When we are faced with something new or unfamiliar our threat or fight/flight response kicks in. We have evolved to respond in this way, it’s a survival strategy, if we aren’t sure what awaits us, nature believes it is best to expect and prepare for the worst: In the days when we might have found ourselves foraging for food, if a nearby bush rustled it was best to assume there was a predator lying in wait and run, if we were wrong all that was lost was some foraging time. […]...
It’s the most wonderful time of the year – and wonderfully expensive, too… I was struck the other day by how expensive December has been – my childrens’ Christmas parties and activities, Christmas shopping, food and otherwise. This ties in with a recent news item highlighting that the cost of home-cooked Christmas dinner has risen by 18% (!), compared to last year. One might speculate about why this has happened, and Brexit is just one of the possible contenders for an explanation. However, this blog is not about politics, but […]...
It is estimated that in the UK alone there are 80,000 children suffering from Depression, that equates to about 4% of children. In this blog I am going to go through what treatment for these children involves. Unfortunately, there is currently no good quality evidence indicating what the best treatment for children with depression is. So, I am going to look first at the recommendations provided by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellent (NICE), the body that provides national guidance and advice to improve health and social care. […]...
Low mood in children is often dismissed as a passing phase, sometimes as just part of growing up. However, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence estimates that in the UK alone 80,000 children suffer from depression, 8,000 of those are under 10. Depression is not a problem that will just go away on its own. Here are the signs to look out for in your children: Persistent irritability or anger Continual sadness or expressions of hopelessness Withdrawing from family, friends and/or previously enjoyed activities Increased sensitivity to rejection Changes […]...
