3 mins read

Why Is My Child Shy?

Shyness is not always a bad thing. When it crosses over to a social phobia or anxiety, you might want to seek professional help. But simply being shy can be OK. It just may take shy people longer to feel comfortable with new people and new situations. Shy children tend to observe the scene before jumping in. Shyness is a personality trait, not a fault, says Dr. William Sears, author of more than 40 pediatric books.

3 mins read

OCD Treatment for Children

The behaviors associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder can seem strange to people who don’t have it. You might wonder, for example, why your child washes her hands repeatedly, even when they are clean, why your child must count to 10 every time she enters a certain room or why she checks to make sure she closed her door over and over again. People with OCD have an anxiety disorder that manifests itself in thoughts they can’t get rid of. These thoughts lead the OCD sufferer to have strong urges to engage in rituals to banish or ward off the thoughts. The problem with these thoughts and rituals is that they interfere with daily life. Children as young as 5 can have OCD, but the good news is that advances in treatment are being made all the time.

3 mins read

What is Tay-Sachs Disease?

Hearing the words "progressive degenerative genetic neurological disorder" is a shot to the heart.  That's exactly what I felt like had happened.  I had been fatally wounded, and I hadn't even seen the sniper.  Being told by a (now, in my mind) nameless faceless doctor that my seemingly otherwise healthy ten-month old daughter was terminally ill…