A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
There has been a steep rise in reports of self-harm among girls aged 13 to 16, according to a study of data from GP practices across the UK. The BMJ study, which looked at figures from 2011-2014, said GPs could be getting better at picking up self-harm. But it was likely that rising stress and [...]
Children's mental health in Britain is seeing a steady decline, with the latest statistics showing that over half of mental health problems start by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 18. In the news out today, Childline even revealed it has carried out its highest number of counselling sessions with young people having suicidal [...]
Ringing, pinging devices are eating into children's sleep and it's undermining their happiness, a major new study into the wellbeing of younger Australians shows. And this lack of sleep is associated with them feeling isolated and unsafe in their own homes. The latest 'Happiness Survey' of almost 47,000 children has found that children who regularly [...]
We cannot eliminate our biases, but we can understand them and know that there are things that we can do to reduce the impact of biases on our decision-making and to better reflect diversity. Being aware of biases also allows us to guide others towards certain decisions or behaviours without taking away their freedom to [...]
When you are feeling sick but have no idea how to explain it in words, sometimes an emoji is all you need to get the message across. And that's the tool patients at the Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick are using to communicate to nurses and other medical staff every day. In August the hospital [...]
Lego isn’t just a plastic brick loved the world over. It’s also a tool which can be used therapeutically as children, teachers and experts are discovering in Gloucestershire. Education experts in Gloucestershire are using construction toys such as Lego to help children express their emotions and improve their mental health. With data showing that children [...]
A program that focuses on strengthening parenting skills also improves symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 3-8 year-olds, according to researchers at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute (FPG) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. FPG scientists completed a rigorous review of evidence that demonstrated the effectiveness of the “Incredible [...]
My 13-year-old daughter literally cringes when I touch her. Any attempt at showing affection to my once cuddly and affectionate daughter is now met with resistance. You know, the I’m-a-teen-and-I’m-way-too-old-for-this attitude that consumes our children sometime between the ages of 11 and 16. When I fall victim to this melancholy temperament, I’m quickly driven into [...]
In a WA-first, virtual reality goggles are helping children feel less anxious when they have blood tests and other painful procedures. The technology is being used as a pilot program at St John of God Health Care hospitals and takes children on an underwater adventure to distract them. St John of God Health Care group [...]
Slow weight gain in early childhood, also known as faltering growth, may be associated with persisting problems with appetite and feeding, says NICE, in new guidance published today. The NICE guideline aims to improve diagnosis, assessment and monitoring of children with faltering growth and to help GPs and health visitors support parents and carers to [...]
