Date post: | 27-Jan-2015 |
Category: |
Health & Medicine |
Upload: | ericcameron |
View: | 160 times |
Download: | 1 times |
SUSTAINABLE RESILIENCE
Allergies and AnxietyPreventative Strategies
Paula Barrett
Pathways Health and Research Centre
www.pathwayshrc.com.auUniversity of Queensland
Acknowledgments
• My family: Ana, Tom, Brad and our pets
• Pathways Team
• All the families we have worked with
“Our mind can overcome almost any adversity “
Norman Doidge
Risk and Protective Factors for Human Development
Risk Factors:• Temperament
Physiological sensitivity – low thresholds for stress
• Neurological/brain development
• Life Events traumas
• Physical Health
Protective Factors:• Attachment/Affection• Cognitive style• Family• Sleep• Daily Exercise• Diet• School /Work• Evidence Based
Prevention
What we know:
• One in five adults & children suffer anxiety or
depression (more prevalent than drug use,
ADHD, or any other health problem)
• One in five adults or children suffer from
allergies and associated anxiety
• Less than 5 % of cases receive effective
preventative interventions
What we know:
90% of major emotional and psychological
difficulties and allergies start before 18 years of
age !
What we know
Parents and Health Professionals do not know how
to access and implement preventative Psychological
Evidence Based Interventions
Physiological
Awareness of body clues
Relaxation techniques
Self-regulation
Managing physical conditions
Cognitive Positive
thinking skills about self,
others and the environment
LearningProblem solving skills
Coping Behavioural Skills
Positive role models
Support networks
Evidence based interventions
Attachment
Stable, unconditionally
loving relationships,
Self - soothing,
mirror self-worth,
acceptance,
safety
Australian Evidence Based Resilience Program: Friends for Life
• F = Feelings (awareness and empathy)
• R = Relaxation (self reg & self soothing)
• I = Unhelpful vs helpful thinking
• E = Problem Solving and step plans
• N = Nurturing confidence
• D = Don’t forget the ongoing practise
• S = Stay calm, You know what is happening, You know what to do
“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but
we can build our youth for the future”
Early Intervention
• Preventative Interventions - Early prior to onset of a disorder
• Preventative Interventions - Early developmentally in a child’s life
What WE CAN do:
• Education rather than stigma
• Prevention rather than waiting
• Empowerment rather than blaming
• Focus on interactions and learning skills
• Focus on strengths rather than deficits
• Focus on solutions rather than problems
“ Externalising the anxiety and allergy
challenges empowers the child
and the family”
Friedman and Morris, REVIEW Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings
• There is an increasing prevalence of anxiety disorders and allergic conditions in children and adolescents - these illnesses are often comorbid.
• Anxiety management skills are needed for parents and children
• Allergy management skills are needed for parents and children
Friedman and MorrisWhat can be done:
• We must identify at-risk children• We must study the family history• We must conduct validated assessments for
comorbid anxiety and allergies• We need to target anxious parents and to
implement exposure and other CBT skills• We need to develop and evaluate treatments
that reduce fear associated with the physiological symptoms of allergic reactions
Teufel et al, 07What can be done:
It is important to acknowledge the complex interplay between body and mind: adults and children suffering from food allergy
show impaired quality of life and a higher level of stress and anxiety. We need to
develop strategies for an optimized management of the various types of
adverse reactions to food.
DunnGalvin et al, 09What can be done:
1 - A developmental framework must link health related quality of life and the maturation of the immune system.
2 - It must also link psychological stress, temperament and emotion to neuro-immuno-regulation and increased risk of negative impact.
3 – It must explain both physiological and psychological phenomena and their interaction.
Preventative skills
Be happy
Nurture important relationships
Have fun with children
Let children be children
Monitor, cohesion, consistency
Spend time, interpersonal rewards
Sleep, Diet, Exercise, Play
DunnGalvin et al, 09
Children whose parents encouraged independence and self-management were more likely to describe positive coping strategies
“If there's food around, I will be careful, but otherwise I don't think about it”
“I always tell people I'm food allergic…its safer that way and then you don't have to keep explaining
Cummings Ped All Imm 2010
Anxiety can be managed by both parents and children with positive outcomes for all independent of
allergy severity and type experienced by the children.
Graves et al, 2010Journal of Pediatric Psychology
• Summarises 70 studies doen with children with chronic illness mainly allergies
• Only 50% of families with children adhere to treatment and prevention protocols
• Adherence maximises long term health benefits
THANK YOU!
WWW.PATHWAYSHRC.COM.AU“The brain that changes itself” Doidge, 07
“Allergies and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: A Review of the Literature” Friedman and Morris, 06
“Psychological burden of food allergy”
Teufel et al, 07
“Developmental Pathways in food allergy: a new theoretical framework” DunnGalvin et al, 09