Taking care of children is more than making sure they brush their teeth and eat their vegetables. Being an active part of the team that determines your child’s care is a very important role. One of the more tedious, but very important, parent responsibilities is keeping accurate records of your child’s emotional, behavioral, social and developmental history.

To assist your child’s medical provider with the process of making a diagnosis and find the proper course of treatment, records should include observations of the child at home, in school, and in the community. Consider taking notes of the following:

1. Developmental history of when the child first talked, walked, and developed social skills
2. Family history of mental illness and substance use disorders
3. List of the child’s strengths
4. Primary symptoms, behaviors, and emotions of concern, including significant mood instability or disruptive sleep patterns
5. Challenges the child is facing in school, in social skill development, with developmental milestones, with behaviors, and with emotions
6. Times of day or year when the child is most challenged
7. Settings that are most difficult for the child (i.e. school, home, social situations)
8. Major changes or stresses in the child’s life (divorce, death of a love one, etc)
9. Factors that may act as triggers or worsen the child’s behaviors or emotions
10. Interventions and supports that have been used to help the child and their effectiveness – including therapy, medication, residential or community services, hospitalization, and more

Don’t miss the upcoming Friday Night Youth Groups in Anchorage, the Mat-Su Valley and throughout Alaska.

Some night we play games, watch movies, and get crazy.  Every night we eat, hang-out, and talk with other kids just like ourselves.

If you are looking for a great time, new friends, or just a place to escape… you’ll love Friday Night Youth Group.  Contact us for more info!

Have you ever craved talking with other moms and dads who “get it”? Ever wondered what to do with kids who don’t make sense? Need a chance to get away and spend time with adults?

AYFN’s Parent Groups are just the place for you!

Each Friday night, parents are gathering together to discuss the joys and frustrations of parenting families with behavioral, emotional, and developmentally challenged children.  As a support group, we talk about a variety of issues, educate ourselves on resources and parenting skills, and connect with others like ourselves.

To make the maze of family schedules just a bit more easy, Parent Groups are held at the same time as Youth Groups, and childcare is provided.  For more information about groups in your area, please contact us.

Introducing a new mental healthcare provider into your child’s life can be a great joy or a difficult chore. With significant impact and influence on the entire family, the provider/client relationship can be a great source of emotional growth or can make matters much worse.

A therapist who immediately relies on medication may not be getting to the root of a problem.  Another who involves parents, siblings, and teacher may have a better chance of seeing the “big picture” and successfully guiding lasting change.

As such, it is critical that you take some time to interview potential caregivers to find the right fit for your child and family.

1. Insurance Verification. Check your health insurance policy to see if it covers mental health providers. Verify what is covered, how many sessions are available, and which providers are within your network.
2. Get recommendations.  Ask around to see if anyone you know has positive recommendations for a therapist.  See if your Pediatrician has any suggestions.  Look up reviews online.
3. Research the therapist. Contact a few child therapists to get a variety of opinions and be able to select the one that seems the most effective. Ask what licenses they have. For example, find out if they are a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), Marriage, Family and Child Therapist (MFTC) and/or certified social worker (ACSW). These designations will show that the person will most likely have a master’s degree and at least two years of supervised experience. They should have also passed a state exam.
4. Prepare a list of questions.  A therapist/client relationship can be highly personal and private.  This is your chance to determine if this is a person you feel your family would be comfortable with.  Prepare a list of questions you would like the child therapist to answer such as their training background, preferred level of family involvement, and opinions about various types of therapy.  Remind yourself why your child may need a therapist. Is she having difficulty in school in school, has his grades suddenly fallen, did she recently undergo a traumatic experience? The more research you perform before the interview, the more effective your questions will be.
5. Interview.  Set up a short meeting to talk with the therapist about your questions.  Bring your child with you to see how they interact. Sometimes children take an immediate liking to an adult, other times, they may dislike them and refuse to talk. The more comfortable the child is with the therapist, the more open and honest they are likely to be.
6. Decide.  After watching your child’s interactions with the therapists and comparing their various responses to your questions, make a decision that works best for you and your family.  Know that you have made a careful selection with your child’s best interest in mind.

The sun is shining, flowers are blooming, kids are chasing ice cream trucks, and the school year is right around the corner.

Although there is still a month and half before the school bell rings again, now is the time to make sure that your child has everything in place to begin the new year right.

1. Schedule your physicals early.  Doctors offices and clinics fill up quickly in August, so get a jump on the rush and schedule your child for an early visit.  To sweeten the deal, clinics often offer special incentives or contests for families planning ahead.  Take a few minutes to schedule your child’s appointment for an annual physical, and be sure to bring along any specific forms your school may require for sports or special activities.
2. Get ready for IEPs. Hoping to get a little extra help with your child’s academic needs?  Make sure you are ready for the onslaught of paperwork for IEPs (Individual Education Plans).  If your child’s needs are based on a health diagnosis, contact your Physician for the necessary documentation.  If your concerns are solely social or academic, gather the tests and reports needed to support your request for services.  IEPs can often be a confusing and intimidating process.  If you would like assistance navigating the school system maze, contact AYFN for assistance.
3. Plug the brain drain. While kids are playing, sleeping in, and enjoying their Summer lives of leisure, their brain are slowly oozing out every equation and English grammar rule they’ve ever learned.  Okay, so maybe it’s not as dramatic as that; but, it’s close.  Summers are notorious for loss of brainpower and the draining of information.  Help your kids retain their skills by Summer reading.  Having your students read for just a few minutes each day, or sharing a book before bedtime does wonders for their growing minds.

Most important of all, enjoy your time together.  Summers in Alaska go by quickly, and soon your kids will once again be swallowed up in the world of school activities, sports, and homework.  So, embrace your time together now.  Go for walks.  Start a water balloon war.  Grill hotdogs in the back yard.

It won’t be long before the bells begin to ring once again, and school will be back in session.

We humans need to belong. We are designed to connect with others and talk and share our thoughts and opinions, ideas and questions. However, sometimes it’s awfully hard to find the right place or person to relate to.

That’s where AYFN comes along.

Each week, parents and kids gather at the AYFN office for a time of fun, food, and discussion about real life. While the parent’s discuss challenges and ways to create a strong family unit, the youth make new friends, have fun and connect with other kids just like themselves. In this safe environment, everyone has a say and everyone belongs.

If you’re looking for a place to connect online, like AYFN and Youth Move on Facebook! Join into the conversations, catch up on the latest news and events, and discover how you can take an active role in your life and community.

Needing something more anonymous? The National Alliance on Mental Illness has a great network of relevant discussion boards available in the “Child & Adolescent Action Center.”

Whether you are simply wanting to connect with other’s walking in your path, looking for answers or a place to vent, or you want to just quietly read the words of others like yourself, there is room for you.

Take a few moments. Give AYFN a call. Find the place where you belong.

The fifth annual World Autism Awareness Day is April 2, 2012. Every year, autism organizations around the world celebrate the day with unique fundraising and
awareness-raising events. How will you celebrate?  To share your thoughts, please “Like” the AYFN page on Facebook and submit your stories by posting the information on our wall.

Thank you for celebrating the wonderful people in our lives affected by autism on April 2 and throughout April which was Autism Awareness Month. We look forward to celebrating with you on April 2, 2012!

We would like to thank the many people who have shown their support to AYFN throughout the years.  Your kindness has allowed us to help hundreds of families and impart hope to the next generation of Alaskan children.

Once again this year, as you apply for the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, please consider showing your support for AYFN through the Pick, Click and Give program.