Helping Your Stressed-out Teen

School demands, sports commitments, body changes, confusing media messages. How can you help your kids manage life’s pressures as they hit the teen years – especially now at the end of the school year when exams and events pile up? Start by making sure the health basics are in place: good nutrition, solid sleep habits, and regular exercise. And don’t underestimate your teenager's need for downtime.By Mary Brophy Marcus, health writer, APA

These resources can help:

Nutrition: The USDA has a site for teens all about healthy eating with snack ideas, info on vitamins, weight and nutrition trackers, and more. There's nutrition advice for vegetarian teens and athletes, too.

Sleep: Teenagers need 8 - 10 hours a night, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). However, almost 70% of high school students aren't logging that much, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Inadequate sleep can put them at risk for accidents, mood and behavior issues, and poor school performance. NSF shares tips like cutting out caffeinated sodas and setting a regular sleep routine.

Exercise and Relaxation: Physical activity helps increase "feel-good" endorphins in the brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. To relax, The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry suggests practicing relaxation breathing and building a supportive circle of friends and family to cut stress, too.

If your tween or teen is still stressed and struggling, reach out to your child's doctor or a mental health professional who specializes in adolescents because a more serious health issue may be going on, such as depression or an anxiety disorder.

By Mary Brophy Marcus, health writer, APA

How to "Bully-Proof" Kids

By Gariane Phillips Gunter, M.D. 

Do you think October's national anti-bullying campaign was successful in stopping bullies? The Washington Post recently blogged about our country having a hard time defining bullying among kids. So, what can we, as parents, do to protect our children and teens? Here are some tips for "bully-proofing" your kids:

Distinguish between events and feelings - It is important to teach your children the difference in their interpretations of life situations. This helps kids learn to understand and relate to the feelings of others. They will be able to determine if someone is treating them appropriately - or if they are, in fact, being bullied.

Develop a sense of self - Another great way to bully-proof your child is to help them develop a sense of self. Encourage them to learn about and understand who they "are" because children who struggle to identify self-awareness or constantly strive to be their "hero" are never going to be able to live up to those expectations. This can be detrimental for their self-esteem - making them a direct target for bullying. Kids with low self-esteem are less likely to stick up for who they are which makes them prime targets for those looking to pick on someone (bullies often bully due to their own low self-esteem).

Monitor their online lives - Parents or caregivers should have access to online accounts and cell phones to ensure their teens' safety over the Internet. Cyberbullying continues to be a nationwide epidemic.  

Positive activities - It is also important to encourage your kids to explore activities that make them feel good about themselves. Find something that they are really good at because it will help increase their overall self-esteem and feeling of self-worth. Encouraging courageous behavior is another great way to guide children. You can teach them to stand up for themselves and for their peers and other friends. When groups of kids or teens stand together to put an end to a bullying situation, the bully is more likely to back off and won't mess with your child again.

Following these tips when your kids are young is the best way to show them how to establish early on that they will not tolerate bullying. 

Sources: http://www.makebeatsnotbeatdowns.org/, http://www.olweus.org/
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Caring for the Mental Health of Your College Student

By Roberto A. Blanco, M.D.

A recently released national survey on the state of mental health for entering college students revealed that this year's freshmen class has the highest stress levels in the history of the 25 year survey.  There are several reasons.  According to study authors, students face increased competitiveness and demands in high school as well as more financial challenges due to today's economy.

Although it's an exciting time, your child's transition to college can be a difficult one - especially if he or she suffers from a mental illness.  Here are some things that you and your prospective college student should be thinking about prior to choosing a university and heading off to school:

1.    What can I do to ease the college transition? 

Some schools offer an orientation program over the summer to help students become comfortable with the campus and surroundings, learn organizational and study skills and socialize with fellow freshmen.  

Apart from these organized programs, it is important that, as a parent, you work on transition issues and independence.  Make sure that your child has all materials needed for school including an organizer and a computer.  If your child is getting psychiatric treatment, teach your son or daughter the importance of their medicines, therapy and attending their appointments regularly.  If they haven’t yet been self-administering their medications, before going to college, it is important that they learn and start taking their medicines without supervision.

If you have serious concerns about how your child will do with the college transition, you may want to consider schools close to home.  Depending on the amount of concern, it may be best to choose a school which would allow your child to drive home for the weekend if needed.

2.   What’s the quality of the college's mental health program?

Some colleges and universities do not have mental health services available through the school.  If they don’t, you need to understand how a student can go about getting help.  If the school is not in a major city, you need to make sure that there are enough providers close by so that your child can get the services that he or she needs in a timely manner.

Some universities have therapists but no psychiatric providers on staff.  Others offer both counseling and psychiatric services but put a cap on the number of appointments at the university mental health center prior to referring students out to the community.  All of this information should be provided by each individual school.  And you should know all of this information prior to committing to a particular school, especially if your child is likely to use mental health services.

3.    What is the educational environment of the university?

Some universities are known to be high-pressure, unforgiving environments.  This could be due to the rigor, expectations or challenges of courses.  Sometimes, this can be eased by a strong academic support team or advising system.  Often, peers can make the university culture overly competitive in unhealthy ways.  Some places are notorious for students stealing other students’ lecture materials and notes or not helping out when needed.  If your child is particularly sensitive to stress, it may be best to go to a school where the environment is more collegial and supportive.

Other schools are notorious for having easy access to drugs or alcohol on campus.  While drugs and alcohol are available at most schools, they are easier to get at some schools which are located in major cities or areas of high accessibility.  If your child has a history of drug or alcohol abuse, you should be extra considerate of these location factors.

4.    Will the financing of this school put my child in overwhelming debt?

While a good college education is one of the most important investments, your child should not mortgage his or her future by creating large amounts of unnecessary debt.  In addition, universities with higher tuition may necessitate your child working during school to avoid excessive debt.  This can also add stress.  If schools are relatively equivalent in meeting your child’s long-term career goals, choose the college which will put your child in a better financial position after he or she graduates.

Of course, after your children go to college, you will want to monitor how they are doing intermittently.  Particularly stressful times are usually at the beginning of school, around exam time (midterms and finals) and anytime a romantic relationship ends.  Checking in around these times may be the most beneficial.  If it turns out that they need more help than some parental TLC, make sure that they see a professional.

I hope that these suggestions have been helpful.  Feel free to leave comments or questions for further discussion.

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Working with Schools When your Child has Problems

By Gariane Gunter, M.D.

Well, we have made it through the first months of a new school year! However, for some students the start of a new year has been difficult. I have received many calls and heard numerous concerns from parents who are wondering how they can work with their child’s school to ensure a success. Below is a list of the Top Ten Tips for Working with Schools that was shared with me by a Lead School Psychologist in my area. I hope you have a great year!

Top Ten Tips for Working with Schools

1. Let the school know up front if you have concerns
2. It helps to be visible in the school but do not intrude on the learning
3. Every school is a little different in its approach

4. There are lots of different ways of working with student problems in schools. Not just one of them is right. 
5. If you want to talk to a classroom teacher, ask to make an appointment with them. When teachers are with students, their first responsibility is to teach and supervise them.
6. School folks got into education for the joy of working with students.
7. School Psychologists and Special Teachers are there to study individual students. Help them by giving your specific observations. Your observations matter.
8. Lots of teachers and other school folks use e-mail, but remember that teachers check e-mail when they have planning or breaks.
9. If you have made a request and you haven’t received a response, don’t wait too long before asking about it. Sometimes requests do get lost.
10. Schools can be fun places to be; it is where all children gather to learn. Enjoy your time there too!

Reference: Shirley A. Vickery, PhD

School's in Session - Lesson 1: ADHD

By Gariane Phillips Gunter, M.D.


School started just a month or so ago, but some parents may have already received calls about their child’s “behavior." An article published in USA Today reported on a study conducted at Michigan State University which stated that kids who are the youngest in their grades are 60% more likely to be diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) than the oldest children.


My goal for this blog posting is not to validate nor dispute this data but to offer facts about the diagnosis of ADHD. First and foremost, the diagnosis of ADHD should only be made by a trained professional after a thorough assessment of the child and collateral information.


The main features of ADHD include hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and an inability to sustain attention or concentration. These symptoms occur at levels that cause significant distress, impairment, and are far more severe than typically found in children of similar ages and developmental levels. More common in boys than in girls, ADHD often develops before age seven, but is usually diagnosed between ages eight and ten.


Children with ADHD:


• Have difficulty finishing any activity that requires focus  
• Don't seem to listen
• Are excessively active, running, or climbing at inappropriate times, squirming in or jumping out of their seats
• Are very easily distracted
• Talk incessantly, often blurting out responses before questions are finished
• Have serious difficulty waiting their turn in games or groups
• May have specific learning disabilities


Treatment can include the use of medications, psychotherapy, and special educational programs to help a child keep up academically. Psychotherapy enables children to cope with their disorder and the reaction of others to it. An essential component of psychotherapy involves the work of the child psychiatrist with both the child and the parents to develop techniques for behavior management. 


If your child is diagnosed with ADHD there are effective treatments and medications available to help him or her have a successful year at school. Please contact your child's doctor for further guidance.