Anxiety & Related Disorders
All children feel anxious or worried sometimes. However, when anxiety gets to a point where it interferes everyday life, they may have an anxiety disorder. This can be a result of social interaction or fear of certain things. We treat several anxiety and related disorders.
Agoraphobia
Fear of leaving home, being in crowded places
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Excessive worries
Panic Disorder
Fear of having panic attacks
School Refusal
Refusal to go to school or participate in class
Selective Mutism
Refusal to talk in certain situations
Separation Anxiety
Distress at being separated from loved ones
Social Anxiety/Social Phobia
Fear of social situations
Phobias
Excessive fear of specific things such as dogs, needles, bugs, etc.
Depression & Related Disorders
Children who experience depression feel sadness, lose interest in everyday activities and are bored with life.
The depression may manifest itself with friends, school, appetite, or sleep patterns. Depressed children are often moody, angry, unpredictable, and challenging to reach. If a child’s symptoms begin to interfere with their ability to function, it may be time to seek professional help. We treat the a variety of depressive and related disorders.
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder - extremely irritable, frequent temper outbursts
- Persistent Depressive Disorder/Dysthymia - chronic depression for months or years
- Major Depressive Disorder - mild-severe depression with clear start of symptoms
- Other depressive disorders
Disruptive Behavior & Related Disorders
When a child is repeatedly defiant, oppositional, or hostile, and this behavior negatively impacts their relationships with family members or peers, they may have a disruptive behavior disorder such as:
- Conduct Disorder - breaks rules/laws intentionally, harms others
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder - argues a lot, intentionally annoys others
- Other disruptive behavior disorders
Elimination Disorders
Even after being toilet trained, some children still have accidents during the day or night. We treat the following issues when medical reasons have been ruled out:
- Enuresis - bedwetting, daytime accidents
- Encopresis- -soiling during daytime or night
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders
Most children go through phases where they become obsessed with something new, like a game or a song. A simple change in routine could even upset them. But if a child is so rigid that they can't tolerate a routine change or if routines control their lives in a problematic way, they may benefit from treatment. Other tell-tale signs include pulling out their hair or picking at their skin.
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - excessive repetitive checking, washing, praying, etc.
- Trichotillomania/Hair-Pulling Disorder - compulsively pulling out hair, eyebrows
- Excoriation/Skin-Picking Disorder - compulsively picks at skin repetitively, excessively
- Other obsessive-compulsive disorders
ADHD & Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Some children with neurodevelopmental disorders have difficulty concentrating or are impulsive or hyperactive. Others may have difficulty making and keeping friends or understanding non-verbal communication. They might even make unusual movements or noises that they can’t control. We provide treatment for:
- ADHD - difficulty paying attention, impulsive, hyperactive
- Tic Disorders - involuntary movements or noises, Tourette’s
Sleep Disorders
Some children have a lot of difficulty sleeping well. Sometimes they can’t fall asleep for hours, sometimes they get up in the middle of the night and wake family members, and sometimes they start their day too early and disrupt the household. Sleep problems can often be successfully treated with evidence-based behavioral treatments.
We treat insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, waking up in the middle of the night, waking up too early.
Trauma Disorders
Unfortunately, many children go through traumatic experiences that stick with them and interfere with their relationships, school performance, mood, behaviors and thoughts. Childhood trauma has been widely studied and has lead to proven-treatments that reduce trauma-related symptoms. We treat many trauma-related disorders.
We've been awarded a grant to form The MetroWest Evidence-based Trauma-Informed Referral & Treatment Initiative for Children (METRIC). METRIC aims to increase access to trauma-focused, evidence-based services for children and adolescents ages 2 to 18, and their families, in school and community-based settings in Waltham, Boston, and surrounding communities. Learn more at bakercenter.org/METRIC
- Acute Stress Disorder - anxiety, mood symptoms, difficulty concentrating right after a traumatic event
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - anxiety, mood, physical symptoms several months after a traumatic event
- Adjustment Disorders - anxiety, mood, behavioral symptoms after a life stressor such as grief/loss, chronic or new major medical condition, parental divorce, changing schools, etc.
- Other trauma and stress disorders