Grace Blanchard was just three weeks away from graduating from college when she began feeling like something was off. “It started with my handwriting,” Blanchard said. “I had always felt like I had good handwriting, so it was strange that it all of a sudden became messy, slanted and unreadable.” Then there was the slurred […]
The phrase ‘boys will be boys,’ is often used to describe what some consider are normal masculine tendencies boys might have, such as being rough and reckless. Dr. Tyler Sasser, a psychologist in Seattle Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine clinic believes these characteristics of what society deems as masculine can often reflect unhealthy and sometimes […]
I was in middle school when my mental health started deteriorating. Every day I would hide under tables, cover my ears, or hit my head. I would lash out at anyone who tried to help me. I was anxious 24/7. But I kept denying what was happening. I told myself that I was fine, that […]
Today, nearly one in five children has a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder. While some seek relief from their distress using positive coping methods, others may choose methods that are harmful and potentially life-threatening. Dr. Yolanda Evans, an adolescent medicine specialist at Seattle Children’s, has been seeing a recent increase in teens coming into the […]
In honor of Autism Awareness Month, On the Pulse shares a story about a mother with 3-year-old twin daughters who have autism and her showing of gratitude for the relentless care and support that the Seattle Children’s Autism Center staff has provided her family. Nataly Cuzcueta felt like a proud parent when she witnessed her […]
With stories of sexual abuse perpetrated by public figures continuing to be in the spotlight, as well as the rise of the #MeToo movement, there is a growing need for parents and caregivers to educate children and teens about the difficult topic of sexual abuse. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), every 92 […]
When Sam Foster steps onstage, guitar in hand, he lights up the room with his confident presence. Yet behind his poised demeanor is a painful truth that begins to unravel as he lets his lyrics flow through the microphone. Sam has battled with obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD, most of his life. According to the […]
Imagine if you had a child who cried themselves to sleep at night because they had no friends; who called themselves “horrible” and drew disparaging images of themselves in their journal; who suffered physical pain when they wore clothes or gave you a hug. This was once the reality for Julie Munko and her daughter […]
April Merrill is a 6-year-old who loves to sing and dance. Yet, her struggle with an anxiety disorder called selective mutism hinders her ability to do the activities that showcase her vibrant and joyful personality. “Her voice disappears, as April describes it,” said Kelly Merrill, April’s mother. “She said that she wants to talk but […]
Emily Talbot, 17, shares her story about her lifelong battle with a rare brain disease and how she has overcome the physical and mental health challenges caused by the condition through writing and performing music. Although I look like any other 17-year-old, people don’t know that I live in pain 24 hours a day. Since […]
