“Psychology: Get a quick start on your school year • Columnists (www.HometownAnnapolis.com[[[SHIFTIN ...” plus 1 more |
| Posted: 26 Aug 2010 09:38 AM PDT When asked how he felt about middle school starting up again, Mike answered, "It's like a horror field. It's awful. It seems like it gets worse every year because it gets harder and there is more work." With the beginning of school there are probably a lot of children feeling the "horror" that Mike expressed. Once summer vacation ends, there is a sudden loss of quiet mornings, lazy afternoons and long evenings free from obligation. Instead, there is a structured schedule that usually requires kids to get up early, spend much of the day in class and do homework in the evening. Of course, not all kids dread school, and once they get readjusted most find it isn't as bad as they imagined. It's just the initial transition back into the school schedule that throws some kids out of kilter. Much of that initial struggle can be attributed to the relatively sudden and drastic change in students' daily rhythm. Any time there is a rapid change in the sleep-wake schedule, some kids are going to suffer. This is because the brain tends to "imprint" its daily rhythm of sleeping and waking, and when that is suddenly altered it takes time for it to reprogram. Most kids need to get about eight hours of sleep each night, although many run much shorter than this because they go to bed much too late. That is especially true for high school students, who often are required to get up very early to start school, but then have trouble going to bed on time because they are still studying or relaxing into the night. This can lead to some pretty tired and irritable kids in the first few weeks of school. Many youngsters can use a little extra care and attention during this adjustment phase. They also sometimes need help grasping the larger view of their school day. One approach that might help your child get a quick start to school is to sit down and explain the schedule by drawing a clock with each section labeled with the day's various activities. Emphasize the importance of getting enough sleep by going to bed on time and waking up on time. It also may help to explain how their extracurricular activities fit into each day and how they can more efficiently balance the demands facing them. Some kids who struggle with school have hidden learning or social problems. They often recoil at academic and reading demands, and show visible signs of frustration with school. Not until they are evaluated does it become apparent that they were reacting like that as a way of coping with their learning problem. If you suspect your child may have some learning or attention problems, have him evaluated early in his academic career. Of course, school is not just about mastering academic skills. School also offers one of the first glimpses into the personality and sociability of a child. While most children are initially somewhat oblivious to the social aspects of school in the earlier grades, others are painfully shy. These "slow to warm up" kids may need a lot of extra time and attention to help them learn how to overcome their anxiety and their initial desire for avoidance. But with the proper encouragement and support, they can often overcome their reflexive avoidance and eventually settle in for a great school year. Even though it may seem cool for kids to say negative things about school, the truth is that many of them like it. School offers them a special place of their own to be individuals and to develop their own skill set. Teachers play a vital role, too. Studies of learning and success in our society have shown repeatedly that children who find or develop a mentorlike relationship with a responsible adult often fare much better than those who don't. When asked, most kids will say that the most pleasant part of school is seeing their friends again. Many also enjoy getting back into the groove with school-based activities like the band, drama club, sports teams or service organizations. Studies have shown that students involved in extracurricular activities tend to have higher grades, better emotional satisfaction with school and fewer problems with drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity or run-ins with the law. Clearly, as much important learning occurs in these activities as in the classroom itself. So, rather than school being a "horror field," let's hope this year will be about learning, activities and friendships that can last a lifetime. Rather than being miserable, students can celebrate their favorite subjects, favorite teachers and favorite things to do while continuing to grow and develop as unique individuals. --- Dr. Scott E. Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist with Spectrum Behavioral Health in Annapolis and Arnold. For services or ideas regarding this column, call 410-757-2077 or write to 1509 Ritchie Highway, Suite F, Arnold, MD 21012. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Psychology professor studies structural basis for autism disorders Posted: 25 Aug 2010 03:53 PM PDT There is still much that is unknown about autism spectrum disorders, but a University of Nevada, Reno psychologist has added to the body of knowledge that researchers around the world are compiling to try to demystify, prevent and treat the mysterious condition. "Autism is a unique developmental disability," states Jeffrey Hutsler, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno, who recently completed a six-year study of brain tissue that, for the first time, provided physical evidence of short-range over-connectivity in the outer layer of the brain's cortex in those with autism disorders. "It creates a lot of noise in the brain, so to speak," he explained. "There was a higher density of synaptic connections, about 20 percent." Although this short-range over-connectivity had been hypothesized, Hutsler is the first to examine postmortem tissue samples and provide physical evidence of the condition. His research was published recently in the journal, Brain Research. He says his study supports the types of treatments the University is providing at its Early Childhood Autism Program, with early intervention behavioral therapies. "This is in the layer of the cortex that is one of the last to develop, and a lot of these connections are refined after birth up to about age 4," Hutsler explained. "As you interact with the environment, you sculpt them out." Those with autism are typically detached from their environment. Hutsler said that their interaction with the environment, or lack thereof, may interfere with that sculpting process. Early intervention with behavioral therapy during the preschool years may be able to aid that sculpting or weeding-out process. Working mostly with 2- to 5-year-olds, tutors at the University's Early Childhood Autism Program spend a minimum of 30 hours per week, one-on-one with each child for at least two years. The tutors, graduate and undergraduate students who are under faculty supervision, use applied behavior analysis, employing positive reinforcement techniques that strengthen appropriate interaction and behavior, as well as decrease inappropriate behavior. The program is very effective, with virtually all participants showing improvement and about 50 percent showing total recovery from the disorder, meaning they are indistinguishable from their peers when they enter elementary school, according to the program's director, Patrick Ghezzi. In fact, Ghezzi has been asked to speak about the methods and the UNR Early Childhood Autism Program throughout the world, and has helped to start other programs modeled after Nevada's in countries such as Jordan, Saudi Arabia, German and Portugal. The University's doctoral program in behavior analysis is one of a handful of such accredited programs in the country. Victoria Follette, chair of the University's psychology department, says that research such as Hutsler's is part of her department's increased emphasis in neuroscience research. "Research in these areas is key to providing the scientific foundation for our understanding of this disorder and has both local and international implications in the treatment of autism," she states. Ghezzi is glad to have Hutsler, who joined the University in 2006, as part of the University's psychology and autism research team, stating, "He's at the frontier of research in the biomedical field." This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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