92 Children With Disabilities: Don't Forget Their Emotional Well-being!

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Welcome to Pediatric Meltdown, the podcast for busy pediatricians who want to better understand children's emotional health and behaviors and gain the skills and knowledge to help them thrive. I am your host, Lia Gaggino. In this episode, we are joined by Katherine Steingass, MD.

Dr. Steingass is a Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician at Nationwide Children's Hospital and an assistant professor of Pediatrics at the Ohio State University College of Medicine. She is a member of the complex health care team and the medical director for the Spinal Bifida Program, as well as the Program Director for the Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship; her primary clinical interests include evaluation and care of children with developmental delays and disabilities, including cerebral palsy, myelomeningocele genetic conditions, autism and the sequelae of prematurity.

She is a co-chair for the early childhood Special interest group in the Society for Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics and is involved in the AAPS Council on Children with Disabilities. Dr. Steingass received her medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo and completed her Residency at Nationwide Children's Hospital, followed by a Fellowship in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.

Join us today as we talk about Children with Disabilities: Don't Forget Their Emotional Well-being!

Key Highlights:

[00:01 - 22:13] Kids with Disabilities Often Miss Out on Mental Health Screening

• There is a significant body of literature suggesting that children with disabilities experience higher rates of mental health symptoms, including ADHD, anxiety, and depression.
• Developmental screening is essential for identifying kids who may be at risk for these conditions.
• Qualitative questioning can provide valuable information about a child's overall well-being
• It is essential to balance the need to assess a child's medical conditions with the need to determine their behavioral health.
• Should we be rethinking our perspective on medications for kids with autism?
• Behavioral interventions should be tailored to the child’s individual needs with autism.
• Physical symptoms and medical causes should be investigated to determine the cause of aggression in children with autism.
• Constipation is a common culprit in the development of aggressive behaviors in children with autism.
• There are identifiable triggers for a head banging, and it can be helpful to look at the behavior in terms of its function.
• It is vital to consider the child's symptoms and history and their environment.
• It is common for children with autism to have comorbid mental health disorders.
• Medication options for aggression can vary depending on the child's symptoms.

[22:14 - 37:41] We Have to be Mindful of the Families, the Parents, and Siblings When Approaching Care for Kids with Chronic Medical Conditions

• There is a lot of investigative work that needs to be done before starting a medication like this, as it has potential side effects.
• One way to help families during this difficult time is to normalize the experience and ask open-ended questions about their well-being.
• When talking with families of kids with chronic medical conditions, it is crucial to also focus on their function and quality of...