Welcome

This blog is for those who are interested the apostolate of education as well as those engaged in the apostolate . This blog can be used for sharing ideas resources and opinions. Comments section can be used to air your opinions and ask questions on various topics

Tuesday 7 August 2012

on panic disorder in students...

                        Panic holding kids, parents to ransom
competition pressure, long hours in school & tuitions leading to panic disorder in kids: docs  

Somita Pal l Mumbai
     With the competition between students rising, coupled with long hours in school and tuition classes, more children are suffering from panic disorder, say doctors. Child psychiatrists and paediatricians say the pressure to beat competition within their school or group of friends has been found to be the most common reason for many children suffering from panic disorder at a young age.
    Dr Fabian Almeida, child psychiatrist, said, “Panic disorder is a psychological problem which can happen due to various reasons. We are seeing more number of cases because parents are more aware now. They are careful enough to take their children to a doctor if they notice any behavioural changes in them.”
Almeida said children with panic disorder should be treated early; medication, talk therapy and behavioural therapy are the keys. “We conduct annual workshops for teachers so that they can pick up such cases easily and counsel the children immediately,” he added.
     Dr Shreepad Khedekar, clinical director of Imperial Institute, said, “Failure affects children a lot. To overcome the fear they put a lot of pressure on themselves which eventually leads to panic attacks. Many children complain about restlessness, impatience and compulsiveness during exams, and other crucial situations. Parents, at times, tend to ignore these symptoms. But they can lead to panic disorder.”
Karan Patel, a Powai resident and father of a 10-year-girl, said, “I observed that my daughter would become restless and her palms would start sweating whenever there was an exam or a competition in school. She would say her stomach was full and not eat. When I took her to a doctor, I found out she was suffering from panic disorder. I too suffer from it as my parents and doctors had ignored it when I was a child.”
Doctors say that while examining the children suffering from the disorder they found that children tend to panic during school competitions, like dance, art and craft, singing etc. “They put immense pressure on themselves to excel in such competitions, and that leads to panic attacks. Children suffering from low self-esteem, too, suffer from panic attacks,” added Khedekar.
    The disorder often manifests differently in children and adults. Children tend to report the physical symptoms with panic attacks rather than the psychological ones. A child having a panic attack may appear to be frightened or upset with no easily identified explanation. S/he may also be reluctant or unable to describe the attacks, which may lead to confusion at school regarding the child’s nature. Hence, it is important to note the child’s acts at school.
     Dr Mukesh Sanklecha, consultant pediatrician, Bombay hospital, said, “Girls are more prone to panic disorder. Symptoms are palpitation, heart pounding, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, feeling choked, nausea or uneasiness in stomach. Proper counselling can curb the disorder among children.”

Published Date:  Aug 07, 2012     Courtesy (visited 7.8.12)
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=24133&boxid=22028&ed_date=2012-8-07&ed_code=820009&ed_page=1

Wednesday 1 August 2012

Name-calling, bullying of kids as bad as a kick

HANDLE WITH CARE
                                                 Name-calling, bullying of kids as bad as a kick

London: Bullying and calling names can be as damaging to a young child’s physical, mental and emotional health as a slap, punch or kick, a new study has found.
    The study looked at the effects of verbal abuse and found it can be just as harmful to a child’s development as a physical attack.
    According to an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) report on psychological maltreatment in journal ‘Pediatrics’, psychological abuse may be the most challenging and prevalent form of child abuse and neglect.
    “Yelling at a child every day and giving the message that the child is a terrible person, and that the parent regrets bringing the child into this world, is an example of a potentially very harmful interaction,” said Dr Harriet MacMillan, McMaster University’s Michael G De-Groote School of Medicine and the Offord Centre for Child Studies.
    “We are talking about extremes and the likelihood of harm, or risk of harm, resulting from the kinds of behaviour that make a child feel worthless, unloved or unwanted,” MacMillan said.
    Psychological abuse was described in the scientific literature more than 25 years ago, but it has been under-recognized and under-reported, MacMillan said, adding that its effects “can be as harmful as other types of maltreatment”.
    The report says that because psychological maltreatment interferes with a child’s development path, the abuse has been linked with disorders of attachment, developmental and educational problems, socialisation problems and disruptive behaviour.

Courtesy (visited 31.7.12)