Takeaway: There are psychological, social, sensory, and biochemical reasons why children with autism shy away from eye contact. So, it’s important to know which triggers to work on and how best to address them. Your best option? Find an autism specialist to help create a custom support plan for your child. Autism has a set of telltale signs if you know what to look for. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental difference that gives children a set of predictable traits. And these traits are to do with social interactions, restricted interests, and repetitive behaviours. Their brain dif ..read more

Takeaway: Adolescents with unfiltered media access are regularly exposed to inappropriate content and are at risk for developing physical, mental health, and addiction-related problems. The solution? Audit your child’s online life and set up fair, transparent, and enforceable rules for using the internet.   Adolescents are now exposed to more news and public opinion than at any other time in history. Electronic devices have become such a huge part of our lives that teenagers are constantly plugged into social media, news, and entertainment feeds. And this has never before been the case. O ..read more

Takeaway: Doom scrolling social media feeds can entertain your teen, make her feel socially connected, and relieve underlying anxiety. But it also quickly becomes addictive and gives adolescents a warped view of the world. The solution? Help set internet rules and encourage other healthier online and offline habits. The internet is a perfect tool for our childlike sense of curiosity. We, humans, are always curious about the world around us. And this curiosity is driven by brain chemicals (like dopamine) that reward us with a burst of excitement whenever we discover something new. It’s why the ..read more

Takeaway: Teenage girls with an ‘inattentive’ ADHD diagnosis can often mask their difficulties so well that parents and teachers overlook their struggles. And this can worsen their practical, emotional, and social challenges – destroying their self-confidence and resilience. Thankfully, the right therapist can help you find simple solutions to most of these problems and teach your child to develop her strengths, adapt to her weaknesses, and develop a support network that understands her needs. We often focus on the hyperactivity component of an ADHD diagnosis, which can be misleading. Attentio ..read more

Takeaway: Social anxiety in primary-age children is affected by their genes, life experiences, and self-image. But parents can help children overcome these anxieties by using a positive parenting style. Social anxiety is a fear of being in social situations. Primary-age children have to find a place in the complex network of groups and cliques at school. This new social life can be intimidating because there are many new ‘rules’ to follow. Rules about what to say and when, how to dress, who to talk to, and more. So, young children often get anxious about mistakenly breaking these rules and bei ..read more

Takeaway: Many children struggle to learn language skills, but often for different reasons. Some ‘late talkers’ simply need a bit of extra time to catch up to their peers. But others have more serious language impairments that won’t sort themselves out without the right support. Either way, parents can learn to spot red flags and contact a specialist immediately. We worry when our children miss key speech milestones, but it’s not always a concern. Speech is a crucial survival skill. It lets children express their thoughts and feelings, ask adults for help, and become active members of their fa ..read more

Takeaway: Children with auditory processing disorder (APD) have brain differences that give them specific characteristics. But these characteristics sometimes overlap with those of children with hearing issues, language disorders, dyslexia, anxiety disorders, and ADHD. So, you’ll need a specialist to help diagnose your child’s APD and design the right support plan. Auditory processing disorder (APD) affects the way we process sound. Auditory processing disorder (APD) is a condition in which a child’s brain can’t recognise and interpret sounds (especially speech sounds) correctly. So, she might ..read more

Takeaway: Music therapy can bypass your child’s usual autistic defences, bringing out her joyful, creative side. But, for this to happen, the therapist must be able to build trust, work towards clearly-defined goals, and improvise on the go. So, we parents need to find therapists with the right balance of intuition and training to help our children.  Autism is a complex developmental difference that varies subtly from child to child. Autism describes a group of related behaviours and traits we see in children with a certain kind of brain difference. Typically, these children struggle to c ..read more

Takeaway: Art therapy is a powerful tool to help children bring their inner emotional world out into the open. And in the process, they learn to regulate their emotions and express them in healthy ways. It’s a free-flowing, creative experience that can help tackle issues more traditional therapies can’t. Emotions and feelings guide us in ways that logic and rational thinking can’t. We often assume that logic and rational thinking are the best decision-making tools. But our emotions and feelings are just as powerful. (Emotions are our body’s immediate response to any stimulus, while feelings ar ..read more

Takeaway: Guide your child through her primary-to-secondary school transition by gradually giving her more responsibilities, talking to her about all the upcoming changes, and suggesting practical tips to tackle common secondary school problems. Importantly, remember that you’re not alone in all this. Teachers, other parents, and trained child specialists can help guide you through challenging moments, giving you the feedback and support you need. Moving from primary to secondary school can be scary for young children. The shift from primary to secondary school forces children to adapt to new ..read more