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If your child has been diagnosed with depression or has signs or symptoms of childhood depression, you may be wondering if natural remedies for depression, such as St. John’s wort, are appropriate. Here’s what you need to know about the effectiveness and safety of St. John’s wort for treating childhood depression. What Is St. John’s Wort? St. John’s wort is an over-the-counter natural herb also known as Hypericum perforatum, Klamath weed, hypericum, and goatweed....

There are plenty of reasons a kid may share a bedroom with a sibling. Maybe there’s limited room in the house. Perhaps parents want their kids to have a stronger bond. Childhood nostalgia may be at play: A recent poll says that up to 60% of people shared a bedroom with a brother or sister while growing up. There can be a lot of practical benefits to having kids share a room, but there are also challenges....

Lopsided breasts while breastfeeding are common. You may experience varying degrees of unevenness in your breasts during the time you are breastfeeding. Depending on which breast you last nursed on and whether you breastfeed from one side or both sides at each feeding, your breasts will fill up with breast milk at different rates. As long as your child is getting enough breast milk and growing at a steady rate, uneven breasts aren’t anything to worry about....

When family members are separated from one another, it may impact their mental health, regardless of the reason why. Folx may have little control over their family’s separation, and the mental health effects resulting from separation deserve attention. This article delves into some of the ways in which family members may be separated and discusses how family separation impacts the mental health of both caregivers and children. Detention and Deportation of Immigrants According to a 2020 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Report, the number of deportations affecting undocumented immigrant family members and unaccompanied immigrant minors continues to increase each year....

Each generation of parents develops its signature parenting style. While no description can cover every parent, of course, past stereotypes of parenting styles include: 1950s: Adult-centric family structure, where children were part of the family, but not the focus of the family. Adults and children lived parallel lives, with parents interacting with children for discipline and life lessons. Children were sent off to play on their own. 1960s: A continuation of the 1950s, with a move towards more permissiveness and creativity....

What Is Night Eating Syndrome? Night eating syndrome (NES) is a specific eating disorder. People with the condition consume most of the food they eat at night, even waking up from sleep in order to eat. People with NES often eat because they believe that it will improve sleep or help them fall back asleep. Those who have this condition often have little appetite in the morning and frequently skip breakfast....

There are a number of disorders that don’t technically meet the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnostic criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, they have very similar symptoms. The DSM-5 has a whole chapter dedicated to these similar disorders entitled “Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders,” also known as obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. The obsessive-compulsive spectrum includes different clusters of symptoms that are similar to, but not exactly the same as, OCD symptoms....

While the world may be more accepting of mental health issues, disclosing your mental health condition is still quite a daunting endeavor. However, managing mental health issues while balancing work commitments can be difficult for some. It is no wonder why some individuals feel that discussing these struggles with their employer may be beneficial. Even so, these discussions are hard enough to have with your immediate family, let alone with those at your place of employment....

If you’re one of the four million people who practice CrossFit, you know that the type of cross-training shoe you buy is the key to optimizing your fitness. CrossFit is a form of interval training, made up of strength and conditioning exercises and functional movement performed at high intensity levels. What’s on your feet goes a long way in determining your fitness success in the CrossFit box. When looking for a shoe, consider shoes that offer stability and support so that they can bear weight....

An identity crisis is a developmental event that involves a person questioning their sense of self or place in the world. The concept originates in the work of developmental psychologist Erik Erikson, who believed that the formation of identity was one of the most important conflicts that people face. According to Erikson, an identity crisis is a time of intensive analysis and exploration of different ways of looking at oneself. Erikson noted that developing a sense of identity is important during the teenage years, though the formation and growth of identity is not confined to adolescence....

Autistic people have significantly lower life expectancies than the rest of the population. In 2022, the average global life expectancy is approximately 72 years old. For autistic people, though, the average life expectancy ranges from 39.5 years to 58 years. Language note: Although individual preferences exist, surveys of the autistic community consistently show that autistic people prefer identity-first language rather than person-first language (i.e., “autistic person” rather than “person with autism”)....

Knowing how to recognize when your child is sick and needs medical attention is important, both to get your child help when they need it and to prevent unnecessary visits to the doctor or emergency room. Most parents call their pediatrician when their child has a high fever. However, it is important to keep in mind that a fever is not the only sign of a serious illness. Whether or not your child has a fever, if they are very irritable (unusually fussy and can’t be consoled), confused, lethargic (doesn’t easily wake up), have difficulty breathing, or have a rapid or weak pulse, it’s time to call the doctor....

With hundreds of kids’ summer camps to choose from, it can take you longer to find the right camp than it will for your child to attend the session. Find one of the summer camps you don’t want your child to miss this year and make your decision easier with this breakdown of 13 summer camp options for kids of all ages. Academic Summer Camps Children who prefer to learn during the summer can take part in an academic camp....

There are four people you should never lie to—your doctor, your accountant, your lawyer, and your therapist. You’re paying these professionals for their expertise. They can’t help you if they don’t know the whole story. But as a therapist, I know a lot of people don’t tell me the truth. And as someone who sees a therapist, I also understand why it’s tempting to lie. How Many People Lie to Their Therapists?...

If you have PTSD, you may experience very strong feelings of anxiety, sadness, anger, guilt, or shame, to name only a few. When you feel several of these PTSD emotions in quick succession, it can be very hard to know what you’re feeling at any given moment. If it often happens that you don’t know what you’re feeling, you may be headed for problems such as: Being unable to manage your emotions and stay in control Choosing unhealthy coping skills, such as avoidance or self-medication with illegal drugs or alcohol Feeling out of control and anxious about what emotions are coming up next In extremely upsetting situations, some people may use dissociation (“blanking out,” or feeling that your emotions are disconnected from you) to distance themselves from all aspects of an emotion....

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental condition that affects how individuals living with the condition behave and communicate. It’s a condition that affects both children and adults. However, the symptoms vary from individual to individual. Symptoms of ASD also range in severity. Some people might only experience mild symptoms throughout the course of their lives, while some people might experience much more severe conditions. If left untreated, ASD could worsen in severity....

Breast engorgement is the development of hard, swollen, and painful breasts when too much breast milk accumulates in the milk ducts. Engorged breasts can feel tight, lumpy, and tender and the swelling may go all the way up into your armpit. Also, the veins on the surface of your breasts may become more visible or even stick out. This condition frequently occurs when breast milk first comes in, though it can happen at other times as well....

It can be overwhelming and difficult to learn that the child you are expecting or have just delivered has Down syndrome. You may experience conflicting feelings and have many questions. While breastfeeding may not be among the first things you think about, how you choose to feed your baby will be among the many important decisions you’ll make as a parent. Children with Down syndrome often have physical characteristics that can make breastfeeding a challenge....

It’s been months since the baby was born, and you’re finally going on that long-awaited date night. When considering restaurant options, your partner suggests sushi. However, it dawns on you that although you’re not pregnant anymore, you are still nursing. Since sushi is on the restricted list during pregnancy, you’re wondering whether you still need to avoid it postpartum. “Eating sushi in moderation while breastfeeding is perfectly safe. However, just as when pregnant, breastfeeding women should continue to avoid high mercury fish,” says Claire Virga, RD, MS CDN, registered dietitian with Rooted Wellness, a private nutrition practice dedicated to fertility, prenatal and postpartum health....

Pregnancy can be uncomfortable at times. You may be dealing with morning sickness, heartburn, or swollen ankles. But, what about pain, numbness, and tingling in your hands and wrists? If you have these symptoms, it could be carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). CTS is a common discomfort of pregnancy that you don’t often hear about. Here’s what you need to know about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of carpal tunnel in pregnancy....