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Brain Health
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Brain Health
Brain health is a key component of overall health and wellness. At Wellness Pediatrics in Birmingham, MI, Dr. Suhad Yaldo and her team focus on the brain-body connection in children to help them thrive, feel their best, and succeed in school and life.
ADHD and Attention/Focus Difficulties
Difficulty focusing on the task at hand is a common symptom of ADHD. A child with this condition is easily distracted and has a hard time paying attention, making it difficult for them to give sustained attention to a particular assignment or activity, whether at school or at home.
Anxiety and Depression
There is such a thing as situational anxiety or depression, which disappears when certain stressful conditions go away. Some kids, however, feel anxious all the time, experience obsessive compulsive disorder, and cannot feel happiness no matter what.
Autism
Kids are screened early for autism, but there is a spectrum on which a child can fall and mild cases can be more difficult to diagnose. Some of the common symptoms of autism include difficulty participating in conversation, trouble reading body language and facial expression, and difficulty connecting with another’s feelings or thoughts.
Behavior Problems
A child who is extremely aggressive or moody or exhibits dangerous behavior may be diagnosed with a behavioral disorder, but so too a child who cannot handle frustration, consistently questions authority, blames others, is often angry, and throws temper tantrums beyond the norm.
Developmental Delays and Learning Disabilities
Developmental delays are often diagnosed early in a child’s life when they do not meet expected developmental milestones. The broad categories of developmental delays and learning disabilities include cognitive delays, motor delays, speech delays, and social, emotional, and behavioral delays.
Seizures
Seizures are commonly associated with epilepsy, a condition that can develop at any age but are more likely to occur in early childhood when there is an interruption in the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain, like a high fever, high or low blood sugar, or a concussion.
Sensory Processing Disorder
When the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information delivered through the senses, a child can suffer from sensory processing disorder. This condition may make them oversensitive to things in their environment, everything from common sounds to the touch of clothing on the skin. They may be uncoordinated or difficult to engage. This condition is commonly seen in autism cases.
Sleep Problems
Sleep is integral to health, wellness, growth, and development. Problems like sleep apnea, night terrors, wetting the bed, or other conditions interfere with a solid night of rest. It is essential to diagnose the condition right away because lack of good sleep can cause behavioral issues and affect mental wellness.
Mental Wellness Evaluations for Kids and Teens
The human brain grows and changes into early adulthood, but the earliest years of a child’s life build the foundation. Because your child’s brain health may fluctuate as they age and experience life, your pediatrician will assess their mental health at every well-child visit. This will include a physical exam as well as asking questions about school, friends, home life, hobbies, concerns, and more.
Poor brain health can affect school performance, overall health, and general happiness and well-being. Getting a diagnosis and appropriate treatment sooner rather than later improves a child’s life and gives them the chance to feel normal and thrive.
Birmingham, MI, Pediatrician Near Me Focuses on Brain Health
Treating mental illness or brain health concerns is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Our methodology is to observe, diagnose, treat, and outsource treatment as needed, including to mental health specialists, nutritionists, therapists, psychiatrists, and occupational therapists.
At Wellness Pediatrics in Birmingham, MI, we believe mental wellness is an integral part of good health. The brain-body connection is intricately tied to physical wellness, and our pediatric office strives to deliver the kind of functional medicine that supports your child’s brain health. Contact us to schedule an appointment.
