I've been a little behind in updating my blog lately, so this one's a twofer! First, I share some useful tips on how to talk to teachers if your child has emotional or behavioral problems, in my latest News and Notes article for The Menninger Clinic, a world leader in psychiatric treatment, research and education headquartered in Houston. Any parent of a school-age child knows how challenging it can be to communicate with teachers. It is often difficult to know exactly what is going on inside the classroom. Who is right: your child, or the teacher? Communication is even more critical for parents of children with emotional and behavioral problems. “Teachers hold valuable information related to a child’s social and academic life,” says Elizabeth Newlin, director of the Adolescent Treatment Program at The Menninger Clinic. A teacher’s insight into a child’s emotional and behavioral changes plays a key role in the treatment process, she adds. Find out more in my article, Four ways to communicate with teachers about your special-needs child.
Next, I tackle tinnitus in my UT HealthLeader story, Tinnitus: When Silence Becomes Deafening. The inner noise of tinnitus is distracting and bothersome, making it difficult for people with the condition to work or live a normal life, says Nabil Al-Muhtaseb, director of the Audiology Hearing, Tinnitus and Balance Clinic at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). The sounds of tinnitus range from a mild ringing or buzzing to a high-pitched, insistent whine, depending on the severity. Luckily, new treatments can help. That wasn't always the case. “When I was in medical school 30 years ago, they used to tell us, ‘There is nothing we can do for tinnitus,’” says Muhtaseb, one of the few physicians-turned-audiologists. “Over the last 10 to 15 years, we have developed many ways of managing hearing loss and tinnitus in particular.”
When writing these stories, I am always amazed by the wealth of medical technology and expertise right in my own backyard. It is a blessing to call Houston home.