COMMENTARY
Apple pie and ... Publish date: November 7, 2017 By: William G. Wilkoff, MD How do you feel about apple pie? Is it a concept that evokes a positive feeling for you? Even if you prefer pumpkin or blueberry? Although your attitude toward apple pie may be relevant as we approach the holidays, is it a topic worthy of discussion in a publication devoted to pediatrics? MD-IQ QUIZ: Managing pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome Treatment & Diagnosis of Mental Health Drug & Dosing Information Certainly not, but what about motherhood? How do you feel about motherhood? As someone who is devoting his or her professional energies to the health of children, you must have formed some opinions about motherhood. Although your patients are children, it is their parents – and more often their mothers – with whom you communicate, particularly in the first several years of life. The interaction between a child and his or her mother can provide the child critical emotional support. BananaStock/Thinkstock My guess is that, like the majority of people, you will answer that the concept of motherhood is one about which you have positive thoughts, regardless of how you feel about apple pie. But let’s sharpen the focus of my question and ask if you believe that, for biological and physiological reasons, mothers are necessary for babies. And, here, I am asking you to look beyond the obvious events of pregnancy and childbirth. Do you believe that a mother is uniquely equipped to provide some things for her child that can be critically important for that child’s emotional development, particularly in the first 3 years of the child’s life? You may never have been asked that question in exactly that way before, but I suspect you have thought about it both professionally and personally. You may have considered the answer as you were deciding if, when, and how you were going to return to work after maternity leave. Or you may have been forced to consider the question in formulating an opinion in a case of contested child custody. An opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal (“The Politicization of Motherhood,” by James Taranto, Oct. 27, 2017) suggests that how you answer my question about the biological necessity of motherhood will determine your position on one of our nation’s political divides. The article focuses on Erica Komisar, who has written a book in which she lays out evidence from the fields of neuroscience, psychology, and epigenetics supporting her view that a mother is biologically equipped to provide for the emotional development of her child (“Being There: Why Prioritizing Motherhood in the First Three Years Matters,” New York: TarcherPerigee, 2017). Dr. William G. Wilkoff As you might suspect, her book has been embraced by the more conservative among us who feel that a mother’s place is in the home. On the other hand, she has been shunned by more liberal folks who believe that much of what one might consider traditional motherhood can be subcontracted out to fathers and day care providers. However, Ms. Komisar’s liberal roots become apparent when she suggests that the federal government should mandate employers to provide generous maternity benefits including flexible and extended maternity leaves. I haven’t read Ms. Komisar’s book, nor am I aware of the studies she cites, but reading the article prompted me to think a bit more deeply regarding how I feel about motherhood. I guess I always have felt that there is something special that a mother can provide her children, particularly during the first 3 years of life. I don’t know whether there is a neurobiological basis for this special something, but if it is missing, the child’s emotional development can suffer. Are there situations where another person(s) can provide a substitute for this special maternal sauce? Of course, but it doesn’t always work as well as the real thing. And not every mother has an adequate amount of that certain maternal something. As pediatricians, we are faced with two challenges. The first is to help families cope with situations in which that special maternal ingredient is absent or in short supply. Our second challenge is to help mothers who believe there is something special they can offer their children but feel guilty because, for whatever reason, they can’t be there to provide it. I am interested to hear how you feel about motherhood ... and apple pie. Dr. Wilkoff practiced primary care pediatrics in Brunswick, Maine, for nearly 40 years. He has authored several books on behavioral pediatrics, including “How to Say No to Your Toddler.” Email him at [email protected].
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Children and trauma: How Sesame Street can help\\n
www.mdedge.com\\n \\n Nearly half of American children have faced one adverse childhood experience (ACE), according to new analysis of the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, and more than 20% have had two ACEs or more. This may include abuse or neglect, witnessing violence, parental substance abuse, mental illness, or incarceration. And from news headlines, we are all too aware of other traumas children face, such as natural disasters and mass violence.\\n Sesame Workshop 2017\\n The presence of a caring adult makes all the difference in the life of a child coping with the effects of trauma.\\n While some stress in early life is normal, chronic exposure to traumatic experiences can become toxic. Children who have had multiple ACEs are at higher risk for challenges affecting development and learning, and are more likely to face serious health issues as an adult. The groundbreaking Adverse Childhood Experiences study found that, as the number of ACEs increases, so does the risk for cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, as well as alcohol abuse and drug use, obesity, and depression.\\n But we know that children are remarkably resilient, and trauma does not have to define their trajectory. With the right tools and support, the effects of trauma can be mitigated, and children can build coping skills and resiliency for a healthy, promising future.\\n Sesame Workshop 2017\\n Adults can help children express themselves … even when children don't have the words.\\n That’s where Sesame Street comes in. You may know us as the TV show, but as a nonprofit educational organization, we have nearly 50 years’ experience working in communities to address developmental, physical, and emotional needs of children. Over the years, we have addressed difficult topics, such as death and illness, divorce, and incarceration in a “Sesame way” – through the lens of a child, with content featuring the iconic Sesame Street Muppets, loved by children and trusted by parents and providers.\\n When we began hearing from community service partners and child development experts that there was a critical need for resources to help children cope with trauma, we felt we could help.\\n Traumatic experiences can disrupt brain development, but when children have hope, when they feel seen and heard by caring adults who can guide them through those crucial resilience-building techniques, the impact of ACEs can be mitigated, and children can be set on the road to healing and stability.\\n With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other funders, Sesame Workshop set out to create content for universal coping strategies to address “big feelings” like anger, anxiety, and sadness. To do this, we enlisted the pediatric community and professionals in the field, grounding our approach in the latest research. Then we used our proven model to produce resources that could engage and comfort children while building coping skills and foster crucial nurturing connections between children and the adults in their lives.\\n Our free materials – some are targeted for children and others are for providers – include videos, storybooks, and digital activities in English and Spanish. They are all available at sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/traumatic-experiences.\\n Sesame Workshop 2017\\n Trauma's a big deal -- but Big Bird's got a supportive friend who gives big hugs.\\n We know that pediatricians and other pediatric providers are uniquely situated to identify children who are at risk, and can, in turn, equip families with resources. And we created these resources with such providers in mind: What makes our tools so effective is that they can be integrated into any intervention or service, enlisting our lovable Muppets as guides. Watching Elmo or Big Bird talk about their emotions can provide comfort to children coping with big feelings of their own.\\n In one video called “Comfy Cozy Nest,” when Big Bird faces an unspecified difficult situation, he learns to think of his nest as a “safe space” with comforting items like his teddy bear and Granny Bird’s birdseed cookies. This is a place he can go in his imagination to make himself feel safe. In others, Elmo builds a blanket fort to feel secure and the Count teaches Cookie Monster a breathing strategy to help him relax.\\n In addition to engaging materials for children, providers can find professional development workshops, webinars, and other adult-facing content that includes, as part of our trauma content, a powerful animation to help parents and caregivers understand the impact of domestic violence from a child’s perspective.\\n Sesame Street Workshop\\n Dr. Jeanette Betancourt with Elmo\\n Our trauma content is part of Sesame Street in Communities, a first-of-its-kind initiative to help the pediatric community, providers, parents, and caregivers give children a strong and healthy start. Sesame Street in Communities offers hundreds of free, multimedia tools to help children as they grow through the critical developmental window of birth through age 6 years. In addition to our new resources around traumatic experiences, Sesame Street in Communities pulls together decades of content for providers and families around early math and literacy, healthy habits, food insecurity, handling emergencies, and more. All resources are available for free in English and Spanish at www.sesamestreetincommunities.org.\\n No one plays a more vital role in children’s health and well-being than pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and family physicians. Our hope is that Sesame Street in Communities will allow us to work together, to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.\\n Children and trauma: How Sesame Street can help
www.mdedge.com Nearly half of American children have faced one adverse childhood experience (ACE), according to new analysis of the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, and more than 20% have had two ACEs or more. This may include abuse or neglect, witnessing violence, parental substance abuse, mental illness, or incarceration. And from news headlines, we are all too aware of other traumas children face, such as natural disasters and mass violence. Sesame Workshop 2017The presence of a caring adult makes all the difference in the life of a child coping with the effects of trauma. While some stress in early life is normal, chronic exposure to traumatic experiences can become toxic. Children who have had multiple ACEs are at higher risk for challenges affecting development and learning, and are more likely to face serious health issues as an adult. The groundbreaking Adverse Childhood Experiences study found that, as the number of ACEs increases, so does the risk for cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, as well as alcohol abuse and drug use, obesity, and depression. But we know that children are remarkably resilient, and trauma does not have to define their trajectory. With the right tools and support, the effects of trauma can be mitigated, and children can build coping skills and resiliency for a healthy, promising future. Sesame Workshop 2017Adults can help children express themselves … even when children don't have the words. That’s where Sesame Street comes in. You may know us as the TV show, but as a nonprofit educational organization, we have nearly 50 years’ experience working in communities to address developmental, physical, and emotional needs of children. Over the years, we have addressed difficult topics, such as death and illness, divorce, and incarceration in a “Sesame way” – through the lens of a child, with content featuring the iconic Sesame Street Muppets, loved by children and trusted by parents and providers. When we began hearing from community service partners and child development experts that there was a critical need for resources to help children cope with trauma, we felt we could help. Traumatic experiences can disrupt brain development, but when children have hope, when they feel seen and heard by caring adults who can guide them through those crucial resilience-building techniques, the impact of ACEs can be mitigated, and children can be set on the road to healing and stability. With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other funders, Sesame Workshop set out to create content for universal coping strategies to address “big feelings” like anger, anxiety, and sadness. To do this, we enlisted the pediatric community and professionals in the field, grounding our approach in the latest research. Then we used our proven model to produce resources that could engage and comfort children while building coping skills and foster crucial nurturing connections between children and the adults in their lives. Our free materials – some are targeted for children and others are for providers – include videos, storybooks, and digital activities in English and Spanish. They are all available at sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/traumatic-experiences. Sesame Workshop 2017Trauma's a big deal -- but Big Bird's got a supportive friend who gives big hugs. We know that pediatricians and other pediatric providers are uniquely situated to identify children who are at risk, and can, in turn, equip families with resources. And we created these resources with such providers in mind: What makes our tools so effective is that they can be integrated into any intervention or service, enlisting our lovable Muppets as guides. Watching Elmo or Big Bird talk about their emotions can provide comfort to children coping with big feelings of their own. In one video called “Comfy Cozy Nest,” when Big Bird faces an unspecified difficult situation, he learns to think of his nest as a “safe space” with comforting items like his teddy bear and Granny Bird’s birdseed cookies. This is a place he can go in his imagination to make himself feel safe. In others, Elmo builds a blanket fort to feel secure and the Count teaches Cookie Monster a breathing strategy to help him relax. In addition to engaging materials for children, providers can find professional development workshops, webinars, and other adult-facing content that includes, as part of our trauma content, a powerful animation to help parents and caregivers understand the impact of domestic violence from a child’s perspective. Sesame Street WorkshopDr. Jeanette Betancourt with Elmo Our trauma content is part of Sesame Street in Communities, a first-of-its-kind initiative to help the pediatric community, providers, parents, and caregivers give children a strong and healthy start. Sesame Street in Communities offers hundreds of free, multimedia tools to help children as they grow through the critical developmental window of birth through age 6 years. In addition to our new resources around traumatic experiences, Sesame Street in Communities pulls together decades of content for providers and families around early math and literacy, healthy habits, food insecurity, handling emergencies, and more. All resources are available for free in English and Spanish at www.sesamestreetincommunities.org. No one plays a more vital role in children’s health and well-being than pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and family physicians. Our hope is that Sesame Street in Communities will allow us to work together, to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.Dr. Betancourt is the senior vice president for U.S. social impact at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit media and educational organization behind Sesame Street, in New Y Children and trauma: How Sesame Street can help
Publish date: October 31, 2017 By: Jeanette Betancourt Ed.D Nearly half of American children have faced one adverse childhood experience (ACE), according to new analysis of the 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health, and more than 20% have had two ACEs or more. This may include abuse or neglect, witnessing violence, parental substance abuse, mental illness, or incarceration. And from news headlines, we are all too aware of other traumas children face, such as natural disasters and mass violence. MD-IQ QUIZ: Managing pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome Treatment & Diagnosis of Mental Health Drug & Dosing Information Sesame Workshop 2017The presence of a caring adult makes all the difference in the life of a child coping with the effects of trauma. While some stress in early life is normal, chronic exposure to traumatic experiences can become toxic. Children who have had multiple ACEs are at higher risk for challenges affecting development and learning, and are more likely to face serious health issues as an adult. The groundbreaking Adverse Childhood Experiences study found that, as the number of ACEs increases, so does the risk for cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, as well as alcohol abuse and drug use, obesity, and depression. But we know that children are remarkably resilient, and trauma does not have to define their trajectory. With the right tools and support, the effects of trauma can be mitigated, and children can build coping skills and resiliency for a healthy, promising future. Sesame Workshop 2017Adults can help children express themselves … even when children don't have the words. That’s where Sesame Street comes in. You may know us as the TV show, but as a nonprofit educational organization, we have nearly 50 years’ experience working in communities to address developmental, physical, and emotional needs of children. Over the years, we have addressed difficult topics, such as death and illness, divorce, and incarceration in a “Sesame way” – through the lens of a child, with content featuring the iconic Sesame Street Muppets, loved by children and trusted by parents and providers. When we began hearing from community service partners and child development experts that there was a critical need for resources to help children cope with trauma, we felt we could help. Traumatic experiences can disrupt brain development, but when children have hope, when they feel seen and heard by caring adults who can guide them through those crucial resilience-building techniques, the impact of ACEs can be mitigated, and children can be set on the road to healing and stability. With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and other funders, Sesame Workshop set out to create content for universal coping strategies to address “big feelings” like anger, anxiety, and sadness. To do this, we enlisted the pediatric community and professionals in the field, grounding our approach in the latest research. Then we used our proven model to produce resources that could engage and comfort children while building coping skills and foster crucial nurturing connections between children and the adults in their lives. Our free materials – some are targeted for children and others are for providers – include videos, storybooks, and digital activities in English and Spanish. They are all available at sesamestreetincommunities.org/topics/traumatic-experiences. Sesame Workshop 2017Trauma's a big deal -- but Big Bird's got a supportive friend who gives big hugs. We know that pediatricians and other pediatric providers are uniquely situated to identify children who are at risk, and can, in turn, equip families with resources. And we created these resources with such providers in mind: What makes our tools so effective is that they can be integrated into any intervention or service, enlisting our lovable Muppets as guides. Watching Elmo or Big Bird talk about their emotions can provide comfort to children coping with big feelings of their own. In one video called “Comfy Cozy Nest,” when Big Bird faces an unspecified difficult situation, he learns to think of his nest as a “safe space” with comforting items like his teddy bear and Granny Bird’s birdseed cookies. This is a place he can go in his imagination to make himself feel safe. In others, Elmo builds a blanket fort to feel secure and the Count teaches Cookie Monster a breathing strategy to help him relax. In addition to engaging materials for children, providers can find professional development workshops, webinars, and other adult-facing content that includes, as part of our trauma content, a powerful animation to help parents and caregivers understand the impact of domestic violence from a child’s perspective. Sesame Street WorkshopDr. Jeanette Betancourt with Elmo Our trauma content is part of Sesame Street in Communities, a first-of-its-kind initiative to help the pediatric community, providers, parents, and caregivers give children a strong and healthy start. Sesame Street in Communities offers hundreds of free, multimedia tools to help children as they grow through the critical developmental window of birth through age 6 years. In addition to our new resources around traumatic experiences, Sesame Street in Communities pulls together decades of content for providers and families around early math and literacy, healthy habits, food insecurity, handling emergencies, and more. All resources are available for free in English and Spanish at www.sesamestreetincommunities.org. No one plays a more vital role in children’s health and well-being than pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and family physicians. Our hope is that Sesame Street in Communities will allow us to work together, to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.Dr. Betancourt is the senior vice president for U.S. social impact at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit media and educational organization behind Sesame Street, in New York. Have you done more for your car than your marriage? Time to recharge. Time to retreat. Join us this Valentines Day weekend. Insightsatthebeach.comStarting November 4 at 1 pm and continuing every Saturday until December 2, spend 1.5 hours casting off titles and labels; find your inner self. Groups meet at 1509 Market St, suite 201, Carriage House, Wilmington, NC. Through creativity, collage, and comradery help rediscover parts of you ignored, forgotten, or unrevealed. Emotional journey that helps build self. Fee: $100 for five, 90 minute therapeutic sessions, lead by Cathy Cosentino, MA, LMFTA
When life takes an unexpected turn and no longer are we married or employed, for example we may be thrown into a tailspin as we grasp at what we are now. Without our former roles or titles we need time to adjust and reflect. Who am I?
If you have felt this way for whatever reason, come join our small group Nov. 4 at 1 pm in Wilmington. Call to reserve a spot: 201 485 9558. Through creativity and therapeutic interaction we seek to find the lost or forgotten you. A great article on this can be found at: https://www.2knowmyself.com/Psychological_identity/identity_crisis/who_am_i enjoy! |
AuthorCathy Cosentino, MA, LMFTA Archives
March 2018
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