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No health without mental health

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Here are various family friendly handouts about child and youth mental health, relevant to my clinical practice of child, adolescent and family psychiatry in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

They are provided 'as is' and are not intended to replace appropriate consultation with a healthcare professional.

Over time, these handouts will be phased out, and replaced with newer, peer-reviewed handouts on eMentalHealth.ca / and Child and Youth Mental Health Information Network.

Feel free to use the
CONTACT PAGE to let me know about any comments, suggestions or changes.

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Tools for Developing ‘Emotional Intelligence’

Mood Scales: All Ages, pictures of faces showing different feelings that can be used to help children and youth express how they are feeling. Includes self-regulation concepts such as under- and overstimulation. Other feelings include happiness/sadness, anger, worry, and stress. These scales are NOT formally validated, but I would welcome any inquiries from those interested in validating them.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADD/ADHD: Guide for Families

Anxiety and Phobias
Anxiety in General: Guide for Families
NOTE THAT THIS ANXIETY HANDOUT IS OUT OF DATE -- I NEED TO UPDATE IT WITH DR. NEUFELD’S NEWER CONCEPTS ABOUT HOW LACK OF DEEP ATTACHMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO ANXIETY

School Refusal: Guide for Families
NOTE THAT THIS ANXIETY HANDOUT IS OUT OF DATE -- I NEED TO UPDATE IT WITH DR. NEUFELD’S NEWER CONCEPTS ABOUT HOW LACK OF DEEP ATTACHMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO ANXIETY

Anxiety: Emetophobia (Fear of Vomiting)

Autism Spectrum Disorders (including Asperger Syndrome)
Asperger's Syndrome: Guide for Parents

Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar Disorders In Youth: Guide for Families
Bipolar Disorders in Youth: Guide for Physicians

Bullying
Bullying Information from Dr. N. Gottheil (with permission)

(Central) Auditory Processing Disorder
APD: Guide for Parents

Crisis
Dealing with Crisis (Practical tips for caregivers for coping with crisis situations, e.g. when a loved one is depressed, suicidal, or having problems with psychosis)

Depression
Depression: Guide for Caregivers
NOTE THAT THIS DEPRESSION HANDOUT IS OUT OF DATE -- I NEED TO UPDATE IT WITH DR. NEUFELD’S NEWER CONCEPTS ABOUT HOW LACK OF DEEP ATTACHMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO DEPRESSION

Seasonal and Winter Depression: Guide for Patients and Families

Developmental Coordination Disorder
Developmental Coordination Disorder

Handwriting Problems (aka Dysgraphia, Writing Disorder)
Handwriting Problems: Guide for Families

Irlen Syndrome
Irlen Syndrome: Guide for Families

Medications
Medication Side Effects: Guide for Patients
Psychiatric Medications in Children and Youth: Guide for Families
Financial Coverage for Medications in Ontario
Financial Help for Medications in Canada

Non-Verbal Learning Disorder
Non-verbal LD: Guide for Parents
Non-verbal LD: Guide for School

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
OCD: Guide for Families
OCD: Medication Guide for Physicians

Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids: Guide for Families

Panic attacks and panic disorder
Panic Disorder: Guide for Families

Psychosis (including Schizophrenia)
Psychosis: Guide for Families
Psychosis: Guide for Physicians

School Refusal (aka School Avoidance)
School Refusal: Guide for Families
NOTE THAT THIS SCHOOL REFUSAL HANDOUT IS OUT OF DATE -- I NEED TO UPDATE IT WITH DR. NEUFELD’S NEWER CONCEPTS ABOUT HOW LACK OF DEEP ATTACHMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO ANXIETY / SCHOOL REFUSAL


Self-Cutting and Self-Injury
Self-Cutting and Self Injury Behaviors: Guide for Friends and Family

Selective Mutism
Selective Mutism: Guide for Families
NOTE THAT THIS HANDOUT IS OUT OF DATE -- I NEED TO UPDATE IT WITH DR. NEUFELD’S NEWER CONCEPTS ABOUT HOW LACK OF DEEP ATTACHMENTS CONTRIBUTE TO ANXIETY / SOCIAL ANXIETY

Selective Mutism: Guide for School (brief handout that parents can give to school personnel about how the school can help)

Regulatory-Sensory Processing Disorders
How is Your Bucket? (a free, self-regulation program for children/youth)
Self-Regulation (an overview on self-regulation strategies for everyone, even for those without sensory processing problems)
Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation: Guide for Families (an overview on sensory processing problems and self-regulation for parents)
Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation: Review Article (published May 2005 in the Canadian Child Psychiatry Review, primarily written for professionals)
Sensory Processing and Self-Regulation: Guide for Teachers (a short summary of key strategies for busy teachres)

Sleep
Getting a Good Night's Sleep
For children with insecurities about sleeping in their own bed, please see handouts on Anxiety.

Stress
Stress, Anxiety and Depression (presented at Mother Teresa High School, Apr 7, 2005)

Suicide
See the section on Crisis

Tourette's and Tic Disorder
Tourette's and Tics: Guide for Families
Tourette's and Tics: Medication Guide for Physicians

Trichotillomania
Trichotillomania: Guide for Families