children Archives - Dr Jennifer Smith

Children environment genes Parents Teenagers

Are kids leopards? Or hydrangeas?

August 8, 2019

Linda plonked herself down with a weight of dejected sadness. “A leopard can’t change its spots! Do you really think a child can change his spots? To be honest, I’m not sure why I’m here. There’s no point. He’ll never change.” Her ‘leopard’, 13-year-old Sam, “had always been difficult”. Linda made the appointment because his inflexible, explosive behaviour had deteriorated progressively, together with his oppositional defiance, and “the family can no longer stand it”. “At the moment I don’t like…

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Children environment genes Parents Teenagers Uncategorized

Sibling Rivalry is a Triple-Edged Sword

March 28, 2017

Guardian.co.uk, Thursday 7 April 2011. The Milliband siblings It’s a long time ago now and the world is a very different place, but does anyone remember the 2011 newspaper photograph of the hugging brothers, David and Edward Milliband (above)? Their congratulatory embrace occurred just after the younger Edward defeated David in the election for leader of the British Labour party. There is something admirable about the Milliband brothers’ generous gesture of sibling support – the older David so gracious in…

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Children environment

A Tribute To The Unsung: Dana, her ilk and autism

May 17, 2016

We invited Dana, a tall, elegant Special Education teacher, to our peer-supervision meeting where we psychologists- teachers must discuss clinical cases to ensure that we stay on track. We sat around a table loaded with delicious snacky food: sushi and finger-size sandwiches and sliced vegies waiting to be dipped. After about ten minutes of eating and small talk, I asked Dana about her work. Rewarding rapport She smiled broadly. “I love teaching kids with autism. The rapport’s huge and every…

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Children environment Parents Teenagers

OVERWEIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE: FOOD, EXERCISE, AND THE THIRD FACTOR

October 13, 2015

OVERWEIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE: FOOD, EXERCISE, AND THE THIRD FACTOR Wide girths are widespread Over the past three decades, child and teenage overweight and obesity levels have tripled in the developed world. The data is sobering. Current estimates are that about 15 percent of American children and teenagers are overweight, and about 17 percent of young people are obese. Puppy fat is tenacious The prevalence is of medical, social and – Michelle Obama might add – political concern because puppy and…

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Children Parents Teenagers

Book Reviews for BUT I’M NOT TIRED! The nature of sleep and how to nurture it in children and teenagers.

September 16, 2015

“The book BUT I’M NOT TIRED! by Dr Jennifer Smith is a nice introductory “how to” reference guide for parents struggling to get their children to sleep. This book provides the reader with a good general understanding of the physiology of sleep and underlying causes of many of the common sleep disorders. Dr Smith uses a balance of clinical anecdote and scientific research to help deliver key messages and provide useful tips. The book is easy to read and the…

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Children environment genes Parents Teenagers

From whence kids’ difficult genes?

September 14, 2015

QANDAKIDS PARENT: “My daughter [thirteen year old Chloe] is just like her father and her grandmother. She has their difficult, temperamental genes!” Chloe’s mum was confident that she’d nailed the source of her daughter’s volatile behaviour. QANDAKIDS COMMENT I had to smile. I’ve thought and said similarly about my children with reference to their troublesome traits. Many of the mums that I see in my practice have voiced comparable sentiments, eyes rolling, heads slowly moving from side to side: “Jusssttt…

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Children Parents

Milla and her family get their beauty co-sleep

September 7, 2015

QANDAKIDS COMMENT Recently, famous model-actress, Milla Jovovich, received wide media exposure for her views on co-sleeping. Co-sleeping is code for parent-child bed-sharing. She and her British film producer husband sleep in the same bed as their daughters – every night. One daughter is 7 year’s old, the other just a few months old. Ukranian-born Milla believes that her family is more connected because they all share a bed. She also contends that her daughter is much better behaved as a result.…

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Children Parents Teenagers

Why does my seven-year-old still wet the bed?

April 14, 2015

QANDAKIDS Question: My son is seven and still wets the bed. It is so severe that he has to wear a night time nappy each night and in the morning it is saturated. He’s getting big though and almost doesn’t fit into them. The next size up are hard to come by and are super expensive. I have tried stopping him from drinking water after dinner but that feels cruel. I also tried getting up every two hours and forcing…

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