I'm always saddened, but not surprised, when I see articles like this. My experience in the field so far has been that physicians typically have good intentions when doing something like this, trying to provide a short-term solution (i.e., medication) while a family engages in a long-term solution (e.g., parent training like PCIT), so the medication can be reduced over time. Unfortunately, families start the medications, think "wow, Johnny is behaving much better, we don't have any problems now" and don't follow-up for the therapy. (It's rarely that simple, sometimes families are unable to make it to the other site, sometimes they can't make the frequent appointments fit their schedules, etc.)

Because, in theory, physicians should be the experts who self-enforce restrictions, most likely. It's also incredibly difficult to monitor and restrict medications, and it can cause a lot of headaches for the families that actually need those medications, so they seem to reserve the restrictions for prescriptions that can be potentially abused by addicted patients.

Having good sleep hygiene can be just as effective as well. But, there will always be cases where technology will have its limitations, especially when there are environmental and interpersonal stressors that are playing a role. I encourage people to try these types of things, work on sleep hygiene, diet, and exercise, but to still be open to seeing a therapist if those things don't work. And, if they don't work, that's not necessarily a sign that you can't be helped! These solutions all target specific potential causes, but not every cause, and a skilled therapist can help with the actual identification of what is likely happening. From there, treatment can be tailored.

Very interesting post! And it generally fits with what I've learned during my training in terms of neurodevelopment and memory abilities. It's good to see articles like this with truth to them, rather than something along the lines of "Baby formula leads to malnourished brains that can't remember the first three years of life. Add these 5 herbal extracts to your baby's formula to guarantee they'll become a genius!"

Glad to be here! As long as we avoid arguing that vaccines cause autism and claiming that meditation will cure cancer, I think I can avoid shaking my head. Especially in clinical psych, we're nice and would rather have a discussion about the topic than just shake our heads =)

Thanks! I'm glad to be here now so I can see great content and contribute!

I got into baking when I was little because it was almost like doing a science experiment, with all of the measurements and reactions. The exactness of it can be fun in its own way.

Different things are much less exact when it comes to baking. Breads in general I've found to be tough, but pies (if you just use the pre-made crusts) are much easier!

Hadn't listened to this one before. Thanks for sharing!

In what area?

Doctoral student in clinical child psychology, with interests in pediatric psychology (working with kids who have chronic medical conditions)

Glad to be here!

Nice to meet you too! I do, but sites like this can be a good way to relax and recharge after working on things all day.