OZH MENTAL HEALTH and Caring
the following suggestions for promoting mental health in children.
START EARLY
Not every kindergartner deals with anxiety, but mental health issues can set on early in life. Develop regular com- munication patterns with your tot to see how they’re feeling and to develop trust patterns for when they are older.
Under Pressure T
PARENTS REMINDED TO WATCH FOR MENTAL HEALTH WARNING SIGNS BY DWAIN HEBDA
he events of the past year have been tough on everyone, not the least of which are kids and teens. Separated from their peer group at school and deprived of fa- vorite activities such as sports, the weight of 2020 has been a heavy thing to bear. Parents should be on the lookout for signs that their children’s mental health may need a little attention, said Myriah Wallace, clinical manager for Ozarks Healthcare Behavioral Health Center. “I have never seen demand for mental health care as it is right now. The need is absolutely tremendous,” she said. “Kids are especially affected. Being cooped up with the same people and everybody’s stressed out, the kids are really feeling the effects of the pandemic now. We’re seeing a lot more behavior problems.” Wallace said mental health issues such as depression and anxiety can appear at a surprisingly young age — the clinic sees patients as young as 6 — which can com- plicate the process of identifying problems. “Depression will sometimes look a
little different in kids, especially the young ones,” Wallace said. “They can’t verbalize quite like an adult can, so some of their symptoms might manifest as physical things. They might say their belly hurts, their head hurts, they might
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have gastrointestinal issues, diarrhea, constipation and appetite problems. “In other kids, you may notice a rapid in-
crease in weight gain or weight loss and a loss of pleasure in things they used to enjoy. They may have used to love to play baseball, and it just doesn’t even get them excited anymore. Often with depression, you think of kids crying or just constantly wanting to kill themselves or talk about death and dy- ing, but that’s not always the case.” The parent’s job doesn’t get any easier as the child ages, either. Wallace noted teen- agers are perfectly capable of describing what’s going on with them, but as anyone who’s lived through this phase knows, they aren’t always eager to talk about what’s bothering them.
“Dealing with teenagers, that’s the mil- lion-dollar question,” she said. “A lot of parents, if they want to let the kids know that it’s safe to talk about something, will say, ‘Hey, you’re not going to be in trouble with me right now. I’m just trying to help.’ Take a different approach; forget about discipline or frustration. Just let them know it’s safe to talk about things.” Of course, children are in a constant state of development, and sometimes be- haviors can just be a reaction to the mo- ment or a situation. Wallace said a good way to tell these momentary episodes
GET PHYSICAL
There’s a direct correlation between physical activity and mental health. Make sure kids are getting less video game time and more fresh air playtime. Limit binge-watching late into the night to promote healthy sleep patterns. And, keep a handle on sodas and junk food.
TREAT YOURSELF Parents tend to push their own issues to the side in favor of their serious consequences. Take steps to tend your own mental and emo- tional health — you’re no good to your child if you’re not OK yourself.
GET HELP
Don’t try to solve everything on your own. If you or someone in your family is struggling, access professional help, such as Ozarks Healthcare Behavioral Health Center. Find them at
OzarksHealthcare.com or reach them 24/7 at 1-800-356-5395.
Coping, Sharing
apart from real mental distress is longevi- ty — any pronounced change in mood, be- havior, sleep patterns or appetite that last for more than a week or two may be a sign that something deeper is going on. But, she’s quick to add, there is no hard- and-fast rule for this, and parents should not discount their gut feelings if they think something is wrong. “The stigma of mental health has gone down across the board, and we’re seeing parents access help readily. Parents are re- ally looking for that whole team approach, to do what they can to help decrease men- tal health problems at home because they recognize the benefits of it,” she said. “So, yeah, trust your gut. That’s a big one.”
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