Mental Heath In Kids

Signs of Depression or Anxiety in Kids

Depression and anxiety in kids often go undiagnosed, leading to issues at school, home, and eventually their professional life. Diagnosing and treating these mental illnesses early on in their life will make treatment easier than if treatment is started later on. Pediatric Associates, Pediatrician near Jericho NY office, offers to screen for depression and anxiety in kids. We know how important mental health is for kids, and we want to ensure your kid receives proper treatment for possible mental illnesses as soon as it is discovered.

Signs of Depression

Depression in kids is usually brushed off as normal behavior associated with growing up. However, it is essential to differentiate between normal behavior and depression. Signs of childhood depression include:

Low energy or fatigue,
Lack of concentration,
Changes in sleeping habits,
Excessive irritability or anger.

It is important to consult our Pediatrician near Jericho NY office, such as Pediatric Associates of Plainview, if your child experiences these symptoms. Discovering depression early on will make treatment more manageable and more effective.

Signs of Anxiety

Anxiety in kids can be classified into three subcategories: separation anxiety, social anxiety, and general anxiety. Kids can experience any of these, oftentimes more than one. Signs to look for are:

Clinginess,
Lack of concentration,
Excessively worrying,
Lack of sleep, or nightmares,
Quickly getting angry or irritated.

Anxiety can be very harmful to kids and can lead to more issues as they get older. Pediatric Associates, a Pediatrician near Jericho NY office, recommends you have your kid screened if they show any of the before mentioned signs of anxiety.

Related Issues

Untreated depression and anxiety in kids can have detrimental consequences as they get older. As a Pediatrician near Jericho NY provider, we recommend getting your kid screened out of an abundance of caution. Catching these issues early makes a huge difference when it comes to treatment. Some problems that can arise from untreated childhood anxiety and depression include:

Addiction to drugs and alcohol,
Increase in risky behaviors,
Below average academic performance,
Suicidal thoughts or actions.

Contact Our Pediatrician near Jericho NY

Pediatric Associates, a Pediatrician near Jericho NY provider, knows the benefits of diagnosing and treating these conditions early on. We recommend having your child screened for them as soon as you notice any of the symptoms mentioned or other unusual behaviors.

Anxiety In Children

Pediatrician near Jericho NY School or other social atmospheres such as daycare can be a great opportunity for children to learn new topics, develop ideas, form new friendships, and create a sense of self. However, navigating in new environments or uncomfortable situations can cause anxiety in some children. Whether it is a child nervous walking to their new classroom, an anxious child worrying about going outside for recess, or a child afraid to go in front of the classroom for a presentation, it is important to be able to understand anxiety in children and know how you can help. That is why here at Pediatric Associates of Plainview, a center for Pediatrician near Jericho NY, we offer anxiety screenings so that we can properly diagnose and help children who may be suffering from it.

What is Anxiety?

Believe it or not, it is healthy to experience anxiety from time to time. However, if anxiety persists and a person experiences it at extraordinary levels, it could be considered a disorder. Anxiety has been rooted in us since the early days of humanity. Activating our “fight-or-flight response,” allowed our early ancestors to evade or fight off potential predators. Today, our anxiety has shifted towards work, school, money, or other social issues. Common symptoms of anxiety may include:

Restlessness.
Difficulty sleeping.
Unable to concentrate on your day-to-day tasks.
Raising heartbeat and sweating.
Increased feeling of irritability.

Types of Anxiety In Children

If you believe your child is experiencing anxiety, look out for signs such as being clingy, crying, throwing tantrums, or being unable to sleep. Keep in mind that anxiety is not always a bad thing, and be sure to bring them to our center for a Pediatrician near Jericho NY if it becomes a concern.

The different types of anxiety that are commonly experienced by children are:

Specific Phobia – Having a severe and irrational fear for a situation or thing such as fear of spiders, going in front of the classroom, or certain objects.
Social Anxiety – Your child fears social situations such as being around other children at a playground or social space.
Separation Anxiety – Your child gets extremely upset when you part ways from them when dropping them off at school or daycare.

What Should You Do?

There are a few ways you can help your child if they experiencing high levels of anxiety, including:

Asking your child to name their anxiety.
Going to new places to help your child adapt to new environments.
Being mindful of your behavior and acting as a role model for your kids (remember kids tend to mimic their parents).
Allowing your child to destress when needed.
Giving them exposure by having them order their food at a restaurant or ask for the things they need.
Bringing them to our center for a Pediatrician near Jericho NY to get a proper anxiety screening.

Contact Our Pediatrician near Jericho NY

If you believe that your child is experiencing high levels of anxiety, you should be sure to seek out professional help as soon as possible. Consider bringing them to our team at Pediatric Associates of Plainview for an anxiety screening. We will work to assess your child’s anxiety and properly diagnose whatever problems they are facing. Don’t wait, contact us to get started today!

Do You Have Postnatal Depression?

If you or someone you know is in search of a Pediatrician near Jericho NY, our team at Pediatric Associates of Plainview is here to help you!

Postnatal depression, also known as postpartum depression, is a mental illness affecting 1 in 5 new mothers. It typically occurs within the first 3 months after giving birth, but there is still a chance for it to develop for up to a year postpartum. The condition tends to be overlooked and difficult to detect, as most symptoms reflect normal stress and sleep changes that new mothers are expected to experience. Thankfully, however, there are proper screenings that can be conducted by our pediatricians in Levittown at Pediatric Associates of Plainview to properly detect postnatal depression.

Warning Signs and Symptoms

While screenings are important and extremely helpful in diagnosing this condition, it is also important to check in with your loved ones or yourself. Making yourself aware of the warning signs and symptoms of postnatal depression can prove to be extremely beneficial as it can help you to identify the issue early on before it worsens. Among the most common warning signs and symptoms are:

Sleep Problems: It is very common for newborns to disrupt their mother’s sleep cycle. But it is abnormal to be sleeping too much or to have extreme difficulty falling asleep when you have the chance.
Overwhelming Sadness or Guilt: It is common to experience a decline in your mood for the first 2 weeks after birth. However, if these feelings do not subside or they lead to crying spells, it may be indicative of the first signs of postnatal depression.
Difficulty Making Decisions. If you are struggling to decide between everyday tasks to fulfill such as taking a shower, changing your baby’s diaper, going on a walk, or getting out of bed, these may be early warning signs of postnatal depression.
Appetite Changes. When people are depressed, it is common for them to eat more or less than usual. This symptom causes people to either look to food for comfort or lose their appetite altogether.
Harmful or Suicidal Thoughts. This symptom is extremely serious and should be addressed immediately. If you or a loved one is having thoughts regarding harming themselves or their baby, they may be experiencing advanced signs of postnatal depression and they should be treated urgently.

While it is good to know these signs, it is important to know that this is not a full list of the symptoms of postnatal depression. It is worth looking into more warning signs, as symptoms may vary. It is beneficial to acknowledge and treat this condition as soon as possible so that it does not worsen into chronic depression or interfere with your quality of life.

Visit Our Pediatrician near Jericho NY

If you are a new mother experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, Pediatric Associates of Plainview may be able to help! Here at Pediatric Associates of Plainview, we offer screenings for postnatal depression so that we can properly detect and diagnose it, ensuring you get the treatment you need. Our goal is to keep both parents and children as healthy as possible. Be sure to contact us today to discover the many ways our Pediatrician near Jericho NY can help you and your child stay healthy through all phases of life.

Signs Of Depression In Children and Teens

Depression is an illness that can strike you at any age. As a parent, it’s essential to recognize the warning signs taking hold of your children. Doing so will allow you to get them the help they need to overcome this. At Pediatric Associates of Plainview, our staff wants to help with this. We will offer you insight on the signs to watch for and provide treatment to the children who require it.

Signs Of Depression In Children

Although many expect their children to be filled with constant feelings of happiness and joy, the truth of the matter is that anyone can have a mental illness. Depression does not just affect adults, and it can quickly become an issue for your family if you don’t get your child the help they need. If you notice them displaying any of the below warning signs, we recommend contacting our team right away:

Increased irritability or anger.
Social withdrawal.
Sensitivity to rejection.
Sudden changes in appetite.
Sudden changes in sleep patterns.
Impaired thinking and concentration.

How Parents Can Help

Before scheduling an appointment with our team, there are ways parents can actively work to help their children overcome their depression. Our physicians would like to share these methods with you, so you can keep your child protected. However, we’d like to call out that if your intervention methods do not work promptly, you shouldn’t wait to schedule an appointment with us. In the meantime, below are some ways you can try and help:

Spend quality time with your child.
Encourage them to have open and honest conversations.
Have them try to perform physical activities they enjoy.
Feed them healthy meals each day.
Promote a healthy sleep schedule.
Organize family events and playdates.

How Pediatrician near Jericho NY Can Help!

If you still believe your child is battling depression after trying the above intervention methods, don’t hesitate to contact our team. We’ll perform a depression screening to help diagnose the condition. Once this is done, we will refer you to trusted professionals who will utilize their services to improve your child’s condition.

Contact Pediatrician near Jericho NY Today!

Living with depression at any age can feel like a helpless experience. Don’t let your children suffer through this alone. Please don’t hesitate to contact our team at Pediatric Associates of Plainview today to help get them the help they deserve.

What are the Most Common Childhood Illnesses?

Have you ever considered that the health of your child since birth must be the top priority when becoming a parent? It is important to know what are the signs of sickness in your child before they get worse, but who to refer outside from your personal trusted doctor? If you are looking for a Pediatrician near Jericho NY, we would recommend you to visit the Pediatric Associates of Plainview.

Who are the Pediatric Associates of Plainview?

The Pediatric Associates of Plainview is an independently owned and operated practice. These professional specialists encourage to check the wellness of children at specific stages: starting from newborns from 2-4 days out from the hospital, infants of 2-3 months old every month, toddlers of 1-2.5 years every six months, and children-adolescents from 3 years of age up to 23 years old.

What Services Do We Offer?

The services they offer at the Pediatric Associates of Plainview are the following:

Preventive health and safety counseling
Blood drawing in-office- venous and fingerstick
Laboratory services in-office such as rapid strep and overnight throat culture, urine and stool tests, anemia check
Immunizations- given by physicians only
Orthopedic minor injury care
Asthma care including nebulizer treatments, pulse oximetry, peak flow measurements
Wart removal
Drainage of small abscesses and nail infections
Ear piercing (two doctors simultaneously piercing each ear)
Fluoride tooth varnish treatment
Concussion assessment
ADD/ADHD testing/evaluation
Depression/anxiety screening
Developmental evaluation/autism screening
Adolescent gynecological discussion
Postnatal depression screening for new mothers
Hearing and vision tests
School, camp, and sports participation physicals

What are the Most Common Childhood Illnesses?

The most common childhood illnesses are:

Common Cold
Bronchitis and Bronchiolitis
Stomach Flu
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD)
Febrile Seizure
Chickenpox
Eczema
Asthma
Allergic Rhinitis (Allergies)
Constipation

Contact Us For Pediatrician near Jericho NY

For more information on how Pediatric Associates of Plainview can help you out with common childhood illnesses and other services, you don’t have to hesitate to contact us through our website. Pediatric Associates of Plainview know how important is the wellness of your children, and they want to guarantee the long-term health of your family. Consider scheduling an appointment with them and visit their center today!