"Is my child okay? Is she eating and sleeping enough? Is he hanging out with the right people? Should I be worried that she spends all their time in her room? Is this just a phase? Or a sign of something serious? As parents, we worry about our children--about their physical health, performance at school, the types of friends they have, and of course, their mental health. Every day seems to bring new and expanding issues and disorders for parents to worry about and troubling statistics about the rise of mental health illness in children and teens. It's usually obvious what to do for physical injuries like broken bones, but when it comes to our children's mental health, the answers are much less clear, and sometimes even contradictory. Peter Szatmari and Pier Bryden, two top child and adolescent psychiatrists, are here to help. Using their combined six decades working with families and kids--and their own experiences as parents--they break down the stigma of mental health illness and walk parents through the warning signs, risk factors, prevention strategies, and the process of diagnosis and treatment for mental health challenges arising from: Eating disorders Anxiety Psychosis Sleep Disorders Substance Use Disorders ADHD Autism Depression Trauma Suicide Gender Dysphoria. The most important thing to remember as a parent is that you and your child are not alone. Wellness is a continuum, and there is a lot parents can do to bring their child back to a place of safety. The road ahead isn't always easy or straightforward, but this guidebook offers essential advice that every parent needs."-- Provided by publisher.
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