Connecticut Children's Blog

Want a fun craft project that will soothe your child during moments of stress? Make a calming bottle to add to their coping toolbox! Calm down bottles are great for kids who are in timeout, fidgety or struggling with sensory overload, or just feeling anxious. Pediatric psychologist Melissa Santos, PhD, head of Connecticut Children’s Division […]

By Melissa Santos, PhD, Tim LaVigne, PhD, and Michael Reiss, PsyD Parenting teenagers can be hard, especially as they become more independent (or as they like to call it: I can’t wait to live on my own!). Teenage years are also the time when many children first experience mental health struggles. Research from the CDC […]

Christie Uipi, a former patient at Connecticut Children’s, recently launched a video series on YouTube called “Feelings & Stuff,” aimed at teens and adults facing common mental health issues such as fear, depression and anxiety. Christie was diagnosed with Crohn’s in middle school and remained a Connecticut Children’s patient through college. She now lives in […]

By Lauren K. Ayr-Volta, PhD, and Kelly Maynes, PsyD As we’ve weathered the ups and downs of the pandemic, some parents and pediatric experts have noticed an increase in teen anxiety and depression. For general advice on how to support your teen, check out Is Your Teen Stressed, Sad or Angry? They May Be Feeling Grief. If […]

By Kelly Maynes, PsyD, and Lauren K. Ayr-Volta, PhD This pandemic has been uniquely tough for teenagers. Teens are wired for independence, but instead, they’ve been stuck at home. Their brains are primed for social connections, but in many ways, they’ve been cut off from friends. And just as they’re approaching big milestones – like prom […]