It's Gonna Be Ok!

When things get a little too overwhelming for us because of our dysregulated kids, we often think we’re helpless but in reality, we can do something about it. There are things we can do to change that not just for them but even for their future generation as we break that cycle.Because parents have an impact on their children's language, social skills, and self-esteem, whether deliberately or unconsciously, it’s important for us to learn how beneficial it is to regulate ourselves to help our dysregulated kids.How co-regulation helps dysregulated kids.All of our actions as parents have an impact on our kids. And as I always say, instead of being freaked out by that, I want you to be empowered. You can head over to our Facebook group (https://www.drroseann.com/group) if you want to be part of a safe space where members empower each other throughout this parenting journey.Co-regulation can be explained simply as when our child regulates themselves off our emotional state. And so, when they see us all put together, they are more likely to have it together. But for parents with kids who are neurodivergent or have special needs, it has definitely been more challenging. Personally, I can say that it has not been an easy path to take, always keeping my stuff together. But I can also promise you when I do, my kid is more regulated and that co-regulation is something that we all can achieve no matter what is going on.We all have our own stuff.I think there’s no one out there who doesn’t have traumas whether they may be little or big. We all have our own stuff to deal with and so, it isn’t easy for us to deal with other people’s stuff, even our children's. But although it is hard, we must do this so that our child can regulate.We must reinforce a positive cycle because as we all know, the more dysregulated we are, the more dysregulated our kids are. Kids are highly attuned to their parents' emotional states and often mirror their behavior. How does emotional regulation develop in the brain?Co-regulation increases activity and neural pathways in brain regions associated with emotional regulation. It thus improves and promotes healthy brain functioning.We’ve mentioned that our kids feed off our energy. As such, they’re more likely to have everything together when they see us calm and regulated. However, we also have to take into consideration that we are all allowed to be imperfect. We are allowed to feel things and process our emotions. Instead, what we’re trying to change here to break the cycle is how we communicate. You are your child’s teacher when you are struggling.You are your child's best teacher but in order for you to provide help to your child, you also need to be calm and stable. That’s why when you’re struggling, you need to seek professional guidance. Many people who are often feeling lost come to us and join our group and you can too (https://drroseann.com/).Communication is key. You must learn how to properly connect with your child. Parents can encourage healthy emotional development in their children by establishing a secure and comforting environment in which their kids are free to communicate their feelings and worries.For me, I always try to use sensory activities to connect with a dysregulated child like playing legos and going out for a swim. Parents can develop a feeling of balance and emotional stability by engaging in activities with their kids that encourage relaxation, stress reduction, and personal fulfillment. If these calm moments end in a bad turn and your child dysregulates, I hope you don’t get discouraged.As much as possible, you...

With greater pressures and expectations placed on young adults in recent years, the transition of our kids from youth to adulthood has grown more challenging. At present, we have an epidemic of young adults who either failed to launch or never launched at all but we shouldn’t lose hope because there are things we can do.It’s imperative for us to learn more about the failure to launch syndrome as resources regarding this matter remain to be limited. And that’s what we’ll be focusing on in today’s episode. What is failure to launch and why is it such an epidemic?Around ⅓ of the people in the United States from ages 18 to 34 still live at home with their parents. But this is not to say that everyone in that population experiences failure to launch. There are many reasons behind failure to launch. There are those who really want to live at home while some stay with their parents due to financial reasons.Nowadays, we’re experiencing a surge of people who are failing to launch and some of them didn't even bother to launch. Although, some of them go to college. The longer an individual gets stuck, the harder it is to get out of it. That’s why there’s a need for us to assess this surge.However, there aren’t a lot of resources for this which is why many people remain clueless as to what they should do. If you want to be part of our group for support, you can visit our Facebook group (http://drroseann.com/group). Typically, the reason why there is a failure to launch is because these children are financially dependent on their parents making them incapable of living on their own. There are people experiencing failure to launch who are dealing with mental health issues which makes it difficult for them to launch. The common issues we encounter in relation to this when we support young adults are autism, Lyme’s Disease, OCD, PANS and PANDAS. Parents tend to think that getting a job or going to college will solve the problem. College is a tough journey and there are a lot of things to be done along the way. That is why there are many who completely fall apart when they go to college contributing to the number one reason why people leave college which is their mental health.Parents tend to think that getting a job or going to college will solve the problem when in fact that’s not the appropriate fix. They think that if they just push them out, things will go right but in reality, that's not what happens when you have an untreated mental health issue.What I often see in families is that there is poor communication which gives rise to many problems. It causes family members to shut down and even causes them to be avoidant and resistant to help. This also often causes low motivation or no motivation at all. What are the signs and symptoms of failure to launch? At the crux of failure to launch is typically a mental health issue that has not been properly addressed. And usually, parents don’t address the mental health issue of their kid because the latter’s grades are good. What we should do is to dig deeper and understand what’s happening with our kids. Kids with failure to launch have a history of low stress tolerance and poor coping skills. That is so important to understand because good coping skills are going to serve you in every aspect of your life. They also tend to have gaming addictions and other forms of addictions in place of friendships. Sometimes, because of the lack of healthy relationships, they fail to launch and depression sets in. What’s my best tip for failure to launch?My best tip I can give parents is to focus on parenting help. When kids are stuck because they are either avoidant or resistant to help,...

Parenting plays a vital role in calming a kid's brain. But nowadays, many stressors badly affect children's mental health as they are more prone to stress and anxiety. That's why we must create a safe space and a nurturing environment for our kids and help them develop coping mechanisms. We must discuss how we could calm our kid's brains, and today, we'll be learning about some hacks to help you in your parenting journey. What is it like when you have a child who is dysregulated?It's not easy to deal with a child who is dysregulated. Sometimes, when parents get overwhelmed, dysregulation causes a strain on the parent's relationship with their children. It can even affect children's relationships with others, like their teachers and family members.When a child's brain is not regulated, you're going to see a variety of behaviors. But ultimately, when your child doesn't hear you correctly, they are irritated. Making them do tasks requiring higher-level executive functioning skills will be quite challenging when your child's brain is dysregulated because these require critical thinking. These behaviors are big red flags indicating that their brain is dysregulated. So, not knowing what to do only adds fuel to the fire. I've been there as a parent, so I understand what it's like. To avoid worsening things for you and your entire family, I want you to start being proactive instead of reactive. What are overstimulated vs. under-stimulated behaviors?When a kid is in a stressful situation, they tend to exhibit irritability, anxiety, and difficulty focusing as there is too much sensory input to handle. On the other hand, when there's not enough sensory input, your kid is likely to show a lack of motivation, inattentiveness, and boredom.These overstimulated and understimulated behaviors negatively affect your kid's mental health. The good thing is that parents can provide support by helping their kids find a balance between overstimulation and under-stimulation.The first thing nobody ever wants to do is put their oxygen mask on.I always talk about my dyslexic kid with a great emotional core. Honestly, that took a lot of work. But, he had many open discussions about it and got appropriate treatment. That's why early intervention is essential. But the first thing nobody ever wants to do is put on their oxygen mask. Things may get a little too frustrating sometimes, and I'm sure all parents have been there. You've got to calm yourself because the more you regulate yourself, the easier it will be. Our children co-regulate with us. We have to meet kids where they're at. So, for example, if they're angry and having tantrums or sudden outbursts, don't respond with anger because you're just going to clash with them.Another important hack is to pick one behavior that drives everything and work on it. I talk a lot about this in my BrainBehaviorResetTM Program, wherein we have an executive functioning toolkit where we map it all out. Of course, you're not going to be able to fix everything by focusing on a single behavior, but you've got to stop the friction, and we've got to help our kids calm their brains.We've seen the toolkit's effectiveness, especially for most kids with inferior coping skills experiencing dysregulation. They don't know how to manage and tolerate uncomfortable sensations when they don't get what they want. So, what we must do is to keep reinforcing our desired behaviors.Calm Brain Parenting HacksSleep is vital. In my book It's Gonna Be Ok, I included the importance of sleep in our system. Most people get cranky when they don't get enough sleep. We also must prioritize our physical health because it is closely interconnected with our mental health. For example, regular exercise has been shown to boost our

Managing moody kids is never easy and even more challenging when clinical issues are involved. It's like we're walking on eggshells whenever we interact with our kids when they're moody. Although it is such a challenging part of parenting, parents can use effective management strategies, and that's what we'll be tackling in today's episode. What is emotional dysregulation?Emotional dysregulation is when you tend towards frequent mood swings and switch between different emotional states, probably too rapidly, but certainly with little control.About 70% of kids and individuals from other age groups with ADHD have rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD). RSD interferes with one's ability to regulate emotional responses, making them prone to emotional dysregulation.Most of the time, external factors affect our moods, especially when they get us stressed. Of course, you won't always understand these factors, but they are part of our reality. Managing moody kids in the familyWe also have to note that these kids lack stress tolerance and coping skills, so dealing with shame, rejection, and criticism may not always go well. We must learn how to manage moody kids in the family because it causes a significant disruption in the entire family and can even cause marriages to end. This is what drives this absolute friction between you and your child. Give short, clear, and visual directions. I like to preview things and let them know in advance. The key is to keep it clear and concise. I also keep my tone in check, mainly when communicating with moody kids.We have to consider that sometimes, they don't process things right away, although there will be times when they process things too quickly. It also helps to make them visualize the results or the outcomes. But, again, try to make things as descriptive as possible to focus on what they can and can't do. Reinforcement is a vital part of managing moody kids. As much as possible, we want to make sure we're reinforcing the desired behaviors. We must show them what to do rather than point out what they're not doing. Don't use this little inertia of all the minute details when your kid gets stuck on something. Instead, focus on the positive side to stop getting stuck in negativity. Moody kids are hard to manage, which means you will need resources. In line with this, we have our Natural Parenting Solutions Group, which you can participate in (http://drroseann.com/group). No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:Mentioned in this episode:Is It ADHD or Something Else? Take the Quiz to find out!➡️ Join our FREE Natural Parenting Community to receive science-backed resources for your child and family. Join here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/naturalparentingsolutions/ ➡️ Get help from Dr. Roseann and her team. Apply here. https://drroseann.com/apply ➡️ “Is it ADHD or something else?” Take the quiz.  To take the quiz, just text the word "quiz" to 13Alertmore. Then you'll know whether your child has ADHD or something else.

Literacy remains to be a major issue in education, particularly in the Individualized Education Plan, in the United States. This is even more of a problem because of literacy difficulties associated with dyslexia. Dyslexia greatly affects children’s academic development as they struggle with phonological processing, comprehension, and even spelling words. This can also affect one’s self-esteem because of feelings of constant frustration and other negative feelings. We’ll be focusing on improving reading skills – brain training for dyslexia in today’s episode with Nancy McDermott, a fellow mother of a dyslexic, to help kids thrive especially in school. Let’s take a step towards changing the brain and giving your dyslexic child the right keys to help them learn. Nancy’s story of how she came to work with Anthony.I remember wanting to become a neurofeedback provider after seeing how incredible it is to be able to help families especially when it comes to dealing with mental health issues. I’ve personally seen how Nancy did her mission and it’s been such a profound moment to witness how she helped families.Nancy recalled how Anthony was such a bright kid. Early on in his development, he had good verbal and motor skills but all of a sudden, as they were trying to learn letters, they reached a dead stop which was shocking as he was learning everything else so quickly and easily.Diagnosing dyslexia today.Having worked in schools and having done neuropsych testing for 22 years, people still don't understand dyslexia today. It's so easy to diagnose. You just need to go to a qualified expert who knows what it is.Dyslexia could appear in many signs like he couldn't rhyme things properly. For example, if you would ask your kid to write something with rain, he might write a frame. It’s close but it doesn’t make sense. People don't understand dyslexia because they still think it's a visual processing problem but in truth, it's an auditory processing problem wherein the brain can't properly hear the sound. What is Orton-Gillingham and how does it work?Orton-Gillingham is an approach that came about in 1917. It is a style of reading instruction that was designed for dyslexics and it is still being used until today. It is the mother of all dyslexia reading programs that are evidence-based and proven to be effective. Having 95-97% efficacy, such an approach is well-regarded for its structured intensive phonics. It is designed in a way to remediate dyslexia without getting into all the particulars, but it requires a lot of intensity. In fact, you can't just skip the steps; you have to master it in order to move to the next level. There is no medication for dyslexia.There is no medication for dyslexia. Many parents come to me not knowing what else to do and saying that they’ve been encouraged to have their dyslexic kids medicated. However, there is actually a way to deal with dyslexia so we shouldn’t lose hope. Many kids that are dyslexic are first diagnosed with ADHD, especially if they're not caught in the beginning before they get to reading instruction. In fact, it’s often misdiagnosed with ADHD as they share common symptoms like difficulties in attention and concentration.Dyslexics typically have a higher IQ than average, and they can compensate with instruction. So as much as possible, what you need to do is to get your kid identified as early as you possibly can.How do you treat neurodyslexia?We’ve already mentioned how helpful Orton-Gillingham is and I believe neurofeedback and Orton-Gillingham is the winning combination across diagnoses. Having these two combined not only calms the brain but it also allows for increased learning. However, there needs to be consistency in...

Most people confuse obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) with other mental health disorders particularly, anxiety disorder. It’s important for us to learn more about how to identify these OCD symptoms as these recurring obsessions and repetitive behaviors can interfere with a person’s daily life. We’ll be talking about another important topic in today’s episode – how to stop feeding the OCD monster. This is going to be a fruitful episode as OCD treatment is not similar to that of anxiety. What is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)?OCD is all about fear. It is a behavioral manifestation of all these intrusive thoughts and behaviors that are completely irrational and most of the time, they don’t make any sense. Its core features are obsessions, or compulsions and rituals. Such obsessions, compulsions and rituals can severely affect one’s life especially in terms of daily living and relationships. They make it difficult for someone to focus on or finish things effectively, and they usually take up a significant amount of time. Additionally, it may interfere with social interactions or relationships, making other people irritated or impatient.Commonly, most people associate OCD with anxiety or worry. But in fact, it’s really more like a fear-driven behavior. When you’re dealing with OCD, you tend to try to prevent something bad from happening.How does OCD show up in the world?It is not only the adults who experience OCD. Even young children are diagnosed with it. There are many ways that OCD sort of shows up in the world and often, people just shrug these instances off, making it harder for us to treat OCD.I think another factor that contributes to the difficulty in treating OCD is that it’s usually confused with anxiety. There are providers who claim that they treat OCD when in fact they don’t and are simply using anxiety treatment instead of a specialized treatment for OCD.The specialized treatment we’re referring to is the exposure and response prevention. That’s why it’s important to have a highly skilled provider who conducts cognitive behavioral therapy with exposure therapy. Personally, that’s what we use in our clinic because we’ve seen how effective it is in dismantling behaviors. We all know how much of a tyrant OCD is. It just takes over everything and it can really hijack a life. That’s why I’ve had many encounters with families crying because of the positive development of their children particularly when they learn how to take control and stop accommodating OCD through behavioral therapy combined with other treatments like exposure and response prevention.What does “accommodation” mean?Accommodating means we are fueling the OCD and the behaviors that come with it. For example, your child constantly asks questions to reassure himself, and you answer his question every single time. Every time you answer, you actually reinforce the fear or other irrational and intrusive thoughts. When we accommodate the questions by answering them, we’re lowering the fear response rate. But then every time we answer the question, we actually move the baseline up. This is how we get behaviorally habituated and this is how the brain forms a habit. So when we reinforce this, we actually increase the likelihood of OCD behaviors.What we have to do now to stop accommodation is to stop answering them every single time. I know it’s quite difficult to do that but we have to really set boundaries if we want to stop feeding the OCD monster.Getting your partner and caregivers on the same page is the biggest obstacle.I think one of the biggest obstacles in this journey is getting your partner and caregivers on the same page. In ERP treatment, 30% of people drop out because parents have a hard time doing the work either on their...

Often, it’s difficult to distinguish why our children behave the way they do. Because of the overlapping similarities in symptoms of certain mental health problems, it’s even more difficult for us to resolve these issues.That’s why it’s important for us to seek help from mental health professionals to immediately provide solutions for our children’s mental health problems. We need to have an open mind and willingness in addressing these issues and in tracing the many possible root causes that may be contributing to our children’s symptoms.What is going on when you’re angry or anxious?Behavior is dysregulated when you’re angry or anxious. In such situations, our brain's natural fight, flight, or freeze response gets triggered and it can lead to impulsive or irrational behaviors.That’s why it’s important for us to learn how to calm the brain because if we just let it be, it may lead to a crisis. Calming the brain can be accomplished through different methods, including mindfulness, deep breathing exercises, physical activity, or talking to your support system. It’s also important for us to get to the root cause of the behavior for effective treatment and management. That’s why I do Quantitative Electroencephalogram (QEEG) brain mapping on people I work with. It is a diagnostic tool that gives us valuable answers to help us understand the brain activity of our children. You have to be a parent detective.Be a parent detective. You have the power to make a positive change as we give you the tools and help you along the way. Try to pull yourself out of those emotions and take a look at what is going on. It's normal for parents to become emotionally invested in their kids, which can occasionally make it difficult for them to see things clearly. Parents can better understand what might be causing these behaviors and develop strategies to resolve issues by taking a step back and analyzing the situation.It's also crucial for parents to get professional help if they are having trouble or if the behavior is significantly interfering with their daily lives. For addressing behavioral disorders in children, mental health professionals can offer direction, assistance, tools, and resources.What do you do when your kids are out of control?I've done over 10,000 brain maps and it’s safe to say that complexity is never the problem but rather, it's the attitude towards the problem. While a negative attitude can result in feelings of helplessness and hopelessness, which can affect progress, a positive attitude can increase motivation and problem-solving abilities.However, we have to take note that problems frequently have several causes, and a positive outlook might not be sufficient to eliminate them, which is why we need to have a reliable, comprehensive and holistic approach.First of all, you want to put your own oxygen mask on first. You have to be that parent detective who takes a step back and looks at a situation in its entirety. Be proactive and take note of what triggers the behavior, when it occurs, and how often it happens. How can you get caregivers and partners on the same page?When your kid is so dysregulated that you're not even sure what it is that you need, it can be incredibly helpful if you have a strong support system. Having a support system can give parents a feeling of understanding and approval as well as assistance and guidance. The sense of community and connection with others going through similar situations can also leave a positive impact by joining a support group. Both parents should be on the same page when helping their child. If you don’t know how to help your partner, provide him with good information and other resources. It greatly helps to have a provider that's aligned with you and your partner and have...

While mental health issues have long existed, the increasing number of children experiencing mental health crises is alarming. Plus, the problem isn't caused by a single root cause, which makes it a complex case to resolve.Addressing this issue requires early intervention, quality mental health care access, and family and community support. In today's episode, we'll discuss an important topic: how you can better manage your child's mental health crisis. Looking back, we can only make sense of things when we connect the dots.Steve Jobs once said, "We can only connect the dots when we look back." This quote also applies to mental health. When you take a step back and observe your child, you connect the dots and see all the signs regarding your child's mental health. Nobody ever regrets getting help. They only regret when they don't. Unfortunately until now, there are still individuals who feel embarrassed about their mental health struggles and may be hesitant to seek help. But that shouldn't be the case. It's crucial to prioritize mental health. When individuals don't seek help and try to cope with their mental health struggles alone, they may experience more significant and long-lasting difficulties. What happens when you're in a crisisMany people consult with me when they are in a state of crisis. What's alarming is that even more young children are experiencing crisis now. This alarming issue sparks discussions and debates among mental health professionals, organizations, and policymakers. Often, crisis creeps up on you, and at times, you may not even realize that your child is already dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues. If you're struggling and don't know what to do, it's best to seek help from a licensed mental health professional, especially if your child is in danger of harming himself or others.When you're in crisis, you're in panic mode, which is what happens to most parents. So understandably, parents may feel overwhelmed when their child is experiencing a mental health crisis. But in such events, it's important to step back and remain as calm as possible.At present, people are in extreme amounts of crisis. The rates of suicide rates have gone up even further because of the pandemic. In addition, cases of anxiety, depression, OCD, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and more continue to increase alarmingly.The number one thing you need to do when your child is in a crisisWhat you need to do when your child is in a crisis is to put on your oxygen mask. That's important because you won't be able to breathe, and your child will co-regulate with you. So, put your oxygen mask on. It means that you're going to be as regulated as possible. You won't be able to do that if you don't calm your brain. Like I always say, calming your brain does wonders. We need to take a step back as much as we possibly can. It is difficult in a crisis, but you can always ask for help. You can have a lifeline, whether a friend or a relative, who will help you connect the dots and deal with challenging situations.If you're working with a provider who is an expert, you need to listen to their recommendations.If you're working with a provider who is an expert and who you feel aligned with, you need to listen to their recommendations. Hopefully, everybody has a provider they feel aligned with because communication plays a vital role in this journey.There's nothing wrong with asking for help. It's a sign of strength to recognize when you need support. It's essential to create a team of people who can support you as it feels very isolating sometimes when dealing with crises and other challenging circumstances. It greatly helps to have a group of people who can provide emotional support, guidance, and...

Frequently, our distressing thoughts may cause impulses, repetitive behaviors, or compulsions, leading to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). As a response to stress or other perceived threats or danger, we get anxious because of how uneasy we feel about some circumstances.Many people get confused with the two disorders as they often go hand in hand. In today's episode, we'll distinguish OCD from anxiety to help everyone better understand the two mental health issues. What are the symptoms of anxiety?Compared to the regular stress we experience daily from things that bother us or make us uncomfortable, anxiety is when something significant builds up. Our nervous system gets stuck in a dysregulated state. Anxiety is now the number one mental health issue in America across all ages. As early as age 6, which is the average age of the onset of an anxiety disorder, you can already see a lot of symptoms exhibited by an individual.Most people tend to be more emotional when they're anxious. But when we talk about anxiety, it can be a wide range of symptoms. Sometimes, the individual suffering from anxiety may look like a depressive person who has shut down and withdrawn from connecting with others.Anxiety can flood the system and trigger your body's fight, flight, or freeze response. It can be triggered even in situations without immediate danger or threat for people with anxiety. So, they experience varied reactions like fear, panic, unease, and other symptoms like sweating, increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, and more.What are the symptoms of OCD?Everyone always thinks of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as physical compulsions like constant hand washing and sanitizing, but more often, it always starts with intrusive thoughts or impulses. Most people with OCD may engage in repetitive behaviors or feel compelled to do compulsions to prevent their fears.We must keep in mind that people can look good on the outside, yet they're suffering from mental health issues silently. In the case of your kids, grades are not benchmarks for mental health. So it's always good to check your kid's mental health or step back and observe.OCD can be displayed in many symptoms, including the constant fear of harm or danger and worries about the order or placement of things. It can also be exhibited through repetitive behaviors in counting, washing, and even repeating phrases or words.How to break the cycle of OCDIf you or your kid has OCD, you shouldn't lose hope despite how challenging it is to break the cycle of OCD because there's a way to reverse that power, the negative reinforcement cycle. What happens is that anxiety spikes up, and then there's a belief that if I do this, the bad thing won't happen. So it becomes a habit. The more you do it, the more it will happen. But when we start accommodating OCD in this negative reinforcement cycle, it spirals out of control. Every time you do the behavior, the baseline increases, and breaking the cycle becomes harder. Additionally, OCD is tricky and secretive, which makes it even harder for us to stop it. What is the best treatment for OCD?I've always emphasized the importance of calming the brain and regulating your system. It dramatically helps deal with many mental health issues, and you'd be surprised by its positive impacts.Our clinic uses neurofeedback, PEMF, supplements, and other science-backed tools to help calm the nervous system down. We also use ERP, which is exposure and response prevention, breaking the negative reinforcement cycle. No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:Mentioned in this episode:Join Us for Rewiring the Brain. What is Neurofeedback? Are you a parent who's tried...

Sometimes, the effects of head injuries or concussion don't appear instantly. In fact, there are cases wherein patients see it years later when it has already affected their attention, executive functioning, or mood.If you’ve ever wondered whether or not your child’s focus problems or mental health issues like anxiety, depression, or others might be related to a head injury or concussion, this episode is for you as we discuss more about the relation of concussion recovery and mental health and how neurofeedback and PEMF works for concussion recovery.How the brain is healing at night when you go to sleep.There’s this common notion that when you get a concussion, you’re all good a few days after. For Ellyn’s son, Colin, he had his first concussion when he went down face first on the turf with his helmet and was knocked out. He was recovering the whole summer but then had another horrible concussion when he went out to play basketball where he hit his head against somebody’s head. It was Ellyn’s brother-in-law who introduced them to brain mapping or QEEG to be able to check Colin’s brain. They also tried consulting with neuropsychologists who did cognitive behavioral therapy since Colin was not getting better. In the morning, Colin would wake up and not be able to get out of bed.How do you feel when you wake up in the morning after you go to sleep? That's the pivotal question I asked that led to a clearer picture of what’s happening to Colin. Apparently, for Colin, it feels like he doesn’t go to sleep despite actually sleeping. It would seem that his brain was not able to shut down. It’s important for our brain to shut down because it heals at night when you go to sleep. And so, we did a few sessions of neurofeedback and we already witnessed how much progress Colin was making. There was less fatigue and mood swings. Hence, the missing link in this case is the neurofeedback. Mental health and depression in the family.Sometimes, it just gets to a point where your child’s overwhelmed with everything and he just gets tired and over it. It came to a point wherein Colin complained about stopping everything because he’s tired of fixing himself and expressed that he’s not broken.And so, his family made him go back to getting neurofeedback treatment and QEEG where it showed that Colin is not clinically depressed nor does he have ADHD. This is what's so beautiful about brain mapping – you get to see a clear picture of what’s really happening to the brain.Colin really embraced neurofeedback and learned how to regulate himself. One of the good things about this is that he has started taking care of himself better now because of the tools and resources that were provided to him. We have to remember that mental health is an evolutionary process and so, we have to continue keeping our mental health checked. A concussion can cause minor to major changes in our brain’s activity and so, neurofeedback greatly helps in monitoring brain activity and providing real-time feedback to the brain. It can improve problems including headaches, sleep disruptions, and mood swings by teaching the brain to produce particular kinds of brain waves.Anxiety and depression can also result from concussions. The good thing is that neurofeedback has been shown to be beneficial in lowering the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression by modulating brain activity in regions of the brain that affect mood and emotion. The importance of having an anchor in your child’s life.A sense of security, stability, and support that comes from having an anchor in your child's life can have a positive effect on their entire development and well-being. This can help children build resilience, self-esteem, and a sense of belonging.An anchor can act as a good role model for a child, offering...

Many parents are left puzzled by their kids and tend to wonder what’s going on in their brains especially when they observe their kid’s behaviors. They usually think that their kids are doing things on purpose when in fact, they don’t know how to react to certain circumstances.It all boils down to having a clear understanding of the brain. That’s why it’s important to use neuroscience to guide us in helping our kids because without it, we’re going to continue to have mental health crises. What is going on in your child’s brain?Sometimes, things just get a little too overwhelming which causes parents to think about why their kids behave the way they do and what is really going on. To better understand your kid's behavior, it can be helpful to take a step back and consider the possible factors that may be influencing their actions.Even teachers come to me not knowing how to handle some situations and so, I help them understand these issues in a way that explains what’s happening to the kids and their behaviors. In order to understand how the brain works, you have to understand the kid’s behavior and vice-versa.Because we often don’t understand why our kids behave the way they do, we have to dive deep into the more scientific side of things. Our sympathetic nervous system is responsible for managing our stress response. What happens when your nervous system goes into fight, flight or freeze mode?It’s not like me at all to go all anxious and so, my experience when I was having a panic response to a certain situation at a conference is quite memorable to me. A friend kept telling me to calm down and I just had no idea what to do. But luckily, I knew how to respond to such a situation and so, I was able to calm down after a while.So basically, what happens is that you go into survival mode. In the case of your kids, we have to take into consideration whether or not they have a clinical diagnosis because having OCD, ADD, anxiety, or other diagnosis absolutely plays a factor in how your kids respond especially when they’re faced with stressful situations.It’s similar to preparing for war when you go into survival mode or when you’re in a totally agitated state that’s difficult to deal with.What happens when the brain gets stuck in a habitual pattern?When your brain is repeatedly in a sympathetic state, you’re already dealing with a tyrant at that point. And when this happens, the brain gets stuck in a habitual pattern but then it’s necessary to note that habits can be unlearned. That is why we have to identify that habit and try to dig deeper to make sense of how and why it happened. That is how we use neuroscience in improving behaviors because there is a reason why behaviors get stuck.We’ve emphasized in the previous episodes that there can be no rational thoughts when the brain isn't calm. Hence, the need to get to the root causes to understand why our kids are struggling so much or what’s triggering them to behave that way. We can’t get through a learning process when the brain is stuck in a habit. We also can't teach our kids properly when they're in an activated state. And so, we become parent detectives trying to make sense of everything while also calming the brain down to help our kids be less activated.Why it’s so hard to understand difficult behaviors when we’re activated and agitated.Understanding difficult behaviors is no joke. It’s not easy at all and it’s even harder to understand them when we’re activated and agitated. That’s why we have to start to pull back and focus on one behavior at a time.You can support your kid by providing a secure and supportive environment in which they feel free to express themselves. We all know that these things really take commitment in terms of time, effort and...

Besides doing treatments like psychotherapy, most kids and families use supplements, considering that some supplements have been studied and proven for their benefits in supporting good mental health, especially in kids.In line with this, we'll discuss the most essential supplement for kids' brains to support their brain health and boost their cognitive function.Kids' brains are affected a lot in good and bad ways.Many factors affect kids' brains both in good and bad ways. Nowadays, kids experience high-stress levels not just because of school but also their social life. Technology also has pros and cons, especially considering kids' mental health. Everything affects our kids' brains – lack of movement, lack of sleep, lack of nutrients, and the overall lifestyle. That's why we do neurofeedback or PMF to help improve the brain's ability to change or neuroplasticity. The reality is that kids and parents alike have a brain in overdrive. Many compounded stressors are bombarding them, so we must understand the nervous system and how it responds to stress. I've always talked about this in my other episodes. Our nervous system gets triggered when it experiences high levels of stress. It stops being in a relaxed parasympathetic state and activates our "fight, flight, or freeze" response to perceived threats or stressors. It will go back down if it's a normal and healthy stress system.This response can lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure when activated. When dealing with compounded stressors, it's difficult to combat all these things without support. It is where lifestyle changes come in. We need to take action and make the changes we want to happen. What's the most important supplement for kids' brains?Many supplements are available for your kids, and because there's a wide range of options in choosing the best and most important supplement to improve your kid's brain health, it's quite a debatable matter. But personally, my number one favorite is magnesium. So many parents tell me that they wish they had known about it sooner after seeing the positive effects of magnesium. It is such an amazing resource for the body. Magnesium greatly helps kids to pay attention to learning. It also calms down hormones to improve the mood. Overall, it's a special type of nutrient for the body. You can read more about how it helps the body and one's mental health in my blog (http://drroseann.com/myblog/) When you're in fight, flight, or freeze, every single resource in the body leaves its duty to figure out what the stressor is.We've mentioned that compound stressors trigger our nervous system, making us shift into a fight, flight, or freeze state. When you're in such a state, every single resource in the body leaves its duty and tries to figure out the stressor.When we've activated our fight, flight or freeze response, our body shifts its priorities away from non-essential functions and toward more necessary functions for survival. And, like I always say, it's important to regulate your system to have a better stress response.Magnesium is the workhorse of the brain.I always recommend magnesium as a supplement as it helps in 300 chemical processes in the body. It's safe to say that magnesium is the workhorse of the brain, notwithstanding the importance of other vitamins or minerals like Vitamin D and Zinc. One of the good things about magnesium is its instantaneous effects on the system. I picked magnesium as my first option because I saw only a few in the market with everything I wanted. You will need two kinds if you or your kid are dealing with mental health issues and struggling with attention, worries, or...

Many parents who get overwhelmed by their kids' behavior tend to question their parenting skills and wonder if their kids are doing this on purpose. More often than not, we assume that our kids are doing everything on purpose, but there's so much more behind it. We must consider even the minor factors that might contribute to our kids' behaviors.As we continue to dive deep into the journey of changing how people view and treat children's mental health, we'll shed light on your kid's behavior and answer one of the frequent concerns of many parents regarding their kid's behavior and whether or not their kid is doing this on purpose.The number one determinant of success is not what the kid's problem is; it's the family system.Some psychologists and therapists will not tell you that the number one determinant of success is not what the kids' problem is, but instead, it's the family system. So parents, being the CEOs of the family, should believe in the process and that their children can get better.Moreover, parents are responsible for creating a positive and nurturing environment for the positive growth of their kids. So, believing in the process and their kid's potential to improve is essential to effective parenting. Having such a positive mindset can significantly impact their child's self-esteem, motivation, and overall well-being.It is essential to note that your kid is not doing this on purpose, especially when diagnosed with ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, or other underlying clinical issues. So instead of looking at the situation negatively, let's try and trace what's triggering you to be so irritated.Punishing is a waste of time.Giving your kids punishment as a form of discipline is okay. But I want to convey to parents that always punishing their kids is quite a waste of time.Excessive and repetitive punishment can cause your kids decreased self-esteem, anxiety, and other behavioral problems. Also, parents should not solely rely on giving punishment when they want their kids to learn their lesson. Instead, parents should communicate clearly and set out their expectations to establish a healthy relationship with their kids.Do kids understand the expectations that their parents have?We all know that parents only want what's best for their kids, so they set standards and expectations they want their kids to meet. However, sometimes, such expectations are set high that when kids don't meet them, their parents think there's something wrong. You must consider your kid's situation. Have you ever wondered whether or not your kid understands the expectations you have for them? Most kids with learning disabilities, focus problems, anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues have trouble seeing the end result, so it's hard to follow through and meet their parents' expectations. These issues all relate to executive functioning. I've talked a lot about this topic in my previous episodes considering that it's one of the highlights that would help you further understand your kid's behavior. You can visit my blog (https://drroseann.com/myblog/) to learn more about it.As parents, we have the responsibility to help them understand what that end result is if we want them to get better. We can't just make assumptions as regards their case. Three steps to better behavior.First things first, it's important to regulate yourself. You won't get a good response from your kid if you present yourself to them all irritated and frustrated. As much as possible, stay composed and calm and convey what your child needs to do simplistically. Research studies show that kids are more receptive to fathers in parenting. However, when it comes to kids struggling...

No matter how small infected ticks are, their alarming effects can cause peril to one's life. In fact, in severe cases of Lyme disease, people experience more neurological symptoms.And today's episode must not be missed by many as we talk about Lyme disease and how it is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks, which can mess up a life.What is Lyme Disease? How does it impact the brain?I have had my personal experience with Lyme disease since my son was bitten by a tick, impacting him negatively. To better understand its impacts, we must understand it as a whole.Typically, Lyme disease develops when an infected tick bites a person, and it empties the contents of its stomach to the host. The effects can happen instantly. But there are cases wherein there are no signs or symptoms for months or years after getting bitten.You don't have to have joint symptoms, and it can attack the brain or the body. Sometimes, it starts with terrible headaches, fever, or dizziness. Other times, it's more serious.The connection between tick-borne illness and mental healthTick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease significantly impact one's mental health, considering that they can cause difficulties in learning processes, concentration, memory, and attention. It can also cause mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. I have a colleague who is a psychiatrist specializing in adolescent bipolar. She had a client who went on antibiotics for known cases of Lyme disease, and his bipolar went away! Her research found that 89% of the population with bipolar disorder had one or more tick-borne illnesses. It prompted her to start antibiotics treatment, and she has witnessed how those kids got better. Lyme disease is an infection with toxic components. So, people with neurological Lyme tend to have infections. The number one thing you can do to prevent Lyme diseaseIn preventing Lyme disease, knowing the signs and symptoms is essential. They often appear as anxiety, depression, OCD, brain fog, memory problems, headaches, autism, and more. Based on research, the most common age groups affected by Lyme disease are boys aged 5 to 10, boys aged 10 to 13, and their fathers aged 45 to 51. However, it doesn't matter what your age is. Many older individuals with Lyme disease come to me, and we support their nervous system. We tackle all issues for all ages.The main thing you can do to prevent Lyme disease is to take a shower immediately after being outside for any reason. We've noticed a 59% reduction in the risk of catching Lyme disease if you shower immediately after being outside.The BLAST Prevention Program protocol by Lyme Connection highlights evidence-based recommendations to avoid potential tick-borne illnesses. Other than taking a shower, it's also recommended to use DEET-based spray.It's also important to immediately wash the clothes that you wear outside. If not, leave them in a sealed container. Then, wash the clothes in high heat since heat kills the ticks.Another tip is not to use a chemical-based spray with essential oils that can act as carriers. It's also beneficial to clear your outdoor space as much as you can. It would help if you also were careful with your dogs since dogs are one of the biggest carriers of ticks inside the house. You want to protect your pets because there are also cases wherein dogs die from Lyme disease.What is psychoneuroimmunology, and how does it work?I've repeatedly emphasized in my other podcast episodes the importance of calming the brain and regulating the nervous system. My job is to support the nervous system through psychoneuroimmunology to regulate the nervous system for faster and optimum healing. No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to

School refusal has been dramatically increasing and this phenomenon has been worrying many parents as their kids are at risk of performing poorly in academics, dropping out, and even being socially isolated. Considering that many parents and schools are unprepared and ill equipped, this has worsened as the pandemic started.That is why it’s important for us to fully understand the underlying causes and provide effective interventions and other refusal strategies to help not just the students but also their parents overcome it.School refusal isn’t always about not wanting to go to school.School refusal happens gradually. You’ll see it in how your kid behaves. It starts with anxiety or worry and we all know that most kids don’t know how to cope with their emotions which is why they are likely to have mental health issues.Most parents think that just because their kids are doing well in school, everything’s okay. But the truth is, sometimes, it’s not entirely a good reflection of what’s really going on with your kid. And so, parents get shocked when their kids suddenly aren’t doing well in school.When crises happen, we can't connect the dots until we look back. The sad truth is that there are many cases wherein parents are shamed for their parenting which is why I want parents to let go of their guilt and worries. We’re all doing the best we can and our best may be different from other people’s version of best.More often than not, anxiety is a part of school refusal. In fact, even depression, PANS, PANDAS and other clinical conditions can also impede a kid's ability to go to school. That’s why we can’t simply conclude that school refusal happens because our kids simply don’t want to attend school.Bullying and inappropriate education may also contribute to school anxiety and school refusal. There are actually many possible reasons which is why there’s a need for us to always check on our kids. What’s holding kids back from going to school?Digging deeper into the reason why kids refuse going to school, we’ll see that there’s something wrong. They may look perfectly normal but deep inside, they may not be feeling well. Maybe they’re feeling dysregulated, upset or overwhelmed. This is totally understandable since kids tend to easily be overwhelmed. They don’t know how to deal with their thoughts and emotions especially during tough times. I always hear people say that getting their kids back to school will solve the problem but that’s not really the solution. It’s important to unravel everything, address the underlying issues and not just get your kid back to school. We also have to consider the need for a proper treatment whether it’s for an infectious disease or a clinical diagnosis or issue that may be causing our kids to hold themselves back. It’s a must for us to prioritize our health and our kids’ health in all aspects. Thankfully, I did a lot of research and was able to successfully create a plan to get kids back to school and eventually get them to do the right thing.If there’s a mental health problem, look for the root causes.We keep on mentioning the root causes because they’re a vital part in addressing the many layers of the problem. Unfortunately, there’s no magic wand that’s going to make all these problems vanish in just a flick.Focus and prioritize health, especially mental health because it is the foundation of our physical health and it affects our emotional well-being, cognitive functioning, and overall quality of life. And so, by prioritizing our mental and physical health, we’re likely to have a good well-being and a more fulfilling life.It’s also important to know how to calm the brain. If our nervous system is stuck in a stress-activated, sympathetic dominant state, our brain’s going to be on fire. It’s going to...

Many parents get confused between 504 plans and an Individualized Education Program (IEP) when it comes to getting support for their kids. The confusion is understandable as both plans aim to accommodate those with disabilities and provide them with more opportunities and services.Let's dive into how school interventions can help kids with ADHD and other disabilities. We'll be joined by Vickie and Amanda, both attorneys and advocates of having a more inclusive place through the Inclusive Education Project.Vickie and Amanda’s background in special educationVickie and Amanda are the perfect fit to answer the frequently asked questions about 504 and IEP, as they have been attorneys for more than 10 years in special education.Vickie grew up seeing what IEP was like since she has a cousin who is on the spectrum and went through IEP. Initially, she envisioned herself being in the environmental law field but then realized that she liked working with parents at the clinic. So, being a year ahead of Amanda, she waited for the latter to graduate to start a new chapter together.As for Amanda, she likes working with kids with special needs all her life. She has been serving as a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves and to fight for the rights of all children. She always emphasizes the need for children to be nurtured and valued.Vickie and Amanda didn't like how the legal system works. However, they wanted to provide more than just legal services to the public, so they started a podcast to educate families, administrators, teachers, and just everyone in the community.The difference between a 504 plan and an IEP.Unfortunately, there are still schools that are not yet fully informed about the difference between a 504 plan and an IEP. Vickie and Amanda gave a precise explanation as regards the two.In order for you to qualify for the benefits of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, your kid must (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or (2) have a record of such an impairment; or (3) be regarded as having such an impairment. As for IEP, a child must have a disability and need special education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) sets forth the parameters for IEP to provide better services and opportunities as regards special education.If your child needs physical support in order to access the learning environment, you should be getting a 504 plan. On the other hand, if we’re talking about actual and direct services or supports that are going to help the substantive nature of learning, those need to be done in an IEP. When we talk about education, we're not just referring to academics but also vocational skills, including daily living skills and social and emotional skills. So there is really a need for a formal assessment. If a child is diagnosed with ADHD, are they automatically entitled to a 504?No, you don't just get a 504 automatically, as there are eligibility requirements followed for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. However, if you have a doctor's diagnosis, you can bring it with you. Assessments are also necessary for parents to know which 504 or IEP plan is appropriate for their kid. It needs to be rooted in more than a piece of information. How they behave or function in and out of the classroom is also considered.The importance of putting everything in writingIt greatly helps to have everything in writing because you never know when you might need support. When you have conversations with others, try writing them down as notes. It’s similar to having a paper trail when it comes to work. If you're requesting support for your kid, the school team can assist you. The school team should help you put what you want...

Individualized Education Programs (IEP) and 504 plans intended to provide support and accommodations for students with disabilities in the educational setting cause much confusion. The two, however, differ significantly from one another.For today's episode, I'll provide you with more information about IEP and 504, how they differ from each other, and how they help you create the changes you want to make, especially for your kid.What is an Individualized Education Program (IEP)?The Individualized Education Plan, which we will refer to as IEP, is created by a team of professionals, including the student's parents or guardians, teachers, and other professionals. It aims to ensure the student receives a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible.An IEP is a formal document containing your goals and objectives and all the services you're getting. I once encountered a client who told me that she had spent a lot of money pursuing an IEP for her intellectually gifted kids who didn't qualify for anything, even though they have dyslexia.There were many negotiations, but that doesn't mean those kids don't deserve the support. It is not to say you need an advocate or attorney, as that could feel like you could have hired a top-notch tutor and gotten the services yourself.One of the most significant problems with IEP is that you're usually told that your child will fit into the program. What's supposed to happen is that you're going to discuss your kid's needs and then design an individualized plan.What is a 504, and how does it work?A 504 is precisely what its name says. It's a combination plan providing accommodation and support. It gives equal access to people in academic and employment settings. Whereas an IEP ends at age 22, in a 504, it goes beyond that. It may even go up until college or an employment setting.Most colleges, however, require formal testing as they consider the test results as an accurate reflection. In addition, a 504 plan outlines how to eliminate barriers or obstacles to learning for children with disabilities in general education.It needs clear goals or objectives and has to be more thorough than an IEP. Although, it provides us with modifications or services that will be made to guarantee that the student has equal access to educational opportunities. When do you go for an IEP?One of the crucial questions you need to ask yourself is what your child's strengths and weaknesses are. This is necessary for you to provide your kid with better help.Monitor or observe them from a broader perspective and think about your child's issues and needs and whether these affect them to regress or fall behind their peers and learning or social functioning.It has been said that IEPs are highly recommended for those with disabilities affecting their learning ability. The most common conditions that affect a kid’s learning ability are autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). There are also physical disabilities that leave a negative impact on your kid.Designing an IEP is collaborative, so it involves parents, teachers, and even mental health professionals and specialists. They first identify the strengths and weaknesses before developing the objectives and services they want their kids to achieve to support their kids' learning.I want parents to know that having a learning disability or a mental health issue is no longer an issue. There's minimal stigma in most places in America around special education services. It's no longer like when you grew up in the 70s to 90s. Most private schools that I've consulted for a lot allow kids to have accommodation, although they are not legally required.The best way to get the desired outcome is to be in charge.It...

Testing remains to be such a mystery for most people. It's a challenging process, especially if one is unaware of what will happen during testing or assessment. But that's reasonable considering that not all parents are statisticians or educated about it. Today, we'll shed light on that mystery as we talk about what our kid's testing means and how you can use it to help them improve their behaviors and school and social performance.What does testing mean, and how does it help?Data plays a crucial role in your kid's progress. First, it shows whether or not there is progress in your kid's education.The primary purpose of a good evaluation is not just limited to helping you understand what's going on but also guiding you on what remediation, support, or accommodations they need. There are two kinds of evaluations that we are going to talk about today – private evaluation and school evaluation. A private evaluation tells you whether your kid is eligible for services. It identifies different strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, some schools use evaluations to determine if you need accommodations. They use it to determine whether or not your kid is learning. The school is not obligated to tell you if your child can qualify for services and why they can give you highlights on strengths and needs. Don't let a school talk about the program first.Here's a big tip for everyone – don't let a school talk about the program first. Instead, define what the needs are and then design the program. For some reason, they would always try to push your kid into doing the program.It would be best if you had a good basic understanding of what your kid's strengths and weaknesses are to educate them. That's why it helps to get tested – whether through mastery tests, group-administered IQ tests, IQ tests, or even academic tests – because you'll understand what the numbers mean and the stats.What do evaluations tell you?Although anyone can give your kid a test, it takes a skilled person to interpret it. Evaluations tell you how disabilities affect your kid, how they fall on the continuum, and give you a learning profile. Visualizing the variability in percentile rank scores.A school professional will say that percentile rank is where your child is among a hypothetical group of 100 people. However, schools love to use standardized scores, and not percentile ranks. The reason for that is that percentile ranks show a lot more data. Schools talk about great equivalence infrequently and usually leave parents curious. To better visualize it, an example situation is where everything is at least average, and you have such variability. There are even superior scores, but their percentile ranks range from 25th to the 99th percentile. It is important data as it shows that someone is at a certain rank for their cognitive efficiency. In addition, it gives us a window into a lot of variability in our kids' processing. You can also ask for more testing if you need more than the previous one. For example, more comprehensive tests provide better and more sufficient data components. Usually, for percentile ranking, the ranks are considered as the basis for standard scores. When your kid falls outside the percentile ranks, this is where remediation can come into play. Standard deviation is essential because it helps us understand where they fall relative to the average.How do we use these tests to make educational decisions?We use these tests to measure our kids' abilities objectively to help us understand their strengths and weaknesses for program placement. The biggest tip I can give you in terms of helping you is for you to organize the data. Be careful about what data is presented to you since...

They say that a school is a second home for students. Like our original homes, we get many of our learnings from school. That is why parents need to attend school meetings, especially when they want to know more about their child and address mental health issues, if present.Although, often, attending a school meeting is a problematic experience for most parents who need to learn how to prepare beforehand. In today's episode, we'll discuss preparing for a school meeting about how we can get our children the help they need.Create a clear agenda for the school meetingThe first thing you need to do is have a clear and feasible agenda. Then, before the meeting, you must lay out all the questions you want to ask.The school can prepare better when you're clear about your expectations and questions. Then, you can send your concerns to the teacher for a smoother flow in the parent-teacher conference. Ask questions your child has to respond toWhen talking to your child, treat it like problem-solving. You'll want to let them help you figure out what's going on with them. You can get enough information about your child by having conversations with them.Don't ask questions answerable by yes or no. Make the questions as interactive as possible. Ask questions they have to respond with an explanation. Come to the meeting with an open mind and listenCommunication is a two-way process. It would be best to listen to what the teachers say about your child. Afterward, you can raise your questions about what you heard from them. The teacher can provide you with data based on your child's academic performance. You can also ask the teacher how your child socializes with their friends. This process is connected to the data you've gathered from your child. You're assessing and cross-examining the information from the teacher and your child to understand the situation better and provide your child with the appropriate help they need.You also have to ask what supports are available for your child. Again, it's essential to ask questions to know more about your child's needs. Indeed, say no to things that could negatively affect your child.It would help if you also made a plan after deciding during the meeting. For example, create a timeline that you'll follow in addressing your child's mental health issues. You should also follow up with the teacher to keep track of your child's data and progress. However, if you're worried about your child's learning attention and mental health, seek help from a licensed mental healthcare professional instead of relying solely on the school to provide that kind of help.No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:Mentioned in this episode:Is It ADHD or Something Else? Take the Quiz to find out!➡️ Join our FREE Natural Parenting Community to receive science-backed resources for your child and family. Join here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/naturalparentingsolutions/ ➡️ Get help from Dr. Roseann and her team. Apply here. https://drroseann.com/apply ➡️ “Is it ADHD or something else?” Take the quiz.  To take the quiz, just text the word "quiz" to 13Alertmore. Then you'll know whether your child has ADHD or something else.

An evidence-based practice called Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) is an effective tool for treating various mental health conditions such as, but not limited to, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.You have probably seen or heard about EFT tapping and its importance in helping children deal with mental health issues. As our goal is to help you improve your parenting skills, specifically concerning your child's mental health, we'll discuss this technique in tempering your child's anxiety or other conditions.EFT tapping is an excellent technique for adults and childrenEFT tapping is a technique based on ancient principles combined with cognitive behavioral principles wherein we tap along meridians known to calm the body. These are acupressure points, and we use statements that address our negative thoughts. So we're addressing all those runaway thoughts. And we've observed that it's easy for people, especially children, to get into a flight or freeze mode. I like this technique as I've used it for several years, even before it became a well-known tool. It's an excellent technique for us as adults and, most significantly, for kids. How EFT tapping worksEFT tapping works by being incorporated therapeutically into psychotherapy. EFT tapping helps me when I feel triggered or anxious. It's easy to use on your own, and you can do it anytime you need it.It can be performed on your tapping sequences or use EFT tapping with a professional EFT practitioner. It works by stimulating acupressure points in your body, relieving stress, depression, anxiety, and other psychological disorders.Moreover, it's free and accessible to everyone. However, it's like a treadmill that you have in your basement, and you got your workout clothes on. It will only work if you get on it. First, you want to pick one issue, thought, and stressor. Then, what you're going to do is to check on your subjective units of distress scale (SUDS) and gauge where your or your child's stress level is at. Then, after doing three rounds, we recheck our levels because we want to make sure it goes down.If it doesn't get to a more comfortable level, you will keep doing it until you can do that. Then, you do another three rounds and keep going until you can regulate yourself. However, level three or four is manageable. For kids on the spectrum, you must tell them that even one point down is good. Show them that they're getting some relief. Even though I have this worry, it's going to be okayThe process might be awkward for some, and that's understandable. However, even when I conduct EFT tapping with some of my patients, I'm not too fond of the awkwardness that sometimes comes with it. The setup statement usually starts with reassuring the patient that it will be okay even though they are worried or scared about something. It mainly applies to children who, more often than not, like to be reassured that everything will be okay.With EFT tapping, you acknowledge the child's anxiety and ask how stressed or worried they are based on the SUDS level. If the child is at such a young age, you can make one point which could be a karate chop point. It may get a little uncomfortable but rest assured that your children will feel better afterward. That's what SUDS is all about. It's similar to the process of neurofeedback therapy, which may also cause discomfort. Still, it has a significant impact on one's brain function and is effective in treating mental health problems.If you're considering EFT tapping and want to learn more about it, go to https://drroseann.com/. No matter where you are in your journey, we have resources to help you:Mentioned in this...