Shy children are being diagnosed with "social anxiety disorder" and treated with prozac. Should we not turn to confidence booster techniques instead?

So now psycologists are telling us a shy child has social anxiety and a sad child has depression. What’s their solution. Prozac! HEY!!!? Surely careful support by parents, teachers, coaches, play groups, children’s authors, child practitioners will be a better solution. There is a wealth of help and support for shy children. We need Confidence boosters for children not Prozac!!! Theres a name for a beneficial facebook group if there ever was one!

The reason I am discussing this is the new guidelines in place in America for treating shy children with drugs for social anxiety disorder. Do we want this brought over to the UK? I’d suggest strongly – NO!! Kate Fallon, general secretary of the Association of Educational Psychologists, told delegates: “In 2013 we’re expecting new criteria for the definition of mental illness to be adopted here in the UK. These criteria will lead to many more children being diagnosed as mentally ill, based on reports of their behaviours.” So I ask: Is shyness a mental disorder that needs treating? Or something a lot of children go through while they learn about the world and about themselves? Surely its support and not drugs that our children need.

Martin Beckford, Health Correspondent in the Telegraph states our shy children “could be prescribed powerful medication such as Prozac or Ritalin to control or alter their behaviour.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8763431/Shy-children-at-risk-of-being-diagnosed-with-mental-disorder.html What ? What about long lasting effects? What about dealing with problems?What about finding solutions? Working through issues? What about social interaction and communication skill building? There are all things we need to learn and through experience and knowledge can be found easily.

Recent figures show 650,000 children aged between eight and 13 are on pscyhotropic drugs, up from just 9,000 two decades ago, while others are taking Prozac for depression or anxiety. Fears are growing that the number of children diagnosed with mental disorders and prescribed drugs will increase still further after 2013, when a new “bible” of the psychiatric profession is published. This is called DSM. The British Psychological Society have raised concerns about the proposed revisions to the DSM.

Prof Peter Kinderman, chairman of the society’s Division of Clinical Psychology, said: “We’re not certain that a diagnosis and a medical response is the best way to help these kids.” Here, Here!

Understand and help , not diagnose and treat with medication.

I was a very shy child at school. I would feel too shy to ask for a new work book once mine had finished… but yet through growing up my job is singing and entertaining thousands of people across the country every weekend. Thank goodness I dealt with my problem and didn’t turn to medication , else id be the same now. Hiding behind others, feeling intimidated by other people, feeling insecure, having low self esteem. But I did not have a mental disorder and I strongly suggest neither do most of our shy children. I recommend some other methods of help. Lets help our children now by helping them;

· Boost their Self Esteem

· Improve their Confidence

· Find their special talents

· Explore their strengths

· Interact and socialize in groups they enjoy

· Find a respect for themselves and others

· Form friendships

· Appreciate their uniqueness

Where can you find support for these confidence builders

· Local Community Centres

· Play Groups/Toddler Groups/ Activity Groups

· Childrens Books that include these issues of confidence , esteem and self respect

· Workshops/Drama Groups/Music Groups

I would highly recommend that shy children read The Magic Sunglasses and join the website www.themagicsunglasses.com . So they can interact and learn about shyness and how you can live successful, happy and confident lives. Auriel Blanche the wonderful author and founder of The Magic Sunglasses project connects and empowers children across the UK with this book and workshop. It’s a great benefit for children who are shy- and it beats taking them to the doctors to merely be diagnosed from a book and treated with medication which will not help them over come their shyness problem!!

Lets empower our shy children to socialise and interact with others by finding others of a similar age and similar interests to help form friendships, learn about each other and themselves. We are all special and equal. A positive child, a confident child and an empowered child will strive for success, strive for their potential and live a more fun and satisfying life- We owe our children the best. So please please help your children and do not abide to the DSM and the psychologists who are stopping our shy children from being happy!!

Who is to blame for the urgent threat of eating disorders on our children?

There is an urgent need for services to recognise and treat eating disorders in young children, say experts. So I call for a new ethical editorial code with the promotion of diverse body shapes within the media, an increased understanding of eating disorders and knowledge of treatments from our GPs and more support services aimed at younger children. 1.6 million people in the UK are affected by an eating disorder. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. It is effecting our children and we must act now!!

According to BBC News. “The study of UK and Irish data suggests three in every 100,000 children under the age of 13 have an eating disorder, including children as young as six.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12920551 Shockingly there has been an 80% rise in the number of young girls admitted to hospital with anorexia in England over the last decade. Who do we blame? Parents?Media?GPs?

It has been suggested in another News Report that GPs are failing on treating and supporting those with eating disorders “Based on a survey of 1,500 people with eating disorders, the report found many thought their GP lacked knowledge about treatments, or how to access them.” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7905223.stm If our own doctors don’t understand or support our children who are suffering with eating disorders where can our children turn to?

Psychiatrists at the Royal College of Psychiatry blame Media for our children’s eating disorders. Their view is that the media promotes unhealthy body images and glamourising eating disorders. Dr Adrienne Key from the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Eating Disorders Section said "Although biological and genetic factors play an important role in the development of these disorders, psychological and social factors are also significant…..That's why we are calling on the media to take greater responsibility for the messages it sends out." Magazines, Celebrities , TV programmes, Adverts, all include underweight models, often airbrushed, making children feel insecure about themselves and gives them low selfesteems. Can we blame the models? The Celebrities? Or are they themselves under the same sad pressure of getting to the size zero ‘media portrayed perfection’?

So I’ve discussed the problem, pointed my fingers at those to blame but lets look for help.

The main support groups I found for eating disorders, were aimed at adolescents and not young children. Dr Dasha Nicholls, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, said there were huge developmental differences between children and adolescents and adults. "Our study shows there is an urgent need to consider the needs of children with eating disorders separately and not simply lower the age range of existing adolescent services." So we must take note from the expert, I’m in agreement. Where puberty can be the cause of low self esteem and eating disorders it is important to understand that we are talking about younger children with the same disorder. Simply lowering the age groups within these support services just wouldn’t be enough. We need to find services which specifically aim their help at younger children, after all we are talking about children as young as six!

Which brings me to the fabulous charity Beat. B-eat. (beating eating disorders) Beat’s vision is that eating disorders will be beaten. They aim to ; change the way everyone thinks and talks about eating disorders, improve the way services and treatment are provided and to help anyone believe that their eating disorder can be beaten Beat is great, they focus on challenging the stereotypes and stigma that people with eating disorders face. They are constantly campaigning for better services and treatment. They also provide information, support and encourage children to seek treatment and recovery. “Beat is the leading eating disorders charity in the UK and last year had direct contact with 250,000 people. In its 21st year the organisation campaigns to raise awareness, influence decision takers and offers information and support to those affected.” http://www.b-eat.co.uk/

Lets not forget that parents, carers, schools all have a responsibility to keep our children safe and healthy . There may not be many eating disorder organisations to help our children currently but there are other organisations that offer services to help boost children’s self esteem. That are confidence builders, that teach that we are all unique and that we all have different strengths and weaknesses. That we should love ourselves for the strengths we do have and not punish ourselves for what others may perceive as weaknesses.

The Magic Sunglasses Project for example is an organization that gives children the tools to develop real practical self confidence. Provides the path and strategy for children to fulfil their potential. It also helps children discover they have the power to make choices in their lives. The over all message being that we all have true special and unique qualities. It teaches children to value themselves, have respect for others. It empowers children to be themselves , to develop confidently with a healthy self esteem. It supplys children with the skills to live happy successful lives and to live without the pressure of conforming to the issues that create eating disorders in the first instance! : )

Written by Kaley Herrick ,researcher of child development related to the creative arts.