May - Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. May 3rd-9th is Children's Mental Health Awareness Week, and May 9th is Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

We know that children and young people are experiencing increased mental health needs. “An estimated one in five youth has a diagnosable mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder – yet many do not receive the help they need. And these mental health challenges can significantly impact their ability to learn and develop, ” From Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Your pediatrician is one of many mental health resources available to you and your child. “Many pediatricians check for mental health concerns at well-child visits. The doctor may ask your child questions or ask them to fill out a questionnaire that checks in about how they're doing. As your child gets older, it's important for them to have the opportunity to talk privately with their pediatrician. This also lets them practice talking with the doctor, which is a skill they'll need as a young adult,” from healthchildren.org “How to Talk About Mental Health With Your Child and Their Pediatrician.”

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry has several resources for parents to help understand when you and your child might need to seek medical services.

The Following are a few signs that may indicate that a child or adolescent psychiatric evaluation will be useful.

Younger Children

• Marked fall in school performance

• Poor grades in school despite trying very hard

• Severe worry or anxiety, as shown by regular refusal to go to school, go to sleep, or take part in activities that are normal for the child's age

• Frequent physical complaints

• Hyperactivity; fidgeting; constant movement beyond regular playing, with or without difficulty paying attention

• Persistent nightmares

• Persistent disobedience or aggression (longer than 6 months) and provocative opposition to authority figures

• Frequent, unexplainable temper tantrums

• Threatens to harm or kill oneself

Pre-Adolescents and Adolescents

• Marked decline in school performance

• Inability to cope with problems and daily activities

• Marked changes in sleeping and/or eating habits

• Extreme difficulties in concentrating that get in the way at school or at home

• Sexual acting out

• Depression shown by sustained, prolonged negative mood and attitude, often accompanied by poor appetite, difficulty sleeping, or thoughts of death

• Severe mood swings

• Strong worries or anxieties that get in the way of daily life, such as at school or socializing

• Repeated use of alcohol and/or drugs

• Intense fear of becoming obese with no relationship to actual body weight, excessive dieting, throwing up, or using laxatives to lose weight

• Persistent nightmares

• Threats of self-harm or harm to others

• Self-injury or self-destructive behavior

• Frequent outbursts of anger, aggression

• Repeated threats to run away

• Aggressive or non-aggressive consistent violation of rights of others; opposition to authority, truancy, thefts, or vandalism

• Strange thoughts, beliefs, feelings, or unusual behaviors

The providers at Kids First Pediatrics of Raleigh and Clayton are here to help. Give us a call: Raleigh, (919) 250- 3478 or Clayton, (919) 267-1499. 

*This article is informational and is not a substitute for medical attention or information from your provider.