Plymouth Schools to help students address health issues

By Carol Anders
Correspondent

PLYMOUTH —  With the increased demands on students to perform at higher academic standards, many are experiencing difficulties with anxiety, sleep associated difficulties, attention problems, and behavioral issues.

Clinical Psychologist Dr. Carrie Cadwell will be sharing her expertise on these very topics at presentations starting in January. The doors of Menominee Elementary are being opened for parents/guardians and any other interested members of the community who want to learn more about how to address the issues. All of the presentations are being offered at no charge.

On Jan. 10, Dr. Cadwell will speak on “Childhood Sleep Issues.”

Cadwell said, “The largest group of children I see in my practice are from kindergarten to fourth grade.”

According to Michael Dunn, principal of Menominee, he and Cadwell began brainstorming ideas of how they could help parents after the topics were mutually brought up during meetings of the Plymouth Community Schools Improvement Committee.

Dunn said, “Dr. Cadwell is dedicated to this cause. She is an active parent of an elementary-age child and sees first hand what some of our parents are up against.”

Dunn explained that kids are sometimes barely getting six to eight hours of sleep when they really need 10 hours each night.

“In the world we live in now," he said, "kids have to put in extra study time along with fitting in extra-curricular activities and family time. When we were trying to figure out why some kids weren’t reading nor focusing as well as they could, we found that often a lack of sleep was the issue.”

Cadwell concurred saying, “Many times I find that those I see for problems noted by parents or physicians are actually sleep deprived.”

She is also concerned that the state’s mandate that kids who can’t pass a reading test at the end of third grade will not be passed on to fourth grade.

She said, “Parents often think that kids will just outgrow attention problems, but there may be ways that they can help now.”

Other presentations and topics scheduled are as follows: Feb. 9, ADD/ADHD; March 13, Anxiety; and April 5, Autism Spectrum Disorders. all of the presentations will be held from 6 to 7 p.m.

Cadwell stressed that parents may be reluctant to attend the sessions because they don’t want others to think their child has a problem; but indicated that this is just a way to gain knowledge.

“Parents who generally have more information up front, know what to do if a problem arises," she said.

Cadwell has been working in the field of mental health since 1994 and as a licensed psychologist in 2005. She practices in Plymouth at Cadwell Psychological Services, LLC.

Reprinted by permission of the Pilot News