A national survey found that 38% of young adults 14-22 years old experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety and depression are using stress and anxiety-reducing apps to help them feel better. [Rideout: 2018] Common signs of anxiety in children and adolescents are acting worried or afraid, crying, shaking, tantrums, and refusing to do things, such as […]

Buckle up, because we’re going to show you what’s really behind the smokescreen. What’s the Deal with Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes? Cigarettes: Imagine tiny toxic torches. You light ’em up, and they become a cocktail of chemicals that mess with your body. Sounds kind of gross. Cigarettes can kill too: 5.6 million kids under the age […]

Although severe debilitating psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, chronic substance use and other serious disorders are relatively rare in the populations served by pediatricians, the recently implemented CARE Act Program is an important new resource for the community that pediatricians may find valuable for some patients who are in their transition age years as young […]

In recent years, in consequence of the challenges and constraints of the pandemic, there has been an obvious increase in mood and other behavioral health conditions in teenagers and other population cohorts but depressive illnesses have always been a potential challenge for youth. Even prior to Covid, the prevalence of Major Depression Disorder (MDD) in […]

International wars and conflict enhance our sense of danger and may cause worry about what will happen in the days and weeks ahead. A range of emotions (e.g., outrage, fear, anxiety and sorrow) are common and can change as the situation evolves. They can create safety concerns for the region that reach into our own […]

When a child or adolescent reports “I hear voices”, it naturally causes concern for parents and healthcare clinicians alike. The immediate question is “what is the cause”? This, followed by “what to do about it?” An optimal approach to assessing “voices” in youth includes a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed, and family-centered philosophy. The metaphysical experience of […]

Addressing MEDI-CAL ENHANCED CARE MANAGEMENT (ECM) Today’s newsletter describes California’s new Medi-Cal Enhanced Care Management program, a resource for obtaining Community Supports that can assist individuals in overcoming a variety of life challenges that contribute to worsening of healthcare problems.    THE ISSUE:  Medi-Cal members with unmet social needs are at higher risk of poor […]

For many children, the anxiety of a new school year is not just one of nervous excitement about a new year beginning.  For many it may be a youth’s severe concern about the risk of victimization as a result of peer bullying.   Awareness of the potential that a youth may be experiencing bullying should be […]