Dr. Laurie's Specialties
Although many of the following behaviors may be seen at times in healthy developing children or adults, they can begin to negatively impact the child or adult and their family's daily functioning. Here are some of the red flags that are related to my area of expertise.
Anxiety Disorders - Do you, your child, or your partner:
Autism Spectrum/Neurodiversity - Do you, your child, or your partner:
Emotional Regulations - Do you, your child, or your partner:
Stress and Coping - Do you, your child, or your partner:
- Refuse to throw anything away?
- Worry all the time about being ill?
- Express excessive fears about undergoing routine events like getting a shot?
- Try to avoid going to school?
- Turn down most play invitations at other peoples' homes?
- Erase so many times that the paper tears?
- Use so much toilet paper that the toilet clogs?
- Hair-pulling, biting finger nails or scabs to the point that they bleed?
- Talk about dying?
Autism Spectrum/Neurodiversity - Do you, your child, or your partner:
- Act like the "little professor"?
- Lack empathy for others?
- Prefer to play alone?
- Have difficulty engaging in reciprocal circles of communication with peers?
- Play at a much younger developmental level - prefer to play with children who are younger (as the "teacher") or older (whom they can follow)?
- Have a limited range of emotions and have difficulty reading others' feelings and social cues?
Emotional Regulations - Do you, your child, or your partner:
- Experience emotions that go up and down in a very short period of time?
- Have frequent meltdowns?
- Make you feel as if you are walking on glass so that your child does not get upset?
Stress and Coping - Do you, your child, or your partner:
- Face a recent stress such as an illness, a move, parents' separation or illness in the family?
- Have a harder than expected time coping?
It is natural that a family would be undergoing a great deal of stress as they deal with Oncology, Premature Birth, or Chronic Illness. Still, a family may benefit from professional help. Click here for a helpful article on this topic.