Fifteen Million…That’s a Lot!

It sure is…unless the subject is the national debt.  Did you know that The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 1 in 5 American children ages 3 through 17, that’s about 15 million by the way, have a diagnosable mental, emotional or behavioral disorder in any given year.

That may not be the most disturbing statistic.  This one may be…Eighty percent of them (that’s about 12 million) don’t receive treatment!  Nearly all of the recent research indicates that serious depression is getting much worse in teens, especially among girls.  I will lay one more statistic at your feet…suicide rates among adolescent females have reached a forty year high.

All of these stats are not given to make you panic.  I provide them to hopefully motivate you to seek the help that you may need in raising your child to maturity.  Don’t pull the covers over your head!  Let’s tackle any and all mental health problems in your child immediately.  Please contact me, Dr. Steven Sussman, at (908) 217-8106 and we’ll talk at my Mountainside, NJ office.

Always Remain Optimistic.

One of the greatest gifts you can give your child is a sense of hope about life.  If your child is not doing well at school, he or she needs to know that they can succeed if they try.  The basic premise is this: as a parent you need to teach your children that life is fluid and that often over time things change for the better.

Here are some things you can apply –

1.  Handle each situation calmly.

2.  Talk about the details to ascertain what went wrong.

3.  Use calming statements and phrases.

4.  Work with your kid to solve problems together.

5.  Trust their intelligence.

Now, trust your own judgement and seek the professional assistance of New York/New Jersey renowned child psychologist Dr. Steven Sussman.  Dr. Steve will sit down with you and your child and assess any and all behavioral issues that may be concerning you.  Contact him at his Mountainside NJ office by calling (908) 217-8106   

A Time for Celebration.

December is the time of year for celebrations with those around you and maybe those that you only see during the holidays.  I hope that you will keep this in mind…it is a teachable time of year.  It’s a time to learn about tolerance and the acceptance of other cultures both in the United States and around this ever-shrinking globe.

Here are some of them -

1.  The fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe (A Mexican celebration)

2.  St. Lucia Day in Sweden

3.  Boxing Day in the British Commonwealth

4.  Kwanzaa (An African celebration)

5.  Hanukkah (A Jewish celebration around the world)

6.  Christmas, of course

These and other observances are a time for family and great reflection about our own culture and the tolerance of others.  I hope that you will take some time to reflect on this as you have your own celebration with family and friends.  I am New Jersey child psychologist Dr. Steven Sussman.  From my family to yours have a Happy Holiday Season.

When Does Social Media Become an Addiction?

It’s true of anything, too much of a good thing is no longer a GOOD THING!  Social media has its place.  It will evolve, but it is not disappearing anytime soon.  We know that our teens (and tweens) can unfortunately become addicted to social networking websites.  How do you deal with it as a parent just as your parents dealt with you about television?

What are some of the symptoms of social media addiction?

1.  Mental health consequences in addition to psychosocial ones.

2.  Sleep disturbance.  We know that kids need more sleep.

3.  Low self-esteem.

4.  Anxiety and depression.

In other words…addiction to social media can severely inhibit an entire childhood if it gets out of hand.  To avoid negative mental health outcomes and addiction, teens’ social media use should be limited to no more than two hours per day.  If I can help, please call me.  I am New York area child psychologist Dr. Steven Sussman.  That number is (908) 217-8106.  

Dec 15th - Annual Family Gingerbread Open House

Dec 15th - Annual Family Gingerbread Open House

(Click the link above for more information)

The Mountainside Restoration Committee invites all families with children to attend their annual Family Gingerbread Open House on Sunday, December 15, from 1 - 4pm. Both the Hetfield House and the Levi Cory House will be decorated for the holidays to welcome community members.

Learning from our Mistakes.

This is one of the great missives of the human race.  Here, it applies to adults who discipline their kids when they (the adults) are angry.  It seems understandable on the surface we all get frustrated when people (especially our own flesh and blood) ignore us and continue acting out the same “bad” behavior.

Some adults take the easy way out and simply over medicate their children.  I have heard that kids as young as two years old are being treated improperly with medication…TWO YEARS OLD!  It is time to stop and think about the long-term detriment you may be causing by lashing out or over medicating your child.

My name is Dr. Steven Sussman.  I have been consulting parents on the delicate balance of medication, discipline, and real psychological therapy for decades.  Would you like to talk more about your particular situation?  I assure you, it is NOT unique.  Let’s meet in my Mountainside NJ office at your convenience.  Call me Dr. Steven Sussman at (908) 217-8106.  

Seeing is Believing.

It is one of the oldest phrases in the book.  Truer words were never spoken.  When it comes to child psychology “seeing is believing” could be difficult because how can you really “see” the work of a particular professional without first experiencing his or her work?  That could be a tough proposition.

Dr. Steven Sussman agrees.  That is why when you visit sussmankids.com you may go to the videos page and learn more about different disorders from the man himself.  He will explain such conditions as oppositional defiant disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, adolescent depression, and much more.

The next move is up to you.  Now you have “met” someone who may be the answer to your child’s healthier future.  His name again is Dr. Steven Sussman.  He has consultations at his office located at 615 Sherwood Pkwy. in Mountainside New Jersey.  To arrange that first meeting just call (908) 217-8106.