Psychiatry

Meet David Axelson, MD, Chief of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health
Meet David Axelson, MD, Chief of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health 1024 647 Shannon Caldwell

Dr. Axelson and his team have achieved amazing things in the last decade, from more than doubling the volume of patients served to establishing a new research institute for mental and behavioral health, and they’re not slowing down. We recently sat down to talk with Dr. Axelson about his time at Nationwide Children’s and his…

Empowering Therapists With Better Tools
Empowering Therapists With Better Tools 1024 481 Wendy Margolin

New research director sets out to improve mental and behavioral health care with assessments.  Providing mental or behavioral health care without simple, effective clinical assessment tools is like trying to lose weight without access to a bathroom scale, says Eric Youngstrom, PhD, the new director of the Institute for Mental and Behavioral Health Research at…

Evolution of the Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit
Evolution of the Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit 1024 538 Mary Bates, PhD

An alternative to inpatient hospitalization for youth experiencing a mental health crisis and their families sees success at Nationwide Children’s.   The Youth Crisis Stabilization Unit (YCSU) is an inpatient psychiatric setting at Nationwide Children’s for children and adolescents experiencing a mental health crisis. Over the last 12 years, the YCSU has grown from a…

Adding Telehealth Solutions to the Autism Toolbox: What Really Works?
Adding Telehealth Solutions to the Autism Toolbox: What Really Works? 1024 535 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
Collage of health technology tools

The COVID-19 pandemic forced autism diagnostics and follow-up care to digital, remote platforms. Now that telehealth is no longer required, what’s worth keeping as a digital service option?   It may be hard to imagine successfully observing a child over video — or even just having responses to prompts relayed over the phone — in…

Telehealth Has the Potential to Bridge Gaps in Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Care
Telehealth Has the Potential to Bridge Gaps in Psychiatric and Behavioral Health Care 1024 535 Jessica Nye, PhD
Collage of health technology tools

A growing body of evidence supports telebehavioral health delivery for children, adolescents and their families, as outcomes are comparable to in-person treatment delivery. Despite evidence of efficacy, regulatory and financial concerns and technology barriers continue to impede widespread uptake of telebehavioral health. “There have definitely been silver linings to the pandemic, and this is one…

What Psychosocial Interventions Are Well Established for the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Youth?
What Psychosocial Interventions Are Well Established for the Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in Youth? 150 150 Lauren Dembeck

Clinical psychology researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital recently published a comprehensive review of evidence-based psychosocial treatments for bipolar disorder in youth.  Bipolar spectrum disorders (BPSDs) are chronic, recurrent conditions characterized by episodic mood disturbance alternating between periods of depression and (hypo)mania. These conditions are associated with considerable impairment, reduced quality of life, high rates of…

Stress Increases Systemic Inflammation and Anxiety in Mouse Model of IBD
Stress Increases Systemic Inflammation and Anxiety in Mouse Model of IBD 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD

Exposure to stress did not induce a relapse in colitis in the mice. In a new study, researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Abigail Wexner Research Institute tested whether exposure to stress would lead to flares of intestinal inflammation in a mouse model of inflammatory bowel disease. They found stress did not exacerbate colitis…

Making Exercise Part of Your Treatment Plan: Play Strong for Children With ASD
Making Exercise Part of Your Treatment Plan: Play Strong for Children With ASD 150 150 Deborah L. Ungerleider, MD, FAAP

How can clinicians use exercise in their treatment of behavioral and mental health disorders? Experts share lessons learned from the Play Strong program.   It is well-known in the medical world that exercise is good for the mind and body, both for children and adults. However, although health care providers may recommend that exercise be…

Impulsivity, Not Inattention, Predicts Externalizing Disorders
Impulsivity, Not Inattention, Predicts Externalizing Disorders 1024 683 Natalie Wilson
Black and white image of five smiling kids/adolescents

Without early intervention, children with hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder may be vulnerable to developing other externalizing behavior disorders. Contributing to a small but growing body of litera­ture evaluating trait impulsivity theory, a team of researchers led by Mary A. Fristad, PhD, ABPP, director of Academic Affairs and Research Development in the Division of Child…

Can Brain Imaging Help Predict Bipolar Disorder in High Risk Children?
Can Brain Imaging Help Predict Bipolar Disorder in High Risk Children? 150 150 Mary Bates, PhD

Patterns in connectivity in a portion of the frontal lobe called the inferior frontal gyrus appears to be an early biomarker in children of parents with bipolar disorder. Researchers report a potential neural marker of individual risk in those with a family history of bipolar disorder. The study, published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, points to particular…

The Pediatrician’s Role in Health and Hope after Trauma
The Pediatrician’s Role in Health and Hope after Trauma 150 150 Anna Kerlek, MD

A primary care provider’s ability to identify and treat symptoms associated with trauma can increase positive outcomes for patients and families. Almost two-thirds of the children and their caretakers in your office have experienced at least one trauma. Many have experienced more. As a primary care provider, you can provide early intervention and support for…

Early Detection of Bipolar Spectrum Disorders in High-Risk Children
Early Detection of Bipolar Spectrum Disorders in High-Risk Children 150 150 Abbie Miller

A new study finds key symptoms are associated with the development of bipolar disorder among children of parents with the condition. New research published today in the American Journal of Psychiatry indicates a strong link between subthreshold manic episodes and likelihood of developing bipolar disorder in children of parents with bipolar disorder. The study’s findings could…