Dental care for children with selective mutism

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-77
Author(s):  
Mona Agel ◽  
Gino Hipolito

Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder that is characterised by a consistent failure to speak in certain social settings where the individual is expected to speak while in other situations, speech is normal. It often starts in childhood and is thought to affect around 1 in 140 children in the UK. If recognised and treated early, SM can be overcome but left untreated, it can lead to long-term problems. It is thought to be caused by a complex interaction between various vulnerabilities such as genetics, temperament, environment and neurodevelopmental factors. Treatment methods are variable and can include non-medication-based therapies (eg behavioural therapy) or pharmacotherapy. This paper specifically addresses the child with SM. Few professionals are trained in dealing with SM and many have little knowledge of the condition. SM awareness for parents and professionals along with appropriate information and intervention techniques are vital. For children with SM, dental visits can prove challenging. Each child is unique in how they present with their difficulties. A child attending the dentist for a dental problem or a routine examination may not yet be diagnosed with SM, and so knowledge of the condition and what appropriate services are available is important. The dental team should understand the possible modes of therapy that the child is receiving and work with these principles during dental appointments. Simple strategies such as asking the parent how best to communicate with the child, understanding what makes the child feel at ease and whether the child has any other phobias or anxieties can help.

2007 ◽  
Vol 190 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Børge Sivertsen ◽  
Inger Hilde Nordhus

SummaryComplaints of insomnia are very common, especially in older adults. Although pharmacotherapy is the most common form of treatment, recent evidence shows cognitive–behavioural therapy to be superior in the short- and long-term management of insomnia. Low-threshold intervention programmes may reduce both the individual and societal burden of insomnia, coexisting with or without other mental or physical disorders.


2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 450-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanju George ◽  
Vijaya Murali

Pathological gambling has so far received scant attention in the psychiatric literature. It has a prevalence rate of about 1% in most countries, and with the deregulation of gambling in the UK the prevalence is set to rise here. Pathological gambling can adversely affect the individual, family and society, and also carries high rates of psychiatric comorbidity. Early identification and appropriate treatment can limit the long-term adverse consequences and improve outcome. This article reviews assessment techniques and tools, and treatment strategies for pathological gambling.


UK-Vet Equine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 265-268
Author(s):  
Clarissa Seeley ◽  
Stella Chapman

Equine obesity is defined as a medical disease in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it has an adverse effect on the general health of the horse. Obesity is a cause for concern, with one-third of the equine population in the UK being regarded as obese, although owner recognition of obesity in horses is an inherent problem, with many underestimating the body condition or weight of their horse. This is further complicated by the fact that with larger framed horses, or horses that are already overweight, assessing body condition is more difficult. There are a number of ways to assess body condition and the most practical means of regular assessment is body condition scoring, although this is regarded as subjective. As with many diseases and disorders, the cause of obesity is multifactorial. However, the most common reason for a horse to become obese is overfeeding, coupled with a lack of exercise. Obesity can be addressed with client education and veterinary nurses can provide advice on weight management programmes. However, these need to be tailored to the individual horse and owners need to recognise that they are entering into a long-term commitment.


Author(s):  
Charu Kriti

Selective mutism is a disorder that is characterized by a failure to speak in certain social settings, like the school, while speaking normally in other settings, like home. The settings in which the failure to speak occur are those where speech is expected from the individual. It is a disorder that onsets in childhood, and if left untreated, may go well into adolescence. For a very long time, this disorder has been overlooked and understudied. Though rare, the disorder may pose a potential threat to the social and academic development of a child suffering from it. The DSM-5 has classified selective mutism as an anxiety disorder. The present chapter intends to cover the psychosocial approach to the disorder, the diagnostic criteria, the etiology, the treatment of the disorder, and the management by respective caregivers. An analysis of case studies has also been given in the chapter.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Denford ◽  
Fiona Mowbray ◽  
Lauren Towler ◽  
Helena Wehling ◽  
Gemma Lasseter ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The aim of this work was to explore barriers and facilitators to uptake of COVID-19 vaccines and to explore views and reactions to efforts to improve vaccine uptake among those who were vaccine hesitant. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with people between the age of 18-29 years who had not had a COVID-19 vaccine, and those between 30-49 years who have not received a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine (more than 12 weeks after receiving a first). Results A total of 70 participants took part in the study, 35 participants had received one dose of the vaccine, and 35 had not received any vaccine. Participants described a possible willingness to be vaccinated to keep themselves and those around them safe, and to avoid restrictions and return to normal. Barriers to uptake included: 1) perceived lack of need for COVID-19 vaccinations, 2) concerns about the efficacy of vaccinations, 3) concerns about safety 4) access. Uptake appeared to be influenced by the age and health status of the individual, trust in government and knowledge and understanding of science. Introduction of vaccine passes may provide a motive for having a vaccine but may also be viewed as coercive. Conclusion Participants were hesitant, rather than opposed, and had questions about their need for, and the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Young people did not consider themselves to be at risk of becoming ill from COVID-19, did not think the vaccination was effective in preventing infection and transmission, and did not think sufficient research had been conducted with regard to the possible long-term side-effects. These concerns were exacerbated by a lack of trust in the government and misunderstanding of science. In order to promote uptake, public health campaigns should focus on the provision of information from trusted sources that carefully explains the benefits of vaccination and addresses safety concerns more effectively. To overcome inertia in people with low levels of motivation to be vaccinated, appointments must be easily accessible.


2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 7-7
Author(s):  
E Febery ◽  
L Greening

Weaning occurs during the development of the young horse, involving maternal deprivation, abrupt nutritional challenges and social changes (Nicol, 1999) in both the free-living and domestic horse. Both psychological and physical aspects of well being can be impacted on if weaning is received with a negative response by the individual (Hoffman et al., 1995). Weaning can therefore evoke both short term and long term responses. Short term includes depressed immunity, inappetance and increased cortisol and adrenal responses. Long term changes include locomotory or oral stereotypies development (Waters et al., 2002), reduced ability to interact with other equines (Weeks et al., 2000), and affects on the human-horse bond and trainability (Sondergaard and Ladewig, 2004). There is an abundance of research discussing the advantages and disadvantages of different foal weaning practices and which is best (Waran et al., 2008). Parker et al., (2008) examined horse breeding management in Europe, North America and Australia. The USA sample population were weaned at a much earlier age with a greater percentage displaying abnormal behaviours. However there is little research to suggest which weaning methods, such as gradual or abrupt, are actively used or favoured within the horse breeding industry. The current study therefore sets out to investigate which method of weaning is most common within the UK equine breeding industry.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Budzynski-Seymour ◽  
James Steele ◽  
Michelle Jones

Physical activity (PA) is considered essential to overall health yet it is consistently reported that children are failing to meet the recommended levels. Due to the bidirectional relationship between affective states and PA, affective responses are a potential predictor to long term engagement. Since late March 2020 the UK government enforced ‘lockdown’ measures to help control the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19); however, this has impacted children’s PA. Using online resources at home to support PA is now common. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the use of the Change4Life 10-minute Shake Ups to support PA by examining the effects of Disney branding upon children’s (n=32) post activity affective responses and perceived exertion. The secondary was to investigate the effect of the lockdown on PA habits. Children had similar positive affective responses and perceived effort to activities; however, branding was considered to be a key contributing factor based upon qualitative feedback from parents. Children’s PA levels dropped slightly since ‘lockdown’ was imposed; though online resources have been utilised to support PA. The use of immersive elements such as characters and narrative in PA sessions, as well as utilising online resources during ‘lockdown’ appear potentially promising for future research.


Author(s):  
Margaretta Jolly

This ground-breaking history of the UK Women’s Liberation Movement explores the individual and collective memories of women at its heart. Spanning at least two generations and four nations, and moving through the tumultuous decades from the 1970s to the present, the narrative is powered by feminist oral history, notably the British Library’s Sisterhood and After: The Women’s Liberation Oral History Project. The book mines these precious archives to bring fresh insight into the lives of activists and the campaigns and ideas they mobilised. It navigates still-contested questions of class, race, violence, and upbringing—as well as the intimacies, sexualities and passions that helped fire women’s liberation—and shows why many feminists still regard notions of ‘equality’ or even ‘equal rights’ as insufficient. It casts new light on iconic campaigns and actions in what is sometimes simplified as feminism’s ‘second wave’, and enlivens a narrative too easily framed by ideological abstraction with candid, insightful, sometimes painful personal accounts of national and less well-known women activists. They describe lives shaped not only by structures of race, class, gender, sexuality and physical ability, but by education, age, love and cultural taste. At the same time, they offer extraordinary insights into feminist lifestyles and domestic pleasures, and the crossovers and conflicts between feminists. The work draws on oral history’s strength as creative method, as seen with its conclusion, where readers are urged to enter the archives of feminist memory and use what they find there to shape their own political futures.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document