Mental Health Disorders in Children and Youth It estimated that nearly 1 in 5 Ontario children under the age of 19 experiences a mental, emotional or behavioural disorder that is severe enough to seriously affect their daily functioning at home, school or within the community1. The good news is that early diagnosis and treatment lead to better outcomes for children later in life. Some of the more common mental health disorders affecting children and youth are listed below. Click … [Read more...]
Canada Mental Health ‘stuck’ in Groundhog Day
January 31, 2015 by
The Mental Health Commission of Canada Is Stuck in Groundhog Day What am I missing here? The Mental Health Commission of Canada has just released the first of two reports on indicators showing how poorly we treat those with mental illness in Canada. I really have to ask why, as this is something we already know. In May, 2006, the Canadian Senate released its study of mental health in Canada called Out of the Shadows At Last. What went into that report was based on more than 2,000 … [Read more...]
Thyroid Disease, a plethora of symptoms, Take Action
January 27, 2015 by
Image thanks to Hypothyroid Mom/FB It's estimated that as many as 59 million Americans have a thyroid problem, but the majority don't know it yet. The thyroid, a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck, is the master gland of metabolism. When your thyroid doesn't function, it can affect every aspect of your health, and in particular, weight, depression and energy levels. Since undiagnosed thyroid problems can dramatically increase your risk of obesity, heart disease, depression, … [Read more...]
Celebrate Hot Tea Month, with a cup for your Mental Health
January 15, 2015 by
January is Hot Tea Month in Canada! Canadians drink almost 10 million cups of tea each year, and in the midst of the frosty winter weather, the hot beverage is a great way for tea lovers to drink their way to good health. Not only does tea taste great, but there is a large and growing body of research backing it as a healthy, good-for-you beverage,” says Louise Roberge, President of the Tea Association of Canada. When it comes to mental health, drinking tea can be an excellent addition to … [Read more...]
Reiki, “Rei” – Universal + “Ki” – Life Force
January 11, 2015 by
What is Reiki? Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by "laying on hands" and is based on the idea that an unseen "life force energy" flows through us and is what causes us to be alive. If one's "life force energy" is low, then we are more likely to get sick or feel stress, and if it is high, we are more capable of being happy and healthy. The word Reiki is made of two Japanese words - Rei which means "God's … [Read more...]
Can we predict psychotic illness in teens?
January 9, 2015 by
The Centre works with Ontario child and youth mental health agencies to strengthen services and build an effective and accessible system of care. We offer a diverse collection of tools, services, products and training to help professionals find, use and share evidence that will improve outcomes on the front line of care. The Centre strives to strengthen front-line service outcomes by helping Ontario child and youth mental health agencies use evidence to provide the best possible care. We … [Read more...]
Child Rights for 25 years, ‘better or worse’ today?
November 22, 2014 by
Kurdish refugee children from the Syrian town of Kobani in a makeshift classroom at a refugee camp in the border town of Suruc on November 18, 2014. OSMAN ORSAL/REUTERS Twenty-five years since the United Nations ratified its Convention on the Rights of the Child, have the lives of the world’s children improved? A new report tried to answer that question and found some gains among ongoing and long-standing challenges. Examining the quality of life for children in 190 countries, the report … [Read more...]
How Safe Are Your Children from Human Trafficking?
November 13, 2014 by
Warning: This post is one of the most important we’ve ever featured, but it isn’t the easiest to read. Anti-human trafficking advocate, Deirdre Flynn, interviewed Holly Smith, a survivor and author, about her experience as a victim of the sex industry. The story is below. Envy is often what makes our children vulnerable to predators. Pimps and slavers promote discontent. They fill immature minds with dreams of the exciting and glamorous life others are living. A life that has been out of … [Read more...]
