People with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often struggle to interact socially in the same way as everyone else. Recognising emotions and communicating can be very difficult for them. One approach that has grown in popularity is social skills groups, which aim to improve social competence, communication skills and quality of life for people with ASD. [read the full story…]
Here’s one final substance misuse blog before the weekend, this time highlighting a new standard that’s been put together by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in partnership with DrugScope, Alcohol Concern and the Royal College of General Practitioners. Drug and alcohol misuse among young people is a major problem, although overall use is starting to decline. [read the full story…]
Substance misuse has been a bit of a theme on the Mental Elf this week and I’m continuing with that today, firstly with this piece from the Lifestyle Elf. Don’t forget, if you’re interested in healthy lifestyle issues (exercise, obesity, quitting smoking, alcohol, substance misuse), you should be following the excellent Lifestyle Elf blog. Earlier [read the full story…]
Prevention is better than cure, right? When it comes to preventing drug- and alcohol-misuse, children of substance-abusing parents are a really important group to work with, as they are at higher risk of developing their own subtance-related problems, or other mental health problems, than their peers from non-substance-using families. My cousin the Lifestyle Elf has highlighted a [read the full story…]
Suicide is the second most common cause of death in young people worldwide (after accidental death). A wide range of factors contribute to self-harm and suicide, including mental health, poverty, living in a rural setting and being single. There is scant evidence for the treatment of self-harm or suicide with talking treatments or drugs and [read the full story…]
Child sexual abuse is a widespread social problem, which can cause a range of mental health conditions including fear, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, behavioural problems, inappropriate sexual behaviour and an increased risk of psychological problems in adulthood. Cognitive behavioural therapy is often used to help children (and their non-offending parent) to manage the conditions that [read the full story…]
Children with serious attention problems are three times more likely to experience socio-economic disadvantage in adulthood, according to a French study. The study, published today by the British Journal of Psychiatry, finds they are more likely to be employed in a lower grade job, and are less likely to be educated to university level. The [read the full story…]
Many children suffer from disruptive behaviour or anxiety disorders, but access to care for this group is notoriously poor because there are so many barriers to receiving help. Psychotherapy takes time and there remains a lack of funding and a dearth of trained professionals to deliver quality care. Added to this is the stigma experienced [read the full story…]
This new guidance from NICE is aimed at people responsible for ensuring the social and emotional wellbeing of children aged under 5 years. It will be of interest to professionals who plan and commission children’s services, as well as midwives, health visitors, GPs, paediatricians, practitioners working in child and adolescent mental health services, social workers, [read the full story…]
Driving down suicidal behaviour in young people has long been a major target for public health professionals. This new study from researchers in Denmark will help inform this important work. The case control study used data from the Danish national register (403,431 in total) to assess the risk of suicide attempts after contact with a [read the full story…]
