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Silly to Calm: Quick kids yoga movement break complete with dancing and breathing.

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Rainbow Relaxation: Mindfulness for Children

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We're Going on a Bear Hunt | A Cosmic Kids Yoga Adventure!

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Breathe in slowly through your nose like you are smelling a flower, then breathe out slowly through your mouth like you are blowing a leaf. Repeat at least three times!

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Take a look at these calming activities for your child. These wellness activities can help your child self-regulate and calm their bodies.

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21 Ways to Practice Self Care Right Now - Move This World

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21 Ways to Practice Self Care Right Now - Move This World

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Self care is not selfish! It is essential to your wellbeing. Your mental health matters just as much as your child's. In fact, you will be at your best to help your child through their needs when you are doing well mentally. These resources will give you tips on how to spend some time putting your needs first. Even if you only have 5 minutes a day, you can practice mindfulness.

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Here is a link to find the right therapist for you and/or your child in your area. A therapist can work with you and your child to work on coping skills and help get you through tough times. It is okay to reach out for help!

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Browse our extensive directory of the best Therapists, Psychologists and Counselors near you.

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We have all experienced trauma in some form. Provided are resources to help you better understand how trauma affects the body, both physically and mentally. Please remember that your experiences do not define you and you can overcome any obstacles in your way with the right tools. You are resilient!

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Trauma and its Effects-Trigger Warning: please read below the link before clicking!

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Trauma and its Effects-Trigger Warning: please read below the link before clicking!

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Within this link is an ACE quiz. ACE means Adverse Childhood Experiences, or trauma you may or may not have experienced as a child. The quiz will help you better understand how the trauma you have experienced as a child has affected you as an adult, and how the trauma your child may or may not have faced is currently affecting them. This resource is included because it is important to understand how your trauma has affected you and in turn can help you understand how to help your child. However, this quiz requires you to reflect on potentially traumatic events you have faced in your life. Please take the quiz only if you feel you are in a good mental state to reflect on your own experiences. This can understandably be very hard to do.

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An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems. You can take the test below:

So, you've got your score. Now what?

First, remember that the ACE score isn't a crystal ball; it's just meant as guidance. It tells you about one type of risk factor among many. It doesn't directly take into account your diet or genes, or whether you smoke or drink excessively - to name just a few of the other major influences on health.

To learn more, check the CDC's ACE Study website. You'll find, among other things, a list of studies that explore the ways adverse childhood experiences have been linked to a variety of adult conditions, ranging from increased headaches to depression to heart disease.

Remember this, too: ACE scores don't tally the positive experiences in early life that can help build resilience and protect a child from the effects of trauma. Having a grandparent who loves you, a teacher who understands and believes in you, or a trusted friend you can confide in may mitigate the long-term effects of early trauma, psychologists say.

"There are people with high ACE scores who do remarkably well," says Jack Shonkoff, a pediatrician and director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

Resilience, he says, builds throughout life, and close relationships are key. Recent research also suggests that for adults, "trauma informed" therapy - which can center on art, yoga or mindfulness training - can help.

How best to find and help kids who are experiencing abuse and neglect right now?

Child psychologist Hilit Kletter, of Stanford University's School of Medicine, says that to spot these children, she looks for visible signs of stress to understand what might have happened to them and how best to intervene. Some kids have nightmares or recurring thoughts of a stressful event, she says, or may re-enact the trauma through play. Or the child may seem distracted or withdrawn.

"This will come out at school," Kletter says. "Teachers will tell parents [their child] seems to be in a daze in the classroom, not paying attention."

Kletter says reactions to trauma are sometimes misdiagnosed as symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, because kids dealing with adverse experiences may be impulsive - acting out with anger or other strong emotions.

"It's something that's very common in trauma: difficulty in regulating emotions and behavior," she explains. "That's why a lot of these kids get in trouble with the classroom."

Shonkoff's research center at Harvard tests interventions that can build resilience in kids who are growing up with adverse experiences - not just problems in the family, such as those the ACE study investigated, but also trauma stemming from poverty, for example, or from the chronic stress of racial or gender discrimination.

To bolster parents, the Harvard team is testing interventions right now that use video coaching to show moms and dads how to engage their babbling infants, using sounds and facial expressions in a style Shonkoff calls serve and return.

Shonkoff says these early interactions - a kind of conversation - have been shown to help children with later learning and literacy. Even more important, they boost kids' resilience, by helping them build secure attachments with caring adults. Research suggests that just one caring, safe relationship early in life gives any child a much better shot at growing up healthy.

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Take The ACE Quiz - And Learn What It Does And Doesn't Mean

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First developed in the 1990s, the 10 questions of the Adverse Childhood Experiences test are designed to take a rough measure of a difficult childhood. Finding out your score is easy. Now what?

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Contributed by Marjie L. Roddick, MA, NCC, LMHC

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GoodTherapy | Big T and Little t Trauma and How Your Body Reacts to It

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Fast Facts

At least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse and/or neglect in the past year, and this is likely an underestimate. In 2019, 1,840 children died of abuse and neglect in the United States.

Each day, more than 1,000 youth are treated in emergency departments for physical assault-related injuries.

In 2019, about 1 in 5 high school students reported being bullied on school property in the last year.

8% of high school students had been in a physical fight on school property one or more times during the 12 months before the survey.

Each day, about 14 youth die from homicide, and more than 1,300 are treated in emergency departments for violence-related injuries.
It's important to recognize the signs of traumatic stress and its short- and long-term impact.
The signs of traumatic stress may be different in each child. Young children may react differently than older children.

Preschool Children

Fear being separated from their parent/caregiver

Cry or scream a lot

Eat poorly or lose weight

Have nightmares

Elementary School Children

Become anxious or fearful

Feel guilt or shame

Have a hard time concentrating

Have difficulty sleeping

Middle and High School Children

Feel depressed or alone

Develop eating disorders or self-harming behaviors

Begin abusing alcohol or drugs

Become involved in risky sexual behavior

The Body's Alarm System

Everyone has an alarm system in their body that is designed to keep them safe from harm. When activated, this tool prepares the body to fight or run away. The alarm can be activated at any perceived sign of trouble and leave kids feeling scared, angry, irritable, or even withdrawn.

Healthy Steps Kids Can Take to Respond to the Alarm

Recognize what activates the alarm and how their body reacts

Decide whether there is real trouble and seek help from a trusted adult

Practice deep breathing and other relaxation methods

Impact of Trauma

The impact of child traumatic stress can last well beyond childhood. In fact, research has shown that child trauma survivors may experience:

Learning problems, including lower grades and more suspensions and expulsions

Increased use of health and mental health services

Increase involvement with the child welfare and juvenile justice systems

Long-term health problems (e.g., diabetes and heart disease)

Trauma is a risk factor for nearly all behavioral health and substance use disorders.
There is hope. Children can and do recover from traumatic events, and you can play an important role in their recovery.
A critical part of children's recovery is having a supportive caregiving system, access to effective treatments, and service systems that are trauma informed.

Get Help Now
SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: Get Help Now Healthcare Toolbox: Basics of Trauma-Informed Care
Not all children experience child traumatic stress after experiencing a traumatic event. With support, many children are able to recover and thrive.

As a caring adult and/or family member, you play an important role.

Remember To:

Assure the child that he or she is safe.

Explain that he or she is not responsible. Children often blame themselves for events that are completely out of their control.

Be patient. Some children will recover quickly while others recover more slowly. Reassure them that they do not need to feel guilty or bad about any feelings or thoughts.

Seek the help of a trained professional. When needed, a mental health professional trained in evidence-based trauma treatment can help children and families cope and move toward recovery. Ask your pediatrician, family physician, school counselor, or clergy member for a referral.

Visit the following websites for more information:

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Recognize the signs of child traumatic stress and the impact that trauma may have on children. The infographic developed by SAMHSA's National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative (NCSTI) provides information on the prevalence and impact of traumatic events on children, and what actions can be taken to support children who experience traumatic events.

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Childhood Trauma and the Brain | UK Trauma Council

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Child and Family Connections of Central Illinois

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The Early Intervention program in Illinois is a collection of services for children age birth to three who have delays in development or a medical diagnosis that typically results in development delays. EI provides families with strategies to help children learn essential skills, improves developmental and educational growth, and supports children with developmental delays in becoming more independent. The Early Intervention program in Illinois is called Child and Family Connections.

Early intervention services include, but are not limited to: developmental screenings and evaluations, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language therapy, nutrition services, psychological services and social work services.

Understanding the IL Early Childhood System

Eligibility

Children eligible for early intervention services must be experiencing developmental delays in one or more of the following areas: cognitive development; physical development, including vision and hearing; language and speech development; psycho-social development; and self-help skills. Children may also be eligible due to diagnosed physical or mental conditions, such as cerebral palsy or Down syndrome, or certain family circumstances that put them at risk of having substantial delays.

Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) are developed for eligible children and their families. The plan outlines the services and supports the family chooses to receive the meet the individual needs of their child. Service coordinators help families obtain the services identified in the IFSP.

Refer a Child

A child can be referred to Child and Family Connections of Central Illinois Offices through parents, family members, physicians, regional diagnostic centers, hospitals, health departments, local screenings, or by anyone who is concerned about a child's development. Evaluations to determine eligibility are provided at no cost to the family.

Remember that every child is unique. Most of the time differences between children of the same age are not uncommon, but for some, the difference may require further assessment. If you have questions about your child's development, contact your medical professional or Child and Family Connections.

Early Intervention Resources for Families

The Illinois Early Intervention Program: A Guide for Families - Illinois Early Intervention Clearinghouse

This guidebook introduces families to early intervention, providing information on the early intervention vision and principles, a flow chart that explains the process of early intervention, and definitions with their corresponding acronyms when applicable.

Family Rights Handbook

The Family Rights Handbook includes information on parental consent, prior notice, examination of records, confidentiality, complaints, and surrogate parents.

This is a guidebook that introduces families to early intervention. Among the contents of this book you will find information on the early intervention vision, early intervention principles, a flow chart that explains the process of early intervention, and definitions with their corresponding acronyms when applicable.
Family Rights Handbook
Frequently Asked Questions about Live Video Visits (i.e., teletherapy) for families of children receiving early intervention (EI) during COVID-19

Because of COVID-19, the Illinois Early Intervention (EI) program is offering to provide EI through live video visits (also known as teletherapy or telehealth). Below are some frequently asked questions and answers for families who are considering live video visits for EI. It is not mandatory that you receive EI services through live video visits; the choice is entirely yours. If you are a family with an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) or your child has been determined eligible for EI services, then you are eligible for live video visits.
EI FAQ's for Families About Live Video Visits

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Early Intervention - Child and Family Connections of Central Illinois

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EI services for children include: developmental evaluations and assessments; physical, occupational, & speech-language therapy; nutritional, psychological, and social work services.

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Early Intervention can be crucial to your child's development. Early Intervention is for children birth to three who may be exhibiting signs delay in different areas such as cognitive, speech, social/emotional development, among many others. This does not mean that something is "wrong" with your child. Early Intervention helps provide services for your child as early as possible to help better develop these skills. It is a great resource!

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Illinois Early Intervention Experiences: Brittni's Story (Full Version)

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Emotional regulation is many layered. One of the factors that comes into play is social emotional development. While this list is by no means comprehensive, I've put together some of the social emotional developmental milestones by age.

It is important to note that these ages are what is typical. They by no means apply to all children. Kids who are born prematurely, have early childhood trauma, are on the autism spectrum, or other special needs will be delayed in reaching these stages.

If you have a child with delays or special needs, ignore the ages in the list and instead look for the stage your child is currently at.

The reason I share this list is to help parents and caregivers determine what stages are best for beginning to introduce emotional regulation strategies.

Keep in mind that all children are unique and may not reach milestones at the same time or even in the same order.

Social Emotional Developmental Milestones:

2 months old

smiling

looking at caregiver

crying to have needs met

sometimes self-soothing by sucking on their hands or fingers

4 months

smiling spontaneously

develops an awareness of their surroundings

playing

beginning to imitate facial expressions

6 months

crying, smiling, or laughing in response to your emotions

enjoys looking at their own face in a mirror

differentiates between strangers and familiar faces

9 months

showing stranger anxiety

begins showing a preference for toys or comfort objects

may cry when caregiver leaves room

learns the meaning of a few words

12 months

has favourite people among those known to them

enjoys simple games like peek-a-boo

may show fear in new situations

may demonstrate anxiety around unfamiliar people

imitates sounds or actions

18 months - 2 years

more frequent temper tantrums

asserts independence

may get upset when not the center of attention

may become frustrated trying to communicate

engages in simple pretend play, imitates what adults or other children do

engages in side by side (parallel) play with other kids

does not understand what others think or feel

3 - 4 years

beginning to express a wider range of emotion

may confuse reality and make believe

can be spontaneously kind and caring

play with other kids in what is called cooperative play

separates from caregiver more easily

uses words to communicate needs

begins to share toys

can sometimes work out small conflicts with other children

not usually able to articulate emotions with words

may still have tantrums, particularly because of changes in routine or not getting what they want

5 - 6 years

understand others' feelings and can be sensitive towards them

more aware of following rules

more conversational and independent

enjoys cooperative play with other kids

becomes aware of their gender

may prefer to play with peers of the same sex as them

will test boundaries, but they are still eager to please adults and help out

begins to experience and understand embarrassment

understands the difference between reality and make believe

7 - 8 years

more aware of the perceptions of others

trying to fit in

expanding their vocabulary including their emotional vocabulary

begins to understand death

may complain about friendships and the reactions of other kids

desire to behave appropriately, but aren't as attentive to directions

trying to express feelings with words, but may still resort to aggression or tantrums when upset

greater awareness of their surroundings

9 - 10 years

concerned about rules which can lead to bossiness

cooperative play in group games or group settings

uses problem solving, negotiating, and compromising skills with peers

begins narrowing their peer group down to a few close friends

sportsmanship emerges

may begin to withdraw from family time or conversations to develop their own identity

are affectionate, goofy (think fart jokes and burping contests!), and curious

can be seen as selfish, rude and contrary (this is a stage when a lot of parents will comment "where did my sweet Sally/Billy go?"

may change emotions quickly

can express subtle emotion

11 - 15 years

moods and emotions are impacted by hormones

can show empathy

developing leadership skills

more logical thinking

begins to handle emotions like fear, frustration, rejection, and loneliness

can be introspective and moody

needs more privacy

values the opinions of friends and others sometimes over those of family

may test out new ideas, values, fashion styles, speech patterns, and mannerisms while trying to find where they fit in

begins to develop personal values

learning to make appropriate decisions to resolve peer conflict

understanding of consequences to actions

16 - 18 years

striving for independence

may start emotionally distancing themselves from parents

can be impulsive, moody, or self-centered

may also begin to look at how they can positively impact the world

shows pride in success

perhaps interested in dating relationships

may want to spend a lot of time with friends

Knowing when certain social emotional developmental milestones can be expected will help you in knowing when to focus on teaching emotion words, emotional regulation strategies, and social skills.

It's helpful to know what expectations are reasonable. The most important thing to keep in mind is that all children develop at their own pace. These are only guidelines.
You may also find these milestone lists helpful as well: You may also be interested in these articles:
Transition Strategies for Kids 50 Simple Calm Down Strategies for Kids Activities to Teach Kids About Emotions

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While this list is by no means comprehensive, I've put together some of the social emotional developmental milestones by age.

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Break the Stigma Around Children's Mental Health

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Signs and symptoms of depression in kids

Depression can feel different for different children. Here are some of the common signs and symptoms of depression:

Physical:

Tiredness or low energy, even when rested

Restlessness or difficulty concentrating

Difficulty in carrying out daily activities

Changes in appetite or sleep patterns

Aches or pains that have no obvious cause

Emotional and mental:

Persistent sadness, anxiousness or irritability

Loss of interest in friends and activities that they normally enjoy

Withdrawal from others and loneliness

Feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness or guilt

Taking risks they wouldn't normally take

Self-harming or suicidal thoughts

Experiencing one or more of these symptoms doesn't mean a child is affected by depression, but there are a number of ways you can help your child cope. If you are worried about your child, do not hesitate to ask your health-care provider for advice.

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Recognize signs of low mood and depression in children and learn ways to help them feel better

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Just like adults, children and young people feel worried and anxious at times.
But if your child's anxiety is starting to affect their wellbeing, they may need some help.

What makes children anxious?

Children can feel anxious about different things at different ages. Many of these worries are a normal part of growing up.

From the age of around 6 months to 3 years it's very common for young children to have separation anxiety. They may become clingy and cry when separated from their parents or carers. This is a normal stage in a child's development and should stop at around age 2 to 3.

It's also common for preschool-age children to develop specific fears or phobias. Common fears in early childhood include animals, insects, storms, heights, water, blood and the dark. These fears usually go away gradually on their own.

There may also be other times in a child's life when they feel anxious. For example, many children feel anxious when going to a new school or before tests and exams. Some children feel shy in social situations and may need support with this.

When is anxiety a problem for children?

Anxiety becomes a problem for children when it starts to get in the way of their everyday life.

If you go into any school at exam time, all the children will be anxious, but some may be so anxious that they do not manage to get to school that morning.

Severe anxiety like this can harm children's mental and emotional wellbeing, affecting their self-esteem and confidence. They may become withdrawn and go to great lengths to avoid things or situations that make them feel anxious.

What are the signs of anxiety in children?

When young children feel anxious, they cannot always understand or express what they are feeling. You may notice that they:

become irritable, tearful or clingy

have difficulty sleeping

wake in the night

start wetting the bed

have bad dreams

In older children you may notice that they:

lack confidence to try new things or seem unable to face simple, everyday challenges

find it hard to concentrate

have problems with sleeping or eating

have angry outbursts

have a lot of negative thoughts, or keep thinking that bad things are going to happen

start avoiding everyday activities, such as seeing friends, going out in public or going to school

Find out more about the symptoms of anxiety on our page about anxiety disorders in children.

Why is my child anxious?

Some children are more likely to have worries and anxiety than others.

Children often find change difficult and may become anxious following a house move or when starting a new school.

Children who have had a distressing or traumatic experience, such as a car accident or house fire, may have anxiety afterwards.

Family arguments and conflict can also make children feel insecure and anxious.

Teenagers are more likely to have social anxiety than other age groups, avoiding social gatherings or making excuses to get out of them.

Find out more about social anxiety.

How to help an anxious child

If a child is experiencing anxiety, there are things that parents and carers can do to help.

First and foremost, it's important to talk to your child about their anxiety or worries. Reassure them and show them you understand how they feel.

If your child is old enough, it may help to explain what anxiety is and the physical effects it has on our bodies. It may be helpful to describe anxiety as being like a wave that builds up and then ebbs away again.

As well as talking to your child about their worries and anxiety, it's important to help them find solutions.

For example, if your child is worried about going to a sleepover, it is natural to want to tell them not to go. However, this could mean your child feels that their anxiety will stop them from doing things.

It's better to recognise their anxiety and suggest solutions to help them, so they can go to the sleepover with a plan in place.

Other ways to ease anxiety in children

teach your child to recognise signs of anxiety in themselves

encourage your child to manage their anxiety and ask for help when they need it

children of all ages find routines reassuring, so try to stick to regular daily routines where possible

if your child is anxious because of distressing events, such as a bereavement or separation, look for books or films that will help them to understand their feelings

if you know a change, such as a house move, is coming up, prepare your child by talking to them about what is going to happen and why

try not to become overprotective or anxious yourself

practise simple relaxation techniques with your child, such as taking 3 deep, slow breaths, breathing in for a count of 3 and out for 3.

distraction can be helpful for young children. For example, if they are anxious about going to nursery, play games on the way there, such as seeing who can spot the most red cars

turn an empty tissue box into a "worry" box. Get your child to write about or draw their worries and "post" them into the box. Then you can sort through the box together at the end of the day or week

Find out more

When should we get help?

If your child's anxiety is severe, persists and interferes with their everyday life, it's a good idea to get some help.

A visit to a GP is a good place to start. If your child's anxiety is affecting their school life, it's a good idea to talk to their school as well.

Parents and carers can get help and advice about children's mental health from Young Minds' free parent helpline on 0808 802 5544, from Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4pm.

Find out more about treatments on our page about anxiety disorders in children.

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How to help your child deal with anxiety about things such as going to school or socialising with friends. Also, how to tell when it's time to get medical help.

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children

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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Children

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Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

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What is schizophrenia in children?

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. It is a long-lasting and disabling problem of the brain. A child with this disorder has unusual behavior and strange feelings. He or she may suddenly start to have psychotic symptoms. Psychotic means having strange ideas, thoughts, or feelings that are not based in reality.

Schizophrenia is not often found in children younger than age 12. It's also hard to spot in the early stages. Often, the psychotic symptoms start in the middle to late teen years. Slightly more boys develop it in childhood. But by the teen years it affects both boys and girls equally.

What causes schizophrenia in a child?

Schizophrenia has no single cause. A combination of genes from both parents plays a role. So do unknown environmental factors. Experts believe that a child has to inherit a chemical imbalance in the brain to develop it.

Which children are at risk for schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia tends to run in families. A child who has a family member with the disorder has a greater chance of developing it.

What are the symptoms of schizophrenia in a child?

Behavior changes may occur slowly, over time. Or they may start suddenly. The child may slowly become more shy and withdrawn. He or she may start to talk about odd ideas or fears and start to cling more to parents.

Each child's symptoms may vary. Early warning signs are:

Trouble telling dreams from reality (distorted view of reality)

Confused thinking, such as confusing TV with reality

Detailed and bizarre thoughts and ideas

Fear or belief that someone or something is going to harm him or her

Seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not real, such as hearing voices (hallucinations)

Ideas that seem real but are not based in reality (delusions)

Extreme moodiness

Lots of anxiety or fear

Lack of emotional expression when speaking

Trouble doing schoolwork or a drop in levels of school success

Social withdrawal, such as having problems making and keeping friends

Sudden agitation and confusion

Disorganized behavior, such as doing private things in public. Or catatonic behavior, such as sitting and staring, as if the child can't move.

Odd behaviors, such as an older child acting like he or she is much younger

Children with schizophrenia have the same symptoms as adults with the condition. But more children hear voices. Children also don't tend to have delusions or formal thought problems until they are in their teens or older.

These symptoms may look like other health problems. Make sure your child sees his or her healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

How is schizophrenia diagnosed in a child?

A child with symptoms of schizophrenia needs a thorough medical and mental health evaluation. Talk with your child's healthcare provider if you are concerned about symptoms your child is having. A child psychiatrist or other qualified mental health expert can diagnose schizophrenia in children and teens. He or she does a mental health evaluation to figure out how best to treat the child.

How is schizophrenia treated in a child?

Treatment will depend on your child's symptoms, age, and general health. It will also depend on how severe the condition is.

Schizophrenia is a major mental illness. Treatment is complex. A child often needs a combination of therapies to meet the specific needs. Treatment is aimed at easing symptoms. It may include the following.

Medicines

The doses and types of medicines may need to be adjusted from time to time so they can keep working well. Your child may be given:

Medicines to help reduce delusions and hallucinations (antipsychotics). This special class of medicines can reduce symptoms or reduce how severe the symptoms are. But they don't cure schizophrenia.

Mood stabilizing medicines. Examples are lithium and valproic acid, especially in the early stages of the illness.

Other treatment

Individual and family therapy. This may include supportive, thinking, and behavioral therapy.

Specialized educational or structured activity programs. These may include social skills training, vocational training, and speech and language therapy.

Self-help and support groups. These can help the child learn ways to cope with the disorder and also work on social skills.

How can I help prevent schizophrenia in my child?

Experts don't know how to prevent schizophrenia. But early diagnosis and treatment can improve a child's quality of life. Treatment works best when early symptoms are dealt with quickly.

How can I help my child live with schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that will require your support, patience, and attention. You are your child's best advocate. Here are things you can do to help:

When should I call my child's healthcare provider?

Call your healthcare provider right away if your child:

Feels extreme depression, fear, anxiety, or anger toward him or herself or others

Feels out of control

Hears voices that others don't hear

Sees things that others don't see

Can't sleep or eat for 3 days in a row

Has new symptoms or if current symptoms get worse

Shows side effects of medicines

Shows behavior that concerns friends, family, or teachers, and others express concern about this behavior and ask you to seek help

Schizophrenia may increase a child's risk for suicidal thinking.

Call 911 if your child has suicidal thoughts, a suicide plan, and the means to carry out the plan.

Key points about schizophrenia in children

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness.

A child with this disorder has unusual behavior and strange feelings. He or she may have delusions or hallucinations.

Symptoms can develop slowly over time or start quickly.

A mental health expert can diagnose schizophrenia. Ask for a referral to a psychiatrist with experience evaluating and treating children with schizophrenia.

Treatment can include a combination of medicine, therapy, and special programs.

The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Civil Rights Act provide legal protections for your child in a public school setting.

Schizophrenia is a difficult disease. Talk with your child's healthcare provider about a support group for caregivers of children with schizophrenia or seek counseling.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your child's healthcare provider:

Know the reason for the visit and what you want to happen.

Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.

At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you for your child.

Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed and how it will help your child. Also know what the side effects are.

Ask if your child's condition can be treated in other ways.

Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.

Know what to expect if your child does not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.

If your child has a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.

Know how you can contact your child's provider after office hours. This is important if your child becomes ill and you have questions or need advice.

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Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness. It is a long-lasting and disabling problem of the brain. A child with this disorder has unusual behavior and strange feelings. He or she may suddenly start to have psychotic symptoms. Psychotic means having strange ideas, thoughts, or feelings that are not based in reality.

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NCMH (National Centre for Mental Health)

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Children

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Children

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When teenagers are struggling with emotional problems, they often turn to alcohol or drug use to help them manage painful or difficult feelings. In this, they are not different from adults. But because adolescent brains are still developing, the results of teenage "self-medication" can be more immediately problematic.

In the short term, substance use can help alleviate unwanted mental health symptoms like hopelessness, anxiety, irritability, and negative thoughts. But in the longer term, it exacerbates them and often ends in abuse or dependence. Substance use escalates from experimentation to a serious disorder much faster in adolescents than it does in adults, and that progression is more likely to happen in kids with mental health disorders than in other kids.

"The rule of thumb is that almost half of the kids with mental health disorders if they're not treated, will end up having a substance use disorder," explains Sarper Taskiran, MD, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at the Child Mind Institute. A 2016 study of 10,000 adolescents found that two-thirds of those who developed alcohol or substance use disorders had experienced at least one mental health disorder.

Substance use also interferes with treatment for mental health disorders and worsens the long-term prognosis for a teenager struggling with one. How can we help these young people avoid the substance use trap when the deck seems to be stacked against them?

Kids who are anxious or depressed may feel more emotionally "even" if they drink or smoke marijuana. For socially anxious kids, it can quiet the anxiety enough to allow them to function in peer groups. And since their friends do it, it's not stigmatized the way taking medication is.

"Pre-gaming is a lot about anxiety," notes Jeanette Friedman, MSW, who works with families of adolescents with substance use problems. "The kids are saying, 'Let's go have some fun before we go to the real party.' But in fact, most of them feel like they need it to calm down enough so they can walk into a group where they're going to feel exposed and criticized."

A teen with anxiety might start by smoking marijuana to calm down before social events and soon find himself smoking every morning just to get to school. "I've had very stressed-out kids say, 'I get high before I go to school because I'm so anxious when I think about the start of the school day,' says Ms. Friedman. "'If I smoke a little weed, I don't feel so anxious.'"

Kids who are depressed may use alcohol or marijuana to cheer themselves up, Dr. Taskiran notes, and blunt the irritability that is a symptom of adolescent depression. "They know there's something wrong with them," he says. "They're not taking pleasure in things, they're not feeling happy. So if their peers are offering a drug that makes you happy, that's often the first thing they turn to." Substance use can quiet negative thoughts that plague depressed kids.

It's also common for children with mental health or learning disorders to develop self-esteem problems, a sense that there's something wrong with them or that they're flawed. When these children reach adolescence, with its focus on fitting in, notes Ms. Friedman, "They really want to be normal, and they don't feel normal. And that means they're more vulnerable to somebody passing around a drug because they're just trying to feel better."

Alcohol affects teens differently from adults. While adults tend to get more subdued and slowed down by alcohol, in adolescents, it's the opposite. They tend to become more energetic, engage in more risky behavior and get more aggressive.

Dr. Taskiran uses the example of driving. "When adults drink and drive, you worry about slowing of the reflexes and lapses in attention, like missing a stop sign," he explains. "But with adolescents, we're worried that they're going to get more activated. It's not that they won't see the red light, but they might try to run it."

This is especially dangerous for kids with ADHD, who are already impulsive. And substance use makes depressed teenagers more prone to impulsive suicidal behavior. "The adolescent will still be depressed," says Dr. Taskiran, "but the things that usually hold him back won't be there while he's intoxicated, like love for family or the belief that he's going to get better."

Adolescent alcohol or drug use accelerates very quickly when an untreated mental health disorder is present. "Within months, we can see problematic use," says Dr. Taskiran.

Why are they different than adults? In the adolescent brain, pathways between regions are still developing. This is why teens learn new things quickly. This "plasticity" means the brain easily habituates to drugs and alcohol. "If you start drinking at 30, you don't get addicted nearly as fast as if you start drinking at 15," adds Ms. Friedman.

Alcohol and drugs also affect the same brain regions that are at play in behavior disorders like ADHD and ODD, says Dr. Taskiran. Teenagers who have those disorders get more satisfaction from the substance - and are more likely to become addicted. "Biologically they get more from the drug," he adds, "so that's why they get more hooked on it."

It's important to know that substance use can disrupt a young person's life even if they are not technically dependent on the drug. This is especially true for youth with mental health disorders. "You might not see withdrawal, you might not see the craving, which are the hallmark symptoms for dependence," says Dr. Taskiran. "But the impact in their social life and academic life, or in terms of their mental wellbeing, might still be large."

" Self-medicating" with recreational drugs and alcohol works temporarily to alleviate symptoms of anxiety or depression because they affect the same brain regions that the disorders do. But the result is that teens feel even worse when not using. That's one reason substance use is a risk factor for suicide in kids with depression, Dr. Taskiran notes.

Another negative effect of substance use is that it undermines treatment. First, it diminishes a teenager's engagement in therapy, and hence its effectiveness. Second, if they are taking prescription medication, it may lower the effectiveness of that medication. "The drugs and the medications target the same areas of the brain," explains Dr. Taskiran. When meds have to compete with drugs or alcohol, they are less effective. "Also, it's not uncommon for kids who are using substances to be non-compliant with their meds."

Michael Birnbaum, MD, is a psychiatrist who heads an early treatment program for young people who have had a first psychotic episode, usually signaling the onset of schizophrenia. Dr. Birnbaum estimates that at least 50 percent of his patients have at least some history of drug and alcohol use. Getting a handle on substance use is important for the recovery process, he says. "Folks who are still using are more likely to struggle with ongoing psychotic symptoms and also are more likely to have a relapse."

Most of the people who come to the early treatment program have just come from a hospitalization, he notes, and they are eager to make sure that doesn't happen again. "So part of the discussion is how do we prevent a relapse?" he continues. At Dr. Birnbaum's program, clinicians work to understand what substance use was doing for the patient. "It may seem obvious to us," he says. "'Okay, you need to stop using now.' But there may be other reasons for continued use that, to the patient, outweigh the risks."

Dr. Taskiran echoes that approach. "The last thing I'd say from the get-go to one of my patients is, 'Marijuana is bad for you,' because the kid has heard that from teachers, parents, TV, everywhere. So instead, what I say is, 'What is it doing for you? What are you getting out of it?'"

All behavior serves a purpose, even if it's self-injurious or risky behavior. "If you're trying to take something away from a teenager, you need to replace it with something," says Dr. Taskiran. "So instead of just saying, 'Don't do that, it's bad for you,' we're trying to replace the need for substance with a coping strategy, with tools for coping without the substances."

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Mental Health Disorders and Teen Substance Use - Child Mind Institute

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Teenagers struggling with ADHD, anxiety, depression and other emotional problems often turn to alcohol or drugs to help them manage painful feelings. But because their brains are still developing, teenage "self-medication" is more dangerous than it is for adults.

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Provided in this section is information about different types of mental health concerns and how these present in children, as well as treatment options if your child is experiencing a mental health concern.

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Discovering that your child might need more help than you can provide can feel both scary and overwhelming. You might even feel caught off guard when you realize that your child has a mental health issue. And while it can be tempting to blame yourself or wonder what you could have done differently, the truth is that no one is to blame.

Just as you would with any medical diagnosis, the key is to find the kind of therapy that will a make a difference your child's quality of life. But with so many different types of therapy from which to choose, how do you know what is right for your child? Read on to discover why therapy is important, what types of therapy are available for kids and teens, and how you can find the right therapist for your child.

Why Therapy Is Important

When left untreated, mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders in childhood can cause long-term problems that affect the health and well-being of your child, so try not to delay when it comes to selecting a therapist. Finding treatment for their mental health issues will not only help improve their quality of life, but it also will make things easier at home, in school, and with friends.

Therapy also helps build a healthy foundation of skills your child can use throughout their life. The first step is finding a therapist who not only provides the type of therapy you are looking for, but that also has training and experience in working with children your child's age.

Typically, the therapist will choose the type of therapy or therapies that will be most appropriate for your child's particular issue and goals, but you also can have a say in this decision as well. But first, it is important to familiarize yourself with the types of therapy most commonly used with kids as well as the benefits to each. Here are the most common types of therapy used with children and teens.

Applied Behavior Analysis

Applied behavior analysis involves thoroughly assessing the impact of a child's behavior. Although this approach applies to many age groups and issues, it can be particularly useful during early interventions of kids with autism spectrum disorder.

"Generally, this type of therapy is used specifically with autism spectrum disorders," explains Justin Schrieber, DO, MPH, FAAP, a pediatrician and child psychiatrist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "Applied behavior analysis works on an antecedent-that is something that leads to a behavior and then leads to a response."

In other words, Dr. Schrieber says that if a child walks into a loud room and starts yelling and screaming because they are bothered by the level of noise, the therapist would find a better way to handle these antecedents and modify behavior. In this case the antecedent is the loud noise. One way to help is to set the child up for success by bringing along ear protection-like noise-canceling headphones. Another way is to teach them the behavior of requesting a break, then give verbal praise when they do so.

Kids receiving this type of therapy learn how to respond in real-life social situations. The therapist often offers strategies for communication, self-management, and cognition. When used with younger children, they learn how to communicate their needs.

"There is good evidence that this therapy is one of the best with helping with frustration intolerance [and] social communication," Dr. Schrieber says. Applied behavior analysis can also help support self-care, play and leisure, motor skills, and learning and academic skills. However, it might not be the right treatment for every child so be sure to consult your provider.

Art Therapy

With art therapy, the goal is to use creative expression to work through issues or challenges while engaging in self-expression. Throughout this type of therapy, therapists guide kids in using their art to gain personal insight and develop new coping skills.

Beth Tyson, MA

"Kids can have a difficult time verbalizing what they are thinking or feeling," says Beth Tyson, MA, a psychotherapist and parenting coach. "Art therapy gives them an outlet for their feelings and helps them organize their thoughts and process their emotions."

With art therapy, the experience becomes more concrete, says Tyson. They also learn how to visualize something in their life and then modify their behavior in response.

"For instance, a bullied child might draw himself as a super hero," says says. "He visualizes himself as a super hero, then rehearses it in his mind, and then acts out in real life by standing up to the bully."

Because kids often do not have the communication skills to express themselves, therapists sometimes turn to art therapy to give them a voice. In addition to providing an emotional outlet for kids, art therapy also can help kids identify and name their feelings.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)

This therapy type is one of the most common types of therapy for children, especially for those with anxiety or depression. During therapy, kids learn how to recognize and understand their thought patterns and how they contribute to their situation. More importantly, they learn how to change those patterns in order to create healthier thinking and behaviors.

Justin Schrieber, DO, MPH, FAAP

"CBT is effective in pretty much all situations," says Tyson. "It is an evidence-based therapy that is more structured than talk therapy. Kids are given activities and assignments that they come back and talk about. This allows them to work through specific issues and determine what actions that they have to take."

According to Dr. Schrieber, CBT is the gold standard in treating mental health issues. Plus, it is the most widely used form of therapy for children and has even been shown to be potentially effective in early elementary school-aged children.

"We see really good evidence of CBT helping with depression, anxiety, and trauma," says Dr. Schrieber. "CBT helps people develop a really good skill set so that they don't get stuck-they really work on their thoughts. It helps kids develop great skills in general."

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Originally developed to treat people with borderline personality disorder, DBT is also can be used to treat older teens who have chronic suicidal thoughts or feelings or engage in self-harming behaviors. It may even be used with kids and teens who struggle with eating disorders.

"DBT was originally created as a focus for borderline personality disorder, but we have found it is also a useful way to help people that have difficulty with mood instability," says Dr. Schrieber. "DBT can be used in kids with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders as well as with suicidal ideation and self-injury behavior."

The focus behind DBT is that the child or teen learns to take responsibility for their problems while learning to recognize how they deal with stressful situations and negative emotions. To accomplish these goals, therapists using DBT may combine mindfulness with additional skills so that kids learn how to regulate their feelings and emotions.

According to Dr. Schrieber, DBT really helps kids learn how to manage distress tolerance. The therapist also helps kids and teens learn how to become better self-advocates. Because when they are feeling a lack of self-respect, they have trouble building healthy relationships.

"This is an effective and high-evidence-based therapy, and [there are a lot of] people with really great skills to practice this type of therapy but typically don't take on a very large caseload," he says.

Exposure Response and Prevention (ERP)

This type of therapy is a form of CBT in which the child is gradually exposed to thoughts, experiences, objects, and situations that trigger anxiety and fear. While this type of therapy can be used in many different scenarios, it is frequently used with kids who have obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

"This type of therapy is often used specifically for OCD," says Dr. Schrieber. "They learn how to tolerate the fear or the worry-they learn that they do not need to react to the compulsion."

It also can be used for treating different types of anxiety, including social anxiety and phobias. For instance, a child with social anxiety might gradually be exposed to social situations. The therapist will guide your child through this experience so that it is therapeutic and not traumatic.

Family Therapy

As the name implies, family therapy involves the entire family. Typically, this type of therapy is used to not only help the therapist learn more about the child from the family members, but also so that they family members can learn ways of supporting the child's recovery.

Family therapy can be helpful when family members are not getting along, disagree, or argue a lot. It is also helpful when kids or teens are having behavior problems. Family therapy helps family members improve communication skills and learn problem-solving techniques.

Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)

With this type of therapy, parents are coached in real-time by the therapists. Throughout the session, parents interact with their child while the therapist guides them toward positive interactions. This type of therapy is often used when children struggle with behavior problems or have issues connecting with their parents or caregivers.

This therapy can be used when a child has experienced a trauma or has an extreme behavioral aggression, or an attachment disruption at some point in their life. "PCIT helps strengthen the bond and the attachment between the child and the adult in their life in order for them to feel safe and have a secure attachment to fall back on," says Tyson.

Tyson says this type of therapy is often used in kinship care, adoption, foster care, or when a parent has been away from the child for an extended period of time. Oftentimes, the child and parent or caregiver are in a room alone during therapy and the therapist is behind a two-way mirror. The therapist observes the interactions and coaches the parent through an earpiece.

Play Therapy

During play therapy, a therapist uses playtime to observe the child and gain insights into the issues or experiences they may be struggling with. The therapist also can help the child explore unresolved issues or trauma. This form of therapy is often used because children may not be able to process their emotions or articulate their concerns to their parents or the therapist.

"Play is the language of children," says Tyson. "During play therapy, the therapist enters their world of play with them. When children play it is an expression of all the little dramas in their life and the therapist knows how to decode and interpret what they are doing."

Through this type of therapy, kids learn new coping mechanisms. They also may learn how to redirect inappropriate behaviors and make sense of the things they are dealing with. According to Play Therapy International, up to 71% of children referred to play therapy experience positive change.

"Once a trust is established, the child will start to verbalize more," Tyson says. "They act out their emotional struggles and the therapist can intervene in that process and help them act out new behaviors."

Psychodynamic Therapy

The goal of psychodynamic therapy is to understand the issues that motivate and influence a child's behavior, thoughts, and feelings. By talking with the child, the therapist is able to identify a child's typical behavior patterns and defenses. This type of therapy also can be used to help a child recognize their inner conflicts and struggles.

For instance, Dr. Schrieber says this type of therapy is about being able to use the experience a person has had to define how we approach new experiences. For instance, if a child feels like their parent does not listen to them, they may make an assumption that the teacher will not listen to them.

"Psychodynamic therapy is not really time-limited," Dr. Schrieber says. "Meanwhile, with CBT, there is a set time and many times a child only needs about 8 to 12 weeks before they work through strategies and see results. CBT is more concrete and less abstract and much easier for kids to grasp because they are focused on learning new skills."

Relaxation Techniques

This type of therapy may be used in conjunction with another therapy and usually involves things like deep breathing, mindfulness, muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and meditation. Kids also may learn TIPP skills, which stands for temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation.

TIPP skills are used to help kids learn to regulate strong emotions and manage difficult situations. Kids are taught to use these skills when they are dealing with intense emotions. Using these skills to calm down allows them the space they need to then use their other coping strategies.

"Relaxation techniques can be helpful for anyone," says Dr. Schrieber. "These are techniques that we encourage our pediatricians to use. They are effective for anxiety, stress, insomnia, trauma, ADHD, kids with anger or oppositionality and even for stress without a diagnosis."

Supportive Therapy

With supportive therapy, treatment is designed to help improve or reinforce the child's well-being, self-esteem, and self-reliance through supportive measures. To be successful, there needs to be a level of trust between the child and the therapist so that the therapist's supportive behaviors like encouraging, validating, comforting, and reassuring. Most of the time, the therapist focuses on listening attentively and sympathetically.

"This therapy involves, positive support for the child and is used in conjunction with other therapies," says Dr. Schrieber. "It is especially useful for kids who are depressed or anxious."

Finding the Right Therapist

Most of the time, parents or caregivers are referred to a particular therapist by their healthcare provider. Or, they might be given a list of potential mental health professionals. Regardless of how you come across the names of potential therapists, it is important to do a little research.

Tyson suggests calling the therapists and asking for a quick telephone conversation or consultation where you can ask the therapist questions and get a feel for their approach to therapy. Most therapists will do this at no charge, she says. This is different than the comprehensive evaluation your child's therapist will do at the first visit.

By doing this initial legwork upfront, you can save yourself some time and money and help narrow down the list of prospective therapists. It also improves the likelihood that you will find a good fit for your family.

Potential Questions to Ask a Therapist

Tyson also indicates that parents should not feel locked into a particular relationship with a therapist. Not everyone is a good fit for your child and that is OK.

"Don't be afraid to stop if you don't like the direction the therapy is going in," Tyson says. "Be willing to stop and start over and find someone who is a better fit. For instance, therapists can come into therapy with their own issues and share too much about their personal life. The main focus should be on the child."

Some other red flags might be extreme consequences or using techniques that go against your own values. People sometimes forget that therapists are human too, and can unintentionally harm people. One way to narrow down the list of prospects is to get referrals from friends or somebody local who has seen the therapist, Tyson says.

A Word From Verywell

Just like adults, kids can benefit from going to therapy. Working with a therapist can help them develop problem-solving skills as well as learn healthy ways of coping with uncomfortable thoughts or feelings. They also learn how to cope with stress and deal with a variety of emotional and behavioral issues. The key for parents is to find the best fit for their child.

Do not be afraid to ask questions ahead of time to determine if the therapist is a good match for your child. And, if after working with the therapist for a while you decide the relationship is not really working out or that your child does not click with the therapist, do not be afraid to move on. Your priority is to find a therapist who can give your child the tools they need to feel better.

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Therapy for children and teens is different than adult therapy. Find out why therapy is important, what types there are, and how to find a therapist.

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Collaborating with Schools-IEP and 504 Plans

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Collaborating with Schools-IEP and 504 Plans

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Alison Yin for EdSource

Each year, a greater percentage of students in California qualify for special education. Last year, about 13% of students in California's K-12 public schools received individualized services for special needs, up from about 10% in the early 2000s. Navigating the special education landscape can be daunting for parents trying to get the best education for their children. Here's a guide to Individualized Education Programs, 504 plans and other aspects of special education.
What is an IEP?
An IEP is an individualized education program, an educational road map for children with disabilities. Required by the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, an IEP is a regularly updated document that outlines goals and milestones for students based on their unique abilities. IEPs are created by teachers, parents, school administrators, other school staff such as psychologists, and sometimes students themselves. All students in special education have IEPs.

In California, about 800,000 students, or 13%, have IEPs. Students with IEPs can have autism, intellectual disabilities, orthopedic impairments, brain injuries, deafness, vision impairments, speech or language impairments or other disabilities that require specialized help with school.
What is a 504 plan?
"504 plan" refers to section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which states that any organization, including a school, that receives federal money cannot discriminate against people with disabilities. At schools, this can mean that students with learning disabilities, for example, can get extra time to take tests or finish homework, sit near the front of the classroom, or use textbooks in formats they can understand, such as audiobooks. A team of teachers, specialists and parents determines what accommodations a student receives under their 504 plan.

In general, the goal of a 504 plan is to accommodate students with disabilities in general education classrooms. About 85,100 students in California, or about 1.5%, have 504 plans, according to the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights.
What's the difference?
A 504 plan is geared toward ensuring a student has equitable access to a learning environment. An IEP focuses on educational benefits, and often includes direct services such as speech or occupational therapy. Both are free. Some students have both, and some just have one or the other. 504 plans are typically available to students with a broader range of disabilities, including attention deficit disorders. IEPs are available to students with one 13 specific criteria such as orthopedic impairments or intellectual disabilities.
What's the advantage to having a 504 or IEP?
IEPs or 504 plans can help a student with disabilities - from minor learning disabilities to profound physical, emotional or intellectual impairments - succeed in school and beyond.

Special education services can include physical, occupational, speech or behavioral therapy; one-on-one help from a tutor or aide; or instruction from special education teachers who are trained to work with students with unique needs.

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Students in special education may spend the majority of their day in general education classrooms and can receive their specialized services there, or they may spend their entire day in a special ed classroom, depending on their needs. Most school districts try to include disabled students in classes with their nondisabled peers as much as possible, in accordance with federal law.

A 504 plan can help a student thrive in a general education classroom with minimal disruption in their education, and it can be tailored to each education environment, such as art class or P.E., that the student experiences throughout the day.
How do I know if my child needs a 504 or IEP?
Schools will evaluate a student to determine whether they qualify for an IEP or 504 plan. Parents can pay for private evaluations, although schools aren't required to adopt recommendations that come from private reports.

To get an IEP plan, a student's disability must interfere with their ability to fully benefit from the general education curriculum, meaning that they need specialized instruction. To get a 504 plan, a student's disability must hinder their ability to learn in a general education classroom without accommodations.
What if I disagree with the school's decision?
If a school decides a child is not eligible for an IEP plan but parents believe the child should have one, or if a parent disagrees with the services a school is providing, there are many options to resolve disagreements. Special Education Local Plan Areas have staff specially trained to resolve disputes and help families communicate with schools. Parents can also talk to an advocacy group such as Support for Families of Children with Disabilities, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, Fiesta Educativa or other groups that help parents navigate the special education system in California.
How can I learn more?
The California Department of Education's special education division includes information about parents' rights, data collection, policies and other information for families, teachers and students. School districts, county offices of education and Special Education Local Area Plans, which oversee special education in multiple school districts, can also provide help for parents. The California Department of Developmental Services and the California Department of Health Care Services, both state agencies, and Disability Rights California, a nonprofit advocacy group, also have resources for children, families and adults with disabilities. The SELPA Administrators of California also offers a host of resources for parents.
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Parents' guide to 504 plans and IEPs: What they are and how they're different

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With more students qualifying for special education, understanding the options is crucial for parents as they advocate for their children.

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The best tip for school success is to make sure that parents and teachers are working together as allies. Sometimes, though, it can seem as though there's a chalk line drawn down the middle of your child's life.

On the home side, there are all the things you know about your child, the help you give them for homework, and their social development with siblings and peers. On the school side of the line, there are all the things your child's teacher knows about them, the help they're getting with their school work, and their social development with peers.

The information on both sides can be combined to create a fuller understanding of your child. This is not only of benefit to them but also to you and their teachers. Try these tips for creating a great relationship with your child's teacher.

Communicate

It's something parents hear all the time, but it bears repeating. One of the keys to parents and teachers working together is to have good communication. What may not be clear is that communication works both ways.

Certainly, there are a number of things you should tell your child's teacher about them to help start out the year right, but the responsibility for maintaining good parent-teacher communication doesn't lie solely on the parent.

What can you do when you think the teacher isn't living up to their part?

Approach Issues Head-On

Dealing with a difficult teacher is hard but not as uncommon as you may think. If you feel as though your child's teacher is being unfair or isn't sharing as much information as they should, it's time for a parent-teacher conference to ask some questions about what's going on.

Just keep in mind that in order to get the most out of your time, it's important to schedule a meeting ahead of time. Just as the teacher catching you on the playground isn't appropriate, neither is you pulling them aside at a school function.

Deal With the Tough Stuff Together

Not all kids have an easy transition to school or enjoy being at school. In fact, it's estimated that up to 5% of kids show signs of school refusal behaviors at some point in their school career. And each day innumerable kids complain of being bored at school.

Some parents shoulder the blame and responsibility for their child's problems, not talking with the school because they feel as if it's their issue alone to deal with. Some parents get the feeling that the school is passing judgment on their parenting when they receive a phone call asking to sit down and talk about their child. That's not always the case.

Dealing with school refusal, for example, requires you and the school to share what you know about your child and using that information to come up with a plan to get them back into the classroom.

Likewise, exploring the reasons your child might be bored at school is best done together. Hearing what your child says at home is helpful to the school, and knowing what's being seen and said in the classroom gives you some context to use when hearing your child's complaints.

Consider Other Perspectives

Building partnerships between parents and teachers can rely on teachers listening to parents and parents taking the time to understand where teachers are coming from. Sometimes parents and teachers both are guilty of dismissing the other's viewpoint.

As a parent, the more dismissed you feel, the less likely you are to participate in your child's education. As a teacher, the less you feel like you're being heard, the more likely you are to stop communicating with a parent.

Things that may seem confrontational, like an outline of what kind of homework help a teacher wants from a parent or a parent outlining what the school needs to do to accommodate a child's peanut allergy, aren't always as demanding as they appear. The end goal is the same for both the parent and the school: helping kids be responsible, safe, and successful.

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How Students Benefit When Parents and Teachers Work Together

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Parents and teachers working together as partners is the best way to help kids succeed. Learn the keys to building that relationship.

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It can be tough for both teachers and parents to communicate behavior and mental health concerns with each other. It is important to remember that all parties involved with your child just want the very best for them. This section will help you understand your rights and your child's rights within the school, the importance of open communication with your child's teacher, and how to have tough conversations in a respectful manner.

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Understanding Trauma: Learning Brain vs Survival Brain

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Early Intervention- How to Help Develop your Child's Brain

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Early Intervention- How to Help Develop your Child's Brain

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How Every Child Can Thrive by Five | Molly Wright | TED

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Truly a must watch.

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Inspirational Video- Be a Mr. Jensen- MUST WATCH!!

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As humans, we (along with other mammals) evolved to be able to feel safe and connected to others. An understanding of the evolution of our nervous system gives us insight into how we can improve our ability to resolve conflicts and also deepen our connections with those we love.
Our Primitive Nervous System
Years ago, in high school biology class, most of us were taught about the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. We share these nervous systems with all vertebrates, even fishes. We learned that the sympathetic system provides the "gas" and starts up a behavioral response. When you approach a frog near a pond, he'll leap into the water to get away from you, whether you actually intended to eat him or not. This has been called the "flight response," and it is managed by his sympathetic nervous system (SNS). If you approach a nervous dog who is unfamiliar with you, he may bite you in order to protect himself from a perceived threat. This "fight response" is also managed by the SNS.

The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) provides the "brakes." It lowers the heart rate and relaxes the muscles so that the body can return to more passive behavior such as digestion and normal breathing. If a threat continues or is unavoidable, the animal may go into a "freeze" response. That frog who jumped into the pond likely sat perfectly still once he got into the water, hoping that you would not see him. You may have seen lizards do the same thing; they'll quickly run away from the potential predator, and then freeze.

As humans, we have similar automatic responses to threats from other people or animals. We may fight back (verbally or physically), or we may retreat. When we feel as though we are in extreme danger, we may even shut down and "freeze up." This occurs when the amygdala (part of the brain's anatomy that detects danger) signals the brainstem to inhibit movement. Intense fear limits our ability to move or even to think and reason. We are left with only our most basic responses, including tonic immobility, in which the body is literally paralyzed by fear. Similar reactions include collapsed immobility, which looks like playing dead, and dissociation, which is spacing out and feeling unreal.

Both the SNS (fight or flight) and the PNS (freeze, play dead, dissociate) evolved to maximize our chances of surviving life-threatening situations. The fact that these behaviors occur in frogs, dogs, and humans indicates that they evolved very early in the course of evolution. However, if these were our only reactions, we would not have much of a social life. Our nervous systems would be in a constant state of alert. Safety is not predictable in our lives. The absence of an obvious threat is not enough to calm our nervous systems, because an unexpected threat can occur at any moment. To the primitive nervous system, every stranger is a potential danger. This presented an evolutionary challenge because humans benefited from association with other humans, but we needed to receive safety cues in order to engage with others in a friendly way.
Our Newer Nervous System: The Social Brain
To meet this need for socialization (in pairs, families, communities), a third subsystem developed. It is called "our higher social brain" and is also known as the "ventral vagal complex" (Porges, 2011). Evolution led to a modified and more complex brainstem which is activated when we hear a soothing voice, see a smiling or relaxed face, and notice calm gestures. These signs became our social safety cues. They contribute to our ability to feel safe in close proximity to another person. We even become more able to listen to their words and to connect with them on an emotional level.

You can imagine how this might work against you in a conflict situation. You have a concern to express to your partner and you are anxious about how they will respond to this concern/complaint. Because of your own discomfort, your facial muscles may tense and your voice sounds edgy. S/he responds to your distress with his/her own distress, guardedness, and maybe defensiveness.
Using Our Social Brain to Change Our Behavior
How can we use this knowledge to make the discussion more helpful and draw us closer, rather than get us caught in a negative loop? According to Stephen Porges, we can give ourselves social safety cues. These may include taking a few deep breaths and pausing for a moment. We can try making a self-calming statement, such as "I have confidence that my concern will be heard." We can even try feeling compassion for the other person, especially when that person is a partner, who is probably extra sensitive to our distress.

Any self-calming behavior would be helpful in activating our own social safety cues. The benefits in terms of conflict resolution are clear. We will evoke a calmer response and a greater capacity for the other person to listen to what we are really saying. The benefits go beyond conflict resolution and toward strengthening the relationship. As Stephen Porges said, "Insofar as we can give ourselves and others social safety cues, we can become more attuned to our internal state, 'more authentic.' When we feel more authentic, we can become more safely vulnerable and connect with others."

Neuroscience Essential Reads
Concluding Thoughts
Porges even goes as far as to say, "Connectedness with other mammals, other humans, and even our pet dogs and cats, is really, in a very pragmatic way, our purpose in life." I think that's a subjective view and I leave it to you to form your own opinion: Do we survive in order to connect, or do we connect in order to survive? Either way, I think we can agree upon the value of feeling connected to those we love.

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The Neuroscience of Feeling Safe and Connected

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How we can use our "social brain" to improve our connectedness to others.

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Skill #12: How to Turn off the Fear Response and Create a Sense of Safety - Therapy in a Nutshell

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Sometimes we feel like we're in danger even when we're actually safe. In this post you're going to learn four skills to turn off this fear response, aka the

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Re-train Your Brain With Self-Care | Dima Abou Chaaban | TEDxUNBSaintJohn

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Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt due to experience. It is an umbrella term referring to the brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks. This can involve functional changes due to brain damage or structural changes due to learning.

Plasticity refers to the brain's malleability or ability to change; it does not imply that the brain is plastic. Neuro refers to neurons, the nerve cells that are the building blocks of the brain and nervous system. Thus, neuroplasticity allows nerve cells to change or adjust.

Types of Neuroplasticity

The human brain is composed of approximately 100 billion neurons. Early researchers believed that neurogenesis, or the creation of new neurons, stopped shortly after birth.

Today, it's understood that the brain's neuroplasticity allows it to reorganize pathways, create new connections, and, in some cases, even create new neurons.

There are two main types of neuroplasticity:

Functional plasticity is the brain's ability to move functions from a damaged area of the brain to other undamaged areas.

Structural plasticity is the brain's ability to actually change its physical structure as a result of learning.

How Neuroplasticity Works

The first few years of a child's life are a time of rapid brain growth. At birth, every neuron in the cerebral cortex has an estimated 2,500 synapses, or small gaps between neurons where nerve impulses are relayed. By the age of three, this number has grown to a whopping 15,000 synapses per neuron.

The average adult, however, only has about half that number of synapses. Why? Because as we gain new experiences, some connections are strengthened while others are eliminated. This process is known as synaptic pruning.

Neurons that are used frequently develop stronger connections. Those that are rarely or never used eventually die. By developing new connections and pruning away weak ones, the brain can adapt to the changing environment.

Benefits of Neuroplasticity

There are many benefits of brain neuroplasticity. Allowing your brain to adapt and change helps promote:

The ability to learn new things

The ability to enhance existing cognitive capabilities

Recovery from strokes and traumatic brain injuries

Strengthening areas where function is lost or has declined

Improvements that can boost brain fitness

Characteristics of Neuroplasticity

There are a few defining characteristics of neuroplasticity.

Age and Environment Play a Role

While plasticity occurs throughout the lifetime, certain types of changes are more predominant at specific ages. The brain tends to change a great deal during the early years of life, for example, as the immature brain grows and organizes itself.

Generally, young brains tend to be more sensitive and responsive to experiences than much older brains. But this does not mean that adult brains are not capable of adaptation.

Genetics can have an influence as well. The interaction between the environment and genetics also plays a role in shaping the brain's plasticity.

Neuroplasticity Is an Ongoing Process

Plasticity is ongoing throughout life and involves brain cells other than neurons, including glial and vascular cells. It can occur as a result of learning, experience, and memory formation, or as a result of damage to the brain.

In instances of damage to the brain, such as during a stroke, the areas of the brain associated with certain functions may be injured. Eventually, healthy parts of the brain may take over those functions and the abilities can be restored.

Brain Plasticity Has Limitations

It is important to note, however, that the brain is not infinitely malleable. Certain areas of the brain are largely responsible for certain actions. For example, there are areas of the brain that play critical roles in movement, language, speech, and cognition.

Damage to key areas of the brain can result in deficits in those areas because, while some recovery may be possible, other areas of the brain simply cannot fully take over those functions that were affected by the damage.

How to Improve Neuroplasticity

There are steps you can take to help encourage your brain to adapt and change, at any age.

Enrich Your Environment

Learning environments that offer plenty of opportunities for focused attention, novelty, and challenge have been shown to stimulate positive changes in the brain. This is particularly important during childhood and adolescence, but enriching your environment can continue to provide brain rewards well into adulthood.

Stimulating your brain might mean:

Learning a new language

Learning how to play an instrument

Traveling and exploring new places

Creating art and other creative pursuits

Get Plenty of Rest

Research has shown that sleep plays an important role in dendritic growth in the brain. Dendrites are the growths at the end of neurons that help transmit information from one neuron to the next. By strengthening these connections, you may be able to encourage greater brain plasticity.

Sleep has been shown to have important effects on both physical and mental health. Some researchers suggest that this is partly due to genetics and partly due to the makeup of the grey matter in the brain.

You can improve your sleep by practicing good sleep hygiene. This includes developing a consistent sleep schedule and creating an environment that contributes to good sleep.

Exercise Regularly

Regular physical activity has a number of brain benefits. Some research indicates that exercise might help prevent neuron loss in key areas of the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in memory and other functions. Other studies suggest that exercise plays a role in new neuron formation in this same region.

A 2021 study adds that physical exercise also appears to boost brain plasticity through its impact on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, a protein that impacts nerve growth), functional connectivity, and the basal ganglia-the part of the brain responsible for motor control and learning.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio exercises (such as walking, dancing, swimming, or cycling) per week and a minimum of two days of strength training exercises (lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises).

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness entails completely immersing your mind in the present moment, without ruminating over the past or contemplating the future. Awareness of the sights, sounds, and sensations around you is key. Many studies have shown that cultivating and practicing mindfulness can foster the brain's neuroplasticity.

Games aren't just for kids: Studies show that playing board, card, video, and other games can improve your brain's neuroplasticity.

Problems With Brain Plasticity

Brain changes are often seen as improvements, but this is not always the case. In some instances, the brain's structure and function can be negatively influenced or changed.

For example, brain plasticity can be problematic when it allows detrimental changes caused by substance use, disease, or trauma (including brain injury or traumatic experiences that result in post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD). Even lead poisoning can negatively impact brain plasticity.

There are also some medical conditions that can limit or hinder brain plasticity. Among them are a variety of pediatric neurological disorders such as epilepsy, cerebral palsy, tuberous sclerosis, and Fragile X syndrome.

How Neuroplasticity Was Discovered

Beliefs and theories about how the brain works have evolved substantially through the years. Early researchers believed that the brain was "fixed," while modern advances have shown that the brain is more flexible.

Early Theories

Up until the 1960s, researchers believed that changes in the brain could only take place during infancy and childhood. By early adulthood, it was believed that the brain's physical structure was mostly permanent.

In his 2007 book, "The Brain that Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph From the Frontiers of Brain Science," which took a historical look at early theories, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge suggested that this belief that the brain was incapable of change primarily stemmed from three major sources:

An ancient belief that the brain was much like an extraordinary machine, capable of astonishing things yet incapable of growth and change

The inability to actually observe the microscopic activities of the brain

The observation that people who had suffered serious brain damage were often unable to recover

Early on, psychologist William James suggested that the brain was perhaps not as unchanging as previously believed. Way back in 1890, in his book "The Principles of Psychology," he wrote, "Organic matter, especially nervous tissue, seems endowed with a very extraordinary degree of plasticity." However, this idea went largely ignored for many years.

Modern Theories

In the 1920s, researcher Karl Lashley found evidence of changes in neural pathways of rhesus monkeys. By the 1960s, researchers began to explore cases in which older adults who had suffered massive strokes were able to regain functioning, demonstrating that the brain was more malleable than previously believed. Modern researchers have also found evidence that the brain is able to rewire itself following damage.

Thanks to advances in technology, researchers are able to get a never-before-possible look at the brain's inner workings. As the study of modern neuroscience flourishes, research has demonstrated that people are not limited to the mental abilities they are born with and that damaged brains are often quite capable of remarkable change.

A Word From Verywell

The brain has an amazing ability to change throughout the course of our life, allowing us to learn new things or recover after sustaining a brain-based injury. Still, there are limits to how much the brain can adapt.

Constantly challenging ourselves, making sleep a priority, and getting regular exercise can also help improve brain plasticity. Avoiding certain substances is beneficial as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is neuroplasticity important?

Without neuroplasticity, it would be difficult to learn or otherwise improve brain function. Neuroplasticity also aids in recovery from brain-based injuries and illnesses.

What is an example of neuroplasticity?

Research has found that children with blindness have increased connectivity and reorganized neurocircuits when compared with children without this condition. This suggests that the brain adapts to the inability to see by changing its structure and function, providing children with blindness a greater ability to use the information received from the other senses (such as hearing and touch).

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How Brain Neurons Change Over Time From Life Experience

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Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity, is the brain's ability to change as a result of experience. Learn how it works and how the brain can change.

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Your brain is plastic (no, not like a water bottle). The mind's many intricate networks of neural pathways are continually and automatically adjusting through a phenomenon called neuroplasticity ( neuro-, meaning relating to nerves or the nervous system, and plastic, meaning easily shaped or molded).

"Neuroplasticity is the capacity of the brain to reorganize its connections based on experience," says Amishi Jha, PhD, an associate professor in the department of psychology at the University of Miami and the director of contemplative neuroscience for the UMindfulness initiative. "It's very much related to something exciting we learned about just a couple of decades ago called neurogenesis, which means that even the adult brain can grow new neurons."

The brain's brilliant malleability allows us to acquire new skills, drop bad habits, adapt to novel environments, and even heal from severe trauma and injury. Neuroplasticity is catalyzed by these events, too. Every new experience or challenge, from breaking an ankle to shopping at an unfamiliar grocery store, compels the brain to rearrange its synaptic connections. And the more you do something, the more established-and less new-these connections become. Repetition is the key to rendering a behavior second nature. (That's how you learned to ride a bike. Now, riding a bike is like, well, riding a bike.)

We have more control over our thoughts and behaviors than we think. While the brain does adapt on its own, we know there are ways to take matters into our own hands: to awaken, strengthen, create, and even rewire certain neural pathways intentionally in order to boost brain function and overall health.

Even simple swaps to everyday tasks and behaviors can keep your brain on its toes by forcing it to fire up fresh connections. Use your non-dominant hand for manual tasks. Learn to play a musical instrument. Take a new route to the pharmacy. Play memory games. Try reacting to an email with patience instead of exasperation. Practice mindfulness.

Research finds mindfulness can physically change brain structures

Mindfulness-an intentional state of focused, nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment-doesn't just foster a pleasant moment of calm. Scientists find it can be a powerful tool for altering and strengthening key brain networks for the better. Mindfulness techniques have been proven to promote positive change in the brain pathways involved in stress, focus and attention, memory, and mood. Some research has even found that a steady dose of mindfulness over a certain amount of time can physically change brain structures long term, including age-related brain degeneration.

In a seminal study from 2011, Harvard-affiliated researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital studied the brain MRIs of participants before and after they underwent an eight-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program. They also compared their brains to a control group who didn't go through mindfulness training. Researchers observed that, after engaging in mindfulness training, their brains indicated visible structural changes when compared to the controls.

For instance, they noticed increased gray matter density in the hippocampus, a structure associated with storing memories and emotion control (which we do want more of). They also discerned decreased gray matter in the amygdala, a structure associated with stress, fear, and anxiety, including our fight-or-flight response (which most of us need less of). What's more, the less stressed out the subjects reported being, the smaller their amygdala appeared to be.

This finding hinted that mindfulness techniques could reduce stress, not by eliminating the external stressors of everyday life, but by tempering the influence of the brain region responsible for our often out-of-proportion reactions to them. ( Watch the fascinating TEDx, where senior study author, Sara Lazar, PhD, an associate researcher in psychiatry at MGH and assistant professor in psychology at Harvard Medical School, breaks down findings further.)

Almost a decade later, Jha studies attention and memory systems in the brain, finding ways to optimize mindfulness-based techniques to boost focus, improve emotion management, and build resilience in high-pressure groups, like military service members, elite athletes, and first responders. Through her years of research, Jha has indeed found that mindfulness training can actually train the brain to optimize-to be even better than its typical healthy functioning.

"There's something called cortical thickening, which means certain regions of the brain look healthier, because the thicker the brain, the healthier that tissue is," Jha says. Think of the brain like sheets of cells-kind of like a stack of papers-that have been crumpled up as tightly as possible. The more tightly "crumpled" the sheets of brain cells (or the more gyrification, or folds, in the cerebral cortex), the healthier the brain.

As we age and experience stress, the cortex naturally thins out and loosens. This deterioration of the cortex helps explain why, for example, people forget their keys more often and find it harder to pick up new skills (among other frustrating changes) as they get older. But mindfulness training can actually help prevent the typical cortical thinning that comes with age.

"We know that when people are long-term mindfulness practitioners, they don't show normal declines as a function of aging," Jha says. "They don't have as much de-gyrification [and] the brain looks healthier and younger."

Mindfulness strengthens key brain networks linked to focus, memory, and mood

Just as you can deliberately lift weights to build strength and dexterity in a specific muscle over time, you can also exercise certain brain networks associated with core cognitive functions (like attention, logic, and memory) and emotion regulation (like quelling anxiety or negative reactions).

Some of the primary brain systems to benefit from mindfulness are those involved in our ability to focus and regain focus when we get off track. One way we can fortify this crucial cognitive network is by applying a standard mindful breathing exercise that involves sitting quietly, breathing naturally, and focusing awareness on the breath for just a few minutes. Don't analyze, worry about, or force your breath. Instead, be an objective observer of the action of breathing. Any time your attention wanders beyond the simple act of breathing, take notice of it. Then, redirect your attention back to the breath.

(You can give this, and other mindfulness-based breathing techniques, a try right now.)

Jha likens this deliberate mental training to a pushup. Each time you force yourself to focus on the breath, notice when your focus strays from it, and actively redirect focus back to the breath-that's one pushup. The more mindfulness "pushups" you do, the stronger your ability to control your attention and maintain concentration-not just during a mindfulness session, but throughout your entire day.

"It's like doing a core workout for your body," Jha explains. "If you've got core strength it will help you in a variety of ways-you're going to be able to maneuver through many different physically strenuous circumstances. Those brain routes become more accustomed to turning on and will start to fire instinctively the more you practice."

These basic mindfulness pushups can also help suppress the default mode network, a brain network associated with mind wandering, self-centered cravings, and other off-task distractions. Mind wandering is completely natural and beneficial; it promotes creativity and problem-solving. But when you're trying to accomplish a cognitively demanding task (like paying attention in a meeting or making a rational decision), mind wandering can be a serious hindrance. When the default mode network is hyperactive you're more likely to cave to things like sugar cravings, anxious thought loops, or procrastination. As with all things, the default mode network requires balance and moderation.

"The very exciting news is we can now see that those brain networks [associated with focusing, noticing, and redirecting] look different in people who undergo four-to-eight-week mindfulness training programs," Jha says. In these individuals, the focusing and noticing routes look more robust, while the mind-wandering, default mode network appears less active.

Better cognitive control can help regulate emotions and mood, too

"What allows people to have better emotion regulation? It comes down to better attentional control," Jha says. Our emotions can lead the charge in a detrimental way. Distressing thoughts keep us awake at night. Anger colors our reactions. Fear of failure keeps us from achieving goals. At best, it's inconvenient; at worst, it contributes to debilitating mood disorders. Someone with consistent mindfulness experience, however, is equipped with powerful mental tools: the ability to step back and identify those emotional inhibitors and negative thought patterns, as well as the ability to actively steer away from them. They've developed the ability to reclaim power from problematic emotions.

"Typically we don't even know our mind has a mind of its own-we don't realize [we're] obsessing over a very distressing thought and feel stuck," she explains. "But now, with mindfulness training, you've got options: You can allow the thought to happen and then bring your attention back."

This mindfulness method of decentering allows you to create mental space between yourself and your thoughts and emotions. "Think of it as being at a psychological distance from your own thoughts so you can watch what's happening," Jha explains. "Attention can't be in two places at once: You can't be watching a distressing thought and be in the distressing thought at the same time. So in addition to focusing, noticing, and redirecting, the capacity to psychologically distance yourself-to watch your thoughts, to be a good detective-really helps control things."

Build mental fitness for life

Over time, and thanks to neuroplasticity, consistent mindfulness practice can actually make the frustrating mental challenge of recognizing, distancing, and steering thoughts one of your brain's core capacities.

"This matters for everybody. These processes-attention, working memory, control over mind wandering-are central to really every single thing we do: making plans, reading, having a conversation, thinking, making decisions," Jha says. "We need this kind of cognitive control to regulate our emotions, our mood, and our ability to interact with other people."

Four to eight weeks of rigorous, lab-guided training isn't in the cards for most of us. Jha's team looks for ways to optimize mindfulness benefits and minimize the time commitment. And even after reducing meditation time in their research to only two hours a week for four weeks, plus short at-home sessions, they've found exciting benefits in participants: notable improvements in attention, working memory, and resilience, as well as reductions in everyday cognitive slip-ups (think: forgetting your coffee on top of the car). So imagine the small-but-mighty rewards we could all reap from, say, five to 10 minutes of mindfulness every day.

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What Mindfulness Does to Your Brain: The Science of Neuroplasticity

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Thanks to a phenomenon called neuroplasticity, a few minutes of mindfulness every day can change the way you think, feel, and act-because it can literally change your brain. Here's the science to prove it.

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How play can heal your nervous system | Jessica Maguire BHSci, MPhysio | TEDxByronBayWomen

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When my son was a baby, he used to wake up several times per night. After putting him back to sleep, I would lie in my own bed awake for hours listening for sounds coming from his room. Eventually I realized that this kind of alert listening prevented me from falling asleep. When I purposefully stopped listening, I was able to fall asleep much faster. Turns out, there is a reason for that. When you are in a sympathetic state (fight-or-flight mode), "the middle ear regulation shifts away from listening for human voice toward listening for low-frequency sounds of predators or high-frequency sounds of distress."(1) Since I was intently listening for high-frequency sounds of baby crying, I was inadvertently putting myself into a sympathetic state, which made it very hard to fall asleep.

Although those days of newborn parenting now seem like a blur, I still remember myself fluctuating between the states of total numbness from exhaustion, frenetic mobilization to get anything done, and peaceful happy feelings of pure love. Turns out, we reliably travel between those states on a regular basis, both within the space of one day, and throughout our lives, and we have our autonomic nervous system to thank for that.

Your autonomic nervous system (ANS) is concerned with your survival during the times of danger and thriving during the times of safety. It is constantly evaluating your external and internal environment for signs of danger and jumps to your defense before those signs even rise to the level of your conscious awareness. Even though we usually think of two branches of the ANS as the main driving forces that regulate your homeostasis and inner balance, there is a theory that suggests that there are actually three neurological pathways built into us that drive our physiological reactions.

The autonomic nervous system is made up of two branches: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic. The sympathetic branch is a bundle of nerves that is found in the middle of the spinal cord - those nerves connect to every major organ and initiate the fight-and-flight response throughout your entire system (dilating pupils, speeding up the heart rate and breathing, secreting adrenaline, and so on). We usually think of our sympathetic system as a gas pedal that gets you going. The parasympathetic branch is usually associated with rest-and-digest response and is essentially made up of the fascinating vagus nerve. It is usually described as a counterbalance to the fight-or-flight response that brings you back to the state of equilibrium. We usually think of it as a foot break that you press when you need to slow down and regroup.

However, the Polyvagal Theory pioneered by Dr. Porges takes it one step further. It looks at the entire autonomic nervous system through the lens of our essential needs for safety and connection to other human beings. The Polyvagal Theory stipulates that there are actually two kind of "brakes" we have built into our systems - a regular "foot brake", and an "emergency brake", and both of those brakes get activated by the vagus nerve under different conditions.

The vagus nerve is divided into two distinctive pathways that serve two very different functions. Those two branches of the nerve travel together from the brainstem and split at the level of the diaphragm: the dorsal vagus travels downward and affects the organs underneath the diaphragm, especially those regulating digestion, and the ventral vagus travels upwards and influences the heart rate and breathing rate, as well as regulates connections with facial nerves. Deb A. Dana in her book "The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy" writes that because of these unique pathways, "each autonomic state brings a characteristic range of responses though its own pattern of protection and connection".(1)

Dorsal (or "primitive") vagus activation (emergency brake) stops you dead in your tracks and makes you feel frozen, numb, or "not here". Your system is drained and your energetic resources are being conserved through collapse and total shutdown. This happens when there is a major trauma or life threat (and in the aftermath of those), and when you feel completely exhausted or lost. This can be a consequence of illness, injury or medical procedure on any organ below the diaphragm; it can manifest through impaired immune function, a chronic lack of energy, digestive issues, depression and general withdrawal from social connection. This is a hypoaroused state (in yoga we would call it a tamasic state).

The sympathetic system (gas pedal) gets activated when you need to take action. You are still searching for protection and safety, but in this state, you do it through mobilization of your resources. Your entire body is on high alert and ready for action, which also means that you see, hear and sense danger everywhere. When you are in the sympathetic state, you are more likely to initiate confrontation, to misread facial clues and less likely to connect to other people. This state can manifest as frenetic movement, busyness, fidgeting, and overall defensiveness. This is a hyperaroused state (in yoga we would call it a rajasic state).

Ventral (or "social") vagus activation (foot brake) encourages you to slow down and puts you in the state of safety and connection. Deb A. Dana writes: "In the ventral vagal state, we have access to a range of responses including calm, happy, meditative, engaged, attentive, active, interested, excited, passionate, alert, ready, relaxed, savoring, and joyful."(1) In this state you are most open to connection with others, the world seems like a welcoming place full of possibility, and you are able to feel compassion both toward yourself and others. "In the ventral vagal state, hope arises and change happens."(1) In this state, you feel safe and open to social connection (in yoga we would call it a sattvic state).

This theory closely reflects the yogic idea of the three gunas (tamas, rajas and sattvas), and demonstrates how gunas are reflected in your autonomic nervous system. Your autonomic nervous system is a foundation upon which your entire lived experience is built. Most of us move through those three states throughout the day in response to the sensations within the body and signals from the environment. Do we move through those states in a particular order? What impacts that transition? Do we have any conscious control over it? And what does it have to do with teaching yoga? We will discuss all those questions next time. Tune in!

References

The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation by Deb A. Dana

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Three main forces that regulate your homeostasis and inner balance - Sequence Wiz

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The Polyvagal Theory looks at the entire autonomic nervous system through the lens of our essential needs for safety and connection to other human beings.

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Tricks to help you relax is stressful situations

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Dealing with stress is a normal part of life, but too much stress and anxiety can be harmful. When you feel really stressed, your body naturally releases hormones that trigger your fight, flight, or freeze response. Once the threat is over, your parasympathetic nervous system activates to calm and relax you. Sometimes this system can become out-of-balance, which puts you on constant high alert. Fortunately, you may be able to activate your parasympathetic nervous system to help you feel calm by doing relaxation exercises, making lifestyle changes, and exercising. If you do these things consistently, you should feel more relaxed.

Your parasympathetic nervous system should automatically activate after you've gone through a stressful situation. However, your stress hormones may be out of balance if you've been dealing with chronic stress.

While there aren't any particular foods that will help you activate your parasympathetic nervous system, mindfully eating might help because it allows you to focus on what you're doing.

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If you're feeling very stressed or overwhelmed, it's best to talk to your doctor or a therapist who can help you get treatment if you need it.

1. ↑ Tracy Carver, PhD. Licensed Psychologist. Expert Interview. 12 January 2021.

2. ↑ Tracy Carver, PhD. Licensed Psychologist. Expert Interview. 12 January 2021.

This article was co-authored by Tracy Carver, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Danielle Blinka, MA, MPA. Dr. Tracy Carver is an award-winning Licensed Psychologist based in Austin, Texas. Dr. Carver specializes in counseling for issues related to self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and psychedelic integration. She holds a BS in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, an MA in Educational Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Carver also completed an internship in Clinical Psychology through Harvard University Medical School. She was voted one of the Best Mental Health Professionals in Austin for four years in a row by Austin Fit Magazine. Dr. Carver has been featured in Austin Monthly, Austin Woman Magazine, Life in Travis Heights, and KVUE (the Austin affiliate for ABC News). This article has been viewed 42,498 times.

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 42,498 times.

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14 Techniques to Activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System

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Tricks to help you relax is stressful situationsDealing with stress is a normal part of life, but too much stress and anxiety can be harmful. When you feel really stressed, your body naturally releases hormones that trigger your fight,...

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Chelsea Long, MS, CSCS, an exercise physiologist at the HSS Tisch Sports Performance Center and HSS Sports Rehabilitation and Performance - West Side, explains how the parasympathetic nervous system works, why it's important and how you can tell if yours is functioning properly.

What is the parasympathetic nervous system?

The parasympathetic nervous system is part of the body's autonomic nervous system. Its partner is the sympathetic nervous system, which control's the body's fight or flight response.

The parasympathetic nervous system controls the body's ability to relax. It's sometimes called the "rest and digest" state. It helps maintain daily functions like your resting heart rate, which is your heart rate while your body is at rest; your metabolism; and your resting bronchial constriction, which affects your breathing rate. It essentially keeps you in a relaxed state.

What role does the parasympathetic nervous system play in stress response?

Right now, there are many things causing people stress that are neurological or psychological in nature, that are making the body feel like it's fight-or-flight time. Standing up in front of a room for a presentation, missing a Zoom call, a late train that makes you late for work-all of that creates chaos in your sympathetic nervous system, causing the body to feel like it's in danger. That high level of stress keeps your heart rate elevated, dilates your pupils, raises your blood pressure and keeps everything in your body on high alert.

The parasympathetic nervous system does something called downregulating. It mainly functions using a nerve called the vagus nerve, which sends impulses from the brain to the body but also back from the body to the brain. In essence, your parasympathetic nervous system tells your brain what's happening, instead of your brain telling your body what to do.

If this system is functioning well, it reduces your risk of cardiac heart disease and stroke; increases your digestive metabolism, so it's better for your gut; and decreases migraines. It will also give you better emotional and overall physical health, and possibly even a longer life span.

How do you know if your parasympathetic nervous system is working properly?

One good test can be done if you have a heart rate monitor handy. Look at your resting heart rate, take a deep breath in and hold it, and note how high your heart rate increases-say, 20 beats per minute. When you exhale, if your heart rate drops back down to your resting heart rate pretty quickly, then your parasympathetic nervous system is working very well. If you inhale and your heart rate jumps and stays high, that means your body is in a higher state of stress and your parasympathetic nervous system is not jumping in to downregulate.

You could be overly fatigued or experiencing a high level of stress at work or at home. You could be overtraining when you're exercising. Your body is on go-go-go mode, and your parasympathetic nervous system doesn't know how to stop that stress.

Can you improve how your parasympathetic nervous system functions?

There are many ways to practice using your parasympathetic nervous system. These include mild exercise, meditation, yoga, deep breathing from your diaphragm, even nature walks.

For some people, traditional meditation isn't their thing. It's about finding your body's way of meditating, what helps you to decompress. Maybe you need a bath or to book a massage. If you like reading, read a book. Playing music can be a good way of relaxing and tuning in to shut off most of your other senses. Whatever it is, it shouldn't involve anything that stresses you out. Even a 5-minute comedy video that gives you a deep belly laugh-whatever makes you feel positive energy reinforces the parasympathetic nervous system. Hopefully it's in a calming environment that can help your body decompress and relax.

How does exercise affect the parasympathetic nervous system?

Exercise increases endorphins, the happy hormones. Those happy hormones signal your body that you're not in physical danger. When you're exercising, the sympathetic nervous system is working and helping to elevate your heart rate, but the parasympathetic nervous system is regulating how high your heart rate goes.

If you exercise at a high intensity, you don't want your heart rate jumping uncontrollably. There should be a gradual increase, along with a gradual increase in blood pressure, sweat rate and breathing rate. All of that is maintained by the parasympathetic nervous system. If you're not warming up correctly, or if you're in a constant state of stress outside of exercising, then the sympathetic nervous system is going to take over and continually keep that heart rate high. That's when you see people with high resting heart rates, high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

It's also important to make sure you're doing a cooldown, because that's your body's ability to prepare for what's next. If you don't have a cooldown and your heartbeat is still at, say, 95 beats per minute, and you go jump in the shower, your heart rate is going to stay up there. It doesn't have the time to come down and tell your body that your workout is over, and now it's on to the next thing. That it's not the same stress. Your body needs to realize that, but it can only do that if you tell it to.

What if your heart rate or blood pressure stays high even after a cooldown?

If someone's resting heart rate and blood pressure are constantly elevated, then seeing a doctor would probably be important to make sure that nothing requires medical attention or medication. You may also need to get a physical or a stress test prior to starting an intense exercise routine.

You should also see a doctor if your resting heart rate is above 100 beats per minute, unless you've already been diagnosed with a high resting heart rate. You don't want your heart working overtime when you're just sitting down.

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How the Parasympathetic Nervous System Can Lower Stress

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Learn how your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems work together to regulate heart rate, breathing and stress levels in the body.

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The Impact of Racial Trauma and How to Cope

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Racial trauma is the impact that dealing with racism and discrimination has on a person. Learn how this affects people and what can be done about it.

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What Trauma Taught Me About Resilience | Charles Hunt | TEDxCharlotte

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Setting aside a few minutes for mindful breathing can make a big difference to your day.

Mindful breathing is an important way to establish a routine and become comfortable with the practice.

What's important is practice. It's a tool you can use to bring yourself back to the present moment in stressful situations, and who wouldn't appreciate having such a valuable tool on hand for those times when you need it?

Learning mindful breathing is straightforward, and it's as easy as your next breath.

Before you read on, we thought you might like to download these three Mindfulness Exercises for free. Our science-based, comprehensive exercises will not only help you cultivate a sense of inner peace throughout your daily life, but also give you the tools to enhance the mindfulness of your clients, students, or employees.

What Is Mindful Breathing?

Mindful breathing is a simple practice available to all. Regularly engaging in it can provide benefits such as a reduction in stress, increased calm and clarity, as well as the promotion of happiness.

Closely tied to deep breathing exercises, mindful breathing takes it a step further and links the benefits of deep breathing with the process and techniques of mindfulness.

Relationship Between Mindfulness and Breathing

Coupling mindfulness and breathing techniques involves cultivating awareness of your experience in the present moment, living each moment as fully as possible.

From a practical point of view, you may ask how this works.

The breath is the life force. Breathing gives us life; as we inhale, it brings oxygen to cells; when we exhale, we release waste products in the form of carbon dioxide. Different types of breathing affect our body differently; for example, rhythmic breathing balances the nervous system.

A Look at Mindful Breathing Meditation

This form of meditation is often coupled with other types of therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Practicing mindful breathing is gently focusing attention on the breath. You begin noticing the breath coming in and going out. You are not trying to change your breathing in any way, and because of this, there are no expectations; you are merely aware of the breath from moment to moment.

This form of meditation practice involves paying close attention to the present moment - especially our thoughts, sensations, and emotions - whatever it is that's happening.

Mindful breathing can give you a greater sense of control; increased self-awareness; a greater sense of calm, peace, and happiness; and greater resilience in stressful times.

Providing pain relief

Alongside mindful breathing, Zeidan and Vago (2016) found that mindfulness meditation could be effective in reducing the level of pain intensity. It should be further researched as an alternative to opioids in people with chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, migraines, and lower back pain.

The Smith Center for Healing and the Arts, which provides cancer support, recommends mindful breathing for clients who are undergoing treatments at their facility. Their clients find that the benefits of mindful breathing meditation can reduce symptoms, as it relieves pain and has fewer side effects than chemotherapy, including less nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and increased immune system functioning.

You don't have to be undergoing treatment to access the benefits of this form of meditation.

Reduction of anxiety

Mindful breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is your body's " rest and digest " system. When the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, your heart rate and blood pressure lowers, which can help reduce anxiety in the process.

Burnout is something we know all too well, and it's common for adults to feel burnt out from their jobs. Mindful breathing can reduce burnout, cynicism, emotional exhaustion, and anxiety.

Decrease in negative thinking

Practicing mindful breathing can decrease negative automatic thoughts, which can be common in people with depression. Mindful breathing can make way for a better mood (Feldman, Greeson, & Senville, 2010).

Roy, Druker, Hoge, and Brewer (2020) found a rapid increase in the number of interactive mindfulness apps designed for health and wellbeing. In contrast, little research has been published on developing frameworks for the design and evaluation of digital mindfulness technologies. The researchers found that many existing digital mindfulness applications are purely software based.

Zhu, Hedman, Feng, Li, and Osika (2017) tested a physical-digital mindfulness prototype that included the use of vapor and light. Results of the first phase showed that 22 of 25 participants (88%) claimed vapor and light could be effective ways of promoting mindful breathing and that the use of vapor could potentially support mindful breathing better than light (especially for beginners).

The researchers concluded that the use of stress reduction tools should be customized and that the design work of mindfulness technology for stress reduction is a complex process.

Mindful Breathing Exercises

Using breathing techniques is an excellent way to control when you feel anxious or stressed.

You can practice mindful breathing first thing in the morning when you wake up to relieve muscle stiffness and back tension, or clear clogged breathing passages.

Here's a simple way to achieve this: From a standing position, bend forward from the waist with your knees slightly bent, letting your arms dangle close to the floor. As you inhale slowly and deeply, return to a standing position by rolling up slowing, lifting your head last. You then hold your breath for just a few seconds in this standing position. Exhale slowly as you return to the original position, bending forward from the waist. Notice how you feel at the end of the exercise.

Another exercise you could try is belly breathing. This is achieved by placing one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest. Inhale, filling your belly with air, and pushing your hand out.

Allow your breath to fill your lungs, pushing your other hand out. Finally, slowly exhale. You also could choose to hold the inhalation for a count of four. The University of Michigan has examples of several other breathing techniques.

You can also check out our post with 22 Mindfulness Exercises, Techniques, and Activities to further your learning.

10 Useful Scripts and Guides

There are many scripts available with articles giving online training. Here are eight useful scripts and guides to deepen your understanding.

1. A Mindful Breathing Script

Written for Whole Health for those experiencing pain, this script gives informative instructions and explains what happens during the mindful breathing process.

2. Beginner's Breathing Meditation: Free Relaxation Script

This free relaxation script gives guidance on how to relax by focusing on your breathing. It recommends keeping sessions brief to maintain concentration when first starting.

3. Mindful Breathing Meditation

This meditation is adapted from Thich Nhat Hanh's A Short Teaching on Mindfulness Breathing and recommends daily practice for 5-10 minutes at regular times as well as throughout the day in stressful situations and emergencies.

This meditation tool suggests placing the word " breathe" in prominent areas (e.g., mirrors, kitchen cabinet, the dashboard of your car) to remind you to breathe mindfully and deeply throughout your day.

4. Mindful Breathing - A way to build resilience to stress, anxiety, and anger

This meditation from UCLA MARC's website encourages you to listen while in a comfortable position sitting in a chair or on the floor.

5. A Three-Minute Breathing Space

This short exercise is the ideal way to include mindfulness in your busy day. The exercise explains how to use a timer to create structure for mindful breathing.

6. Anchor Breathing

Anchor Breathing is a guided meditation script that teaches you how to use breathing as a way to anchor your thoughts in the present.

7. Mindful Breathing

The primary goal of this meditation is to describe mindful breathing as merely a calm, non-judging awareness, allowing thoughts and feelings to come and go without getting caught up in them.

8. The Mindfulness of Breathing: Short Lead-through by Kamalashila

This script is a 20-minute lead-through of the traditional meditation known as ' The Mindfulness of Breathing.' Taught by Kamalashila for the last 20 years, this is one of the bases of any Buddhist practice - an essential complement to the Metta Bhavana (development of lovingkindness). Other meditations are also featured on the site.

9. Breathing Together

Breathing Together is a group exercise that aims to enhance personal mindfulness practice as well as deepen interpersonal connection and empathy.

10. Breath Awareness

Breath Awareness is a six-step guide teaching participants how to become aware of their breath.

5 Best YouTube Videos

As you learn more about this effective form of mindfulness, you may prefer to listen to guided meditations. Here are five of the best YouTube videos about mindful breathing:

1. Mindful Breathing Exercise

2. Kids Meditation - Square Breathing

3. Mindful Breathing | Mindfulness Meditation

4. Relax and Breathe: Do Nothing for 10 Minutes

5. 3 Minutes Peaceful Breaths: Mindful Breathing for Anxiety in Kids | Calmer Classrooms

Exercises and Activities for Students

PositivePsychology.com has 25 fun mindfulness activities for children and teens, with mindful breathing being a staple of practicing mindfulness.

Mindful Breathing Activity for Kids by teachstarter encourages children to follow the lines in time with the breath.

Kids Meditation demonstrates how to do five-finger breathing.

MyLife has a Kids Meditation cartoon with underwater scenery using a cool octopus.

The Happiness India Project (Sandip Roy) incorporated these 7 Mindfulness Steps to Start Practicing with their easy guide.

All you have to do is find a comfortable and quiet place, set the timer on your phone for five minutes, and follow these steps:

Step 1 - Take a deep breath and relax, with your eyes open or closed.

Step 2 - Close your eyes and drop all your concerns now, like setting down a heavy bag.

Step 3 - Now focus on your breath. Bring your full awareness to the sensation of your breathing.

Step 4 - Start counting your breaths softly - count from one to ten, and then start over.

Step 5 - Get more and more absorbed in your breathing.

Step 6 - Now, bring your attention to the presence of the thoughts that are moving through your mind. Take notice of them, then gently bring your focus back to your breath. This is the most critical step of practicing mindfulness meditation.

Step 7 - Feel a growing sense of peacefulness within as you keep settling into the breath with more focus. You may bring the meditation to an end by opening your eyes, stretching out your hands, and getting up.

A Take-Home Message

Mindfulness breathing may incorporate different components such as time and visual cues, but all information is based on the same basic method.

After practicing these techniques, you should be able to notice positive benefits that will enhance your life.

The benefits are too good to pass up, and setting aside only five minutes of your day learning how to control your breathing will help you feel relaxed and calmer, which is an asset not just to yourself but to those around you.

The overwhelming rewards from doing these exercises will benefit you physically and mentally. Holistically, you will feel different, more relaxed, happy, and calm. Remember, there is no right or wrong when doing this; it's just breathing!

Thanks for reading, and good luck on your journey toward becoming happier, healthier, and more peaceful.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our three Mindfulness Exercises for free.

If you wish to learn more, Mindfulness X© is our eight-module mindfulness training package for practitioners, and it contains all the materials you'll need to not only enhance your mindfulness skills, but also learn how to deliver a science-based mindfulness training to your clients, students, or employees.

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What is Mindful Breathing? Exercises, Scripts and Videos

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Setting aside a few minutes for mindful breathing can make a big difference to your day. Mindful breathing is an important way to establish a routine and become comfortable with the practice. What's important is practice.

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📚🧸BREATHE LIKE A BEAR Video#2: *BE CALM* Breathing Exercises by Kira Willey (Storyville Kids #35)

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"Lonely, I'm Mr. Lonely, I have nobody." These might play in our head when we are lonely, like having lunch on our own or moving to a new place.

The worldwide statistics show that chronic loneliness is affecting people from different countries and of all ages. So, it is important for us to get a clear understanding of the hazards of loneliness. How human body is influenced by loneliness?

The first thing is that loneliness will turn the human body to an alert mode. Research found that people's loneliness level is positively associated with their saliva and urine cortisol. The release of these hormones are typical symbols of the activation of Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS). When people feel chronically lonely, SNS sets our body in the alert mode and signals related glands to release some hormones, reacting as if we are facing a life threat.

Chronic loneliness will also influence people's immune system. High lonely individuals show increasing activities of genes that promotes inflammation, which is a typical reaction of our immune system to fight micro "invaders."

For people who experience chronic loneliness, immune response genes might over-express, thus causing higher risks of inflammatory diseases, including the HIV and cardiovascular disease.

There are other possible negative effects of loneliness on our body. Loneliness harmed people's sleep quality rather than the duration, and reduced the satisfaction gained from leisure activities instead of the frequency. Besides the body and system, let's step further to see the changes of our lonely brain.

Let's firstly look at the prefrontal cortex. It's an important area at the very front of our brain responsible for control and execution. Socially isolated rats showed less dendritic arborization and myelination in the prefrontal cortex neurons. In young adults, self-report loneliness was found to be negatively associated with the white matter density in several regions of the prefrontal cortex.

As for the behavior, people with poor social network are more likely to display less self-discipline, including overeating, over consumption of alcohol, and less physical exercise. Lonely people's activities in the subcortical region also differ from the nonlonely group, involving ventral striatum and amygdala.

Ventral striatum is a structure critical in value assessing and reward processing. When seeing smiling faces of humans, lonely people showed weaker ventral striatum activation, indicating that loneliness makes people less rewarded by positive social stimuli.

Another related structure is amygdala, which plays an important role in emotion processing and social functioning. Individuals with higher loneliness scores tended to have smaller grey matter volumes of amygdala than those with lower scores. It again suggests that lonely people's social functions are affected from the neural level.

Knowing the negative impact of loneliness, there is still one thing that we should keep in mind. "Loneliness" is not the same as "being alone." Many recent studies supported that it's the subjective experience of loneliness instead of objective measure of social connectivity that is harmful to us.

In the end, how to protect our body and brain from vicious loneliness? So far, one recognized method is the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The idea of CBT is to shift people's attention and interpretation of social situations in a more positive direction.

Next time when we fall into a constant state of loneliness, think about our poor brain and body being slowly corroded. Find someone you trust to talk about your negative thinking. Find a therapist to help you adjust the maladaptive social cognitions. Be aware of the harm that loneliness does, and take actions to save our lonely brain and body!

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Chronic loneliness harms our brains and bodies.

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Attachment Styles in Children (& How to Raise Secure Kids)

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Attachment styles refer to how one individual relates to another.

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The great irony is that as we become increasingly "connected"-on social media, video calling, and messaging-we simultaneously feel increasingly lonely. And even though we may use technology to feel more connected, it may be exactly what's leading us to feel lonely.

After spending the last year researching and writing my new book, Outsmart Your Smartphone: Conscious Tech Habits for Finding Happiness, Balance, and Connection IRL, I've learned that most of us feel disconnected. What about you? Are you feeling socially connected? (Take this well-being quiz to see how you're feeling.) If not, try some of these 18 strategies to stop feeling lonely.

1. Practice self-kindness. In difficult moments, it's essential to practice self-kindness. Blaming ourselves when we feel lonely is not helpful. So limit your hurtful self-talk, take care of yourself, and just generally give yourself a break. Perhaps a walk in nature or a day at the spa may be helpful for getting yourself into a self-kindness mood.

2. Capitalize on the present moment. When you feel good about something, share it with others right away, and I don't mean "share" by posting on your social media. You could share by calling or texting a friend. Or share with the people you work with. Keep in mind that the positive things that you can share don't have to be big. You could simply have woken up on the right side of the bed and think, "Hey, I'm feeling great today." By sharing these moments, you create small moments of savoring and connection with others that can help you overcome loneliness.

3. Connect in real life. Connecting in real life may not be as easy as it once was. We often default to using our smartphones-it's easier, and now it's culturally accepted. But we can decrease our loneliness if we build stronger in-person connections. We do this by looking people in the eyes, listening, being mindful, and choosing not be distracted by our phones or other technologies.

4. Rethink how you spend your spare time. When we feel lonely, sometimes we just want to retreat into a corner and hide. Other times, our endless to-do list may leave us too exhausted to go out and be social. But opting to stay alone every night with our phones, watching Netflix, or playing on Facebook can really get us stuck in loneliness. We've created a life for ourselves that deprives of us of meaningful social connection, and the only way to get out of it is to start living differently.

If we instead use our loneliness to motivate us to reach out to people, then we can strengthen our relationships. By opting to cope with our loneliness by seeking out social support, we create more social moments with the people in our lives who matter to us, which usually reduces our loneliness.

5. Do more things with people. Engaging in face-to-face social interactions tends to improve our mood and reduce depression. Activities that involve other people-such as attending religious services or engaging in sports-are also likely to have positive effects on our mental health. So find ways to be around people more.

6. Talk to strangers. A growing body of research suggests that even seemingly trivial interactions with strangers-like chatting with a barista or cashier-may be able to keep loneliness at bay by helping us feel more socially connected. So reach out to other human beings to say hello, ask them how they are, or chat about whatever's on your mind. These small acts can make a big difference and help you reduce feelings of loneliness.

7. Be active online. Instead of passively surfing the net or your social media, if you want to go online, opt instead to do something that involves the active participation of other people. For example, you could play games with others, chat about something you care about, give advice on a forum, or have a video call with a friend. The more you interact with others while online, the more connected you are likely to feel.

8. Share for real online. Somewhere along the way, the word "sharing" got co-opted on social media to describe what is really just "humble bragging." We post about cool things we did, nice meals we ate, or a fun party we went to-all things that we didn't actually share with the people who are viewing our posts.

Instead of posting about things you did, reclaim the word "share" for what it really means-to give a small or large portion of what is yours to someone else. You could share advice, words of support, or even empathy, all from your smartphone. As a result, your connections are likely to be more kind and supportive.

9. Stop focusing so much on you. It's almost inevitable in our modern technology-crazed world that we start to believe we don't have enough. Bob got a new car. Sherri got a new house. Sonja got a new job. We also see false or unrealistic images-models Photoshopped to have perfect waists and abs-and we feel envious. As a result, we become increasingly focused on how we are not measuring up.

Instead of focusing on what you can get, shift your focus to what you can give. You could sell T-shirts online to raise money for a good cause. You could ask friends to donate to a charity for your birthday. By giving to others, you take the focus off yourself and do good at the same time, helping you to feel more connected and less lonely.

10. Stop your negative thought cycles. We might repeatedly think about what we could have done differently to prevent ourselves from feeling so alone. We ruminate on the events or people or causes, because we mistakenly believe that thinking about our loneliness over and over again will help us solve it. Unfortunately, it does us no good to get caught up in our thoughts instead of taking the actions we need to feel better.

To put an end to these negative thought cycles, we need to take action-do something different that stops these thoughts and changes our experience of the world. For example, if I'm feeling lonely, I'll go to the gym or schedule lunches with friends for the next few days. And it helps.

11. Generate a sense of awe. Awe (like when we witness the birth of new baby, or a majestic mountain) makes time seem like it's standing still and helps us be more open to connecting. Something about feeling small in the context of a big world appears to help us see ourselves as part of a whole, which may help us feel less alone. So expose yourself to something that creates awe-like landscapes, new experiences, or new foods (here's some mindful exercises to get started).

12. Spend money on experiences. If we're spending all our money on things, we won't have the cash to spend money on experiences with others. And it turns out that spending money on experiences is way better for our mental health. So get creative and think about what you want to do with others. For example, I might go on a canoeing trip, go wine tasting, plan a beach party, or host an arts & crafts night. What group activities might make you feel less lonely?

13. Pay attention to the things that matter. How do we expect to improve our loneliness when we don't know what causes it? It's hard. So it's helpful to start paying attention to the present moment. What are the experiences that make you feel lonely? And what are the experiences that make you feel connected or like you belong? Identifying these moments can help you reduce loneliness, because you can limit your engagement in activities that make you feel lonely and increase your engagement in activities that make you feel connected.

14. Create a vision board. I keep a vision board tacked up by my desk to remind me of my goals. A big chunk of my vision board is about connecting-building community, networking, spending time with family, and the like. Sometimes I have a hard time sticking to it, but having the vision board reminds me to. Once you discover the things that make you feel less lonely and more connected, it can be helpful to create a board or list or plan for what you'll do-something to keep near you so you remember what you need to do to combat loneliness.

15. Tend to your network. Sometimes we can end up feeling alone even though we are connected to lots of people. So it can be helpful to reach out to these people and schedule times to catch up. Aim to schedule at least one social hour per week-a coffee date, lunch, or happy hour. Who knows, maybe an old friendship can be reignited.

16. Join an online group of like-minded people. You can now find people online with just about any interest - for example, politics, cooking, or sports. Joining one of these mission-oriented groups can be a way to feel more connected to others, even when you don't have access to face-to-face interactions. You might get to know some new people or make lifelong friends. You can even try out a few groups to see which ones fit you best and decrease your loneliness the most.

17. Volunteer remotely or in real life. For some of us, it's hard to find people to spend time with, let alone connect with. So we have to find new people. One way to do this is by volunteering for a cause, either remotely or in your town. Just be sure you're working with others. Working on an important problem with others can help you decrease loneliness.

18. Be nice to yourself. It's important to practice self-compassion when you fail at things. Remember, everyone fails, and there is no need to be a bully to yourself, feel guilty, or put yourself down. That kind of attitude won't help you decrease loneliness, now or in the future. Instead, try talking to yourself in a way that is supportive, kind, and caring-and you'll be more likely to acknowledge mistakes you may have made in trying to decrease loneliness, and hopefully do better next time.
To learn more about how to build well-being, visit berkeleywellbeing.com.

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Feeling Lonely? Discover 18 Ways to Overcome Loneliness

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Are you connected but still lonely? Use these strategies to overcome loneliness.

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We humans are a social species. We live in groups. We take care of one another. We build civilizations.

Our ability to cooperate has been a major adaptive advantage. It has allowed us to colonize virtually every habitat on Earth and thrive in more climates than any other animal, except maybe bacteria.

Part of being a social species, it turns out, is that we regulate one another's body budgets - the ways in which our brains manage the bodily resources we use every day. For your whole life, outside of your awareness, you make deposits into other people's body budgets, as well as withdrawals, and others do the same for you. This has pros and cons, as well as profound implications for how we live our lives.

Your family, friends and even strangers contribute to the structure and function of your brain and help it keep your body humming along.

How do the people around you influence your body budget and rewire your adult brain? Your brain changes its wiring after new experiences, a process called plasticity. Microscopic parts of your neurons change gradually every day. Branch-like dendrites become bushier, and their associated neural connections become more efficient. Little by little, your brain becomes tuned and pruned as you interact with others.

Some brains are more attentive to the people around them and others less so, but everybody has somebody. Ultimately, your family, friends, neighbors and even strangers contribute to your brain's structure and function and help your brain keep your body humming along.

This co-regulation has measurable effects. When you're with someone you care about, your breathing can synchronize, as can the beating of your hearts - whether you're in casual conversation or a heated argument. This sort of physical connection happens between infants and caregivers, therapists and clients, even people taking a yoga class or singing in a choir together.

If you raise your voice or just your eyebrow, you can affect what goes on inside other people's bodies.

We also adjust each other's body budgets by our actions. If you raise your voice or just your eyebrow, you can affect what goes on inside other people's bodies, such as their heart rate or the chemicals carried in their bloodstream. If a loved one is in pain, you can lessen their suffering merely by holding their hand.

Being a social species has all sorts of advantages for us humans, including the fact that we live longer if we have close, supportive relationships with others. Studies show that if you and your partner feel that your relationship is intimate and caring, that you're responsive to each other's needs and that life seems enjoyable when you're together, both of you are less likely to get sick.

And if you're already sick with a serious illness, such as cancer or heart disease, you're more likely to get better. These studies were conducted on married couples, but the results appear to hold for close friendships and for pet owners too.

We also get sick and die earlier when we persistently feel lonely - possibly years earlier, based on the data.

In general, being a social species is good for us, but there are also disadvantages. We also get sick and die earlier when we persistently feel lonely - possibly years earlier, based on the data. Without others helping regulate our body budgets, we bear an extra burden inside.

Have you ever lost someone through a breakup or a death and felt like you'd lost a part of yourself? That's because you did - you lost a source of keeping your bodily systems in balance.

A surprising disadvantage of shared body budgeting is its impact on empathy. When you have empathy for other people, your brain predicts what they will think and feel and do. The more familiar the other people are to you, the more efficiently your brain predicts their inner struggles. The whole process feels natural, as if you were reading another person's mind.

But there's a catch - when people are less familiar to you, it can be harder to empathize. You might have to learn more about the person, an extra effort that translates into more withdrawals from your body budget, which can feel unpleasant. This may be one reason why people sometimes fail to empathize with those who look different or believe different things and why it can feel uncomfortable to try. It's metabolically costly for our brains to deal with things that are hard to predict.

A hateful word may cause your brain to flood your bloodstream with hormones, squandering resources from your body budget.

No wonder people create so-called echo chambers, surrounding themselves with news and views that reinforce what they already believe - it reduces the metabolic cost and unpleasantness of learning something new. Unfortunately, it also reduces the odds of learning something that could change a person's mind.

We also regulate each other with words - a kind word may calm you, like when a friend gives you a compliment at the end of a hard day. And a hateful word may cause your brain to predict threat and flood your bloodstream with hormones, squandering precious resources from your body budget.

The power of words over your biology can span great distances. I can text the words "I love you" from the US to my close friend in Belgium, and even though she cannot hear my voice or see my face, I will change her heart rate, her breathing and her metabolism.

Or, someone could text something ambiguous to you like "Is your door locked?" and odds are that it would affect your nervous system in an unpleasant way.

Your nervous system can be perturbed not only across distances, but also across centuries. If you've ever taken comfort from ancient texts such as the Bible or the Koran, you've received body-budgeting assistance from people long gone.

Books, videos and podcasts can warm you or give you the chills. These effects might not last long, but research shows that we all can tweak one another's nervous systems with mere words in very physical ways that go beyond what you might suspect.

The power of words is not a metaphor; it's in our brain wiring.

Why do the words you encounter have such wide-ranging effects inside you? Because many brain regions that process language also control the insides of your body, including major organs and systems that manage your body budget.

These brain regions are contained in what scientists call the "language network" and guide your heart rate up and down. They adjust the glucose entering your bloodstream to fuel your cells. They change the flow of chemicals that support your immune system.

The power of words is not a metaphor; it's in our brain wiring. We see similar wiring in other animals; for example, neurons that are important for birdsong also control the organs of a bird's body.

Words, then, are tools for regulating human bodies. Other people's words have a direct effect on your brain activity and your bodily systems, and your words have that same effect on other people. Whether you intend that effect is irrelevant. It's how we're wired.

Does this mean that words can be harmful to your health? In small doses, not really. When someone says things you don't like, insults you or even threatens your physical safety, you might feel awful.

Over time, anything that contributes to chronic stress can gradually eat away at your brain - this includes verbal aggression, social rejection and neglect.

Your body budget is taxed in that moment, but there's no physical damage to your brain or body. Your heart might race, your blood pressure might change, you might ooze sweat, but then your body recovers and your brain might be a bit stronger afterward.

Evolution gifted you with a nervous system that can cope with temporary metabolic changes and even benefit from them. Occasional stress can be like exercise - brief withdrawals from your body budget followed by deposits create a stronger, better you.

But if you are stressed over and over and over again without much opportunity to recover, the effects can be far more grave. If you constantly struggle in a simmering sea of stress and your body budget accrues an ever-deepening deficit, that's called chronic stress. It does more than just make you miserable in the moment.

Over time, anything that contributes to chronic stress can gradually eat away at your brain and cause illness in your body. This includes physical abuse, verbal aggression, social rejection, neglect and the countless other creative ways that we social animals torment one another.

It's important to understand that the human brain doesn't seem to distinguish between sources of chronic stress. If your body budget is already depleted by the circumstances of life - like physical illness, financial hardship, hormone surges, not sleeping or exercising enough - your brain becomes more vulnerable to stress of all kinds. This includes the biological effects of words designed to threaten, bully or torment you or people you care about.

When your body budget is continually burdened, momentary stressors pile up, even the kind you'd normally bounce back from. It's like children jumping on a bed - the bed might withstand 10 kids bouncing but the 11th one snaps the bed frame.

Simply put, a long period of chronic stress can harm a human brain. When you're on the receiving end of sustained verbal aggression, studies show you're more likely to get sick. Scientists don't understand all the underlying mechanisms yet, but we know it happens.

These studies of verbal aggression tested average people across the political spectrum, left, right and center. If people insult you, their words won't hurt your brain the first or second time or maybe even the twentieth.

We are free to speak and act, but we are not free from the consequences of what we say and do.

But if you're exposed to verbal aggression continually for months or if you live in an environment that relentlessly taxes your body budget, words can physically injure your brain. Not because you're weak or a so-called snowflake, but because you're a human.

Your nervous system is bound up with the behavior of other humans, for better or for worse. You can argue what the data means or if it's important, but it is what it is.

It's the fundamental dilemma of the human condition: The best thing for your nervous system is another human and the worst thing for your nervous system is another human. Scientists are often asked to make our research useful to everyday life, and these findings about words, chronic stress and disease are a perfect example. There is a real biological benefit when people treat one another with basic human dignity.

A realistic approach to our dilemma is to realize that freedom always comes with responsibility. We are free to speak and act, but we are not free from the consequences of what we say and do. We might not care about those consequences or we might not agree that those consequences are justified, but they nonetheless have costs that we all pay.

We pay the costs of increased health care for illnesses - like diabetes, cancer, depression, heart disease and Alzheimer's disease - that are worsened by chronic stress. We pay the costs of ineffective government when politicians spew vitriol at one another and make personal attacks instead of having reasoned debate. We pay the costs of a citizenry that struggles to discuss politically charged topics with one another productively, a standoff that weakens our democracy.

As our society makes decisions about health care, the law, public policy and education, we can ignore our socially dependent nervous systems, or we can take them seriously. Our biology won't just go away.
Excerpted from the new book Watch her TED@IBM Talk here: 7 1/2 Lessons about the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett. Copyright © 2020 by Lisa Feldman Barrett. Used with permission from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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People's words and actions can actually shape your brain - a neuroscientist explains how

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It's ironic but true: The best thing for your nervous system is another human and the worst thing for your nervous system is another human. Neuroscientist Lisa Feldman Barrett tells us why.

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Administration for Children and Families (ACF)

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Co-regulation: What It Is and Why it Matters

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What is Emotional Co-Regulation and Why is it Important?

Emotional co-regulation is an interactive process where parents, teachers or caregivers work together with children to help them manage their emotions. It starts in early childhood and lasts a lifetime. In this process, children learn to better respond to stressful situations and communicate their needs with others through the support and guidance of an adult. This is the first step in children learning self-regulation skills.

Emotional co-regulation plays a crucial role in supporting children's healthy emotional development and equipping them with essential skills for managing emotions and relationships throughout their lives.

Emotional Co-Regulation Strategies for Different Age Groups

As children grow, their brains and regulation abilities develop. Though all children and youth need co-regulation support, different age groups will require different levels and forms of emotional co-regulation support. Other factors such as biology or temperament may also influence a child's co-regulation needs.

Co-regulation strategies for infants

It's never too early to start co-regulating emotions with your child. To do this, you need to pay attention to how they're feeling and respond in a way that helps them feel better. Some simple ways to co-regulate with a baby include:

Be patient and calm when responding to big emotions

Help your child feel comfortable by holding them, rocking them, and talking to them in a soft and soothing voice.

Calm them down by distracting them with toys or things they like

Breathe slowly together.

Give your baby a warm bath, a gentle massage, or playing soft music can also help them feel more relaxed.

By always using the same methods to help your baby when they're upset, you'll build a strong bond and trust with them.

Co-regulation strategies for toddlers

Toddlers are just starting to understand and experience a wide range of emotions, but they may still have trouble identifying and communicating what they're feeling. Some effective co-regulation strategies to try include:

Encourage toddlers to express their feelings through play, art, or physical activity. For example, playing with dolls or stuffed animals can help them act out different emotions and scenarios.

Talk to them in simple, clear language about their emotions. For example, instead of saying "you're angry," you can say "you're feeling mad right now." This helps them to understand and label their emotions.

Help toddlers feel comforted and reassured through physical touch. Hugs, cuddles, and other forms of physical affection can help them feel safe and secure.

Co-regulation strategies for preschool-aged children

Pre-schoolers grow fast in all ways, but it can be tough for them to control their feelings and understand how others are feeling, which can cause tantrums and other behaviours that are hard to deal with. But this is also a good chance to teach them how to handle their emotions by using co-regulation strategies.

Teach pre-schoolers about their emotions through storytelling and play. For instance, you can read them a story about a character who is feeling an emotion similar to what they're going through. This can show them that their emotions are normal and how they can be managed.

Provide a supportive, non-judgmental listening environment to encourage them to talk about their feelings . This means that you listen to what they have to say without trying to fix the problem or make them feel bad. Simply letting them express themselves can help them feel better.

Teach them basic coping skills like using positive self-talk to help them manage their emotions. By repeating positive phrases such as "I am brave and strong." or "I can do this!" to themselves, the pre-schooler can feel more confident and empowered. Creating a calm-down corner with some cozy toys, rugs, or pillows can also help them manage emotions and stress.

Co-regulation strategies for primary school children

Primary school-aged children, who are between 5 and 11 years old, are learning how to handle complicated social situations and make good choices for themselves. They may also feel pressure to do well in school and with friends, which can cause stress and anxiety. It's important for them to learn how to regulate these emotions through co-regulation so they can handle these challenges. Here are some key co-regulation strategies that can help:

Start by helping children to identify and label their feelings. Encourage them to talk about their emotions and help them put words to their feelings. Art or writing activities can also give children a way to express their emotions.

Help the child identify what triggers their emotional outbursts and develop a personalized "calm-down toolkit." Exploring various calming techniques is key as what works for one child may not work for another.

Demonstrate effective problem-solving skills for the child to learn through observation and imitation, such as breaking down problems into smaller parts and weighing the consequences of different options. This can help them to make better decisions.

Give age-appropriate challenges such as puzzles, logic games, and tasks to help the child practice problem-solving and decision-making. Gradually increase the complexity as their skills develop and encourage independent thinking and decision-making to build their confidence and problem-solving skills. Meanwhile, teach collaboration and how to work with others to consider different perspectives and solutions.

Provide opportunities for children to run, jump and play to help them release excess energy and reduce stress. Physical activity is an important way to support their emotional well-being.

Co-regulation strategies for adolescents

Adolescents are individuals who are between the ages of 11 and 18. During adolescence, many changes occur, both physically and emotionally. The brain develops and changes in many ways during this life stage, including the prefrontal cortex, which helps control emotions and prevent impulsive behaviour. Risk-taking is normal during this time as the brain looks for new experiences and skills. Adolescents can experience strong and fluctuating emotions, which highlights the importance of having supportive relationships and access to emotional co-regulation from trusted individuals. Here are some co-regulation strategies you can use with adolescents.

Open communication and a safe, non-judgmental environment are important for supporting their emotional health. Encouraging them to share their feelings and providing an ear to listen can help them feel heard and understood.

Help adolescents to build effective coping skills such as using mindfulness and relaxation techniques during difficult times. For example, you can teach adolescents to focus on their breathing, practice mindfulness meditation, or do yoga. These activities can help lower stress and improve overall well-being.

Promote healthy habits such as regular exercise, self-care and a balanced diet. Engaging in activities they enjoy, such as sports can improve both their physical and emotional health.

Encourage them to participate in clubs or community activities to help build social support networks and improve their overall emotional health. This can include things like joining a sports club or team, volunteering for a cause they care about, or connecting with peers who share similar interests. Connecting with others can be a valuable source of support for adolescents during this life stage.

Emotional co-regulation is a crucial aspect of development and well-being for individuals of all ages. It is important to understand that different age groups have unique needs and challenges when it comes to managing their emotions.

By understanding and implementing appropriate strategies for each age group, we can help individuals regulate their emotions effectively and lead happier and healthier lives.

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Emotional Co-Regulation Strategies - Learning Links

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Emotional co-regulation is an important stage in children's development where they learn to manage emotions through the support of an adult.

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Cookie Monster Practices Self-Regulation | Life Kit Parenting | NPR

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10-Minute Guided Meditation: Self-Love | SELF

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10 Minute Qigong Daily Routine for Anxiety, Stress and Fear

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Yoga to Reset Your Nervous System in 10 Minutes

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Breathing Exercise to stimulate the Parasympathetic Nervous System and help Anxiety #grounding

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Below are resources discussing the Polyvagal Theory, Neuroplasticity, the role of our Parasympathetic Nervous System, guided mindfulness activities to engage the Parasympathetic Nervous System, the importance of co-regulation and attachment, the effects of loneliness, and the effects of racial trauma and ways to cope.

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Creating environments for Indigenous youth to live & succeed | Tunchai Redvers | TEDxKitchenerED

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By Dr. Alex Casillas, ACT Principal Research Psychologist; Dr. Bonnie Hain, Senior Director, ACT Professional Services

"When someone with the authority of a teacher describes the world and you are not in it, there is a moment of psychic disequilibrium, as if you looked into a mirror and saw nothing."
--Adrienne Rich

Being a teen is hard. Teenagers are actively exploring their identity while going through a variety of physical, psychological, and social changes at the same time. Being a teen who identifies as LGBTQ+ is even harder. These teens' needs are often overlooked-or worse yet, they may suffer more frequent micro-aggressions or bullying. So, what about being a teen who is LGBTQ+ during a global pandemic? Yes, you guessed that right: it's likely even harder yet!

In fact, according to both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the CDC, students age 12-17 have experienced increased stress, anxiety, and depression because of the isolation brought on by the social distancing measures implemented to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Our own research tells the same story. For LGBTQ+ students, anxiety and stress may have been heightened due to losing regular access to affirming student organizations and supportive peers, teachers, and school staff during the pandemic.
So, as allies joining the LGBTQ+ community in celebrating Pride Month, we also encourage all schools to put measures in place so that every student (whether child, tween, or teen) feels safe, supported, and is able to explore and take pride in their identity.

One measure every school can put in place is a quality curriculum for social and emotional learning, beginning with our youngest students and continuing throughout a student's educational journey. Social and emotional learning (SEL) can be an anchor during this time of intense change and instability. It underscores how each individual student has value, strengths, challenges, choices, and a vital role to play in building a positive community, whether at school, work, or at home.

According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), SEL is the "process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions."
SEL helps people empathize with others and celebrate the differences that make us unique. This kind of support is critical for members of marginalized groups, like students who identify as LGBTQ+.

How might we incorporate SEL curriculum into schools?

It's most effective (for school climate, mental health, and academic performance) to embrace a whole-school focus on SEL that attempts to reach every student in every classroom. SEL tools, curricula, and assessments can be implemented as a proactive strategy in which all students engage in activities designed to build skills such as empathy, collaboration, stress management, persistence, curiosity, and many others.

For example, starting the day with brief, intentional lessons provided in an advisory or homeroom class can help students suffering from anxiety or other emotional barriers set up for a successful day of academic learning. With an effective screener assessment, SEL can also be integrated into the multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) already in use in most districts in the United States. MTSS ensures students who need more intensive supports can receive appropriate intervention and support strategies.

MTSS and Trauma-Informed Practices

Delivering SEL programming through an MTSS approach also makes it easier to incorporate the three essential components of trauma-informed practices:

Safety-We know that a feeling of safety at school is important for all students, but it is particularly important for LGBTQ+ students who may not feel safe in other settings that are less accepting.

Relationships-One way to build a safe environment in school and help students who have experienced trauma is through relationships. Positive teacher-student relationships are associated with increased student engagement, attendance, and achievement. For a student with trauma, strong relationships can help them feel secure, instead of having to be "on alert," freeing up space for them to focus on learning.

Coping skills-Helping students develop coping skills for managing thoughts and emotions lays the groundwork for developing healthy behaviors in response to stress, nurturing supportive relationships, and cultivating the skills necessary to fulfill their potential and achieve personal and professional goals.

These are essential for those students (and adults) who have experienced trauma, but particularly for minoritized groups. ACT fights for fairness in education and believes in providing equity, access, and opportunity for all students. We're proud to celebrate Pride Month alongside members of the LGBTQ+ community.
SEL can-and should-be part of every school's toolbox for building a safe, equitable, and engaging learning environment as we emerge from the pandemic. Creating affirming policies, programs, and practices will not only help LGBTQ+ students and their peers to learn and thrive, it can help to address various forms of inequity and empower young people and adults to co-create thriving schools where they are empowered to explore their identities and contribute to safe, healthy, and just communities.

Dive Deeper

Check out these resources for supporting LGBTQ+ youth:

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ACT is a mission-driven nonprofit organization. Our insights unlock potential and create solutions for K-12 education, college, and career readiness.

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The Polyvagal Theory discusses our brain and body states when we feel safe and connected, when we move into fight or flight mode, and when we are in survival mode. We flow through each of these states nearly every day, whether we realize it or not. However, some people who have experienced trauma may not flow through these states as easily, as they may feel unsafe more often. Take a look at these resources to help you recognize when and why a person is in each state, then look at the resources below to learn how to activate the Parasympathetic Nervous System through mindfulness to help regulate the nervous system of yourself and others.

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We are resilient! Our brains can and want to heal from trauma and past experiences. Here are some resources to help you learn to retrain your brain and create healthy habits and a more positive outlook.

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Guided Mindfulness and Parasympathetic Nervous System Activation Strategies

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Guided Mindfulness and Parasympathetic Nervous System Activation Strategies

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Above, in the "Mindfulness for Adults" section of the resource guide, I added resources to explain the benefits of mindfulness activities and some ideas to help you start practicing mindfulness. In this section, I have included resources to dive deeper into how activating the Parasympathetic Nervous System regulates our body and mind, a few guided wellness activities to try out to help you figure out which ones are best for you and your self-regulation strategies.

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Loneliness, Self- Regulation, Co-Regulation, and Attachment

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Loneliness, Self- Regulation, Co-Regulation, and Attachment

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Humans need other humans for the sake of our well-being. In this section, I have included resources to discuss the effects of loneliness, how to overcome loneliness, the essential need for secure attachment and co-regulation, as well as self-regulation strategies for children. Self-regulation begins with co-regulation!

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Effects of Racial Trauma and ways to Cope

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Effects of Racial Trauma and ways to Cope

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Racial trauma is a very real and under-discussed topic. Though I do not know how it feels to experience this kind of trauma, and this section only touches the surface of this topic, I have provided a few trusted resources to help those who have experienced racial trauma and ways to protect their well-being.

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Below are a list of resources regarding types of child maltreatment, local child and family advocacy centers and resources, Information on preventing child maltreatment, federal laws that protect children who have entered into Child Protective Services (CPS), information on how to navigate the child welfare system, and information on how to become involved in foster care. Please be advised that many of these resources discuss sensitive subjects such as child abuse and neglect and their impact, as well as the removal of children from the home.

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Welcome to Crittenton Centers' Family Services Program! Our comprehensive range of educational and supportive programs is tailored to uplift parents, strengthen families, and prevent child abuse and neglect. From our impactful home visiting programs to the enriching Milestones curriculum and insightful Parent Education classes, we're dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for families in our community. At the heart of our efforts lies the Family Advocacy Center, serving as a guiding light for all who seek support and guidance. We strongly encourage all families within our community to participate in our Family Services Programs, as we believe in the transformative power of education, connection, and empowerment.

Family Advocacy Center

Crittenton Centers' Family Advocacy Center supports family reunification and the prevention of substitute care placement by promoting safety, permanency, and the well-being of children. Family Advocates provided services to families involved with the child welfare system and those needing support during this time.

Advocacy: Assisting and supporting parents navigate the court system and case management requirements.

Mentoring: Assisting with the development of short and long-term goals.

Communication Resource Referrals: Assisting in linkage with other community services needed by the family.

Education: Parent education classes, support groups, anger management, and parent coaching.

Positive Parenting Program - Triple P - is an evidence-based program that gives parents simple and practical strategies to help them build strong, healthy relationships that help them manage their children's behavior. Serves children 6-12 years old in DCFS intact, guardianship, or post-adopt families.

Children who experience abuse and neglect are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile

Home Visiting Programs

Crittenton Centers' Milestones program serves tri-county families with children birth-age 3 and focuses on family strengths and parent-child interaction. This program helps parents recognize their strengths and fosters the parent-child relationship thorough bi-weekly visits, activities, development of early literacy skills, development screenings, and monthly parent connections that promote parent-child interactions.

Services offered include:

Frequent Home Visits with a Certified "Parents As Teachers" Family Educator

Parent/Child Activities including the development of early literacy skills

Ongoing Developmental Screenings; Hearing and Vision Screenings

Group Outings to provide Family Education Opportunities

Our Doulas provide nonclinical physical, emotional, and information support during pregnancy, birth, and the early weeks of parenting. More than just providing no-cost services, your doula and parent educator will partner to provide you with the best support, essential resources, and advocacy. Clients enrolled in our Milestones program have access to home visits from our doulas.

All Crittenton Centers' Family Services Programs are free. If more information or for eligibility requirements, please contact our Family Services Coordinator, at 309-674-0105 or email us: FS@Crittentoncenters.org.

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Welcome to Crittenton Centers' Family Services Program! Our comprehensive range of educational and supportive programs is tailored to uplift parents, strengthen families, and prevent child abuse and neglect. From our impactful home visiting programs to the enriching Milestones curriculum and insightful Parent Education classes, we're dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for families in our community.

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Serving Illinois since 1867, LSSI is one of the largest statewide social service providers. We welcome all people as we strive to bring healing, justice, and wholeness to people and communities.

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Lutheran Social Services of Illinois | Serving Illinois Since 1867

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Learn More About LSSI Explore Programs and Services Notice of Data Breach Learn More About LSSI Explore Programs and Services Foster A Child Get Involved Join Our Team About Us Serving Illinois since 1867, LSSI is one of the largest statewide social service providers.

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Just as its name implies, FamilyCore understands that strong families, equipped with the tools and support needed to succeed, are at the heart of any vibrant, tight-knit community. FamilyCore (previously known as Counseling & Family Services) employs over 90 individuals that work with schools, the court system, and other social service agencies to connect counseling, intervention, preventative education, and other support services with those who have a need.

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Every year, thousands of foster families across Illinois provide a temporary safe haven for children who have been placed in DCFS care by local courts. DCFS strives to reunite children with their birth families, and nearly half of all foster children

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Listed are several local resources and information on getting involved in foster care.

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Child and Family Advocacy Centers and Resources

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Child and Family Advocacy Centers and Resources

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Here are a list of local child and family advocacy resources. Within these resources, you will find information on counseling services for children and families, assistance with childcare and other resources, parent education classes, list of parent/child activities, foster care, post-adoption services, help with navigating the Child Protective Service process, among so much more.

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Foster Care Services | Lutheran Social Services of Illinois

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Foster Care Make a Difference in the Life of a Child At Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI), the main goal of our Foster Care Program is to help children find their forever home, either by reunification with birth families whenever possible or through adoption. Foster parents play a key role and make a difference

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It takes a village to prevent child abuse and neglect. Here is information on risk factors in child abuse and neglect, as well as information and resources for how to prevent child maltreatment.

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Child abuse and neglect are serious public health problems and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). They can have long-term impacts on health, opportunity, and wellbeing. This issue includes all types of abuse and neglect of a child under the age of 18 by a parent, caregiver, or another person in a custodial role (such as a religious leader, a coach, a teacher) that results in harm, the potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child. There are four common types of abuse and neglect:

Physical abuse is the intentional use of physical force that can result in physical injury. Examples include hitting, kicking, shaking, burning, or other shows of force against a child.

Sexual abuse involves pressuring or forcing a child to engage in sexual acts. It includes behaviors such as fondling, penetration, and exposing a child to other sexual activities. Please see CDC's Preventing Child Sexual Abuse webpage for more information.

Emotional abuse refers to behaviors that harm a child's self-worth or emotional well-being. Examples include name-calling, shaming, rejecting, withholding love, and threatening.

Neglect is the failure to meet a child's basic physical and emotional needs. These needs include housing, food, clothing, education, access to medical care, and having feelings validated and appropriately responded to.

For more information about preventing child abuse and neglect definitions please see Child Maltreatment Surveillance: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements [4.12 MB, 148 Pages, 508] .

Child abuse and neglect are common. At least 1 in 7 children have experienced child abuse or neglect in the past year in the United States. This is likely an underestimate because many cases are unreported. In 2020, 1,750 children died of abuse and neglect in the United States.

Children living in poverty experience more abuse and neglect. Experiencing poverty can place a lot of stress on families, which may increase the risk for child abuse and neglect. Rates of child abuse and neglect are 5 times higher for children in families with low socioeconomic status.

Child maltreatment is costly. In the United States, the total lifetime economic burden associated with child abuse and neglect was about $592 billion in 2018. This economic burden rivals the cost of other high-profile public health problems, such as heart disease and diabetes.

Children who are abused and neglected may suffer immediate physical injuries such as cuts, bruises, or broken bones. They may also have emotional and psychological problems, such as anxiety or posttraumatic stress.

Over the long term, children who are abused or neglected are also at increased risk for experiencing future violence victimization and perpetration, substance abuse, sexually transmitted infections, delayed brain development, lower educational attainment, and limited employment opportunities.

Chronic abuse may result in toxic stress, which can change brain development and increase the risk for problems like posttraumatic stress disorder and learning, attention, and memory difficulties.

Child abuse and neglect are preventable. Certain factors may increase or decrease the risk of perpetrating or experiencing child abuse and neglect. To prevent child abuse and neglect violence, we must understand and address the factors that put people at risk for or protect them from violence. Everyone benefits when children have safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments. CDC developed Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Resource for Action [4 MB, 50 Pages] to help communities use the best available evidence to prevent child abuse and neglect. This resource is available in English and Spanish [21MB, 52 Pages, 508] and can impact individual behaviors and relationships, family, community, and societal factors that influence risk and protective factors for child abuse and neglect.

Different types of violence are connected and often share root causes. Child abuse and neglect are linked to other forms of violence through shared risk and protective factors. Addressing and preventing one form of violence may have an impact on preventing other forms of violence.
See Child Abuse and Neglect Resources for publications, data sources, and prevention resources for preventing child abuse and neglect.

1. Fortson, B. L., Klevens, J., Merrick, M. T., Gilbert, L. K., & Alexander, S. P. (2016). Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Resource for Action: A Compilation of the Best Available Evidence. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Note: The title of this document was changed in July 2023 to align with other Prevention Resources being developed by CDC's Injury Center. The document was previously cited as "Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect: A Technical Package for Policy, Norm, and Programmatic Activities".

2. Leeb RT, Paulozzi L, Melanson C, Simon T, Arias I. Child Maltreatment Surveillance: Uniform Definitions for Public Health and Recommended Data Elements, Version 1.0. Atlanta (GA): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control; 2008.

3. Finkelhor D, Turner HA, Shattuck A, Hamby SL. Prevalence of Childhood Exposure to Violence, Crime, and Abuse: Results from the National Survey of Children's Exposure to Violence. JAMA Pediatr. 2015;169(8):746-754. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2015.0676

4. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children's Bureau. (2022). Child Maltreatment 2020. Available from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/researchdata technology/statistics-research/childmaltreatment.

5. Klika JB, Rosenzweig J, Merrick M. Economic burden of known cases of child maltreatment from 2018 in each state. Child and adolescent social work journal. 2020 Jun;37(3):227-34.

6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.(2022). Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Diseases. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm

7. Shonkoff J, Garner A, & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health, Committee on Early Childhood, Adoption, and Dependent Care, and Section on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. (2012). The lifelong effects of early childhood adversity and toxic stress. Pediatrics, 129(1), e232-e246.

8. Preventing Multiple Forms of Violence: A Strategic Vision for Connecting the Dots. (2016). Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Fast Facts: Preventing Child Abuse & Neglect

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Adolescents and adults are often unaware that teens experience dating violence

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​Child abuse, also known as maltreatment, is common. It is important to understand and reduce the risks of abuse for your child and be familiar with the signs of abuse and neglect.

About ​4 million cases of child abuse and neglect involving almost 7 million children are reported each year. The highest rate of child abuse is in babies less than one year of age, and 25 percent of victims are younger than age three.

The majority of cases reported to Child Protective Services involve neglect, followed by physical and sexual abuse. There is a lot of overlap among children who are abused, with many suffering a combination of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and/or neglect.

Types of abuse and neglect

Physical abuse occurs when a child's body is injured as a result of hitting, kicking, shaking, burning or other show of force. One study suggests that about 1 in 20 children has been physically abused in their lifetime.

Sexual abuseis any sexual activity that a child cannot understand or consent to. It includes acts such as fondling, oral-genital contact and genital and anal intercourse. It also includes exhibitionism, voyeurism, and exposure to pornography. Studies suggest that up to one in five girls and one in 20 boys will be sexually abused before they are 18 years old. More than 90 percent of child sexual abuse victims know their abuser.

Child neglect can include physical neglect (failing to provide food, clothing, shelter, or other physical necessities), emotional neglect (not providing love, comfort, or affection), and medical or educational neglect (not providing access to needed medical care or education) or supervisory neglect (failure to appropriately supervise). Psychological or emotional abuse results from all of the above, but also can be associated with verbal abuse, which can harm a child's self-worth or emotional well-being.

Risk factors for abuse and neglect

Most child abuse occurs within the family. Risk factors include parental depression or other mental health issues, a parental history of childhood abuse or neglect, parental substance abuse and domestic violence.

Child neglect and other forms of maltreatment are also more common in families living in poverty and among parents who are teenagers or who abuse drugs or alcohol.

Signs and symptoms

It is not always easy to recognize when a child has been abused. Children who have been maltreated are often afraid to tell anyone, because they think they will be blamed or that no one will believe them. Sometimes they remain quiet because the person who abused them is someone they love very much, or because of fear, or both.

Parents also tend to overlook signs and symptoms of abuse, because it is hard to believe it could happen or they fear what might happen if people found out. However, a child who has been abused needs special support and treatment as early as possible. The longer children continue to be abused or are left to deal with the situation on their own, the harder it is for them to be able to heal and develop optimally physically and mentally.

Here are some physical signs and behavioral changes in children who may have experienced abuse or neglect:

Physical signs

Non-mobile infant with any injury

Bruises to the torso, ears, or neck in a child less than four years of age

Any injury (bruise, burn, fracture, abdominal or head injury) that is not consistent with the way the injury is said to have happened, that cannot be adequately explained, or that is inconsistent with the child's developmental capabilities

The child discloses abuse or neglect

Failure to gain weight (especially in infants) or sudden dramatic weight gain

Genital pain, bleeding, or discharge

A sexually transmitted disease

Behavioral and mental health changes that raise concern about possible abuse or neglect

It is important to remember that the following changes are seen in many children as a result of many different kinds of stressful situations and are not specific to child abuse and neglect. The reason for the appearance of these behaviors should always be investigated.

Fearful behavior (nightmares, depression, unusual fears)

Unexplained abdominal pain, sudden onset of bed-wetting, or regression in toileting (especially if the child has already been toilet trained)

Attempts to run away

Extreme sexual behavior that seems developmentally inappropriate for the child's age

Sudden change in self-confidence

Headaches or stomachaches with no medical cause

School failure

Extremely passive or aggressive behavior

Desperately affectionate behavior or social withdrawal

Big appetite and stealing food

Long-term consequences

In most cases, children who are abused or neglected suffer greater mental health than physical health damage. Emotional and psychological abuse, physical abuse, and neglect deny the child the tools needed to cope with stress, and to learn new skills to become resilient, strong, and successful. So a child who is maltreated or neglected may have a wide range of reactions and may even become depressed or develop suicidal, withdrawn, or violent behavior. As they get older, they may show learning difficulties, use drugs or alcohol, try to run away, refuse discipline, or abuse others. As an adult, they may develop marital and sexual difficulties, depression, or suicidal behavior.

Not all children who are abused have severe reactions. Usually the younger the child, the longer the abuse continues. The closer the child's relationship with the abuser, the more serious the mental health effects will be. A close relationship with a very supportive adult can increase resiliency, reducing some of the impact.

Getting help

If you suspect your child has been abused, get help immediately through your pediatrician or a local child protective agency. Physicians are legally obligated to report all suspected cases of abuse or neglect to state authorities. Your pediatrician also will detect and treat any medical injuries or conditions, recommend a therapist, and provide necessary information to investigators. The doctor also may testify in court if needed to secure legal protection for the child or criminal prosecution of the person suspected of perpetrating the abuse or neglect.

If your child has been abused, you may be the only person who can help them. There is no good reason to delay reporting your suspicions of abuse. Denying the problem will only make the situation worse. It allows the abuse or neglect to continue unchecked and lowers your child's chance for optimal physical and mental health and well-being.

In any case of abuse or neglect, the child's safety is of primary concern. They need to be in a safe environment, free of the potential for more abuse and neglect.

Preventing abuse and neglect

The major reasons for physical and psychological maltreatment of children within the family often are a parent's feelings of isolation, stress, and frustration. Parents need support and as much information as possible in order to raise their children responsibly. They need to be taught how to cope with their own feelings of frustration and anger without venting them on children. They also need the companionship of other adults who will listen and help during times of crisis.

Support groups through local community organizations often are helpful first steps to ease some of the isolation or frustration parents may be feeling. Parents who were themselves abused as children are in particular need of support. Confronting, addressing, and healing parental mental and emotional health takes a lot of courage and insight. But this is often the best way to lower the odds of past abuse being passed on to the next generation of children

Personal supervision of and involvement in your child's activities are the best ways to prevent physical and sexual abuse outside the home. Pay careful attention to your child's reports about and reactions to his experiences at child care and school. Always investigate if your child tells you they've been maltreated or if they have a sudden unexplained change in behavior.

Although you don't want to frighten your child, you can teach some basic rules of safety in a non-threatening manner. Teach them to keep their distance from strangers, not to wander away from you in unfamiliar territory, to say "no" when someone asks them to do something they don't want to do. Tell them to always to tell you if someone hurts them or makes them feel bad, even if that person is someone they know.

Remember

Open, two-way communication with your child provides the best chance of knowing early when there is a problem. Make sure your child understands they will not get in trouble if they tell you about abuse or other confusing events.

Instead of teaching them that they are surrounded by danger, teach them that they are strong, capable, and can count on you to keep them safe.

More information

Adapted from Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5 7th Edition (Copyright © 2019 American Academy of Pediatrics)

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child abuse~ sexual abuse~ signs of abuse~ parental neglect~ injury prevention~  effects of abuse~ symptoms of abuse~ types of abuse~ help for abuse victims~ children~ child care~ home safety~ parenting tips~ pediatrics

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Child Abuse and Neglect: What Parents Should Know

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Although it's a mistake to become overprotective and make your child fearful, it is important to recognize the actual risks and familiarize yourself with the signs of abuse.

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What is child abuse and neglect?

Child abuse isn't just about black eyes. While physical abuse is shocking due to the marks it leaves, not all signs of child abuse are as obvious. Ignoring a child's needs, putting them in unsupervised, dangerous situations, exposing them to sexual situations, or making them feel worthless or stupid are also forms of child abuse and neglect-and they can leave deep, lasting scars on kids.

Regardless of the type of abuse, the result is serious emotional harm. But there is help available. If you suspect a child is suffering from abuse or neglect, it's important to speak out. By catching the problem as early as possible, both the child and the abuser can get the help they need.

To start, it's important to separate the myths from the facts about child abuse and neglect:

Myths and facts about child abuse and neglect

Effects of child abuse and neglect

All types of abuse and neglect leave lasting scars. Some of these scars might be physical, but emotional scarring has long lasting effects throughout life, damaging a child's sense of self, their future relationships, and ability to function at home, work and school.

The effects of abuse and neglect on a child include:

Lack of trust and relationship difficulties. If you can't trust your parents, who can you trust? Without this base, it is very difficult to learn to trust people or know who is trustworthy. This can lead to difficulty maintaining relationships in adulthood. It can also lead to unhealthy relationships because the adult doesn't know what a good relationship is.

Core feelings of being "worthless." If you've been told over and over again as a child that you are stupid or no good, it is very difficult to overcome these core feelings. As they grow up, abused kids may neglect their education or settle for low-paying jobs because they don't believe they are worth more. Sexual abuse survivors, with the stigma and shame surrounding the abuse, often struggle with a feeling of being damaged.

Trouble regulating emotions. Abused children cannot express emotions safely. As a result, the emotions get stuffed down, coming out in unexpected ways. Adult survivors of child abuse can struggle with unexplained anxiety, depression, or anger. They may turn to alcohol or drugs to numb out the painful feelings.

Recognizing the different types of child abuse

Abusive behavior comes in many forms, but the common denominator is the emotional effect on the child. Whether the abuse is a slap, a harsh comment, stony silence, or not knowing if there will be dinner on the table, the end result is a child that feels unsafe, uncared for, and alone.

Emotional abuse

Contrary to some people's beliefs, words can hurt and emotional abuse can severely damage a child's mental health or social development. Examples of emotional abuse include:

Constant belittling, shaming, and humiliating.

Calling names and making negative comparisons to others.

Telling a child they're "no good," "worthless," "bad," or "a mistake."

Frequent yelling, threatening, or bullying.

Ignoring or rejecting a child as punishment, giving them the silent treatment.

Limiting physical contact with a child-no hugs, kisses, or other signs of affection.

Exposing a child to violence against others, whether it is against the other parent, a sibling, or even a pet.

Child neglect

Neglect-a very common type of child abuse-is a pattern of failing to provide for a child's basic needs, which include adequate food, clothing, hygiene, or supervision.

Child neglect is not always easy to spot. Sometimes, a parent might become physically or mentally unable to care for a child, such as in cases of serious illness or injury, or untreated depression or anxiety. Other times, alcohol or drug abuse may seriously impair judgment and the ability to keep a child safe.
[Read: Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse]
Physical abuse

This involves physical harm or injury to the child. It may be the result of a deliberate attempt to hurt the child or excessive physical punishment. Many physically abusive parents insist that their actions are simply forms of discipline-ways to make children learn to behave. But there is a big difference between using physical punishment to discipline and physical abuse.

With physical abuse, the following elements are present:

Unpredictability. The child never knows what is going to set the parent off. There are no clear boundaries or rules. The child is constantly walking on eggshells, never sure what behavior will trigger a physical assault.

Lashing out in anger. Abusive parents act out of anger and the desire to assert control, not the motivation to lovingly teach the child. The angrier the parent, the more intense the abuse.

Using fear to control behavior. Abusive parents may believe that their children need to fear them in order to behave, so they use physical abuse to "keep their child in line." However, what children are really learning is how to avoid being hit, not how to behave or grow as individuals.

Sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse is an especially complicated form of abuse because of its layers of guilt and shame. It's important to recognize that sexual abuse doesn't always involve body contact. Exposing a child to sexual situations or material is sexually abusive, whether or not touching is involved.
[Read: Recovering from Rape and Sexual Trauma]

Sexually abused children are often tormented by shame and guilt. They may feel that they are responsible for the abuse or somehow brought it upon themselves. This can lead to self-loathing and sexual and relationship problems as they grow older.

The shame of sexual abuse makes it very difficult for children to come forward. They may worry that others won't believe them, will be angry with them, or that it will split their family apart. Because of these difficulties, false accusations of sexual abuse are not common, so if a child confides in you, take them seriously.

Warning signs of child abuse and neglect

The warning signs that a child is being abused or neglected can vary according to the type of abuse inflicted.

Warning signs of emotional abuse

The child may:

Be excessively withdrawn, fearful, or anxious about doing something wrong.

Show extremes in behavior (extremely compliant, demanding, passive, aggressive).

Not seem to be attached to the parent or caregiver.

Act either inappropriately adult (taking care of other children) or inappropriately infantile (thumb-sucking, throwing tantrums).

Warning signs of physical abuse

The child may:

Have frequent injuries or unexplained bruises, welts, or cuts. Their injuries may appear to have a pattern such as marks from a hand or belt.

Be always watchful and "on alert," as if waiting for something bad to happen.

Shy away from touch, flinch at sudden movements, or seem afraid to go home.

Wear inappropriate clothing to cover up injuries, such as long-sleeved shirts on hot days.

Warning signs of child neglect

The child may:

Wear ill-fitting, filthy, or inappropriate clothing for the weather.

Have consistently bad hygiene (unbathed, matted and unwashed hair, noticeable body odor).

Have untreated illnesses and physical injuries.

Be frequently unsupervised or left alone or allowed to play in unsafe situations.

Be frequently late or missing from school.

Warning signs of sexual abuse in children

The child may:

Have trouble walking or sitting.

Display knowledge of sexual acts inappropriate for their age, or even exhibit seductive behavior.

Make strong efforts to avoid a specific person, without an obvious reason.

Not want to change clothes in front of others or participate in physical activities.

Have an STD or pregnancy, especially if they're under the age of 14.

Try to run away from home.

Risk factors for child abuse and neglect

While abuse and neglect occurs in all types of families, children are at a much greater risk in certain situations.

Domestic violence. Even if the abused parent does their best to protect their children, domestic violence is still extremely damaging. Getting out is the best way to help your children.
[Read: Domestic Violence and Abuse]
Alcohol and drug abuse. Parents who are drunk or high may be unable to care for their children, make good parenting decisions, or control often-dangerous impulses. Substance abuse can also lead to physical abuse.

Untreated mental illness. Parents who are suffering from depression, an anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or another mental illness may have trouble taking care of themselves, much less their children. A mentally ill or traumatized parent may be distant and withdrawn from their children, or quick to anger without understanding why. Treatment for the caregiver means better care for the children.

Lack of parenting skills. Some caregivers never learned the skills necessary for good parenting. Teen parents, for example, might have unrealistic expectations about how much care babies and small children need. Or parents who were themselves victims of child abuse may only know how to raise their children the way they were raised. Parenting classes, therapy, and caregiver support groups are great resources for learning better parenting skills.

Stress and lack of support. Parenting can be a very time-intensive, stressful job, especially if you're raising children without support from family and friends, or you're dealing with relationship problems or financial difficulties. Caring for a child with a disability, special needs, or difficult behaviors is also a challenge. It's important to get the support you need, so you are emotionally and physically able to support your child.

Recognizing abusive behavior in yourself

Raising children is one of life's greatest challenges and can trigger anger and frustration in the most even-tempered parent or guardian. If you grew up in a household where screaming and shouting or violence was the norm, you may not know any other way to raise your kids.

Recognizing that you have a problem is the biggest step to getting help. The following are warning signs that you may be crossing the line into abuse:

You can't stop your anger. What starts as a swat on the backside may turn into multiple hits getting harder and harder. You may shake your child more and more and finally throw them down. You find yourself screaming louder and louder and can't stop yourself.
[Read: Anger Management]
You feel emotionally disconnected from your child. You may feel so overwhelmed that you don't want anything to do with your child. You just want to be left alone and for your child to be quiet.

Meeting the daily needs of your child seems impossible. While everyone struggles with balancing dressing, feeding, and getting kids to school or other activities, if you continually can't manage to do it, it's a sign that something might be wrong.

Other people have expressed concern. It may be easy to bristle at other people expressing concern. However, consider carefully what they have to say. Are the words coming from someone you normally respect and trust?

Breaking the cycle of abuse

If you have a history of child abuse, having your own children can trigger strong memories and feelings that you may have repressed. You may be shocked and overwhelmed by your anger, and feel like you can't control it. But you can learn new ways to manage your emotions and break your old patterns.

Remember, you are the most important person in your child's world - and you don't have to go it alone. Help and support are available:

Learn what is age appropriate and what is not. Having realistic expectations of what children can handle at certain ages will help you avoid frustration and anger at normal child behavior. For example, newborns are not going to sleep through the night without a peep, and toddlers are not going to be able to sit quietly for extended periods of time.

Develop new parenting skills. Start by learning appropriate discipline techniques and how to set clear boundaries for your children. Parenting classes, books, and seminars offer this information. You can also turn to other parents for tips and advice.

Take care of yourself. If you are not getting enough rest and support or you're feeling overwhelmed, you are much more likely to succumb to anger. Sleep deprivation, common in parents of young children, adds to moodiness and irritability-exactly what you are trying to avoid.

Learn to control your emotions. If you were abused or neglected as a child, you may have an especially difficult time getting in touch with your range of emotions. You may have had to deny or repress them as a child, and now they spill out without your control. HelpGuide's free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit can help.

Get professional help. Breaking the cycle of abuse can be very difficult if the patterns are strongly entrenched. If you can't seem to stop yourself no matter how hard you try, it's time to get help, whether in the form of therapy, parenting classes, or other interventions. Your children will thank you for it.

How to help an abused or neglected child

What should you do if you suspect that a child is being abused? Or if a child confides in you? It's normal to feel a little overwhelmed and confused. Child abuse is a difficult subject that can be hard to accept and even harder to talk about-for both you and the child. When talking with an abused child, the best way to encourage them is to show calm reassurance and unconditional support. If you're having trouble finding the words, let your actions speak for you.

Avoid denial and remain calm. A common reaction to news as unpleasant and shocking as child abuse is denial. However, if you display denial to a child, or show shock or disgust at what they are saying, the child may be afraid to continue and will shut down. As hard as it may be, remain as calm and reassuring as you can.

Don't interrogate. Let the child explain to you in their own words what happened, but don't interrogate the child or ask leading questions. This may confuse and fluster the child and make it harder for them to continue their story.

Reassure the child that they did nothing wrong. It takes a lot for a child to come forward about abuse. Reassure them that you take what they said seriously, and that it is not their fault.

Safety comes first. If you feel that your safety or the safety of the child would be threatened if you tried to intervene, leave it to the professionals. You may be able to provide more support later.

Reporting child abuse or neglect

If you suspect that a child is undergoing abuse, it's critical to report it-and to continue reporting each separate incidence if it continues to recur. Each report you make is a snapshot of what's going on in the family. The more information you can provide, the better the chance of the child getting the help they deserve. Of course, it's normal to have some reservations or worries about reporting child abuse.

Overcoming worries about reporting child abuse or neglect

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Do you know what the warning signs of child abuse are? Learn how to recognize, prevent and report child abuse.

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Welcome!

We know how important it is for you to find quality child care for your child. The Illinois Department of Human Services' (IDHS) Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency are working together to support families to get the information and resources the need to find and select the best child care for their child.

How may we help you?

Select the link below:
Serious Occurrences Involving License Exempt Providers
More information/Helpful Links/Reports

* Need help navigating this Website? Contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency (CCR&R).

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IDHS: Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP)

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We know how important it is for you to find quality child care for your child. The Illinois Department of Human Services' (IDHS) Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency are working together to support families to get the information and resources the need to find and select the best child care for their child.

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Eligibility/How to Apply?

IDHS - CCAP Family Eligibility Guidelines

To qualify for the program an applicant must:

Live in Illinois

Be employed and/or going to an eligible educational activity (High school, trade school, undergraduate college...)

Have children younger than 13 that need care while you are working or going to school
Children with documented special needs may be eligible up to the age of 19

Have family income below allowable limits (see http://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=118832 by family size

A more complete explanation of CCAP eligibility can be found in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) Policy Manual

Do I qualify for Child Care Assistance?

Only the CCR&R or Site Provider can calculate the Total Monthly Income that will be used for determining eligibility for the program. Find your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency (CCR&R) or call 1-877-202-4453 (toll free).

Please use the Child Care Assistance Program Eligibility Calculator to get an estimated calculation.

Remember: the provider must decide if they will provide care before the case is approved and how or if to charge the parent while eligibility is being determined.

If you have any questions about your eligibility or need help navigating this Website, contact your local Child Care Resource and Referral agency (CCR&R) or call 1-877-202-4453 (toll free).

Related Links

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IDHS - CCAP Family Eligibility Guidelines To qualify for the program an applicant must: Live in Illinois Be employed and/or going to an eligible educational activity (High school, trade school, undergraduate college...)

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The State has completed an investigation and determined that it is unsafe for the children to remain in their home due to abuse or neglect. They are placed in a new home temporarily and a case plan is established for their family of origin to work towards their return, also known as reunification.

Approximately half of all children in foster care are placed in the homes of biological family members such as aunts, uncles or grandparents. If no biological family member is able to care for the child, children are placed in the homes of Non-Related Extended Family Members (NREFMs) such as family friends or teachers, or with unrelated foster parents. The duration of a child's stay in the foster care system varies based upon their case. Nationally, children remain in the foster care system for an average of 20 months.

Foster care is when a child is placed in a temporary, safe home in a time of crisis. Adult caregivers, commonly known as Foster Parents or Resource Parents, then become part of the child's support system, providing them with the necessities of life and healing programs designed to help them process the trauma they have endured. Resource Parents work with the child's social workers, teachers, and doctors, to proactively nurture, love, and advocate for their needs until they are reunified with their birth family or are adopted.

A Greater Hope actively searches for and approves families that are committed to helping children and can care for and nurture them without hesitation. Families in these positions must be ready to work towards the greater good of the children placed in their care.

A Greater Hope has trained Resource Families who work closely with us to provide Treatment Foster Care and Intensive Services Foster Care. With specialized training and 24 hour support, A Greater Hope Resource Parents care for children and adolescents in order to meet a range of emotional, behavioral, social and medical needs. For those children who require more intensive interventions, A Greater Hope provides Therapeutic Foster Care Services through our Behavioral Health Department.

A Greater Hope's Treatment Foster Care Resource Parents provide highly coordinated, trauma-informed care for abused and neglected children. Through this service, children can have safe and healthy continued contact with their biological families, while receiving support with school, medical and emotional needs. Through loving care and support, children receive the permanency, healing and security that they need to thrive and eventually reach their full potential. A Greater Hope receives referrals for children in need of homes in all counties served.

A Greater Hope is proud to be the first agency in San Bernardino County to provide Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) services as a part of our Behavioral Health Contract with San Bernardino County. TFC augments the services of Treatment Foster Care and ISFC. Therapeutic Foster Care Resource Parents work closely with the Behavioral Health Team to deliver short-term, intensive, highly coordinated and individualized counseling to children and youth. These children and youth have complex emotional and mental health needs. Therapeutic Resource Parents are trained, intensely supervised and supported parents who have shown an ability to work through challenging obstacles to find permanency and stability for children in their care.

The Intensive Services Foster Care (ISFC) program was created to provide support to children and youth who require intensive treatment, including treatment for behavioral and specialized health care needs. Specifically, the ISFC program is intended to stabilize young people in foster care with the services they need in family settings and reduce placement in congregate care and residential programs. The program also requires additional training for our resource parents, as well as additional professional and paraprofessional support. The role of an ISFC resource parent requires a significant commitment of time, potential transportation, involvement and responsibility. A Resource Parent has an active role in the Child and Family Team. A Greater Hope receives referrals for children in need of homes all counties served.

The characteristics of a great resource family include commitment, patience, understanding, flexibility, open to honest feedback and direction. Resource families should also practice good communication skills and set clear boundaries and limits. It doesn't hurt to have a great sense of humor as well!

The length of the approval process is determined by you! How fast it moves depends on how quickly you complete and return your paperwork and how quickly your background check is received. Please note that it takes an average of 90-120 days to become an approved resource family.

Resource parents receive a monthly stipend for each foster child they take into their home. The amount of that stipend can vary based on the child's needs, which is referred to as the Level of Care by the State of California.

Each child has a State-run medical plan, which covers medical and dental expenses.

Children are placed in foster care through Child Protective Services, which are administered by each individual State.

Yes! Single parents can provide exceptional care to foster youth in need too. However, the agency strongly recommends that all single parents have enough time and support to provide planned, invested, solid, structured child care, including after school, day care, and holidays.

Yes! However, the goal of foster care is to reunify children with their biological families. If reunification is not possible, the State will look for a suitable permanent home with other members of the biological family. If they are not available, the State will ask the foster (resource) family if they are interested in adopting the child.

Use the button below to view the approval process or contact us with your questions!

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A Greater Hope is a Foster Family Agency (FFA) providing services and support to Foster Families. Become a foster parent today!

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

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Many professions require those within their workforce to be mandated reporters of child abuse and neglect, but anyone can report child abuse and neglect. Here is the link for the mandated reporter training in Illinois, as well as information on how to report maltreatment and what signs and symptoms to look out for.

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REPORT ABUSE

1-800-25ABUSE

1-800-252-2873

1-217-524-2606

TTY: 1-800-358-5117

Welcome to Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse: Training for Mandated Reporters

The purpose of this online course is to help all Illinois Mandated Reporters understand their critical role in protecting children by recognizing and reporting child abuse.

Everyone who suspects child abuse or neglect should call the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Child Abuse Hotline to make a report, but Mandated Reporters are required by law to do so.

This training includes:

1. A pre-training assessment (13 multiple-choice questions)

2. 60-90 minutes of self-paced interactive training

3. A post-training assessment (13 multiple-choice questions)

4. A Certificate of Completion

Dear Illinois Educator:

The Department of Children and Family Services wants to thank you for all you are doing to support your students during this crisis. DCFS relies on educators like you to help us protect children. You report abuse and neglect more than any other group of mandated reporters.

With physical school buildings closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the added stress that families are experiencing with the outbreak, your vulnerable students are at greater risk of harm. Since the closure of schools in mid-March, hotline calls have dramatically decreased. This is where DCFS, once again, needs the help of educators.

Remote learning has begun in most districts throughout Illinois. Some of your districts are even doing remote learning with video, allowing teachers to maintain face-to-face contact with students. Our "ask" is that you continue to be mindful of the wellbeing of the children you are tasked with educating. As a mandated reporter, your assessment of the safety of our most vulnerable children is needed now more than ever. Please continue to do as you had in your classrooms and report concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of your students.

Our Hotline is working at full capacity and remains prepared to take calls 24 hours a day. Currently most calls are handled in real-time without requiring a call-back. Our Child Protection Specialists continue to respond to hotline calls with face-to-face contact within 24 hours to assess child safety.

As a reminder, our hotline number is 800-25-ABUSE (800-252-2873). For non-emergencies, please make your report online at https://www2.illinois.gov/dcfs/safekids/reporting. To assist you in submitting the required CANTS 5 ( Written Confirmation of Child Abuse/Neglect Report: Mandated Reporters), you have the option of emailing this document to: DCFS.mandatedreporterform@illinois.gov.

We share your deep commitment to the safety of all the children of Illinois. These unprecedented times require that we forge a stronger partnership more than ever. DCFS cannot do this work without you. I am proud of the work you do as educator and the vital role you play protecting our children.

Sincerely,

Marc D. Smith
Acting Director, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services

About us

This training was developed by a partnership between the following agencies:

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) is the governmental agency charged with conducting Child Abuse and Neglect investigations and providing all child welfare services to families in the state.

Chicago Headquarters
100 West Randolph Street 6-200
Chicago, IL 60601
312-814-6800
TTD: 312-814-8783

Springfield Headquarters
406 East Monroe
Springfield, IL 62701-1498
217-785-2509
TTD: 217-785-6605

To report suspected child abuse or neglect, call the Child Abuse Hotline

1-800-25-ABUSE
1-800-252-2873
1-217-524-2606
TTY: 1-800-358-5117

For more information about DCFS, contact the DCFS Office of Communications at 217-785-1700, or go to www.illinois.gov/dcfs/Pages/default.aspx.

Chicago Children's Advocacy Center

Chicago Children's Advocacy Center (ChicagoCAC) and their partners are the front-line responders in Chicago to reports of child sexual abuse, as well as reports of physical abuse of children under age 3. ChicagoCAC's mission is to unite public, private and community partners to ensure the safety, health and well-being of abused children.

ChicagoCAC's education and outreach department offers trainings for professionals, community members and parents related to child abuse, sexual abuse and trauma. Visit their website to learn about the latest offerings or to schedule a customized training for your agency or group: www.ChicagoCAC.org

1240 South Damen
Chicago, IL 60608
312-492-3700

Email: training@ChicagoCAC.org
Website: www.ChicagoCAC.org

Cook County State's Attorney's Office

The Cook County State's Attorney's Office is a governmental agency whose mission is to secure justice, promote the public health and safety, and serve as the legal representatives of Cook County.

Administrative Services
69 W. Washington
Suite 3200
Chicago, IL 60602
312-603-1880

Email: stateattorney@cookcountygov.com
Website: www.statesattorney.org

Chicago Board of Education

The Chicago Board of Education employs more than 26,000 teachers, and is responsible for educating about 420,000 students in 486 schools. Its goal is to become the premier urban school district in the country by providing all students and their families with high quality instruction, outstanding academic programs, and comprehensive student development supports to prepare them for the challenges of the world of tomorrow.

Board of Education of the City of Chicago
125 South Clark Street, 6th floor
Chicago, IL 60603
773-553-1000

Website: www.cps.edu/Pages/home.aspx

Center for the Application of Information Technology (CAIT)

Website designed, developed, and deployed by CAIT at Western Illinois University, Macomb.

The mission of the Center for the Application of Information Technologies (CAIT) is to provide practical solutions to online information technology needs in the design, development, deployment and support of custom instructional online learning systems, and to provide applications for educational entities, businesses, public agencies and not-for-profit organizations.

Center for the Application of Information Technologies
Western Illinois University
Horrabin Hall 90 / 1 University Circle
Macomb, IL 61455
309-298-1804
Fax: 309-298-2806

Website: www.cait.org

Documents

CPS Specific Documents

FAQ

Q4

If I know other professionals involved with a family may have already reported an abuse/neglect situation, do I still need to call the Child Abuse Hotline to make a report?

Mentor: Mandated Reporters should never assume that another professional who is involved with the child has already reported the situation to the Hotline. It is your responsibility to call and report what you know about the situation. Even if a report has already been made, your information is still valuable, as it could assist the investigator in deciding whether to indicate the report.

Q9

Does DCFS always remove children from the home?

Mentor: Not unless it''s absolutely necessary. The investigator goes to the home, speaks with the parents and the child, and then assesses whether the child is safe there.

Investigators can only remove children from the home when there is an urgent and immediate risk to their safety. DCFS tries to keep families together whenever possible by implementing safety plans and providing services to keep the children safe.

Q10

Where do the children go if they have to be removed from their home?

Mentor: If depends on the circumstances. DCFS tries to place the children with responsible relatives, whenever possible. If that's not possible, they may go into foster care.

No matter where the child is placed, it''s only temporary until a judge hears the case. When a child is taken into temporary protective custody, DCFS must bring the case to the attention of a judge within 48 hours (excluding weekends). The judge will decide whether the child will remain in the temporary custody of DCFS, return to the custody of his/her parents, or be placed with a responsible relative.

Q11

Wow - there is a lot to know about DCFS and being a Mandated Reporter.

Mentor: Not really. All you really need to remember is 1-800-25-ABUSE. Any time you suspect abuse or neglect, make the call. Not sure you have enough details? Make the call anyway. Not sure if it really fits the criteria for abuse or neglect? Don't sweat over the decision - go ahead and call. That's why the Hotline is there.

Q12

Is there a place where I can find all this information in writing?

Mentor: Absolutely. An updated version of the Mandated Reporter Manual may always be accessed through the DCFS website at www.illinois.gov/dcfs/Pages/default.aspx.

Key Terms

Term

Definition

Alleged Victim

The child under the age of 18 who is suspected of being a victim of child abuse or neglect.

Alleged Perpetrator

The alleged perpetrator is a parent, guardian, foster parent, relative caregiver, paramour, any individual residing in the same home, any person responsible for the child's welfare at the time of the alleged abuse or neglect, or any person who came to know the child through an official capacity or position of trust in settings where children may be subject to abuse and neglect.

ANCRA

Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA) is an important Illinois law guiding child protection and child welfare interventions.

Child

A person under 18 years of age.

CPI

This is an abbreviation for a DCFS Child Protection Investigator who is assigned to investigate a Child Abuse Hotline Report of child abuse or neglect. (added 7/8/06)

Credible Evidence

Available facts when viewed in light of surrounding circumstances would cause a reasonable person to believe that a child may have been abused or neglected.

DCFS

Department of Children and Family Services

Hotline Worker

The individual who answers the phone when you call the Illinois Child Abuse Hotline.

Indicated Report

The determination that is made when an investigator has found credible evidence that a child was abused or neglected.

Paramour

The parent's significant other, to whom the parent is not married; the parent's boyfriend or girlfriend.

Police Station

A municipal police station, a county sheriff's office, a campus police department located on any college or university owned or controlled by the State or any private college or private university that is not owned or controlled by the State when employees of the campus police department are present, or any of the district headquarters of the Illinois State Police. [315 ILCS 2/10]
(The above definition has a direct effect on Section 300.180, Abandoned Newborn Infants)

State Central Registry (SCR)

The official name of the Child Abuse Hotline in Illinois.

Unfounded Report

The determination that is made when an investigator has not found credible evidence that a child was abused or neglected.

Forms

Name

Description

CANTS 5
Written Confirmation of Child Abuse/Neglect Report: Mandated Reporters
(Form to complete after you make a report.)

Help

Center for the Application of Information Technologies (CAIT) is providing help desk support for the DCFS Virtual Training Center.

Call 1-866-250-5494 or email dcfssupport@cait.org

Help Desk hours:
Monday - Thursday (8:00am to 8:00pm)
Friday (8:00am to 6:00pm)
Saturday - Sunday (12:00pm to 4:00pm)

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Skip to content REPORT ABUSE 1-800-25ABUSE 1-800-252-2873 1-217-524-2606 TTY: 1-800-358-5117 The purpose of this online course is to help all Illinois Mandated Reporters understand their critical role in protecting children by recognizing and reporting child abuse.

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Protecting children is everybody’s business | Bob Lonne | TEDxQUT

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Reaching Out: Child abuse, when and how to report.

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INTERVIEW BY RISE PARENT LEADERS
When you're investigated by child protective services, you have to make decisions every step of the way. You have to decide what information to share, whether to enroll in services, and, if you wind up with a case, whether or not to go to trial. You can't know for sure what will help or hurt your situation. But the more you know about investigations, the better able you are to make educated decisions. Here Jessica Weidmann, a lawyer formerly with the Center for Family Representation in New York, explains parents' rights: Q: Why is it important for parents to know their rights?
A: When you're being questioned by a person in authority, you can think that you have to do everything they say. Knowing your rights can help you understand that you also have power.

But how you exercise your rights is also important.

I've had cases that begin in court with CPS describing how the parent reacted to the investigation-by becoming very angry, screaming, or sometimes destroying property. Those reactions often come from a place of frustration and fear. But they can become part of a picture the worker is building of a parent who is willing to resort to violence. How you react to CPS can make a difference in your case.
Q: Do parents have the right to refuse entry to an investigator?
A: Yes. But refusing entry to CPS will not end the investigation. If CPS has information that a child may be in danger, they have the authority to go to court to ask for a court order-similar to a search warrant-requiring you to allow them access. CPS must give you notice if they intend to do this, and you have a right to go to that court hearing. In an emergency, CPS can also return with the police without a court order.

If you're confident that there's nothing to be seen in your home that raises red flags, you may want to allow entry, since denying entry may make the worker see you as uncooperative.

If you do refuse entry, how you do it can make a difference. You might say, "I'd like to have this conversation with you at a later date," or, "I'd like to have this conversation with you when I have my husband here." The suggestion of an alternative time can help build a respectful relationship.
Q: Do parents have the right to know what they are being investigated for?
A: Yes. It's one of first questions parents should ask an investigator. In addition, at any stage in the investigation, the parent has the right to write to the State Central Registry requesting all documentation against them.
Q: Should parents answer all the questions they are asked?
A: Before answering questions, I would encourage anyone under investigation to ask questions. Those include: What were the allegations made against me? What exact information are you looking for? What exactly are your concerns?

You do have a right to refuse to answer questions, so if you're told the allegations are about domestic violence, but they're asking you about something else entirely, you may want to say, "I don't think that question is relevant to the concerns you've raised." One thing you don't want to do is minimize serious concerns. You want your answers to reduce concerns, not raise more concerns.

If you've had prior cases, CPS is required to ask you about them. If you have addressed any problems you were struggling with in the past, it's a good idea to explain how you've done that.
Q: Can parents refuse to let the investigator interview their children, or insist on being present during the interview?
A: If it's in your own home, you can, but investigators are also required by law to interview your children. If they're unable to, or think your children are not going to speak honestly with you present, they will go to court to require that you bring your children to a different location to be interviewed without you. They also have the right to interview your child in school without your permission.

Still, there may be times when you want to insist on being present-for instance, if your child has a disability that may make them scared or confused. In that situation, you can explain your reason. You can also ask that your child be interviewed at a Child Advocacy Center, where there'll be an investigator and a mental health professional present.
Q: Can CPS mandate services during an investigation?
A: CPS workers will sometimes say that services are mandated but nothing is really mandated until you go to court and the judge orders it. That said, if you understand the safety concerns that CPS has about you, any steps you take to address those concerns may help, including voluntarily participating in services.

You also have the right to tell CPS, "I'd rather do this program in a different place," or, "Here's why I think a different service makes more sense." Before you engage in any services you've found on your own, though, you should find out whether that service is approved by CPS.
Interview by Bevanjae Kelley, Sara Werner, Jeanette Vega, Nicole Goodwin, Piazadora Footman and Nancy Fortunato

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Your Rights During an Investigation-And How to Use Them

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INTERVIEW BY RISE PARENT LEADERS When you're investigated by child protective services, you have to make decisions every step of the way. You have to decide what information to share, whether to enroll in services, and, if you wind up with a case, whether or not to go to trial.

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Your Rights as a Parent in a CPS Investigation

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Your Rights as a Parent in a CPS Investigation

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Navigating the child welfare system can be difficult, especially when there is so much emotion involved. If you find yourself a subject of a Child Protective Services investigation, here is some information on how to navigate the system and what your rights are as a parent.

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FATHERS RIGHTS COACHES - ATTORNEYS - MEDIATORS

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How To Understand A quick timeline about the CPS investigation process.

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Cite this

American Psychological Association. (2023, September 14). What is child abuse and neglect? Understanding warning signs and getting help. https://www.apa.org/topics/children/abuse-neglect-resources

Children depend on many adults as they grow up. Parents, relatives, teachers and child care workers all provide children with love, support and guidance.

No one wants to see children grow up with fear, anger or neglect. But no one is born knowing how to care for children. Sometimes we make mistakes that hurt them.

Whether you are a parent, a teacher, a relative or a caregiver, you can make a difference and help the children you love grow up in a caring, loving environment. Adults don't have to be perfect, just willing to listen, learn, grow and change.

Why do adults hurt children?

Carlos came home from work in a foul mood. Seven-year-old Miguel ran out of the kitchen just as his father walked in, and they ran into each other. Carlos cursed and grabbed his son. He shook Miguel hard while yelling at him, and then shoved him out of the way. The next day, Miguel's arms and back had bruises.

It takes a lot to care for a child. A child needs food, clothing and shelter as well as love and attention. Parents and caregivers want to provide all those things, but they have other pressures, too. Sometimes adults just can't provide everything their children need.

Adults may not intend to hurt the children they care for. But sometimes adults lose control, and sometimes they hurt children.

Adults may hurt children because they:

Lose their tempers when they think about their own problems.

Don't know how to discipline a child.

Expect behavior that is unrealistic for a child's age or ability.

Have been abused by a parent or a partner.

Have financial problems.

Lose control when they use alcohol or other drugs.

What is child abuse?

This is an example of physical child abuse.
Teresa had just changed 18-month-old Dale's dirty diaper when he had another messy diaper; this made Teresa angry. She thought that putting him in hot water would punish him for the dirty diaper. When she put him in the tub, he cried loudly. Teresa slapped him to stop the crying and didn't notice the scald marks until after the bath was over.
Examples of physical child abuse

What is sexual child abuse?

This is an example of sexual child abuse.
Nine-year-old Susan's mother works at night. Her stepfather James is around when she goes to bed, so many evenings James lies down beside Susan. As she goes to sleep, he rubs her breasts and genital area.
Examples of sexual child abuse

What is child neglect?

This is an example of neglect.
John worked nights at the grocery store, but the family needed more money. Ellen looked for work, but the only job she could find required her to leave home at 3 a.m. The children, ages two and six, were alone for a few hours until John got home.
Examples of child neglect

Not meeting a child's need for food, clothing, shelter or safety.

Leaving a child unwatched.

Leaving a child in an unsafe place.

Not seeking necessary medical attention for a child.

Not having a child attend school.

Why do abuse and neglect happen?

Parents and caretakers don't always know that they are being abusive or neglectful. Few adults actually intend to hurt or neglect children.

Sometimes a caretaker just doesn't know a better way to discipline a child. Sometimes an adult is just too frustrated with life and takes it out on a child.

An adult is more likely to abuse or neglect a child:

If the caretaker was abused as a child.

If the caretaker is being abused by a spouse or partner.

If the caretaker uses alcohol or other drugs.

If the adult expects too much of a child.

If the child is the result of an unplanned pregnancy.

Some adults don't know how to correct a child without causing physical harm. An adult who has this problem can learn new ways to discipline without hurting a child.

Look for times when the child is behaving well. Praise that behavior.

Agree on a code word to use when things reach the boiling point. The code word signals that everyone needs some time to cool down before talking about the problem.

When a child misbehaves, give the child a "time-out", a few minutes alone to think about what happened.

Talk to the child about the misbehavior and its effects.

Sometimes, parents and caretakers need to learn to control their own anger. They need to identify the things that make them more likely to hurt the children in their care.

Caretakers who abuse or neglect a child might be:

Worried about not having enough money.

Having problems with spouses or partners.

Coping with a family member's illness or death.

Acting the way their parents acted.

Stressed from their jobs or other problems.

Expecting unrealistic behavior for example, thinking a five-year-old can handle the same tasks as a nine-year-old, and do them as well.

Often people who abuse or neglect children experience more than one of these situations at the same time.

Hurting a child or not filling a child's basic needs never makes things better. No matter what the problem, help is available.

Do you know a child who is abused or neglected?

Brenda's teacher saw signs of neglect.

In the preschool class, four-year-old Brenda always seemed tired. Brenda never brought food for snack time, and she looked hungrily at other children's sandwiches. Her classmates teased her because her hair was always dirty.

Paul saw signs of physical child abuse.
Paul lived next door to the Harris family, where someone always seemed to be yelling or crying. One night Paul heard glass break, then a man's shouting and a loud thump. Ten-year-old Keisha ran out the door a few seconds later, crying. Her face was swollen with the start of a black eye.
The effects of child abuse can last a lifetime. An abused or neglected child needs help right away. Is a child you know being abused or neglected?

Warning signs of abuse and neglect

What happens to abused and neglected children?

Abuse and neglect have harmful effects on children. At worst, a child could die. More often, abused or neglected children live with fear or pain.

Abused or neglected children often experience:

The effects don't end when the abuse or neglect stops. When abused or neglected children grow up, they are more likely to:

Abuse their own families.

Use violence to solve their problems.

Have trouble learning.

Have emotional difficulties.

Attempt suicide.

Use alcohol or other drugs.

Abuse and neglect are hard on the whole family. Some families need help in dealing with practical problems-for example, getting help to buy groceries or learning how to discipline a child without resorting to violence. In other cases, a child protection agency might move abused or neglected children away from their parents to a safe, temporary home. If abuse or neglect is severe, or if it continues, the children can be permanently moved away from their parents into a safe situation.

How can we end abuse and neglect?

Sometimes, people are afraid to report abuse or neglect because they don't want to break up a family. Sometimes, people are afraid to get involved in someone else's problem.

When you report suspected child abuse or neglect, you could be saving that child's life

The goal of stopping abuse and neglect is to keep children safe. Part of keeping children safe is finding help for the adults who have hurt them. Adults who have abused or neglected a child have many places to turn for help.

The child's doctor can explain children's needs at every age. He or she can recommend places to learn more about parenting and child care.

Local health and social service departments often have parenting classes. Social service workers also can help parents get assistance to ease their financial situations.

Hospitals and community centers often have classes on stress reduction, parenting, discipline, and nutrition.

Psychologists, counselors, and social workers can help parents and caregivers deal with problems like drug use, anger and previous experiences of abuse.

Religious groups often provide food, counseling, and other types of support for anyone in the community-not just their members.

If you see that a relative, neighbor or friend is under a lot of stress and might hurt children in their care, suggest that the person get help from one of these services. Stop the problem before it starts.

What should I do if I suspect a child is being hurt?

Report your suspicion to a local, county or state child protection agency. Call a crisis hotline or find the agency number in the blue government pages of a telephone directory.

Who must report abuse?

In every state, the following people are required by law to report suspected abuse:

When you make a report, the agency will make a judgment about how serious the situation is. If necessary, a child protection worker will visit the family to see whether abuse or neglect has occurred and to determine what needs to be done. The goals of child protection are to:

No child should have to live in fear of abuse or neglect.

Protect the children you love-help stop child abuse and neglect.

Bullying

Bullying occurs among children from all walks of life and can take many forms e.g., teasing, physical assault, harassment based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion and/or weight.

APA has a number of resources available.

Where to go for help

Several organizations can provide information and advice about child abuse and neglect:

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What is child abuse and neglect? Understanding warning signs and getting help

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The effects of child abuse can last a lifetime. You can make a difference and help the children you love grow up in a caring environment.

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Unfortunately, as much as 70% of child abuse goes unreported; and a child tells an average of seven adults that they are being abused or neglected before a report is made. Every delay in reporting suspected abuse or neglect increases the likelihood that abuse will become more serious, or even deadly, and that the perpetrator will abuse additional children. By trusting your own senses, common sense and instincts, and calling the hotline whenever you suspect a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm, you can ensure a child is safe and that her family is getting the help they need.

To prevent unnecessary investigations, hotline calls are screened by trained social workers to determine whether they warrant investigation for abuse or neglect. Of the more than one million hotline calls received over the past four years, only about one in four resulted in a formal report and an investigation. Many of the calls that do not lead to investigations are often directed to referrals that connect families with community-based programs aimed at preventing abuse. When formal investigations do occur, only 4% result in children being removed from their homes.

In most cases where abuse or neglect are indicated, DCFS is able to provide services to the family that allow the child to remain in the home safely, provided the abuse or neglect is reported to the department soon enough to intervene.

For more information about the guidelines for reporting child abuse or neglect, read the Care Enough to Call brochure in English, español or Chinese (中国).

Illinois law also calls on DCFS, in cooperation with school officials, to distribute posters throughout Illinois schools to let children know where they can turn for help. Download the You are not alone posters in English or en español for more information.

School personnel may also print the Mandated Reporter Poster for Schools and display them in high-traffic areas in school buildings as a reminder to all teachers, administrators, school board members and other school employees that they are required by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect.

Additional resources:
Mandated Reporter Poster - Social Worker
Mandated Reporter Poster - Educators
Mandated Reporter Poster - Police
Mandated Reporter Poster - Medical
Mandated Reporter Poster - Clergy

Note: Any person who knowingly transmits a false report to the department commits the offense of disorderly conduct under subsection (a)(7) of Section 26-1 of the Criminal Code of 2012. A violation of this subsection is a Class 4 felony." (Source: P.A. 97-189, eff. 7-22-11; 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)

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DCFS has the primary responsibility of protecting children through the investigation of suspected abuse or neglect by parents and other caregivers in a position of trust or authority over the child. Call the 24-hour Child Abuse Hotline at 800-25-ABUSE (800-252-2873) if you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect