t just about your brother.”

But in reality, it is all about his brother Joe needs constant attention. His anxieties derail every family outing. Sean is usually the perfect child, the one with no issues. He plays well with others, never misses school. He possesses maturity beyond his years. Skilled at dodging Joe’s verbal bullets, Sean adeptly negotiates disagreements among his peers. His compassion for others comes through in his social activities.

“He would not be who he is without the experience of being Joe’s brother,” my friend Nan tells me, when I wonder about the impact of Joe’s condition on Sean. “He’s one of the most tolerant teenagers I’ve ever met,” she goes on to say.

My thoughts come back to Sean’s phone call to the therapist who is presumably giving him some sound advice for dealing with his brother. “Yeah, I understand,” Sean says with resignation in his voice. “It’s just that sometimes I think my whole family is close to breaking. And there’s another problem. I get embarrassed when my friends are over and Joe acts up. He swears at me. He hits and kicks me. It’s ugly and embarrassing and if I hit him back, I’m the one who gets in trouble because 'I’m older and should know better.' So here’s the bottom line Ben. I am tired of being abused by my brother, tired of being embarrassed, and I’m jealous of the time my parents spend with him.” There’s a long pause and then, “Yeah, I’ll think about what you said. Okay, I promise to call you again tomorrow.”

After Sean hangs up, I step into his room. In that moment I decide to let Sean know I heard his conversation with Ben. “Was he helpful?” A little startled he replies, “Kinda. Said I should walk away when Joe starts hitting me or swearing at me. Said I could help him help Joe by writing down what triggers Joe’s anger. I guess that will help.” Sean begins to make his bed. I stop his hands as he pulls the bedcovers forward. I don’t know what to say to make it better. I hug him, tell him how much I love him, tell him how much I appreciate how helpful and positive he is, knowing full well that these are probably the wrong things to say and that I am putting even more pressure on him. I can only hope that my friend Nan is right. Sean will grow into a caring, compassionate young man – thanks to his brother.

Come hear more Sibling Stories when Mary & I present at Momference on April 26th.

Posted by Elizabeth at 1:29 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you are a frequent reader of A Wild Ride, you know that Mary and I are speaking at the Momference Webinar on April 26th. Our topic: Special Needs and Sibling Rivalry.

In my research for this topic, I came across an excellent piece on Life Happens by Donna Mason. Donna gave me permission to share it with our readers.

The Effects on Siblings of Autistic Children

Oftentimes it is true that the child that makes the most noise, gets the most attention. This is true in a lot of families and moreso in families with children with Autism. Autistic children also require a lot more time and attention. In a family with more than one autistic child, it is doubly so. This could lead to a greater risk of sibling rivalry. Not for the challenges usually associated with these words but for attention. With the care that Autistic children need, it would be easy for the unaffected child in the family to get a little lost in the shuffle.

Over time, this could lead to the unaffected child feeling resentful of their Autistic siblings and to begin a little attention getting of their own or behaviors.

In time, the stress involved with this internal family conflict could lead to a rift that may take a lifetime to heal. There are several methods to deal with this potential problem before it gets out of hand.

Donna suggests the following:

1. Set aside parent alone time for the sibling of an Autistic child.

2. Hire a sitter or ask a friend or family member to watch over the Autistic child during this time.

3. Reassure the unaffected sibling that they are going to get a share of you time.

4. It important that you keep your appointment with the child.

5. The outing doesn't have to be anything spectacular, just something that the two of you can share. It can be done with one parent at a time or with both.

For more suggestions, visit Donna's site Life Happens.

From Donna's site: Life Happens is about life dealing with Autism. I have three children with Autism and three children who don't have Autism. This is how we deal with day to day living and getting by. Different treatments for Autism,ADHD,Mental Retardation and their effectiveness.

Posted by Elizabeth at 1:11 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

If you are a frequent reader of this Blog, you know that Mary and I will be speakers at an upcoming Momference teleconference titled Special Needs: Managing Stress with a Smile.

Our session is called: My Brother My Sister My Enemy My Friend - The New Definition of Sibling Rivalry.

This week, we thought we would set the "mood" for Momference by writing a few entries on the topic over the next two weeks.

We all know that some sibling rivalry is inevitable -- even healthy. However, it's not always safe, especially if one of the children has special needs. That fact can also put some undue pressure on the "typically developing" brother or sister. So, what's a mother to do?

1. Acknowledge the anger.
2. Listen to each child's side of the argument.
3. Recognize that the problem is a tough one.
4. Offer some potential solutions to both parties then allow them to work out a mutually agreeable solution.
5. Make certain the child without special needs is not always the one who must concede.
6. Fairness may not always be possible but acknowledge this fact with empathy.
7. When the crisis is over, appreciate the children's efforts to come to some agreement.
8. Plan on attending Momference for even more ideas and suggestions.

Posted by Elizabeth at 5:23 AM in Siblings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Sometimes, when I'm in the thick of a difficult situation, I fail to see the world around me. A good friend, whose calm life was shattered last fall due to her husband's stroke, recently wrote this:

We’re keeping perspective, grateful to be home, to have a home… happy to be alive and together. Not a given. Our community has been hit hard with critical illnesses lately. The only way I know of to weather the storms is to take slow deep breaths every day, and to rest quietly in each moment -- when I remember that is. Our hearts are full, holding close to loved ones struggling for life.

Today, regardless of your situation, I wish you a full-heart! ~ Elizabeth

Photo by Mary Pohlmann. Today is her birthday!

Posted by Elizabeth at 5:57 AM in Expectations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It may still feel chilly out there. Spring is barely recognizable in our area. But if you are like me, you are not exactly looking forward to summer. Endless light, warmth and lack of routine do not always spell r-e-l-i-e-f in households with special needs children. June, July, and August spell c-h-a-o-s and u-p-s-e-t. That’s why I start looking for summer activity suggestions in April.

Today in my Inbox I came across a newsletter from Play-Activities. Melitsa, author of Play-Activities, sent several great play ideas. My favorite is called Listening Outside.

The game is geared towards the under five crowd, but there’s a bonus benefit. It takes Mom outdoors, on her own, listening to the world around her. You don’t have to record the sounds if you don’t want to ~ just enjoy the act of listening.

If you do want to play the game with your child, here’s how it works:

Materials:
• Recording device - e.g. mobile phone, tape recorder, dictation machine, etc.
• Blank tape

Idea(s):
• When your child is not around, record some of the sounds that you hear outside.
• You might record vehicles, lawn mowers or other garden tools, dogs barking, howling or scratching, birds, children at play, sprinkler, swimming pool fun, wind chimes, foot falling on wood or concrete, ball bouncing, etc.
• Play the sounds and see how many they can identify.
• Go outside and see if that helps if they can guess.
• Try other places - park, preschool, church, garage, etc.

Good For:
• Patience
• Listening Skills
• Vocabulary

Find more ideas at:

Don't forget. Mary and I are at Momference on April 26th. Visit Momference for more information.

Posted by Elizabeth at 9:33 AM in Summer Planning | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

SPECIAL NEEDS: MANAGING STRESS WITH A SMILE

Having a special needs child in your life brings new meaning to the term loving unconditionally. We break the old rules and stigmas every day, while trying to create a new and wonderful world for our children.

Join us for a day of helpful hints and upbeat attitudes from those that live a life like yours. As well as useful information you can use immediately to help your daily life stop being so stressful.
Hurry… seating is limited.
REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Your registration includes audio recordings of all the sessions!

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All of these workshops will talk to parents of the special needs child and provide innovative and concrete tools and resources for managing your home and your life with less stress and more smiles!

It includes workshops on:

1. Understanding and measuring you child's success

2. Managing your child and yourself with less stress

3. The ABCs of support groups

4. Dealing with sibling rivalry (Speaker: MARY & ME!)

5. Parenting without yelling

6. Organizing your special child's room

7. The Imperfection Movement - using humor instead of guilt (Speaker: Our Friend Patty over at Shut Up About Your Perfect Kid)

For more information, visit the Momference Web site. When you register, receive a discount by using WILDRIDE as the promotion code.

Posted by Elizabeth at 4:04 AM in Classes & Seminars | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

SPECIAL NEEDS: MANAGING STRESS WITH A SMILE

Online Webinar and Teleconference
Saturday, April 26, 2008, 10:30am - 5pm

At one time or another, every mother has encountered those stressful moments when there are a million things to do including baths, laundry, homework, and meals. With a special needs child, the stressful moments multiply quickly as attitudes and parenting skills must be adjusted in a world that does not understand the plight of a special needs family.

In the Momference event, “Managing Stress with a Smile,” the first of a three part series sponsored by The Special Needs Family, moms learn how to mange stress by:

• Accepting imperfection for themselves and their special needs child,
• How to stop yelling and start setting goals for achievement,
• How to manage the dynamics between siblings with and without special needs,
• The basics of finding the right support group

Register Online. For discount, use promotional Code: WILDRIDE

Posted by Elizabeth at 3:54 AM in Classes & Seminars | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Seattle P-I reporter Paul Nyhan wrote an excellent piece titled The Rise in childhood mental illness is perplexing. The article appeared in the Friday, March 7th edition of the paper and featured A Wild Ride and one of our stories.

In the article, Paul wrote:

Childhood mental illness is a complicated, confusing and difficult challenge that should be handled by trained medical professionals. Experts advise parents to follow these guidelines in observing their children:

1. Watch for anxiety. It can be an early sign of depression.
2. Talk to your kids. They often will tell you how they are doing.
3. Eat dinner together.
4. Trust your gut instincts about your own child.
5. Share concerns with your pediatrician.
6. Learn what you can about a diagnosed disorder.
7. Take care of yourself.

In addition to A Wild Ride, other resources cited in the article include the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the New York University Child Study Center. Read NYU's recent article on Depression in Children and Teens.

Wishing our readers all the best resources,

Elizabeth & Mary

Posted by Elizabeth at 1:26 AM in Strategies | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)