ANXIETY - PANIC DISORDER - MyHope

Adapting the Environment

Our model of behavior change stresses using two approaches simultaneously: prevention and intervention. Adapting the environment to meet the needs of the child is one way of preventing negative behaviors from occurring. These ideas have been presented to us by other parents of young children. We offer them for your consideration. To ensure safety: Fence-in […]

10 Steps to Preventing Problem Behaviors

1. Apply Your Knowledge of the Child 2. Use the Problem-Solving Approach to Behavior Change 3. Teach Functional Communication 4. Adapt the Environment 5. Incorporate Visual Cues 6. Develop Predictable Routines 7. Adapt Your Interaction Style 8. Teach Alternative Behaviors 9. Provide Powerful Rewards 10. Catch ‘em Being Good 1. Understanding the Child The first […]

A-B-C Worksheet

Steps: 1) Choose one behavior to observe. Example: Tantrums 2) Define/describe that behavior clearly on the top of the form.Example: “Tantrums — a tantrum begins when Jon throws his body onto the floor, shakes his arms and kicks his legs, makes loud noises, and rolls his body from side to side. A tantrum ends when […]

Tools for Assessing Autism Symptoms and Relevant Features

AUTISM SYMPTOM CHECKLISTS – (EDUCATOR OR PARENT REPORT) Infant-Toddler Checklist (ITC) Description: The Infant-Toddler Checklist (ITC; Wetherby & Prizant, 2002) is a 25-item checklist that was developed out of the SCERTS model and is very well attuned to the communicative aspects of ASD in young children. Designed and validated in a large community sample […]

Assessment in Developmental Disabilities: Tools

Assessment in Developmental Disabilities A Lecture for NSP Special Topics Course NRSC 7670 OV1 (Course Director: K. Gardiner) February 5 & 7, 2013 Presented by Susan Hepburn, Ph.D. Licensed Clinical Psychologist/Associate Professor Departments of Psychiatry & Pediatrics/JFK Partners/University of Colorado DEVELOPMENTAL/INTELLECTUAL ASSESSMENT TOOLS (sequenced developmentally) 1. The Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ) (Bricker […]

What is behavior?

Behavior is defined as the observable actions performed by an individual; it is what a child does and is usually expressed in verbs (e.g., runs, jumps, waits, requests). For our purposes, there are two kinds of behavior, positive and negative: By negative behavior, we mean those things that your child does that are potentially dangerous, […]

Resources for Families to Support Learning and Independence in School-Aged Children and Teens

Interactive Websites/Computer Resources Brainology. This is a software program designed for late elementary/middle school in particular, with the goal of improving metacognition (i.e., helping students to reflect on their own thoughts and attitudes) and developing motivation and resilience in the face of learning challenges. Brainology.comwww.brainology.us/educator/programDescription.aspxbrainology.com The interactive website may be particularly engaging for science-minded kids. […]

Healing Trauma

War. Rape. Fear. Violence. Molestation. Sexual assault. According to Bessel van der Kolk, MD, incidents involving emotional trauma and toxic stress are far more common than people generally understand. Since 2001, he says, far more Americans died due to family violence than in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Women are twice as likely to […]

Don’t Let Imposter Syndrome Hold You Back

Does this sound familiar? You love your boss, the CEO. He’s the smartest, fairest, least ego, most supportive leader you’ve ever worked for, and you trust his judgment – business and otherwise – completely. And you love your career, which has provided many opportunities to work on cool projects, with teams of knowledgeable individuals, to […]

How Can It Be Treated?

Treatments and Therapies Anxiety disorders are generally treated with psychotherapy, medication, or both. Psychotherapy Psychotherapy or “talk therapy” can help people with anxiety disorders. To be effective, psychotherapy must be directed at the person’s specific anxieties and tailored to his or her needs. A typical “side effect” of psychotherapy is temporary discomfort involved with thinking […]

Risk Factors

Researchers are finding that genetic and environmental factors, frequently in interaction with one another, are risk factors for anxiety disorders. Specific factors include: ➣ Shyness, or behavioral inhibition, in childhood ➣ Being female ➣ Having few economic resources ➣ Being divorced or widowed ➣ Exposure to stressful life events in childhood and adulthood ➣ Anxiety […]

Signs and Symptoms

Signs and Symptoms Generalized Anxiety Disorder People with generalized anxiety disorder display excessive anxiety or worry for months and face several anxiety-related symptoms. Generalized anxiety disorder symptoms include: ➣ Restlessness or feeling wound-up or on edge ➣ Being easily fatigued ➣ Difficulty concentrating or having their minds go blank ➣ Irritability ➣ Muscle tension ➣ […]